To Avoid Government Shutdown, Trump Signs Temporary Spending Bill

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President Donald Trump signed a continuing resolution (CR) on Thursday to prevent a government shutdown just hours before the government would run out of money.

The CR will fund the government from Nov. 21 to Dec. 20. The Senate passed the vote earlier Thursday 74-20. The current spending bill would have expired at 11:59:59 pm ET Thursday, according to the Washington Post. Democrats and Republicans in Congress have continued to be split over President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall funding, which was not included in this CR. . .

The situation is very similar to the shutdown before Christmas in 2018, when House leadership passed a continuing resolution earlier in 2018 and moved appropriations until the holiday season. The House Freedom Caucus then convinced President Donald Trump to hold out over wall funding, starting the longest shutdown in recent history which lasted until January of 2019. (Read more from “To Avoid Government Shutdown, Trump Signs Temporary Spending Bill” HERE)

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Study: Price Tag for War on Terror Is $6.4 Trillion and Growing

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War is many things, and one of those things is expensive. A new academic study shows just how expensive the war on terror has been for the United States over the past 18 years, placing the total taxpayer cost at $6.4 trillion.

In order to tabulate the total cost of post-9/11 anti-terror operations since late 2001, the report — which was published last week by the Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs at Brown University — takes into account not only the costs of military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, but also military operations in other countries, costs incurred by the Department of Homeland Security, and the public cost of taking care of the medical and disability issues faced by post-9/11 veterans.

“The mission of the post-9/11 wars, as originally defined, was to defend the United States against future terrorist threats from al Qaeda and affiliated organizations. Since 2001, the wars have expanded from the fighting in Afghanistan, to wars and smaller operations elsewhere, in more than 80 countries — becoming a truly ‘global war on terror,’” the summary explains. “Further, the Department of Homeland Security was created in part to coordinate the defense of the homeland against terrorist attacks.”

To put that $6.4 trillion figure in context, that is 103,330,803 times the annual U.S. median household income of $61,937, meaning that it would take the annual median salaries of more than 100 million American households to cover the cost of the United States’ Middle East and Asia involvement over the past 18 years as estimated by the report.

Furthermore, this figure is $2 trillion more than the entire U.S. federal government spent in fiscal year 2019, which was $4.44 trillion according to the Treasury Department.

A similar cost estimate put out by the Watson Institute in November 2018 estimated a total cost of $5.9 trillion, representing an estimated $500 billion price tag for the previous fiscal year.

The report’s summary also explains that costs to American taxpayers resulting form the war on terror would keep adding up even if the U.S. were to cease its military operations in the Middle East and elsewhere by the end of this fiscal year. This is because, it says, of the ongoing cost of veterans’ care and also because “the increases in the Pentagon base budget associated with the wars are likely to remain, inflating the military budget over the long run.”

Meanwhile, the United States’ national debt continues to grow with no end in sight, topping $23 trillion for the first time in history at the beginning of November. Furthermore, the budget deficit for October grew 34 percent over the previous year, which puts the country on course to hit a trillion-dollar deficit this fiscal year. (For more from the author of “Study: Price Tag for War on Terror Is $6.4 Trillion and Growing” please click HERE)

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High Schooler Traumatized After Transgenders Get ‘Unrestricted’ Access to Female Locker Room

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There was some pointed fallout after an Illinois school district last week voted to give transgender students “unrestricted” access to the locker room of their identified gender.

Julia Burca — a swimmer for William Fremd High School in Palatine, which is part of District 211 in the Chicago suburbs — spoke on camera after Thursday’s 5-2 school board vote and gamely held back tears while making her case against the decision. . .

“I feel uncomfortable that my privacy is being invaded,” Burca told the Daily Herald, adding that because of her sport she needs to change “multiple times, naked, in front of the other students in the locker room.”

She added that she understands the school board “has an obligation to all students” but that she wishes those officials could have done something to accommodate those in situations like hers. (Read more from “High Schooler Traumatized After Transgenders Get ‘Unrestricted’ Access to Female Locker Room” HERE)

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Report: Epstein Guard to Reveal Details About Pedophile’s ‘Suicide’; Prince Andrew ‘Fired’ By Queen Elizabeth

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By The Blaze. Tova Noel, one of Jeffrey Epstein’s prison guards at Manhattan’s Metropolitan Correctional Center, will reportedly cooperate with prosecutors and divulge details about the night Epstein reportedly killed himself.

Noel was one of two guards arrested and charged for reportedly falsifying records to cover up her absence for the period of time in which accused serial pedophile Epstein reportedly hanged himself. . .

On Wednesday, Noel’s legal team said that she is considering a plea deal in which she will offer up information on the circumstances surrounding Epstein’s prolific death.

“Ms. Noel remains available to fully and truthfully cooperate with the Inspector General’s investigation, which is also geared toward uncovering the many problems that existed from the commencement of her employment which continue to plague the Metropolitan Correctional Center,” Noel’s defense lawyer Jason Foy said in a statement obtained by the outlet.

