Even Though Supreme Court Upheld Transgender Ban, Pentagon Refuses to Change Direction Citing Technicality

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The Pentagon will not immediately implement President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender men and women serving in the military, the Defense Department said Wednesday, one day after the Supreme Court removed some legal roadblocks that have stalled the controversial policy.

The Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision on Tuesday removed preliminary injunctions that for more than a year halted the Pentagon from implementing the so-called “Mattis Plan,” a policy penned by former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at Trump’s direction that would ban most transgender men and women from enlisting in the military. However, one such preliminary injunction issued by a federal judge overseeing a discrimination lawsuit in Maryland remained in place as of Wednesday, said Air Force Lt. Col. Carla Gleason, a Pentagon spokeswoman.

The Department of Justice “is seeking relief from this remaining injunction in light of the Supreme Court’s action, but at present it remains in place,” Gleason said. She stressed as of Wednesday that the Pentagon continued to operate under the Defense Department’s 2016 policy, which opened military service to transgender men and women and allowed them to enlist starting Jan. 1, 2018. . .

A White House effort to ban transgender people from military service has been mired in confusion and litigation since Trump’s surprise announcement in July 2017 via Twitter that he would no longer allow transgender people to serve. The directive – made formal in a White House order about one month later – came without any apparent consultation among top Pentagon officials and was decried by Democratic lawmakers and advocates for transgender individuals as a political move.

Mattis’ plan was issued in March 2018 and claimed open service by transgender men and women could undermine the military’s combat readiness. It sought to exclude transgender individuals who had undergone a sex transition or were seeking to transition from their biological gender from joining the military. However, it granted exceptions for active-duty servicemembers who had already identified themselves as transgender. Officials said there were about 900 such servicemembers in the military now. (Read more from “Even Though Supreme Court Upheld Transgender Ban, Pentagon Refuses to Change Direction Citing Technicality” HERE)

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The Anti-Trump American Media Is Achieving Russia’s Goal

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Where Russia failed in dividing America, the anti-Trump media are succeeding.

Last month, an analysis of the social media posts by Russia-based Internet Research Agency concluded the primary goal of the influence operation was “dividing Americans.” According to the report, which was conducted by New Knowledge and commissioned by the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the Russian effort “was designed to exploit societal fractures, blur the lines between reality and fiction, erode our trust in media entities and the information environment, in government, in each other, and in democracy itself.”

In a perverse twist, the anti-Trump media’s relentless attacks on President Trump and his supporters are accomplishing the Russian goal of dividing Americans and eroding faith in government while destroying their own credibility.

The news coverage of the encounter between a Native American man and high school students at the Lincoln Memorial and the reporting on the border crisis are recent examples where the anti-Trump media are doing more to harm to the U.S. than the Russia-based Internet Research Agency ever could.

A short video of a Catholic high school student wearing a Make America Great Again hat staring at a Native American man beating his drum went viral and triggered a series of erroneous news stories about the encounter. The anti-Trump media jumped at the opportunity to connect the Trump-supporting Catholic high school boys with racism against Native Americans.

In its initial story, the New York Times portrayed the high school students as the agitators, “a throng of cheering and jeering high school boys, predominantly white and wearing ‘Make America Great Again’ gear, surrounding a Native American elder.”

The story intjected race into its analysis, describing the incident as “the latest touchpoint for racial tensions in American, particularly under Mr. Trump.” The story also boosted the racism angle by adding the president “painted immigrants in broad strokes as rapists and drug dealers” and his criticism of Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and her claim of Native American background to complete the picture.

A day later, the New York Times updated the story. Analysis of longer videos of the encounter at the Lincoln Memorial painted an entirely different picture. The Native American approached the high school boys; they were not aggressors. But the update by the New York Times and other news outlets was too little, too late. The anti-Trump media inflamed the social media mob instead of extinguishing the fire.

The attacks against the students and their school, Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky, were unrelenting.

