Tom Price Resigns as HHS Secretary

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President Donald Trump accepted the resignation of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price on Friday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced late Friday afternoon.

Price had been under fire for his use of private charter flights.

“Secretary of Health and Human Services Thomas Price offered his resignation earlier today and the president accepted,” Sanders said in a statement released just after 4:30 p.m.

“The president intends to designate Don J. Wright of Virginia to serve as acting secretary, effective at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2017,” Sanders continued. “Mr. Wright currently serves as the deputy assistant secretary for Health and director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.”

Earlier Friday, Trump had said of Price, “He’s a very fine man,” but had added, “I certainly don’t like the optics. I’m not happy, I can tell you that. I’m not happy.”

He came under fire for many domestic private chartered flights, such as from Washington to nearby locations like Philadelphia and New Hampshire.

Some of Price’s controversial flights were used for travels to Africa to review progress on Ebola, and to participate in global health meetings in Europe.

In his resignation letter, Price wrote, “I have spent forty years both as a doctor and public servant putting people first. I regret that the recent events have created a distraction from these important objectives.”

Because of the controversy Price had said he would pay more than $51,887.31 back to the U.S. treasury, a portion of the total transportation cost, which would exceed $400,000 for the private charter domestic flights. However, Politico also reported that the administration approved another $500,000 in costs for traveling on military planes for health conferences in Africa, Asia and Europe.

During the period from Jan. 20 to Sept. 19, the Trump administration authorized 77 military flights, while the Obama administration allowed 94 flights during the same time in 2009, Fox News reported Friday.

Trump also noted this before boarding Marine One in the White House South Lawn.

“We put in an order that no more planes – if you look at past administrations, for instance, if you look at the Obama administration and take a look at the amount of time they spent in the air, they spent a lot of time in the air,” Trump said. “But I felt very badly because Secretary Price is a good man. But we are looking into it and we are looking into it very seriously.”

In his resignation letter, released by the White House, Price wrote:

It is an honor and privilege to serve you as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Under your leadership, the Department is working aggressively to improve the health andwell-being of all Americans. This includes working to reform a broken health care system, empower patients, reduce regulatory burdens, ensure global health security, and tackle clinical priorities such as the opioids epidemic, serious mental illness and childhood obesity.

I have spent forty years both as a doctor and public servant putting people first. I regret that the recent events have created a distraction from these important objectives.

Success on these issues is more important than any one person. In order for you to move forward without further disruption, I am officially tendering my resignation as the Secretary of Health and Human Services effective 11:59 PM on Friday, September 29, 2017.

You may rest assured that I will continue to support your critical priorities going ahead because failure is not an option for the American people.

n a statement, House Speaker Paul Ryan called Price “a good man.”

Price “has spent his entire adult life fighting for others, first as a physician and then as a legislator and public servant. He was a leader in the House and a superb health secretary. His vision and hard work were vital to the House’s success passing our health care legislation,” Ryan added.

During the Obama administration, a 2013 Government Accountability Office report found a similar problem, in this case, by the Justice Department. Two luxury jets the FBI had said were needed for security against global terrorism were used instead by Attorney General Eric Holder and FBI Director Robert Mueller. Holder’s predecessors in the George W. Bush administration, Attorneys General Michael Mukasey and Alberto Gonzales, also used the jets. It came at a total cost of $11.4 million, the GAO found.

The HHS secretary isn’t required to use non-commercial flights as some national security officials are.

Fox reported that Holder, in 2014, also took at government-owned Gulfstream and flew to the Belmont Stakes thoroughbred race in New York with family members and two security offices. The trip reportedly cost the government $14,440. Holder reimbursed the government $955.

The Washington Times reported that while serving as CIA director, Leon Panetta refunded the government $630 for flights on luxury jets that cost about $32,000 per trip.

Price’s international travels had involved significant work on health issues. On May 17 and 18, Price traveled to Liberia to meet with the country’s leaders and health officials regarding the Ebola outbreak the ravaged the country in 2014. He met Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and other top officials where he talked about the partnership with Liberia and United States government.

