NationalWatch

Rep. Burgess to Newsmax: GOP Must Stop Cartels' 'Flow of Money' at Border

Rep. Michael Burgess (AP)

By Jay Clemons | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 06:24 PM EDT

Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, has some advice for Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas if the Republicans reclaim the House majority in the upcoming midterm elections: Clear your schedule for January.

"Secretary Mayorkas will likely find himself in front of [multiple] congressional committees" in 2023, if the GOP leadership takes back control, Burgess told Newsmax Wednesday afternoon, while appearing on "The Chris Salcedo Show."

"I hope [Mayorkas] is prepared for" Republican oversight, added Burgess.

From the Texas congressman's perspective, Mayorkas' inconsistent leadership with DHS has played an integral role in more than 5 million migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border during President Joe Biden's tenure in office.

Burgess also believes that Mayorkas' indifference to illegal immigration has empowered the cartels to seize control of the border, knowing the Biden administration and Mexican officials likely won't put up much resistance.

Control of the southern border has been "extremely lucrative" for the cartels, Burgess said, whether it involves charging migrants exorbitant fees to cross the border, conducting various sex/human trafficking operations or pushing lethal drugs, including fentanyl, across the southern border.

Next year's Republican majority will "have to stop that flow of money," said Burgess. "We have to go after the [money sources] of the cartels and coyotes. Otherwise, it's just moving pieces around on the board."

The congressman then added, "The cartels wouldn't do [all the sex/human/drug trafficking], if they weren't making money" or if they were fearing reprisal from police officials.

Burgess, who says he has visited the southern border many times in recent months, likened the temporary housing the Trump administration created to the so-called "tent cities" being pitched by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, in terms of accommodating migrants.

"The irony here is significant," said Burgess, calling the 2019 images of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., crying outside the temporary southern border housing during Donald Trump's White House tenure a possible show for the media cameras.

Back then, Burgess said, the "Democrats were having prayer vigils" on-site. "But where is that same activity going outside of Mayor Adams' tent city in New York?"

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Original Article

Obama to Campaign for Group of Vulnerable Nevada Incumbents Former U.S. President Barack Obama goes to cast his vote at an early voting venue on October 17, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Jim Vondruska/Getty)

Associated Press Wednesday, 19 October 2022 05:03 PM EDT

Former President Barack Obama plans to visit southern Nevada on Nov. 1 to rally for vulnerable Democratic incumbents in the state who are seeking to fend off a potential red wave.

Early voting will be a major focus of the visit that Nevada Democrats hope will inject enthusiasm into reelection efforts by Gov. Steve Sisolak, U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, as well as secretary of state candidate Cisco Aguilar's campaign and two swing House races.

Sisolak and Cortez Masto plan to speak at the event.

Wednesday's announcement came on the same day that Sisolak's campaign released a video with the former president endorsing the governor.

"While some folks are trying to roll back voting rights and a woman’s right to choose, Steve has protected them in Nevada," Obama said in the ad.

"Steve Sisolak has been there for you. And now you need to be there for him."

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has made two stops in Nevada to campaign for Republican Senate candidate Adam Laxalt and GOP gubernatorial candidate Joe Lombardo. Earlier this month, Trump campaigned in rural northern Nevada in a rally that featured Republican candidates up and down the ballot. In July, he campaigned with Laxalt and Lombardo in Las Vegas.

The final stretch of the midterm cycle marks a foray back into campaigning for Obama, who has mostly remained away from the political spotlight nearly six years after his presidency. He has ramped up his campaign schedule, including in the days leading up to the Nevada visit with stops planned in Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Democrats are hoping to gain back steam in races marked by high inflation, abortion rights, President Joe Biden’s low approval rating and the courting of the state’s working class and Latino voters whose turnout may end up deciding pivotal races.

Some Democrats nationwide have been tepid on whether they want to campaign with Biden as Republican challengers have attempted to tie their opponents to the president. Recently, Biden made campaign stops in western states including Colorado, Oregon and California.

During a governor’s debate this month, Sisolak called Biden a "very good" president and said that he inherited problems from Trump that he’s blamed for today. He said he had not asked Biden to campaign with him but said the president was "welcome to come to the state of Nevada."

Original Article

Judge: Trump Signed Documents of Potentially False Election Fraud

(Newsmax/"John Bachman Now")

By Jay Clemons | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 05:06 PM EDT

A federal judge acknowledged Wednesday that former President Donald Trump signed legal documents describing evidence of election fraud that might have been false, according to a Politico report.

In his 18-page opinion, U.S. District Court Judge David Carter wrote that emails from former Trump attorney John Eastman needed to be handed over to the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 unrest at the Capitol.

The emails in question, according to Carter's ruling, "show that President Trump knew that the specific numbers of voter fraud were wrong but continued to tout those numbers, both in court and to the public."

Eastman has previously declined all invitations to turn the emails over to the Jan. 6 committee, citing attorney-client privilege.

Carter indicated many of Eastman's materials fell under that privilege. He also determined that Eastman must disclose four emails to congressional investigators, messages that could be helpful amid accusations of "obstruction."

"The court finds that these four documents are sufficiently related to and in furtherance of the obstruction crime," wrote Carter, a California-based judge.

As Newsmax chronicled last month, Carter's previous rulings expedited the release of a trove of relevant Eastman emails. The approximate number was 100.

In March, Carter, a judicial appointee of President Bill Clinton, surmised that Trump "more likely than not" attempted to obstruct Congress when he sought to contest the certification of the 2020 Electoral College votes on Jan. 6, 2021.

And as Politico noted back then, the Eastman emails came from files held by Chapman University, his place of employment.

