Leaked Docs Show Obama FTC Gave Google Its Monopoly After Google Execs Helped Obama Get Re-Elected

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Eight years ago, the Federal Trade Commission had the chance to face down Google — the giant of Silicon Valley whose power now alters the free flow of information at a global scale, distorts market access for businesses large and small, and changes the nature of independent thought in ways the world has never experienced.

Instead, the FTC blinked — and blinked hard, choosing to close the investigation in early 2013. A remarkable leak to Politico of agency documents about the 2012 Google investigation reveals that, despite ample evidence of market distortions and threats to competition presented by the agency’s lawyers, the five commissioners of the FTC deferred instead to speculative claims by their economists.

Records and reporting about the 2012 investigation suggest the FTC did so while bending to political pressure from the Obama White House — which was, in turn, bending to political pressure from Google. William Kovacic, a former FTC chair under President George W. Bush, reviewed the more than 3,00 pages of documents leaked to Politico and concluded the agency overlooked “what many experts and regulators would consider clear antitrust violations,” calling the specificity of issues outlined “breathtaking.”

In short, where we find ourselves today — with Google as the primary filter of the world’s information, engaging in a network of exclusionary contracts and anti-competitive conduct, and subject to an antitrust lawsuit led by the Department of Justice and joined by 48 state attorneys general — could have, and should have, been avoided.

That it wasn’t, however, provides key takeaways about where we are now with Big Tech, and, in particular, the method of enforcement of our antitrust laws, whose application has become too tightly wrapped around the axle of price, and captured by the speculative science of economic forecasting. It also reveals just how politicized antitrust enforcement has become — influenced by the siren song of internet exceptionalism and the powerful tug of Google, one of the world’s richest companies. (Read more from “Leaked Docs Show Obama FTC Gave Google Its Monopoly After Google Execs Helped Obama Get Re-Elected” HERE)

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HILARIOUS: White House Responds To President Biden Falling on Air Force One

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President Biden a took a few tumbles as he was walking up the steps of Air Force One last week. Social media users were brutal, creating some now classic memes to commemorate his missteps. My personal favorite was “Gone With the Wind,” poking fun at White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s explanation that the wind caused Biden to trip.

“It’s pretty windy outside,” she said. “It’s very windy. I almost fell coming up the steps myself.” . . .

Reporters worried about the president’s health asked Psaki to give them an update on his condition. . .

“I don’t know if you’ve been up those steps but they’re a little tricky some times,” she added, saying that the president is “doing great.”

(Read more from “HILARIOUS: White House Responds To President Biden Falling on Air Force One” HERE)

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Restaurant Owner Put in Jail After Defying COVID Rules

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An online fundraising campaign created to support jailed Michigan restaurant owner Marlena Pavlos-Hackney surpassed its original $200,000 goal on Sunday afternoon. The owner of Marlena’s Bistro and Pizzeria was arrested last week after repeatedly refusing to follow the state’s operational mandates for food service establishments during the COVID pandemic.

The fundraising initiative’s host increased the goal to $250,000 on Sunday. Pavlos-Hackney’s legal proceedings have garnered national attention from conservatives, many of whom have pushed back against Michigan’s COVID-19 mitigation measures for the better part of a year. Among other programs she was recently featured on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight.

Hundreds of local residents, hopeful elected officials and state Republican leaders rallied behind Pavlos-Hackney’s cause during a demonstration held outside her eatery on Saturday in Holland, Michigan. . .

Pavlos-Hackney appeared before Ingham County Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina during a court hearing on Friday, and will remain in custody at Ingham County jail while state personnel monitor the restaurant to confirm it is truly closed. The owner also faces a $7,500 fine, which she voiced intent to pay on Friday in addition to shutting down the restaurant. Aquilina further ordered that Richard Martin, who attempted to represent Pavlos-Hackney during the hearing without a license to practice law in Michigan, be held in contempt of court for up to 93 days. (Read more from “Restaurant Owner Put in Jail After Defying COVID Rules” HERE)

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Black Man Ranting About ‘White Devils’ Stabs Child, 12, in Neck With Box Cutter

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A Pittsburgh man reportedly ranting about “white devils” is in custody after allegedly tackling a 12-year-old boy from behind and stabbing him in the neck with a box cutter while he and his family were waiting in line at a McDonald’s restaurant Saturday afternoon.

Charles Edward Turner, 51, is charged with attempted homicide, four counts of aggravated assault, two counts of simple assault and resisting arrest after the horrifying incident police described as showing “extreme indifference to the value of human life.”

WPXI-TV reported: “Police said a family of four was standing in line when a man tackled the child from behind and stabbed the boy in the neck. Family members immediately tried to get Turner off the child and struggled to restrain him. As one family member helped the injured boy another continued to hold Turner down, who pushed back biting him and causing him to bleed.”

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the criminal complaint explained “Turner fought with officers as they tried to arrest him. The complaint alleges that Mr. Turner used racial slurs against officers, patrons and employees during his arrest and bit one of the witnesses.”

The Gateway Pundit noted, “According to local television reports, Turner was muttering ‘white devils’ and other anti-white slurs at the crime scene, though the Post-Gazette opted not to include the details about the ‘racial slurs’ he was using,” adding the case “appears to be a clear anti-white hate crime.” (Read more from “Black Man Ranting About ‘White Devils’ Stabs Child, 12, in Neck With Box Cutter” HERE)

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Former White House Physician Says Biden’s Hiding Is a ‘MAJOR Red Flag’

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A former White House physician who is now a congressman says something’s not right with Joe Biden. . .

Last week, Biden called Vice President Kamala Harris “President Harris” before stumbling three times while going up the steps to Air Force One.