“Ebola survivors who met with the secretary described the significant stigma associated with the virus and continuing discrimination they face. Secretary Price shook hands with survivors, an important public gesture,” said a description by the Department of Health and Human Services.

He next traveled to Berlin to attend the G20 Health Ministerial Meeting, held on May 19 and 20. He met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Topics at the meeting included preparations to combat influenza and viruses with pandemic potential, antimicrobial resistance work with World Health Organization, or WHO.

His next stop was the 70th annual World Health Assembly in Geneva, the 194-member government body of the WHO, where he spoke on May 22.

The next major travel came Aug. 20-26, where he visited China, Vietnam, and Japan.

On Aug. 23, Price delivered the keynote address at the 7th High Level Meeting on Health and the Economy of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. (For more from the author of “Tom Price Resigns as HHS Secretary” please click HERE)

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Kaepernick Donated $25k to Group Honoring Convicted Cop Killer

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Colin Kaepernick’s $25,000 donation to a charitable group honoring a convicted cop killer has been revealed.

Kaepernick’s foundation made the donation to Chicago-based Assata’s Daughter’s, named after former Black Liberation Army member Assata Shakur, in April as part of a $1million charitable pledge.

Shakur was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1973 shooting death of New Jersey state trooper Werner Foerster and sentenced to life in prison, but staged a daring jailbreak and now lives as a fugitive in Cuba.

Kaepernick, who is well known for his protests against police during the national anthem as a former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, made the donation as part of his pledge to donate $100,000 a month for 10 months to ‘organizations working in oppressed communities’. (Read more from “Kaepernick Donated $25k to Group Honoring Convicted Cop Killer” HERE)

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Leftists Slam ‘Hate’ Label on Woman for Talking About Socialism

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The far-left Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled the Family Research Council, Ben Carson, Liberty Counsel and other family organizations as “haters” simply because they don’t subscribe to the organization’s pro-homosexual and pro-abortion agenda. They were embarrassed by the Carson designation and later withdrew it.

But now the SPLC has slammed a new target: Hannah Scherlacher, the program coordinator and a contributor for the Leadership Institute’s CampusReform.org.

For, believe it or not, talking about socialism.

“I am calling on SPLC to remove me from this list and stop engaging in the game of identity fear politics,” she said in a statement released Friday by Liberty Counsel.

“I urge all Americans who have been bullied, silenced, and pushed into a corner by radical groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center to push back too.” (Read more from “Leftists Slam ‘Hate’ Label on Woman for Talking About Socialism” HERE)

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Democrats Want to Ban Gas-Powered Cars

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France and the United Kingdom are doing it. So is India. And now one lawmaker would like California to follow their lead in phasing out gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles.

When the Legislature returns in January, Assemblyman Phil Ting plans to introduce a bill that would ban the sale of new cars fueled by internal-combustion engines after 2040. The San Francisco Democrat said it’s essential to get California drivers into an electric fleet if the state is going to meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets, since the transportation sector accounts for more than a third of all emissions.

“The market is moving this way. The entire world is moving this way,” Ting said. “At some point you need to set a goal and put a line in the sand.” (Read more from “Democrats Want to Ban Gas-Powered Cars” HERE)

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Judge to Personally Examine Hillary Emails

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A federal judge in the nation’s capital will personally review redacted material from emails that discuss Hillary Clinton’s use of unsecure iPads and iPhones during her tenure as secretary of state.

Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly will determine whether or not the Trump administration can withhold evidence that could shed light on accusations Clinton and her staff mishandled classified information.

Rejecting arguments by State Department and Justice Department lawyers, the judge ordered the State Department to file an affidavit addressing why it should not have to search newly recovered Clinton emails.

The Freedom of Information Act lawsuit was brought by the government-watchdog Judicial Watch after the State Department failed to respond to a March 10, 2015, request.