Also, in late June — or roughly six weeks before the FBI raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida — Newsmax reported on Eastman's claims of the FBI improperly seizing his cellphone.

In a court filing shortly after, Eastman demanded the return of his phone, and for federal investigators to destroy any information they might have retrieved from the seizure.

Original Article

Report: Prosecutors Claim 'Sufficient' Evidence of Trump 'Obstructing' Justice (Newsmax)

By Charles Kim | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 04:37 PM EDT

Department of Justice prosecutors believe they have "sufficient evidence" to charge former President Donald Trump with obstruction of justice regarding documents seized from his Mar-a-Lago estate in August, according to a published report Wednesday.

According to Bloomberg, sources familiar with the investigation told the news outlet that prosecutors now believe they have enough evidence to see Trump charged with obstruction of justice following FBI agents raiding the former president's home on Aug. 8 to locate documents that were supposed to be turned over to the National Archives and Records Administration after Trump left office in 2021.

"Of all the things Trump is being investigated for around the country, obstruction of justice is a slam dunk and I think he's going to be indicted," Frank Figliuzzi, former FBI assistant director for counterintelligence, told Bloomberg. "I don't see why a charge of obstruction of justice couldn't be filed by the end of the year."

While prosecutors feel they have enough to charge Trump, the report said that they have not taken the matter up with Attorney General Merrick Garland, who personally signed off on the federal search warrant and raid and has the final authority whether charges should be brought in the case.

The report said that while confident they have enough to go after Trump, they also realize a "path to an actual indictment is far from clear."

The documents taken in the Mar-a-Lago raid have been at the center of legal wrangling between the DOJ and Trump's team.

Southern District of Florida Judge Aileen Cannon appointed Judge Raymond Dearie as a special master to review any seized documents that contained executive, or attorney-client privilege in the case, and return them to Trump.

On Tuesday, Dearie said that he has not seen anything so far in a "small subset" of documents to back up Trump's privilege argument, the New York Times reported.

"It's a little perplexing as I go through the log," the Times reported Dearie saying in a telephone conference call regarding the case. "What's the expression — 'Where's the beef?' I need some beef."

On Thursday, the United States Supreme Court barred Dearie from reviewing some 100 "classified" documents, denying a move by Trump for him to look at them to determine if they contained those privileges, CNBC reported.

Trump wanted the high court to overturn a lower court ruling barring Dearie from reviewing the papers.

"The application to vacate the stay entered by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on Sept. 21, 2022, presented to Justice [Clarence] Thomas and by him referred to the Court is denied," CNBC reported the court's ruling said.

According to the report, there were no dissents by any of the Supreme Court's justices noted in the order.

Original Article

Biden Calls for Increased US Oil Production With SPR $70/Barrel Promise (Dreamstime)

By Eric Mack | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 02:51 PM EDT

Amid pressures of the midterms, gas prices, inflation, and economic uncertainty, President Joe Biden announced a plan he claims will produce a "profit for taxpayers" – and it includes a long overdue call for oil companies to increase production.

Biden is releasing 15 million more barrels of oil from the U.S Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) now, calling for U.S. oil companies to ramp up production, and offering them a $70 per barrel guaranteed price to sell it back to the U.S. government to refill the SPR in the future when demand falls and the price drops below $70 per barrel.

"You're sitting on record profits and we're giving you more certainty, so you can act now to increase oil production now," Biden said during a news conference Wednesday.

Despite a commitment to his party, his voters, and environmentalists, Biden said oil companies can ramp up oil production now "with the promise" they can sell their oil back to the U.S. government at $70 in the future.

"A good price for companies, and it's a good price for the taxpayers, and it's critical to our national security," Biden said, noting the average price of oil since March has been more than $90 per barrel.

"The highest since 2014," Biden admitted.

"We'll actually make money for the taxpayers, lower the price of gas, and help bolster production."

Biden directly addressed the allegations his administration slowed oil production, causing the price hikes on Americans.

"Let's debunk some myths here: My administration has not stopped or slowed U.S. oil production – quite the opposite," Biden said, pointing to the increased oil production since he took office in January 2021.

Biden's statement leaves out of the fact the U.S. was closed down and travel significantly slowed in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic – especially in the most heavily populated Democrat-run cities in America.

Wednesday's new actions come just two years after Democrats blocked former President Donald Trump from filling the reserve at a fraction of that price.

Trump in March of 2020 was looking to stabilize the oil industry as the virtual price of oil dropped as low as minus $40 per barrel amid COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, crushing global petroleum demand.

When oil was priced at about $24 a barrel, Republicans proposed spending $3 billion to fill up the reserve, but the idea became a political football in larger negotiations on trillions in coronavirus relief, with Senate Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., boasting his party had blocked a "bailout for big oil."

That decision effectively cost the U.S. billions in potential profits and meant Biden had tens of millions of fewer barrels at his disposal with which to counter price surges – which is not even the intended use of the SPR.

Crude oil futures jumped Wednesday on the news the White House plans to restock emergency reserves and increase U.S. oil production.

Original Article

Biden Calls for Increased US Oil Production With Incentives (Dreamstime)

By Eric Mack | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 02:57 PM EDT

Amid pressures of the midterms, gas prices, inflation, and economic uncertainty, President Joe Biden announced a plan he claims will produce a "profit for taxpayers" — and it includes a long overdue call for oil companies to increase production.

Biden is releasing 15 million more barrels of oil from the U.S Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) now, calling for U.S. oil companies to ramp up production, and offering them a $70 per barrel guaranteed price to sell it back to the U.S. government to refill the SPR in the future when demand falls and the price drops below $70 per barrel.