Both Covington Catholic High School and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington threw the students under the bus, condemning the students’ actions and issuing an apology to the Native American man who confronted the children. The high school students were also roundly criticized from all political sides, including some calling for violence.

On twitter, CNN political analyst Bakari Sellers zeroed in on the student featured in the video and said, “He is a deplorable. Some ppl can also be punched in the face.” Sellers deleted his tweet after the news reported on additional video evidence.

Hollywood elites also couldn’t restrain themselves. Disney film producer Jack Morrissey said on twitter, “MAGAkids go screaming, hats first, into the woodchipper.” He later apologized and deleted the horrific tweet.

Actress Alyssa Milano targeted the MAGA hats worn by some of the high school boys, saying they are “the new white hood,” essentially equating children to Klansmen. The Covington Catholic Schools and the Diocese of Covington are being targeted by activists and threats of violence.

The anti-Trump media is also eroding the faith of Americans in the president by its news coverage that minimizes the threat of illegal aliens to the safety and security of U.S. citizens. As pointed out in the Washington Examiner and Fox News, the media wrote stories about a crisis at the border under former President Obama, but suddenly, under President Trump, it’s considered a manufactured crisis.

Recently, over 700 pounds of cocaine were seized by Border Patrol agents between ports of entry, and hundreds of migrants were caught after digging under an old section of border fence in Arizona.

The facts show there is a crisis at the southern border. The Catholic student’s actions were not threatening or racist. But the anti-Trump media’s zeal to undermine the president and his credibility supersedes the truth.

Russia is getting the divided America it sought, not by its agents feeding social media, but from the anti-Trump media that fuels outrage against the president and his supporters — even children. (For more from the author of “The Anti-Trump American Media Is Achieving Russia’s Goal” please click HERE)

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After Sealed Court Records Mysteriously Leaked, Senator Ernst Denies Affair With Soldier Under Her Command

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By AP. Sen. Joni Ernst on Wednesday denied allegations leveled by her ex-husband that she had an affair with a subordinate while she served in the military. . .

Joni Ernst said Wednesday at the event that she believed the court documents would be sealed from the public and was caught off guard by news reports on the allegations.

“I would love to point the finger and say, ‘Somebody screwed up. Somebody leaked.’ But they’re out there and so now I will deal with that,” she said. “But what I want people to understand is that I am the same person as I was last week. You just know more about what’s inside of me now.” (Read more from “After Sealed Court Records Mysteriously Leaked, Senator Ernst Denies Affair With Soldier Under Her Command” HERE)

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Divorce Filing: U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst Says Her Husband Physically Attacked Her

By Des Moines Register. Years before her divorce, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst was assaulted by her husband after she confronted him about his relationship with their daughter’s babysitter, she wrote in court filings.

Ernst, a Republican who represents Iowa, said that during her 26-year marriage with Gail Ernst, she was the victim of verbal and mental abuse and a physical assault after which a victim’s advocate wanted to take her to a hospital, she wrote in public records connected to their divorce. . .

In an affidavit in October, Joni Ernst described a history of emotional abuse that included her husband belittling her and becoming angry when she achieved her goals. She was interviewed by then-candidate Donald Trump to run for vice president, but she turned him down, describing the move as not the right thing for her or her family, she said.

Ernst, 48, a military veteran from Red Oak, was the first woman in Iowa elected to either chamber of Congress. She defeated Democrat Bruce Braley in 2014 to win a six-year term in the Senate after emerging victorious from a five-way Republican primary for the nomination. She has said she will seek a second term in the Senate in 2020. (Read more from “Divorce Filing: U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst Says Her Husband Physically Attacked Her” HERE)

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Democrat Senator Announces Vote for Border Wall

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West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin is bucking the Democratic Party, announcing that he will vote for legislation funding a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

“Today I will vote for both gov funding bills b/c I believe we must end this harmful shutdown immediately & it’s our first opportunity in the Senate to do so,” the Democrat tweeted Thursday. “Even though they will probably fail, these votes are a start to finding a way to reopen the gov & get WVians back to work.”