Noel’s legal team did not specify what information their client could offer up. (Read more from “Report: Epstein Guard to Reveal Details About Pedophile’s ‘Suicide'” HERE)

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Prince Andrew Didn’t Step Back from Royal Duties – Queen Elizabeth ‘Fired’ Him

By NY Post. Prince Andrew didn’t step down from royal duties — he was fired by his mom, Queen Elizabeth II, according to reports in the UK.

“The Queen summoned the Duke to Buckingham Palace to tell him her decision,” one of Andrew’s friends told the Sun of the Duke of York’s downfall that royal experts have called “monumental.”

“It was a devastating moment for both of them. His reputation is in tatters,” the source said, referring to the overwhelming backlash from his BBC interview discussing his ties to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

“It is unlikely he will ever perform royal duties again. He is disgraced,” the source told the paper.

Both the Daily Mail and Metro UK newspapers said on their front pages Thursday that Andrew had been “banned” from further duties, with the Mail saying he was “forced” into Wednesday’s announcement. (Read more from “Prince Andrew Didn’t Step Back from Royal Duties – Queen Elizabeth ‘Fired’ Him” HERE)

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WATCH: Biden Is Visibly Upset After Being Asked About Son’s Affair

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Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden became visibly annoyed with a reporter on Thursday who asked him about the news story that broke yesterday that his son, Hunter Biden, fathered a child with a woman in Arkansas while Hunter Biden was dating his brother’s widow.

Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked Biden, “Do you have a comment on this report and court filing out of Arkansas that your son Hunter just made you a grandfather?”

“No, that’s a private matter, I have no comment,” Biden responded.

Biden then showed that the question annoyed him, adding, “But only you would ask that. You’re a good man. You’re a good man. Classy.”

(Read more from “WATCH: Biden Is Visibly Upset After Being Asked About Son’s Affair” HERE)

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Alexander Vindman Condemned Himself in His Impeachment Testimony; Benghazi Hero Calls Vindman a ‘Disgrace’

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By NY Post. The commander-in-chief ought to fire Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who serves on the National Security Council, for rank insubordination. That is the key take­away from Tuesday’s hearings in the Democratic impeachment push. . .

But Vindman was unreliable and had questionable judgment, according to his own outgoing superior, Tim Morrison, the National Security Council’s senior director for European affairs.

In fact, Morrison viewed Vindman as so untrustworthy that he opted to exclude him from his conversations with William Taylor, the senior US diplomat in Ukraine.

Vindman had an “unfortunate habit,” Morrison thought, of defying the sprawling executive branch’s carefully delineated chain of command. Vindman’s testimony vindicates Morrison’s dripping disdain for his former subordinate.

The officer, who testified that he has never spoken directly with the president, nonetheless admitted to advising Zelensky as to how to comport himself in his communication with Trump. Vindman testified that he did not have time to express his concerns directly to Morrison, but he apparently found the time to express his concerns to both Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent and an unnamed individual in the intelligence community. (Read more from “Alexander Vindman Condemned Himself in His Impeachment Testimony” HERE)

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Benghazi Hero Calls Vindman a ‘Disgrace’ for Undermining Trump’s Foreign Policy

By Pluralist. A slew of prominent former military service members slammed Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, following his testimony during Tuesday’s impeachment inquiry hearing.

Vindman, the National Security Council’s director for European affairs, testified to the House Intelligence Committee Tuesday alongside Jennifer Williams, a national security aide to Vice President Mike Pence. They had both listened-in on the Trump-Zelensky call and expressed concerns about its inclusion of domestic U.S. politics.

They also said the hold on military aid could damage Ukraine’s ability to confront Russian aggression. Vindman, who showed up in full military dress, construed Trump’s request as a demand, and said it was “likely to have significant implications” for national security.” . . .

Mark Geist, a U.S. Marine who fought in the Battle of Benghazi in 2012, called Vindman a “disgrace to all who served.”

Robert O’Neill, the Navy SEAL responsible for killing Osama bin Laden, accused “the left” of using Vindman’s military service as a shield for criticism against him.

(Read more from “Benghazi Hero Calls Vindman a ‘Disgrace’ for Undermining Trump’s Foreign Policy” HERE)

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Judge Says the FBI Can’t Keep Refusing to Confirm or Deny the Existence of Social Media Monitoring Documents

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The ACLU is one step closer to obtaining documents detailing the FBI’s use of social media monitoring tools. The FBI replied to the ACLU’s FOIA request with a Glomar and a denial.

First, it neither confirmed nor denied it had responsive records. Then it said even if it did have some, it still wouldn’t release them. According to the FBI, releasing documents about the government’s well-known use of social media monitoring software would somehow allow criminals to take a peek at super-secret law enforcement tools. It made these assertions despite the fact it publicly secured contracts for social media monitoring tools.

The ACLU sued. And now, it’s obtained at least a partial victory. The court says it’s not quite accurate to say the DOJ has already publicly acknowledged use of social media monitoring tools. Citing the ACLU’s victory in an FOIA lawsuit over drone strike documents, the court points out the bar to clear first is whether it can be said the DOJ — not the FBI — has made it clear it’s in the social media monitoring business. . .