"You're sitting on record profits and we're giving you more certainty, so you can act now to increase oil production now," Biden said during a news conference Wednesday.

Despite a commitment to his party, his voters, and environmentalists, Biden said oil companies can ramp up oil production now "with the promise" they can sell their oil back to the U.S. government at $70 in the future.

"A good price for companies, and it's a good price for the taxpayers, and it's critical to our national security," Biden said, noting the average price of oil since March has been more than $90 per barrel.

"The highest since 2014," Biden admitted.

"We'll actually make money for the taxpayers, lower the price of gas, and help bolster production."

Biden directly addressed the allegations his administration slowed oil production, causing the price hikes on Americans.

"Let's debunk some myths here: My administration has not stopped or slowed U.S. oil production — quite the opposite," he said, pointing to the increased oil production since he took office in January 2021.

But the U.S. was closed down and travel significantly slowed in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic — especially in the most heavily populated Democrat-run cities in America.

Wednesday's new actions come just two years after Democrats blocked former President Donald Trump from filling the reserve at a fraction of that price.

Trump in March of 2020 was looking to stabilize the oil industry as the virtual price of oil dropped as low as minus $40 per barrel amid COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, crushing global petroleum demand.

When oil was priced at about $24 a barrel, Republicans proposed spending $3 billion to fill up the reserve, but the idea became a political football in larger negotiations on trillions in coronavirus relief, with Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., boasting his party had blocked a "bailout for big oil."

That decision effectively cost the U.S. billions in potential profits and meant Biden had tens of millions of fewer barrels at his disposal with which to counter price surges — which is not even the intended use of the SPR.

Crude oil futures jumped Wednesday on the news the White House plans to restock emergency reserves and increase U.S. oil production.

JD Vance: 'We're Sick Of' the 'Desperate' Attacks on My Bi-Racial Family (Newsmax)

By Eric Mack | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 02:07 PM EDT

Ohio GOP Senate-nominee J.D. Vance reached a boiling point over attacks from the left and a loyal ally of his opponent in the Cleveland media, calling out racist and "desperate" attacks from Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, on his bi-racial family.

"This is disgusting; here's exactly what happens when the media and people like Tim Ryan accuse me of engaging the Great Replacement Theory — I'll tell you exactly what happens, Tim — what happens is my own children, my bi-racial children get attacked by scumbags online and in person because you are so desperate for political power that you'll accuse me, the father of three beautiful bi-racial babies, of engaging in racism?" Vance said in Monday night's debate, referring to political attacks from Ryan and The Cleveland Plain Dealer cartoonist.

"We are sick of it. You can believe in a border without being a racist. You can believe in the country without being a racist."

Vance's rebuke, hailed by Donald Trump Jr. on Twitter, comes after the cartoonist Jeff Darcy — who openly supports Ryan campaign, along with the Plain Dealer, which endorsed Ryan in the race — published a political cartoon called out on social media.

"The Cleveland Plain Dealer, which endorsed Tim Ryan over the weekend, just published a pretty outrageous cartoon mocking JD Vance's wife, a second generation Indian-American," Mary Marg Olohan tweeted with the cartoon.

Darcy attempted to boost Ryan by suggesting he is a Guardians fan, while using Ryan's talking points attacking Vance and his Indian-American wife Usha Vance for having spent time in San Francisco.

Ryan attempted to claim Vance was "pedaling" racism through The Great Replacement Theory, which suggests those against open borders are fearful of losing power of their race.

"And this just shows how desperate this guy is for political power," Vance said of Ryan at Monday's debate. "I know you've been in office for 20 years, Tim, and I know it's a sweet gig, but you're so desperate to not have a real job, you'll slander me and slander my family. It's disgraceful."

Vance's chief strategist Jai Chabria said the cartoon "explicitly encourages bigotry."

"I'm a first generation Indian American and my immigrant parents taught me to love this country as much as they do, which is why I've never been one to bring race into the conversation," Chabria's statement read. "However, The Cleveland Plain Dealer's woke editors published a cartoon that explicitly encourages bigotry against Indian women by perpetuating a stereotype.

"Tim should step up and condemn their actions immediately, or perhaps this racism is OK because it's against a Republican."

Original Article

Heritage Foundation VP to Newsmax: Military Rating Reflects Readiness Issues (Newsmax/"John Bachman Now")

By Sandy Fitzgerald | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 01:44 PM EDT

The Heritage Foundation's report declaring the U.S. military as weak was determined both because of potential issues with its readiness to fight on two fronts, as well as its ability to obtain the resources it needs, James Carafano, the organization's vice president, said on Newsmax Wednesday.

"What goes into the ratings is it doesn't matter how many military forces you have," Carafano, who appeared with Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer, a Newsmax contributor, on "John Bachman Now." "We look at the capabilities of both our friends and allies and potential adversaries and then we also look at U.S. military capabilities in the breath of that, including training and resources and modernization and everything else."

The scores for the index are compiled in the same way every year, said Carafano, and based on unclassified sources, so "it's based on everything publicly available to know about the military, over 500 pages, thousands of footnotes."

One issue that led to the "weak" rank is the military's ability to operate in two parts of the world simultaneously, and with the war in Ukraine, that could be an issue, he added.

"We're heavily invested not in fighting, but in providing military support in terms of equipment, logistical support everything else feeding into Ukraine," said Carafano. "What would happen today, if, for example, there was a conflict in Taiwan and the United States would have to operate in both places? We factor that in when we look at how much is enough."

Meanwhile, much of the funding that has been allocated to the war in Ukraine was to go to the U.S. military to restock what has been sent overseas, but Carafano said "restocking is not as easy as it sounds."