Judicial Watch wants all records of requests by Clinton or her staff to the State Department Office Security Technology seeking approval for the use of an iPad or iPhone for official government business. It also seeks communications related to the use of unauthorized electronic devices for official government business. (Read more from “Judge to Personally Examine Hillary Emails” HERE)

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Antifa Unmasked! Crowder Shows You What the Media Won’t

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Crowder goes under cover … Recently CRTV host Steven Crowder and producer Not Gay Jared infiltrated an Antifa group. What they uncovered when Ben Shapiro was scheduled to speak in Utah is shocking. The organizers gave the pair weapons and outlined a conspiracy to lure conservatives to be attacked. CR’s Chris Pandolfo has the whole breakdown.

Media refuses to cover … Crowder told CR that the undercover video resulted in the arrest of Antifa members. When Crowder showed a local reporter the video, and police confirmed it to be true, that reporter didn’t want to cover it. Neither did Dan Harris, the co-host of ABC’s “Nightline,” who was shown the story. Why is the media refusing to cover this story? It’s all on the video.

Hey Antifa! Get off his lawn … Crowder isn’t the only CRTV host who has exposed Antifa. In his debut week on CRTV, Gavin McInnes has released a four-part series unmasking the violent organization. If you’ve not yet watched Get Off My Lawn, take a look at this series.

The media should be covering this … You’ll remember that after Charlottesville, and President Trump saying that there has been violence on “all sides,” the media went into overdrive. After a couple weeks — and reporters getting attacked — they finally started telling the truth. Now that the truth is known — that it is leftists who are the real violent threat — they won’t cover the story and have moved on, or back, as it were, to Russia Russia Russia and other stories.

Politifact wants you to like it … Politifact, the Tampa Bay Times-based “fact checking” organization that often passes opinion off as fact, really, really wants you to like it. So its writers have decided to visit red-state America to hobnob with the plebes. Here’s an overview of the tour. Wisconsin talk radio host Charlie Sykes is quoted in that article, stating the obvious — “[Politifact’s reputation among conservatives] is not a PR problem — it’s a credibility problem.” Poynter, which owns the Tampa Bay Times, said a meeting went as well as could be expected with the Tulsa GOP. It’s worth the read. But as Sykes said, we’re a long way from trusting the biased outlet.

CNN, boobs, and Hef … Recently, CNN’s Brooke Baldwin cut an interview short when a shock-jock said he believed in two things, the “First Amendment and boobs.” Fast-forward to yesterday, when after Hugh Hefner died, CNN chose to go with THIS PICTURE. As Ace of Spades said: “There were thousands of pictures of Hugh Hefner not surrounded by piles of bosom. Yet @CNN, horrified about the word ‘boobs,’ chose this.” Perhaps CNN “doth protest too much?”

Is Ringo Starr a repressive authoritarian? … Is nothing sacred any more? Millions of millennials grew up watching Thomas, the lovable tank engine, and his many adventures. The New Yorker wants you to know that the series had a “repressive, authoritarian soul.” That reminds me of my favorite cartoon conspiracy theory … Socialist Men Under Red Father (S.M.U.R.F.); think about it … (For more from the author of “Antifa Unmasked! Crowder Shows You What the Media Won’t” please click HERE)

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The Insane Strategy of Empowering Iran, Islamists Against Kurds

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If you believe the Arabs living in Israel need a state but the Kurds should cede their state to the Islamic governments of Turkey, Baghdad, and Iran, you might be part of the Swamp.

We have spent several trillion dollars, lost thousands of dead, and ruined lives of our military fighting for our enemies in the Middle East or refereeing Islamic civil wars with no good outcome for America. Yet our government is now spitting on the one semi-stable, pro-Western, non-Islamic ally that could serve as a hedge against all our Middle Eastern enemies. We are dumping on the Kurds for taking a democratic vote for sovereignty — all for the purpose of allying with the Iranian-backed government in Baghdad and cozying up to Erdogan.

Iraq doesn’t exist any more and only existed for a few generations, drawn together randomly after WWI by immoral, arbitrary lines. Once we overthrew Saddam Hussein and handed Baghdad to Iran, there was no more Iraq. We’ve spent over a decade refereeing the Islamic civil war between Iranian-backed Shia militants and Sunni jihadists. Now, in order to “defeat ISIS,” we have essentially allied with Iran, handing them a Hezbollah terror corridor from Iran to the Mediterranean Sea.