The Senate will vote on two sharply different funding bills Thursday. First, lawmakers will vote on a GOP-backed bill that includes $5.7 billion the president has requested to fund his border wall and protections for some migrants. Following that vote, lawmakers will then decide on a Democratic-led budget proposal that does not include funding for the wall. . .

Despite Republicans holding a 53-seat majority, Senate rules require at least 60 votes for budget bills, and Democrats have remained steadfast in their opposition to the border wall. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have agreed to allow both bills to receive a floor vote in hopes that it will be a step toward a compromise.

Manchin is not the only lawmaker who will vote in favor of both bills. Republican Sens. Cory Gardner of Colorado, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine indicated they plan to vote for both bills, stressing the necessity to open the government and let federal employees finally receive a paycheck. (Read more from “Democrat Senator Announces Vote for Border Wall” HERE)

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Another 10,000+ Caravan Hits Mexico and Requests Asylum

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As Congress continues to feud over the construction of a border wall, another Central American caravan of 10,000-plus migrants entered Mexico and intends to reach the U.S.

The caravan, which first departed Honduras on Jan. 15, began as a smaller group of around 2,000 people, WaPo reported. However, the caravan ballooned in size as it continued to travel across Central America. Numerous foreign nationals from Guatemala and El Salvador, eager over the possibility to apply for humanitarian visas in Mexico, joined along the way. . .

Many of the migrants are attracted by a new policy recently enacted by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The new left-wing president, who has criticized Mexico’s past treatment of migrants, is allowing many of them to apply for humanitarian visas, allowing them to stay in the country legally as they try to gain access into the U.S.

Historically, migrants would reach the border and apply for asylum within the U.S., allowing them to disappear into the country without ever appearing to their immigration court date. The Trump administration has worked to prevent this by pressuring the Mexican government to keep migrants in their country as they wait for their asylum cases to work through the U.S. courts — a policy known as “remain in Mexico.”

Mexico’s National Immigration Institute reported it had processed a total of 10,343 migrants. About 75 percent were from Honduras, with the rest coming from El Salvador, Guatemala, and a small number of Haitians, Nicaraguans, Cubans and Brazilians. (Read more from “Another 10,000+ Caravan Hits Mexico and Requests Asylum” HERE)

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MAGA Kid Madness Continues: Suspicious Package Sent to Covington Diocese

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We’re back. It’s another episode of Triggered, and the Left surely has been insufferable over the past week. This Covington Catholic story has reached new levels of absurdity and danger. Last week, a group of students from Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky gathered in D.C. by the Lincoln Memorial. They were there for the March for Life. Black Hebrew Israelites harassed them with obscenities. The students did sports chants to drown out the vulgarity. Nathan Phillips, a Native American man who was in the city for the Indigenous Peoples March, approached the crowd to defuse the situation, supposedly. The point is it was not a racially motivated hounding in which these kids, sporting MAGA hats, surrounded a Native America man and mocked him. That didn’t happen. It’s straight fake news. Video evidence has refuted the entire narrative. Still, the Left is relentless. Death threats have been directed to the students at the school, which now requires police security. And now a suspicious package was sent to the diocese (via WaPo):

The Diocese of Covington, at the center of a controversy over students’ behavior during a confrontation with a Native American man last week, was evacuated Wednesday afternoon following reports of a suspicious package.

The evacuation, first reported by local media, was confirmed by an on-duty firefighter at Covington’s Firehouse #1, a short distance from the Catholic basilica, which houses the diocese.

“The chief and the assistant fire chief are on the run,” the firefighter said, “and this is an active, ongoing situation.”

According to WLWT5, Cincinnati Bomb Squad and emergency management was on the scene in central Covington. Local TV stations showed emergency vehicles responding.