"We shrunk the defense industrial base over the last decade," he said. "You can say I gave away 1,000 Javelins, so I'll just buy another 1,000 Javelins, but it's going to take two years to refill that stock. It's good that the demand signal is there. But then you also have to have support for that."

Former President Donald Trump dealt with training and resources, Carafano added, but the Biden administration "came in with flat budgets and increasing inflation, and more," he said. "The result of that is we've burned through all the gains that we made in the Trump years."

Shaffer said the military's weakness is being made worse by the increased requirements put forth by the Biden administration.

"You can't do more with less in the military," Shaffer said, adding that the Chinese are paying attention.

"I think in light of the diminished state of our military, and the perception of weakness by Joe Biden, chances are very good that they're going to turn their attention on doing something much more aggressive against Taiwan sometime next year before the 2024 election cycles," said Shaffer.

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Original Article

Biden, National Archives Sued Over JFK Assassination Records John F. Kennedy speaks on July 15, 1957. (Getty Images)

By Brian Pfail | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 01:19 PM EDT

The Mary Ferrell Foundation, which features the largest online collection of John F. Kennedy assassination records, is suing President Joe Biden and the National Archives in an effort to release all remaining documents.

The foundation's suit alleges the government illegally redacted 11 specific records, including a 1961 memo to reorganize the CIA after the Bay of Pigs, personnel files of three CIA officers connected to Lee Harvey Oswald, a 1962 Defense Department "false flag" operation to stage a "violent incident" in the U.S. where Cuba would be blamed, CIA-funded group which publicized Oswald's pro-Castro activities, and records of the Fidel Castro assassination plot.

One of the records concerns George Joannides, who was the chief of covert action at the CIA Miami station and "served as a case officer for a New Orleans-based CIA-funded exile group that had a series of encounters with Lee Oswald in 1963."

The lawsuit also looks to release tape recordings of Carlos Marcello, who allegedly told his cellmate, Jack Van Laningham, that he was involved in the assassination.

Critics say the Biden and Trump administrations continued the policy of federal obfuscation that has existed since the assassination on Nov. 22, 1963.

Last year, Biden postponed the release of 16,000 records until Dec. 15, 2022, but the Mary Ferrell Foundation argues the delay was illegal. It filed the federal lawsuit Wednesday, one year after Biden initially issued the memo of postponement.

"It's high time that the government got its act together and obeyed the spirit and the letter of the law," said Vice President Jefferson Morley of the Mary Ferrell Foundation. "This is about our history and our right to know it."

Under former President Bill Clinton, the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 gathered and collated records related to the event. They were then required to make the documents public by Oct. 26, 2017, but President Donald Trump delayed the release.

Robert Kennedy Jr., the son of JFK's brother, said it was a crime to democracy to hide this information.

"The law requires the records be released. It's bizarre. It's been almost 60 years since my uncle's death. What are they hiding?" he said to NBC News.

Most experts believe the unreleased or redacted records don't amount to irrefutable proof that others were not in on the assassination with Oswald, the accused shooter. This hints at potential CIA contact with Oswald before the assassination, although the CIA has repeatedly dismissed such accusations.

According to Morley, about 70% of 16,000 documents are in CIA hands and 23% in the FBI's.

NBC News reported the CIA said it is adhering to the JFK records protocols, planning to release the documents by the Dec. 15 deadline.

Former DOJ Spokesman Says Department Should Pause on Durham Report (Newsmax)

By Solange Reyner | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 12:55 PM EDT

Former Department of Justice chief spokesman Matt Miller says Attorney General Merrick Garland should “take a pause” and allow another senior career official at the DOJ to review special counsel John Durham's report on the origins of the Russia investigation before its release.

"His cases are over. I think it's clear that he's not going to bring any more charges in this investigation, but one of the requirements for special counsels under the regulations is that they write a confidential report and submit it to the attorney general, and the attorney general then makes a decision whether to release that report to the public," Miller said Wednesday during an appearance on MSNBC's “Alex Wagner Tonight.”

"I think Merrick Garland will be under a lot of pressure from Republicans to release that report, but I have to say, this circumstance is very different from the Mueller investigation, where, obviously, the attorney general, Bill Barr, did release that report," he added.

"It's different because in that case, the subject of that investigation could not be charged, and so it was appropriate for the department to make its findings public, so Congress could decide whether to impeach and convict the then-sitting president," Miller added. "That is not the case here, so to release a report in this instance — given what we know about the way Durham has behaved, some of his inappropriate public statements during this investigation, the poor judgments he has made in bringing these charges — to release a report publicly and let him have the final word I think would really probably unfairly tarnish some people at the FBI that we know he holds ill will, too, based on some of the things he said in this most recent trial.

"So I think the attorney general would be wise to take a pause before releasing that report, maybe let another senior career official at the Justice Department review it and decide whether John Durham really is the person to have the final word on the Russia investigation."

Igor Danchenko, the primary source for the Trump-Russia dossier, was acquitted Tuesday of four counts of lying to the FBI in another defeat for Durham, who has taken two cases to trial. Both have ended in acquittals.

Durham was assigned by the Justice Department in 2019 to examine the origins of the probe into the 2016 Trump campaign's ties to Russia.

His report is supposed to be finalized by the end of the year.

Original Article

Sen. Graham Implores Georgians to Help GOP Take Control of Senate (Newsmax)

By Charlie McCarthy | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 10:27 AM EDT

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., visited Georgia to ask voters to help Republicans regain control of the U.S. Senate.

Graham spoke Tuesday at an event with Republican Senate candidate Herschel Waler outside of an art gallery in north Atlanta.