But that’s not the end of the discussion. The FBI works with several other federal agencies and the documents requested would cover any secondhand use of monitoring tools. So, is it public knowledge other federal agencies engage in social media monitoring?

Given the wide array of evidence indicating (1) that other agencies engage in social media monitoring in the immigration and transportation contexts, and (2) that those agencies cooperate, coordinate, and share information with the FBI, the Court also considers whether such evidence makes it possible to impute, for purposes of applying Exemption 7(E), social media monitoring in the immigration and transportation contexts to the FBI. The ACLU presents extensive evidence that the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (“CBP”), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”), and the Department of State (“DOS”) engage in social media monitoring.

(Read more from “Judge Says the FBI Can’t Keep Refusing to Confirm or Deny the Existence of Social Media Monitoring Documents” HERE)

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Did the Navy’s Top SEAL Show Contempt for Trump?

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His pay grade restored by President Donald J. Trump on Friday, Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward “Eddie” Gallagher has filed an inspector general’s complaint against the Navy’s top SEAL, accusing him of uttering contemptuous statements about the commander in chief.

In the works for four months, the move came hours before a Wednesday morning meeting with Naval Special Warfare superiors in California, who are expected to inform Gallagher that Naval Special Warfare commander Rear Adm. Collin Green has convened a Trident Review Board on Dec. 2 to take the coveted SEAL qualification pin away from the special operator.

Green seems to have mustered the support of his uniformed chain of command to administratively punish Gallagher, 40, even if it’s perceived as defiant to the White House. . .

Based on the documents provided to Navy Times, it remains unclear what, if any, comments were made by Green about the president. But a potential showdown between Trump and Green, his fellow admirals and their civilian overseer, Spencer, could set a bad precedent in civil-military affairs, Gallagher’s legal team said.

“The president has spoken on the punishment of Eddie Gallagher,” said the SEAL’s civilian attorney, Timothy Parlatore, a former surface warfare officer. “A two-star admiral should not be stepping in to substitute the judgment of his commander in chief. “This is a terrible precedent to send and the commander in chief should take swift and decisive action against Rear Adm. Green. (Read more from “Did the Navy’s Top SEAL Show Contempt for Trump?” HERE)

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Media, Federal Government Tougher on Roger Stone Than Child Molester Jeffrey Epstein. Why?

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Roger Stone was convicted in federal court last week on seven felony charges stemming from the since-closed Russia collusion investigation. Stone’s main crime was lying to Congress about who he had or had not spoken to about Russia.

By the time Stone’s trial began in Washington the larger scandal that ensnared him had long been debunked. Nobody was talking about WikiLeaks anymore; nobody cared. And yet prosecutors continued zealously as if it were still 2017. For lying about something that is now officially irrelevant, they argued that Roger Stone should spend up to 50 years in prison, effectively the rest of his natural life.

Now, at the very moment prosecutors were making that case, that Stone’s misstatements ought to be a death penalty offense, Congressman Adam Schiff was busy lying to the rest of us about new things, some of which actually mattered. Schiff didn’t seem worried about his lying. He knew he would never be prosecuted for it. In Washington dishonestly is strictly a one-way offense.

Yet despite the obvious irony of all of this, Roger Stone was convicted anyway. And official Washington cheered. “Rot in hell!” they screamed on Twitter, oblivious to karma, which, by the way, is real.

What’s interesting about the response to Stone’s case, both from federal prosecutors and from the conventional opinion-makers on television, is how much harsher and more outraged it was than anything that greeted convicted child molester Jeffrey Epstein. Do you think ABC’s George Stephanopoulos would even consider having dinner at Roger Stone’s house? Well, of course not. That would be immoral. (Read more from “Media, Federal Government Tougher on Roger Stone Than Child Molester Jeffrey Epstein. Why?” HERE)

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Despite Previous Denials, DNA Test Proves Hunter Biden Is Father of Arkansas Woman’s Baby

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A DNA test has confirmed that Hunter Biden fathered a child with an Arkansas woman who is suing him for financial support, after months of Biden denying the allegations and asking that the suit be thrown out. . .

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette first reported Wednesday that “DNA testing has established ‘with scientific certainty'” that Biden is the father of the baby, according to court documents filed by the child’s mother, Lunden Alexis Roberts. According to the motion, Biden “is not expected to challenge the results of the DNA test or the testing process.”

Biden has repeatedly denied having a sexual relationship with Lunden, and demanded in August that the paternity suit against him be tossed out by the court, The Daily Mail reported. Biden eventually agreed to take a DNA test.

As Business Insider noted, “Biden’s relationship history is complicated.”

At the time of Biden’s affair with Lunden, he was dating his late brother’s widow, Hallie Biden, who he moved in with after divorcing his wife of 22 years. Biden remarried in May to Melissa Cohen, who he reportedly had met just days before. (Read more from “Despite Previous Denials, DNA Test Proves Hunter Biden Is Father of Arkansas Woman’s Baby” HERE)

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