Even worse, when Iran’s domination over Sunni areas reaches another boiling point and triggers the next round of the Sunni insurgency, our genius civilian and military leadership will feel obligated to “fix Iraq” again and bail out Iran, which is much more of a strategic threat than any Sunni group.

Enter the Kurds, who are the only successful fighting force against the Sunni insurgency but are also pro-American and can actually hold a growing area of northern Iraq in a stable way that serves every one of our interests. They voted overwhelmingly to become independent. And all the Kurds need are national recognition, a fraction of the military aid we give the corrupt Afghani and Baghdad governments, and the simple, helpful tools of statecraft we’d give to any allies. Rather than a bloody choice between helping Iran and helping Sunni jihadists, with the loss of tremendous blood and treasure, we can help a stable ally almost for free.

Yet not only are we not helping, we are rebuking the Kurds for taking up their sovereignty. The State Department said it was “deeply disappointed” by the democratic affirmation of sovereignty. Sen. Bob Corker, the king of the Iran deal, complained that the Kurdish vote was not in our national interests because it would weaken the Iranian-backed government. War is peace and peace is war!

This has emboldened the Baghdad government (aka Iran) to cut off all flights to Erbil airport, the Kurdish capital. Erdogan has threatened to attack the Kurds. Isn’t it amazing that while we pressured the Arab nations to back off Qatar, we are sitting idly by while they threaten the Kurds?

The Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) declared victory earlier this week when the population voted 93 percent in favor of Kurdish independence. The Kurds are also on the cusp of winning back even more territory than they originally lost to Sunni jihadists. After we spent tens of billions training the “Iraqi army,” it fled the minute ISIS attacked. Now that the Kurds are winning back their original land, which had been stolen by Arab Baathists for the past half-century, we are siding with Baghdad to pressure them to pull back. Our government is literally siding with Iran and Shiite militias, some of which are designated as terrorist groups, in their dispute with the Kurds over Kirkuk. We are also allowing Baghdad to hold up foreign aid for them while we refuse to cut off aid to the Lebanese Army at a time when Hezbollah is more empowered than ever before.

The Kurds are the biggest buffer against Iranian hegemony. NSC director H.R. McMaster won’t say what the administration’s strategy is to stop Iranian and Hezbollah expansion in the region, which was accelerated by our own military intervention on their behalf. Now the Kurds have the ability to undermine the Iranians. Iranian Kurds are already celebrating the move toward independence and rattling the Islamic republic.

It’s amazing to ponder the breathtaking insanity of our government’s policies in the Middle East. We will invest trillions in tying a noose around our own necks, yet we won’t invest pennies and moral support to allies who will help our interests for free. Just consider how the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) just reported that we’ve flushed $70 billion down the tubes propping up the failed Afghani military in order to sustain their Sharia government, yet we won’t simply give the green light to those who have demonstrated they can secure their country and remain pro-West.

Finally, as we explained already this month, creating an independent Kurdistan in northern Iraq would kill two birds with one stone by serving as that regional resettlement home Trump has promised for refugees rather than resettling them in America.

It’s tragically ironic that at a time when we are struggling to defend our own sovereignty, we would disrespect the sovereignty of the Kurds. Yet, much like the backward domestic policy priorities of our political class, when it comes to foreign policy, friend is enemy and enemy is friend. The first 10 names in any telephone book would do a better job identifying the right investments, alliances, and strategic interests abroad than the current political and military leaders.

The question nobody in government is willing to ask is: How much longer are we going to continue throwing good money and lives after 16 years of failure in Iraq and Afghanistan? How many opportunities will we ignore while fighting for foreign Islamic countries that no longer exist?

(For more from the author of “The Insane Strategy of Empowering Iran, Islamists Against Kurds” please click HERE)

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Texas School District Will Permit Students to Kneel During Anthem

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While some high schools and colleges across the U.S. are beginning to ban kneeling during the national anthem following the NFL protests from last weekend, the Frisco School District in Texas is tacitly encouraging students to protest (arguably even inviting them to do so).