"I'm your neighbor, and the reason I'm here is I'm tired of being canceled out by your two Democratic senators," Graham said, WABE 90.1 reported.

"If we had one more senator in Washington in the Republican column, I would be the budget chairman, not [Vermont independent Sen.] Bernie Sanders."

Walker and Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock are in a hotly contested race less than three weeks before the Nov. 8 election.

The GOP, widely favored to capture control of the House, is hoping to build a majority in a Senate currently divided at 50-50.

"It's time to tell all your friends — and if you don't have any friends, it's now time for you to make some friends — get them to the polls, and take this election very seriously, as this may be the last best chance for you and your family to have an America that you can recognize," Graham told the crowd, WABE reported. "The stakes are high. I've never felt better about winning than I do right now."

Walker told the crowd that he will support the police, fight "wokeness" in the military, and stop schools from indoctrinating students.

"I can promise you I won't forget about America," the former University of Georgia football star said. "I won't forget about what God has done for me. I found that American dream right here in the United States. I'm American. And all of you are my family, I don't care what color you are."

WABE said Georgia Democrats scolded Walker for appearing with Graham, who has proposed a 15-week nationwide abortion ban.

"Today, Herschel Walker is campaigning with Senator [Lindsey] Graham in support of a nationwide abortion ban," Warnock's campaign said in a statement to reporters.

"Walker doesn't support exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or even to save the life of the mother, saying, there's 'no exception in [his] mind.' Walker has also said he would vote for the nationwide abortion ban introduced by Graham last month — saying 'I WOULD support this policy.'"

Graham appeared in Georgia as Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis continues to seek the senator's explanation for his conduct after Georgia's 2020 election.

Original Article

Mark Morgan to Newsmax: Border Chief Picked to Rubber-Stamp Biden Mark Morgan (Getty Images)

By Sandy Fitzgerald | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 10:06 AM EDT

Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Chris Magnus is not only unqualified for the job but also he was picked to provide a rubber stamp for President Joe Biden and his administration's open border policies, Mark Morgan, who held the job under former President Donald Trump, said on Newsmax Wednesday.

"His selection was based on identity politics and this administration's furthering of its woke agenda," said Morgan on Newsmax's "Wake Up America." He added that "they focused on that, rather than experience-based qualifications."

His comments come after reports that current administration officials are complaining that Magnus is "unengaged in his job," that he's most concerned about addressing allegations of violence and racism in the agency, and even that he's fallen asleep during several meetings, including one on handling the surge of Venezuelans at the border.

Magnus, the former police chief of Tucson, Arizona, was only experienced as a "small town cop" who never oversaw more than 800 sworn officers, said Morgan. He also had no federal experience, so he wasn't qualified to run the CBP, the largest federal law enforcement agency in the country, he added.

"I'm not making light of that," said Morgan. "Local law enforcement is essential for this country. I started my career out as a local deputy sheriff and local cop, but the issue is that does not make him qualified to run CBP, which is the largest federal law enforcement agency in the United States with 60,000 employees and a complex global mission."

And even while Magnus was a police officer, he acted more as a "social activist" than a chief, said Morgan. "One of the qualifications that I think he checked off for this administration is he was actively going against President Trump. He was actively pushing back about what we're doing to secure the borders."

For example, Morgan said that Magnus refused to allow Tucson officers to work with CBP agents to track down illegal immigrant fugitives during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.

"He actively tweeted out [messages] chastising what we were doing to help secure the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, and he parroted [House Speake] Nancy Pelosi's disgusting comments, calling them horrible names," said Morgan.

Magnus, meanwhile, admitted sometimes falling asleep in meetings but blamed it on multiple sclerosis, which he's had for 15 years, and Morgan called that "unbelievable."

"It just doesn't pass the straight-face test, I think it's important that we do question now, his ability to do his job," said Morgan. "That's fair. I mean, his job is too important. Look, I understand the disease he has, but he's got to be able to do the job. Part of that is staying awake."

Morgan also on Wednesday criticized New York City for building shelter accommodations for the immigrants pouring into the city.

"The taxpayers are spending hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars, setting up similar facilities to facilitate their open border policies rather than taking that money to secure the border and save American lives," said Morgan.

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Original Article

Trump Set to Appear for Deposition in Defamation Lawsuit Former President Donald Trump (Getty)

By Charlie McCarthy | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 09:07 AM EDT

Former President Donald Trump is expected to sit for a deposition Wednesday as part of the defamation lawsuit brought by a woman who has accused him of raping her in the 1990s, multiple news outlets reported.

A federal judge last week denied Trump's request to delay the deposition while a key question about the suit was considered on appeal.

It is not clear if Trump, under oath, will answer questions from Carroll’s attorney, CNN reported, though The New York Times said that Trump's attorney, Alina Habba, insisted her client was "ready and eager to sit" for questioning.

The deposition is expected to take place at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, the Times reported.

Former magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll accused Trump of raping her at the department store Bergdorf Goodman. Trump responded by saying he had never met Carroll, that she was "totally lying" and that she was not his "type."

Carroll sued Trump saying his statements had harmed her reputation. She was scheduled to sit for her deposition last Friday.

Carroll has said she intends to sue Trump next month under a new New York State law that allows victims of sexual assault to file a civil lawsuit years after the statutes of limitations had expired.

The former president's testimony in the defamation case could be used in a future lawsuit.

Habba last month asked Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of Federal District Court in Manhattan to delay the deposition while a key question about the suit was considered on appeal.

Habba argued that Trump's denial came in response to reporters' questions while he was at the White House. Trump and the Justice Department argued the DOJ should be substituted as the defendant, which would end the lawsuit because the government cannot be sued for defamation.