(For more from the author of “MAGA Kid Madness Continues: Suspicious Package Sent to Covington Diocese” please click HERE)

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Top Democrat Congressman Calls for Democrats to ‘Give Trump the Money’ for Border Wall

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By Daily Wire. Minnesota Democrat Rep. Collin Peterson said in an interview this week that the Democrats should give President Donald Trump the money that he wants to build the border wall on the southern border.

Peterson, the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, told KFGO’s “News & Views” on Tuesday that “when I bring up what I have to say [to Democrats], they look at me cross-eyed.”

“Give Trump the money,” Peterson said, adding that he would “give him the whole thing … and put strings on it so you make sure he puts the wall where it needs to be.”

“Why are we fighting over this?” Peterson continued. “We’re going to build that wall anyway, at some time.”

In an interview with the MinnPost on Wednesday, Peterson tried to clarify his remarks after enraging Democrats in Washington, D.C., highlighting that he specifically stated that there needed to be strings attached to the money to make sure that it is spent responsibly. (Read more from “Top Democrat Congressman Calls for Democrats to ‘Give Trump the Money’ for Border Wall” HERE)

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Shutdown Fallout Intensifies, as Officials Signal Stalemate Could Last Much Longer

By Fox News. Furloughed federal workers are bracing to miss their second paycheck and employee unions are warning of increasingly dire consequences since the partial government shutdown began last month, as officials signal the stalemate in Washington has no end in sight.

The government partially shut down in December after Congress failed to pass a spending package funding parts of the government, forcing some federal workers to be furloughed or work without pay. President Trump is demanding $5.7 billion for a barrier on the southern border with Mexico as part of a spending deal, something Democratic leaders are rejecting outright.

Those whose jobs are affected by the shutdown are now speaking out more forcefully about the impact on their own lives but also safety issues for the broader public.

“This is already the longest government shutdown in the history of the United States and there is no end in sight,” said a joint statement released Wednesday by leaders of three associations representing air traffic controllers, airline pilots and flight attendants.

It continued: “In our risk averse industry, we cannot even calculate the level of risk currently at play, nor predict the point at which the entire system will break. It is unprecedented.” (Read more from “Shutdown Fallout Intensifies, as Officials Signal Stalemate Could Last Much Longer” HERE)

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WATCH: Gym Bars Vet From Wearing ‘Racist’ T-Shirt

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A Missouri gym owner reportedly told an Army veteran that his “racist” pro-Trump t-shirt was not to be worn in her gym, because she stands for “tolerance.”

Staff Sgt. Jake Talbot posted a short video to Facebook on Sunday recalling the incident. “The owner, Liz, came up to me and said that the Trump shirt I had on was offensive and said I needed to remove it in order to work out there, and that it is linked to racism,” Talbot said. “I hate the word, its used way too loosely. It’s 2019, get the hell over it, it’s not racism.” . . .

The gym owner, identified as Liz Drew by The Washington Post, told KMOV4 that she approached Talbot because the Trump shirt “made several members uncomfortable.”

Drew released a statement to the gym’s Facebook page, which appears to have been removed from Facebook.

“I am deeply saddened by the amount of hate this event has garnered,” the statement said, as reported by KMOV4. “I will personally and publicly continue to defend my stance for tolerance and against hate no matter the financial consequence… Allow me to clarify. I don’t believe our gym should be a political forum for anyone. I want everyone to feel safe and comfortable there. We are all trying to improve ourselves and work hard to change.” (Read more from “WATCH: Gym Bars Vet From Wearing ‘Racist’ T-Shirt” HERE)

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Iran Nuclear Chief Confirms Iran Violated Nuclear Deal

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In yet another confirmation of Iran’s blatant violation of the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), which is committed to translating into English otherwise-hidden primary source material from the Arab and Muslim world, has reported that the terrorist regime in Tehran secretly purchased replacements for its nuclear infrastructure that the nuclear deal had otherwise required it to destroy. Per MEMRI:

Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, was interviewed on Channel 4 TV (Iran) on January 22, 2019. He said that the negotiations surrounding the JCPOA had required Iran to destroy the Arak reactor’s calandria by filling it with cement, but that Iran had secretly acquired replacement tubes ahead of time so that the reactor’s functionality would not be ultimately affected. He also said that pictures that had circulated that showed the Arak reactor’s pit filled with cement had been photoshopped. He explained that Iran has no intention to build a nuclear weapon, and that the Arak reactor is nonetheless incapable of producing weapons-grade plutonium. In addition, Salehi said that the yellowcake production facilities in Ardakan are operational and that Iran has been authorized to produce two additional IR-8 centrifuges. Salehi added that Iran has advanced rapidly in the field of nuclear propulsion.

(Read more from “Iran Nuclear Chief Confirms Iran Violated Nuclear Deal” HERE)

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What You Need to Know About the Presidential Crisis in Venezuela

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Socialist autocrat Nicolas Maduro helped continue the downward spiral in Venezuela for what was once a promising and growing state, leading to a full-blown economic, societal, and now a political crisis.

On Wednesday, the United States government threw its weight behind the legitimacy of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido. In the span of minutes, the Trump administration built a rapid-fire, almost instant global coalition behind the removal of the Venezuelan dictator Maduro.

The country’s economy is in a state of collapse. Once private and thriving companies were forcibly overtaken by state authorities, with disastrous consequences for some 500 or more businesses. Socialist management of Venezuela’s oil riches has led to major output issues. Inflation continues to devalue its already worthless currency. Its GDP contracted by more than 10 percent in 2018. Political and societal instability has resulted in a substantial brain drain. High taxation and regulation have made it pretty much impossible to become a successful businessman or entrepreneur without working hand in glove with the state. And given that the socialized system delivers no incentive to make a living, logistics are a national nightmare, resulting in empty supermarkets and shuttered stores.

Life in general for the average Venezuelan remains exceedingly difficult. Law and order are basically nonexistent. The government regularly engages in extremely violent crackdowns on who they perceive to be political opponents.

These realities have created a massive humanitarian crisis in Venezuela affecting tens of millions of people. The past year has seen hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans regularly taking to the streets, in defiance of Maduro, to raise awareness about their desperate and horrific conditions.

President Trump recognized Juan Guaido as president of Venezuela just minutes after Guaido declared himself “acting president” at a protest in Caracas on Wednesday.

“In its role as the only legitimate branch of government duly elected by the Venezuelan people, the National Assembly invoked the country’s constitution to declare Nicolas Maduro illegitimate, and the office of the presidency therefore vacant,” President Trump said in a statement. “The people of Venezuela have courageously spoken out against Maduro and his regime and demanded freedom and the rule of law.”

The vast majority of countries in the Western Hemisphere have backed Guaido. Eleven countries in the 14-country Lima Group — Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru — released a statement backing Guaido. Mexico, Cuba, and Bolivia support Maduro, while a few, such as Guyana, Uruguay, and Saint Lucia, remained neutral.

Across the globe, several powerful authoritarian nations continue to put their weight behind Maduro. Turkey, Russia, Iran, China, and others have expressed their support for Maduro as the leader of Venezuela. The European Union backed Guaido and urged immediate democratic elections.

Both Maduro and Guaido continue to claim the mantle of the presidency. Maduro justifies his legitimacy by pointing to his victory the 2018 elections, which international observers considered to be rigged in his favor. Guaido is currently the president of the Venezuelan National Assembly. In that position, he becomes interim president of the country if there is a presidential vacancy. Guaido claims that Maduro’s 2018 election was illegitimate, and therefore Guaido should be president.

It remains too early to tell who will persevere as the ultimate authority in Venezuela. A former Venezuelan ministry says that ultimately, the “guys with guns,” or the Venezuelan military, will determine the outcome of the political crisis, putting aside the prospect of foreign intervention. (For more from the author of “What You Need to Know About the Presidential Crisis in Venezuela” please click HERE)

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