Biden was boarding the jet at Joint Base Andrews for a flight to Atlanta when he stumbled, got up, stumbled a second time and finally a third, landing on his knee.

DailyMail.com said there were “new questions” over the health of the president, 78. After he was on board, Karine Jean-Pierre, a deputy press secretary, told reporters he was “fine.” (Read more from “Former White House Physician Says Biden’s Hiding Is a ‘MAJOR Red Flag'” HERE)

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Arkansas Governor Admits: I Signed Near-Total Abortion Ban as ‘Direct Challenge’ To Roe v. Wade

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Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) declared Sunday that he signed into law one of the country’s most restrictive abortion bills as a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade. . .

Signed into law earlier this month, the Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act bans all abortions in the state with just one exception — if the controversial procedure would save the life of the mother.

That means abortions on account of rape or incest are not legally permissible under the law. Those circumstances typically account for fewer than 1.5% of all abortions.

Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” the Republican governor admitted the law contradicts current Supreme Court precedent, but expressed hope it will be the impetus that forces the Supreme Court to review abortion rights.

In fact, Hutchinson said the “whole design” of the law was to challenge abortion rights. (Read more from “Arkansas Governor Admits: I Signed Near-Total Abortion Ban as ‘Direct Challenge’ To Roe v. Wade” HERE)

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Texas Roadhouse Founder Takes His Life After Worsening Post-Coronavirus Symptoms

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Texas Roadhouse CEO and founder Kent Taylor died Thursday after he took his own life following a worsening battle with post-coronavirus symptoms. . .

Greg Moore, Lead Director of Texas Roadhouse, said Taylor touched everyone he met in a statement on behalf of the Board of Directors.

“During this pandemic, he gave up his entire compensation package to help support his frontline workers,” Moore said. “This selfless act was no surprise to anyone who knew Kent and his strong belief in servant leadership. He was without a doubt, a people-first leader. His entrepreneurial spirit will live on in the company he built, the projects he supported and the lives he touched.” . . .

Taylor died by suicide after his post-coronavirus symptoms worsened, a joint statement from Taylor’s family and Texas Roadhouse obtained by the Daily Caller said. Taylor was reportedly suffering from severe tinnitus, which causes ringing in the ear. The coronavirus can make this condition worse, according to the Associated Press.

“Kent battled and fought hard like the former track champion that he was, but the suffering that greatly intensified in recent days became unbearable,” the joint statement said. (Read more from “Texas Roadhouse Founder Takes His Life After Worsening Post-Coronavirus Symptoms” HERE)

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After Thousands of Electronic Votes Fraudulently Cast for Biden, Michigan County Votes for Hand-Counts Only in Next Election

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A small county in northern Michigan voted to conduct a hand count for its primary election instead of using its Dominion Voting Systems machines that became the subject of a lawsuit that has drawn national attention.

Commissioners in Antrim County rejected a request last week from the chief election officer, who sought $5,080 to hire consultants to prepare their Dominion machines for the May 4 contest, and voted unanimously to keep the equipment “on ice,” according to the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Antrim County Clerk Sheryl Guy, who issued the request, said the machines were not “certified for use” as required by the Michigan secretary of state because of a forensic examination conducted in December as part of the November election lawsuit against the county.

The commissioners voted on Thursday to instead conduct a hand count of ballots for the May primary election. According to the report, Guy said this could run afoul of state law given the type of precinct paper that was approved. (Read more from “After Thousands of Electronic Votes Fraudulently Cast for Biden, Michigan County Votes for Hand-Counts Only in Next Election” HERE)

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White House Calls Early ‘Lid’ as Pressure Grows on Biden Over Border

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The White House called a “lid” at 1:13 p.m. on Monday, signaling President Biden was not due to make any public appearances during the rest of the day despite growing questions about the emergency at the border, his administration’s commitment to transparency, and his work rate.

In contrast, former President Donald Trump saturated headlines with two media appearances while surrogates, including his former spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany, heaped further pressure on 78-year-old Biden. . .

On Monday, White House officials called a lid — the arcane term used when the president has finished his public appearances for the day –— soon after Biden’s press secretary finished briefing reporters and much to the amazement of Trump-era staff.

Judd Deere, White House deputy press secretary under Trump, asked pointedly on Twitter, “On a non-holiday, working Monday?”

The lid does not mean the president has finished his work for the day. The White House public schedule notes that Biden is due to hold a virtual meeting with the Senate Democratic Caucus in the evening. (Read more from “White House Calls Early ‘Lid’ as Pressure Grows on Biden Over Border” HERE)

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U.S. Defense Company Claims It Can Track Nearly Any Vehicle in Real-Time Globally

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A defense contractor says it has worldwide motor vehicle location data and wants to use it to assist U.S. federal agencies in their spying and military operations, according to documents revealed this week.

The Ulysses Group, which conducts operational and intelligence support, geolocation collection and analysis, threat and vulnerability assessments and more, claims to have access to “over 15 billion vehicle locations” globally each month, with data able to be viewed “historically” or in real-time.

According to a document obtained by Senator Ron Wyden and shared with Gizmodo, the group says it can “remotely geolocate” vehicles in “nearly any country,” with Cuba and North Korea excluded.

“The Ulysses Group provides telematics based location intelligence, in both real time and historical formats. The data can be used to geo-locate, track and target time sensitive mobile targets, tip and cue other sensors, develop patterns of life, identify networks and relationships, and enhance situational awareness among many other applications,” the document states.

“Ulysses’ analysis, and existing access to bulk commercial telematics data, represents a revolutionary opportunity to collect and analyze real time data on mobile targets anywhere in the world without deploying into harm’s way – whether you want to geo-locate one vehicle or 25,000,000.” (Read more from “U.S. Defense Company Claims It Can Track Nearly Any Vehicle in Real-Time Globally” HERE)

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