Judge Lewis Kaplan denied the request on Oct. 12, finding that Trump had litigated the case "with the effect and probably the purpose of delaying it," the Times reported. The trial is scheduled for Feb. 6.

"This 'Ms. Bergdorf Goodman' case is a complete con job, and our legal system in this Country, but especially in New York State (just look at Peekaboo James), is a broken disgrace,” Trump said in a statement after Kaplan denied his request to delay.

"You have to fight for years, and spend a fortune, in order to get your reputation back from liars, cheaters, and hacks."

Original Article

Trump Set to Appear for Deposition in Defamation Lawsuit Former President Donald Trump (Getty Images)

By Charlie McCarthy | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 09:37 AM EDT

Former President Donald Trump is expected to sit for a deposition Wednesday as part of the defamation lawsuit brought by a woman who has accused him of raping her in the 1990s, multiple news outlets reported.

A federal judge last week denied Trump's request to delay the deposition while a key question about the suit was considered on appeal.

It is not clear if Trump, under oath, will answer questions from E. Jean Carroll's attorney, CNN reported, though The New York Times said Trump's attorney, Alina Habba, insisted her client was "ready and eager to sit" for questioning.

The deposition is expected to take place at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, the Times reported.

Carroll, a former magazine columnist, accused Trump of raping her at the department store Bergdorf Goodman. Trump responded by saying he had never met Carroll, that she was "totally lying" and that she was not his "type."

Carroll sued Trump saying his statements had harmed her reputation. She was scheduled to sit for her deposition last Friday.

Carroll has said she intends to sue Trump next month under a new New York State law that allows victims of sexual assault to file a civil lawsuit years after the statutes of limitations had expired.

The former president's testimony in the defamation case could be used in a future lawsuit.

Habba last month asked Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of Federal District Court in Manhattan to delay the deposition while a key question about the suit was considered on appeal.

Habba argued that Trump's denial came in response to reporters' questions while he was at the White House. Trump and the Justice Department argued the DOJ should be substituted as the defendant, which would end the lawsuit because the government cannot be sued for defamation.

Judge Lewis Kaplan denied the request on Oct. 12, finding that Trump had litigated the case "with the effect and probably the purpose of delaying it," the Times reported. The trial is scheduled for Feb. 6.

"This 'Ms. Bergdorf Goodman' case is a complete con job, and our legal system in this Country, but especially in New York State (just look at Peekaboo James), is a broken disgrace," Trump said in a statement after Kaplan denied his request to delay.

"You have to fight for years, and spend a fortune, in order to get your reputation back from liars, cheaters, and hacks."

Original Article

Many Remain Critical of State of US Democracy: AP-NORC Poll A voter casts their ballot at a polling place at The League for People with Disabilities during the midterm primary election in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 19. (Nathan Howard/Getty)

Wednesday, 19 October 2022 08:38 AM EDT

Many Americans remain pessimistic about the state of U.S. democracy and the way elected officials are chosen.

Only about half of Americans have high confidence that votes in the upcoming midterm elections will be counted accurately, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, though that’s an improvement from about 4 in 10 saying that just before the 2020 presidential election. Just 9% of U.S. adults think democracy is working “extremely” or “very well,” while 52% say it’s not working well.

In a reversal from two years ago, Republicans are now more likely than Democrats to say democracy is not working well. This year, 68% of Republicans feel this way compared with 32% two years ago. The share of Democrats with a sour outlook on how democracy is functioning in the U.S. dropped from 63% to 40%.

Ronald McGraw Sr., 67, of Indianapolis, is a retired construction worker who recently registered to vote and intends to cast a ballot for the first time this year.

“I thought I’d let everybody else put their vote in and just go with the flow, but this whole thing is at stake now,” he said, referring to democracy, the economy, "everything, how the whole country runs."

McGraw, who is Black and considers himself a moderate, said a big concern is the political turmoil in the country and the fact that he sees too many self-serving politicians concerned with power, especially those who work against the interest of minorities. He said he registered as a Republican but did not give any thought to party platforms or stances at the time.

“I am paying attention now,” he said.

After every presidential election, members of the losing candidate’s party can experience a letdown. The fallout from the 2020 election has been deeper, fueled by claims from former President Donald Trump and his allies that Democrats stole the election.

Reviews in key states upheld Democrat Joe Biden’s win, while judges — including some appointed by Trump — dismissed numerous lawsuits challenging the outcome.

The general despair over democracy comes after decades of increasing polarization nationwide, from the presidential and congressional races down to local contests such as races for school boards.

Overall, just a quarter of U.S. adults — including similar percentages of Republicans and Democrats — say they are optimistic about the way leaders are chosen, while 43% say they are pessimistic. An additional 31% feel neither.

Adam Coykendall, a 31-year-old social studies teacher from Ashland, Wisconsin, said he sees party loyalties driving lawmakers more than the good of the country.

“I feel like everything is becoming a little more divisive, a little more polarized, more focused on party loyalty … rather than working for your constituency, having things that work for people rather than working for the party,” said Coykendall, who described himself as an independent who leans toward the Democratic Party.

The AP-NORC poll also found a large segment of Republicans, 58%, still believe Biden’s election wasn’t legitimate. That's down slightly from 66% in July 2021.

Gary Phelps, a 70-year-old retired truck driver in Clearwater, Minnesota, accepts Biden is president but doesn’t think he was legitimately elected. Phelps said he was concerned about voter fraud, mail ballots being received and counted after Election Day, and irregularities with some voting machines.

Phelps remains concerned about the voting process and whether the tallies will be accurate. “I would hope so, but I don’t think so," the Republican-leaning independent said.