In an email directive, Frisco Independent School District coaches have been told not to stop any students from kneeling. If students choose to kneel before the game, “they may do so without repercussion,” states a copy of the note provided to CR by a member of the Frisco ISD community.

While some high schools and colleges across the U.S. are beginning to ban kneeling during the national anthem following the NFL protests from last weekend, the Frisco School District in Texas is tacitly encouraging students to protest (arguably even inviting them to do so).

In an email directive, Frisco Independent School District coaches have been told not to stop any students from kneeling. If students choose to kneel before the game, “they may do so without repercussion,” states a copy of the note provided to CR by a member of the Frisco ISD community.

The point of this letter is ostensibly to provide “guidance” to school coaches, to help navigate around potential trouble. Its defenders will claim the district is in no way encouraging students to protest the national anthem.

But what is the purpose of sending this directive where there was no indication students were planning a protest? In sending this letter (which countless coaches have undoubtedly shared with their teams), the school preemptively declared there will be no consequences for a protest that wasn’t happening. By doing this, the school is actually inviting such a protest.

It’s like saying, “By the way, kids, if you want to protest during the anthem, you won’t be punished.” “We aren’t protesting.” “OK, but if you do, we won’t punish you.”

Don’t be surprised if Frisco ISD athletes start kneeling during the national anthem now that the school essentially gave them the all-clear. (For more from the author of “Texas School District Will Permit Students to Kneel During Anthem” please click HERE)

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Gym Teacher Arrested After Allegedly Choking Students With Jump Rope

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A gym teacher in Fresno, Calif. has been arrested after he allegedly tied a jump rope around students’ necks to “discipline” them, Fox 26 reported.

Authorities arrived at Herndon Barstow Elementary on Thursday afternoon after the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office received a report that students had been injured, reports said.

Upon investigation, police learned that Peter Samhammer, 64, a physical education teacher at the school, had attempted to punish students by choking them with a jump rope during class on the playground, Fox 26 said.

Samhammer allegedly tied the jump rope around students’ necks and would tighten it before releasing them.

The students were all between ages 9 and 11, according to the sheriff’s office. (Read more from “Gym Teacher Arrested After Allegedly Choking Students With Jump Rope” HERE)

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Muslim West Point Professor Mentored ‘Communism Will Win’ Cadet; See Outrageous Pics

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By Kristina Wong. The West Point mentor of a soldier now under investigation by the Army for engaging in political activity while in uniform is on administrative leave, Breitbart News has learned.

The adviser is Rasheed Hosein, a professor of Middle East history, who was in charge of Second Lieutenant Spenser Rapone’s development at West Point.

A West Point spokesman confirmed he is on administrative leave but said it is unrelated to Rapone.

“We are unable to provide information regarding administrative actions but can confirm that the details are unrelated to 2nd Lieutenant Rapone,” the spokesman said. (Read more from “Muslim West Point Professor Mentored ‘Communism Will Win’ Soldier” HERE)

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West Pointer is an Apparent Commie

By Fox News. A U.S. Military Academy graduate who posed with a sign reading “Communism will win” and posted pro-Colin Kaepernick messages on social media is now being ripped by the former Democratic congressman who helped him get into the prestigious school.

Ex-Rep. Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania, who served from 2007 to 2013, told The Daily Caller that Second Lt. Spenser Rapone – who is now the focus of an Army investigation – has let him down.

“Several years ago, I met Spenser Rapone when he was a high school student seeking an appointment to West Point,” Altmire said. “At the time, he was an outstanding, well-rounded student who came from a good family. I have not been in touch with him in the years since the appointment, and I was shocked and extremely disappointed in the recent reports of his indefensible actions”. . .

“While I strongly support the rights of American citizens to express their opinions, the actions of 2nd Lieutenant Rapone are abhorrent and appear to be in clear violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, in addition to being inconsistent with the values of the United States Military Academy. I have no doubt that the U.S. Army will take appropriate action,” Altmire told The Daily Caller.

The Army said in a statement Tuesday that “Rapone’s chain of command is aware of his actions and is looking into the matter.” The photos began circulating online over the weekend. (Read more about the officer who was mentored by Muslim West Point professor HERE)

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