The poll shows 47% of Americans say they have “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of confidence that the votes in the 2022 midterm elections will be counted accurately. Confidence is highest among Democrats, 74% of whom say they're highly confident. On the Republican side, confidence in elections is decidedly mixed: 25% have high confidence, 30% have moderate confidence and 45% have little to no confidence.

That erosion of trust comes two years after Trump and his allies came forth with claims about mailed ballots changing vote totals.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge of mailed balloting as voters opted to avoid crowded polling stations. A large number of those ballots slowed down the results as local election offices worked through the steps to verify the ballots and ensure they matched registered voters.

Julie Duggan, a 31-year-old police officer from Chicago, is among the Republicans who does not believe Biden’s win was legitimate. She said watching his gaffes and missteps, it was impossible to believe he garnered enough support to win.

She is concerned about the country’s direction, citing inflation, illegal immigration, crime rates and a lack of respect for law enforcement.

“If we don’t get the right people in, we will be at the point of no return,” she said, adding she hopes elections will be run fairly but has her doubts. “My confidence has definitely been shaken.”

The poll of 1,121 adults was conducted Oct. 6-10 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Zionist Organization of America Awards Former President Trump Rare Honor U.S. President Donald Trump visits the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City on May 22, 2017. (Getty)

By All Israel News | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 07:02 AM EDT

The Zionist Organization of America, which works to strengthen U.S.-Israel relations and combat anti-Israel bias, announced last Friday that it will award the “rarely given” Theodor Herzl Medallion to former U.S. President Donald Trump.

In an email sent to its members, the ZOA said it was honoring the former president “for being the best friend Israel ever had in the White House.”

Dr. Miriam Adelson, physician and billionaire, will present Trump’s award on Nov. 13 at the Zionist Organization’s national awards dinner in New York City. Adelson will also honor House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., with ZOA’s Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Defender of Israel Award.

In the email to its members, the ZOA listed among the former president’s accomplishments:

• Moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem;
• Recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights;
• Brokering the Abraham Accords peace agreements between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates; and three months later, between Israel and Morocco;
• Removing the U.S. from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal;
• Stopping U.S. funding of the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA, a group exclusively focused on financing Palestinian refugees and their descendants;
• Recognizing the legality of Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria;
• Being the first U.S. president to pray at the Western Wall; and
• Issuing an executive order to strengthen Title VI of the Civil Rights Act in order to protect Jewish students:

In January 2019, the U.S. Department of Education described Trump’s executive order as strongly reaffirming the statutory anti-discrimination protections of Title VI, which prohibit race, color, and national origin discrimination in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.

The Department of Education recognized from the order that the executive branch would “enforce Title VI against prohibited forms of discrimination rooted in anti-Semitism as vigorously as against all other forms of discrimination prohibited by Title VI.”

In August 2019, then-President Trump called himself “history’s most pro-Israel U.S. president” and suggested that Democrat voters “are very, very disloyal to Israel and to the Jewish people.” Prominent American Jewish leaders – who, for the most part, vote Democrat – protested his rebuke.

Nevertheless, most Israelis perceived Trump’s position on Israel positively. In January 2020, then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated the description, calling Trump “the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House.”

A Pew Research Center survey conducted in the spring of 2019 on 33 countries found that Israel was the only nation where a majority of people (55%) approved of Trump’s policies. In Israel, 71% expressed confidence in the U.S. president’s “world leadership.”

This article originally appeared on ALL ISRAEL NEWS and is reposted with permission.

Original Article

Zionist Organization of America Awards Former President Trump Rare Honor President Donald Trump visits the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City on May 22, 2017. (Getty Images)

By All Israel News | Wednesday, 19 October 2022 07:59 AM EDT

The Zionist Organization of America, which works to strengthen U.S.-Israel relations and combat anti-Israel bias, announced last Friday that it will award the "rarely given" Theodor Herzl Medallion to former President Donald Trump.

In an email sent to its members, the ZOA said it was honoring the former president "for being the best friend Israel ever had in the White House."

Dr. Miriam Adelson, physician and billionaire, will present Trump's award on Nov. 13 at the Zionist Organization's national awards dinner in New York City. Adelson will also honor House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., with ZOA's Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Defender of Israel Award.

In the email to its members, the ZOA listed among the former president's accomplishments:

• Moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem;
• Recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights;
• Brokering the Abraham Accords peace agreements between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates; and three months later, between Israel and Morocco;
• Removing the U.S. from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal;
• Stopping U.S. funding of the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA, a group exclusively focused on financing Palestinian refugees and their descendants;
• Recognizing the legality of Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria;
• Being the first U.S. president to pray at the Western Wall; and
• Issuing an executive order to strengthen Title VI of the Civil Rights Act in order to protect Jewish students:

In January 2019, the U.S. Department of Education described Trump's executive order as strongly reaffirming the statutory anti-discrimination protections of Title VI, which prohibit race, color, and national origin discrimination in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.

The Department of Education recognized from the order that the executive branch would "enforce Title VI against prohibited forms of discrimination rooted in anti-Semitism as vigorously as against all other forms of discrimination prohibited by Title VI."

In August 2019, then-President Trump called himself "history's most pro-Israel U.S. president" and suggested that Democrat voters "are very, very disloyal to Israel and to the Jewish people." Prominent American Jewish leaders – who, for the most part, vote Democrat – protested his rebuke.

Nevertheless, most Israelis perceived Trump's position on Israel positively. In January 2020, then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated the description, calling Trump "the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House."

A Pew Research Center survey conducted in the spring of 2019 on 33 countries found that Israel was the only nation where a majority of people (55%) approved of Trump's policies. In Israel, 71% expressed confidence in the U.S. president's "world leadership."

This article originally appeared on ALL ISRAEL NEWS and is reposted with permission.

Original Article

Mark Meadows to Newsmax: WH Tries to Run Out Clock on Midterms

By Eric Mack | Tuesday, 18 October 2022 09:43 PM EDT

Reports of an El Paso, Texas, mayor being pressured by the Biden administration to hold off declaring a state of emergency on illegal immigration until after the midterms not only smacks of politics, but a potential quid pro quo, according to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Newsmax.

"Controlling the narrative won't work by convincing one particular mayor to suggest that it's not an emergency," Meadows told Tuesday's "Prime News" with Jenn Pellegrino. "Do you think there's probably some kind of quid pro quo there? Which says: 'If you just hold off after the midterms we'll take care of you with more FEMA funding.'

"You know, I think it's ripe for oversight to see exactly the involvement of this particular administration."

Meadows noted this is just the latest case of the Biden administration attempting to use connections to control narratives, comparing this to the work with the teacher's unions in efforts to label conservative parents domestic terror threats.

"They back channeled with the teachers union," Meadows told Pellegrino. "This time, it's all about working with a Democrat mayor to suggest that they don't have an emergency on the border.

"And, you're right, it smells like politics and trying to put a narrative forward before the November midterms."

Meadows noted he would have been dealing with a firestorm if something like this happened when he was in the White House working for Trump.

"If this had been Donald Trump, this would have made news all over, every single headline," Meadows said.

But the midterms is about winning elections and not winning narratives, and Meadows concluded Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., is going to help Republicans regain the Senate majority because of his inability to serve the border state of Arizona on controlling illegal immigration under President Joe Biden.

"You've got a senator in Arizona – Sen. Kelly is basically talking about how he can work with this administration," Meadows said. "He can't even get Joe Biden to the border, let alone to control it. So this just more of the same. It's hoping that a problem solves itself, just like they are with inflation, just like they have with gas prices.

"Unfortunately they need real leadership – that leadership has been lacking since January of 2021."

About NEWSMAX TV:

NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!

• Find NEWSMAX in over 100 million U.S. homes via cable/streaming – More Info Here
• Watch NEWSMAX TV online – See It Here
• Download the FREE NEWSMAX App on Your Smartphone to Watch Now!

Mark Meadows to Newsmax: WH Tries to Run Out Clock on Midterms (Newsmax/"Prime News")

By Eric Mack | Tuesday, 18 October 2022 10:38 PM EDT

Reports of an El Paso, Texas, mayor being pressured by the Biden administration to hold off declaring a state of emergency on illegal immigration until after the midterms not only smacks of politics, but a potential quid pro quo, according to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Newsmax.

"Controlling the narrative won't work by convincing one particular mayor to suggest that it's not an emergency," Meadows told Tuesday's "Prime News" with Jenn Pellegrino. "Do you think there's probably some kind of quid pro quo there? Which says: 'If you just hold off after the midterms we'll take care of you with more FEMA funding.'

"You know, I think it's ripe for oversight to see exactly the involvement of this particular administration."

Meadows noted this is just the latest case of the Biden administration attempting to use connections to control narratives, comparing this to the work with the teacher's unions in efforts to label conservative parents domestic terror threats.

"They back channeled with the teachers union," Meadows told Pellegrino. "This time, it's all about working with a Democrat mayor to suggest that they don't have an emergency on the border.

"And, you're right, it smells like politics and trying to put a narrative forward before the November midterms."

Meadows noted he would have been dealing with a firestorm if something like this happened when he was in the White House working for Trump.

"If this had been Donald Trump, this would have made news all over, every single headline," Meadows said.

But the midterms is about winning elections and not winning narratives, and Meadows concluded Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., is going to help Republicans regain the Senate majority because of his inability to serve the border state of Arizona on controlling illegal immigration under President Joe Biden.

"You've got a senator in Arizona – Sen. Kelly is basically talking about how he can work with this administration," Meadows said. "He can't even get Joe Biden to the border, let alone to control it. So this just more of the same. It's hoping that a problem solves itself, just like they are with inflation, just like they have with gas prices.

"Unfortunately they need real leadership – that leadership has been lacking since January of 2021."

About NEWSMAX TV:

NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!

• Find NEWSMAX in over 100 million U.S. homes via cable/streaming – More Info Here
• Watch NEWSMAX TV online – See It Here
• Download the FREE NEWSMAX App on Your Smartphone to Watch Now!

Original Article

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 1:52 PM PT – Tuesday, October 18, 2022

45th President Donald Trump is defending rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, amid far-left attacks.

In a recent interview, Trump praised Ye for supporting American patriots and the MAGA movement. He said that the rapper has faced a lot of criticism for his political views. The 45th President made it known that he is not familiar with Ye’s recent statements that sparked fury among the far-left mob.

“I’ve always got along with him,” Trump said. “I liked him. I’ve always gotten along with him so I don’t really know what statements he made. Sometimes he’ll make a statement and a lot of people think worse than he means it to be.”

Trump went on to say that he has a strong personal relationship with Ye.

“Well, I haven’t really seen the statements. I did watch the Tucker Carlson interview and he was really nice to me beyond anybody. He was great to me and he was great really, to the MAGA movement which was very impressive,” Trump said. “I think that you know. I was, I was certainly very, you know, what I’m talking about. He was really high on a guy named Donald Trump.”

Trump also admitted that Ye may be making controversial statements, but he does not believe that Ye means anything bad by it.

Original Article Oann