Kamala Harris Finally Responds to Claims That Tim Walz Abandoned National Guard Unit Before Iraq Deployment

/2 Comments/in , /by

Vice President Kamala Harris had nothing but “praise” for her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz when questioned about his service in the National Guard Thursday.

Harris, 59, was asked by a reporter to respond to criticism that Walz “deserted his own troops, deserted his own colleagues” when he opted to retire from the Minnesota National Guard in May 2005, as his battalion was preparing to deploy to the Iraq warzone.

“Listen, I praise anyone who has presented themselves to serve our country,” Harris said. “And I think that we all should.”

Walz, 60, served 24 years in the Minnesota National Guard before retiring to run for the House of Representatives in the state’s 1st Congressional District. He unseated incumbent Republican Gil Gutknecht in that race, in which Walz made his opposition to the Iraq war a centerpiece of his campaign.

The Minnesota governor joined the National Guard after high school and had served in the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery prior to his retirement. (Read more from “Kamala Harris Finally Responds to Claims That Tim Walz Abandoned National Guard Unit Before Iraq Deployment ” HERE)

Special Counsel Jack Smith Asks for More Time to ‘Assess’ Supreme Court’s Immunity Ruling as Trump Demands ‘Total Dismissal’ of 2020 Election Case

/4 Comments/in , /by

Special Counsel Jack Smith requested more time on Thursday to respond to a scheduling order from the judge handling Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case, indicating that his office is still grappling with the Supreme Court’s ruling in the former president’s immunity case — nearly a month later.

“The Government continues to assess the new precedent set forth last month in the Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. United States, including through consultation with other Department of Justice components,” prosecutors wrote to Judge Tanya Chutkan in a status report filed with the DC District Court.

“Although those consultations are well underway, the Government has not finalized its position on the most appropriate schedule for the parties to brief issues related to the decision,” Smith’s office said.

“The Government therefore respectfully requests additional time to provide the Court with an informed proposal regarding the schedule for pretrial proceedings moving forward.”

The Supreme Court ruled on July 1 that Trump, 78, is subject to absolute immunity from prosecution for “official acts” during his presidency and left it up to lower courts to sort out what constitutes an “official act” by a sitting president. (Read more from “Special Counsel Jack Smith Asks for More Time to ‘Assess’ Supreme Court’s Immunity Ruling as Trump Demands ‘Total Dismissal’ of 2020 Election Case” HERE)

Biden Appears Confused During His Only Public Event This Week: ‘What Am I Doing?’

/0 Comments/in , /by

President Biden openly expressed confusion about what he should be doing Thursday at his only scheduled public event of the week — and had to be reminded by an emcee to leave a White House celebration of the Texas Rangers’ World Series win, which he did after saluting the athletes.

Biden, 81, ended his campaign for a second term on July 21 after a mutiny by fellow Democrats concerned about his mental acuity, but he has insisted that he remains capable of serving as president through Jan. 20 — despite his noticeably sparse schedule.

“All right, what am I doing now?” Biden said after wrapping up the event by accepting a personalized jersey and cowboy boots from the baseball team in the White House’s East Room.

A military aide approached Biden to collect the gifts, with the president seeming to joke, “Are you stealing my jersey?”

Biden, who has hosted dozens of events in the same room, then stood awkwardly looking around for direction — at one point raising both hands in an apparent questioning gesture, indicating he wasn’t sure what to do. (Read more from “Biden Appears Confused During His Only Public Event This Week: ‘What Am I Doing?’” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Report: Pakistani Charged With Murder Plot Against Trump Was Allowed Into U.S. on ‘Public Benefit Parole’

/2 Comments/in , /by

A Pakistani national, now charged with a murder-for-hire plot against former President Donald Trump, was allowed into the United States on “significant public benefit parole” despite reportedly being on the government’s “watch list.”

On Tuesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges against 46-year-old Asif Raza Merchant of Pakistan for allegedly attempting to carry out a murder-of-hire plot against Trump and other politicians.

In an unsealed complaint against Merchant, federal prosecutors allege that he first flew into George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, on April 13 in the hopes of recruiting U.S.-based assassins to carry out the assassination plot.

According to documents that Just the News obtained, Merchant was interviewed, fingerprinted, and inspected following his arrival at the Houston airport. At the time of his inspection, federal agents noticed that Merchant had taken recent trips to Iran, a hotbed for Islamic terrorism.

Just the News reports that Merchant’s immigration records, available to federal agents at the time he arrived in Houston, “clearly stated in bright red that he was flagged by the Department of Homeland Security database with the identifier ‘WATCH LIST’ and denoted as a ‘Lookout Qualified Person of Interest.’” (Read more from “Report: Pakistani Charged With Murder Plot Against Trump Was Allowed Into U.S. on ‘Public Benefit Parole’” HERE)

Kamala Harris’s Detroit Rally Turns into a Chaotic Mess (VIDEO)

/1 Comment/in , , /by

Kamala Harris’s rally in Detroit, Michigan, on Wednesday has been widely reported as a disaster, with thousands of attendees left stranded and chaos reigning supreme. The event, which was supposed to showcase Harris’s campaign energy and organization, instead ended in confusion and disarray.

Political scientist Josiah Lippincott, who was on the scene, described the aftermath as a scene of utter chaos. “Complete chaos after the Detroit Kamala rally. It has been 2.5 hours and people are still unable to find shuttles back to their cars. Campaign staff has no idea what is happening,” Lippincott tweeted. The rally was held near a UPS delivery center, leading to a mix-up with dozens of trucks complicating the shuttle service.

According to Lippincott, the situation was further exacerbated by confusion among campaign staff and a growing sense of frustration among rally-goers. “Tempers are high,” he added, highlighting the mounting frustration of those stuck without transportation.

The disorganization was so severe that a staff member reportedly broke down in tears. One of the distressed staffers even shared a troubling image on social media, illustrating the dangerous conditions faced during the debacle. “My bus was nearly in an accident,” the staffer posted, reflecting the chaotic state of the event.

Additional details reveal that the rally’s location was a major factor in the mess. Situated on a spur off the main road and surrounded by a jumble of freight trucks, the rally site proved challenging for buses and shuttles to navigate. “Add a bunch of freight trucks from UPS, confused campaign staff, and tired and hungry rally-goers, and you get complete chaos,” Lippincott explained in another tweet.

(Read more from “Report: Pakistani Charged With Murder Plot Against Trump Was Allowed Into U.S. on ‘Public Benefit Parole’” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Report: Tim Walz Faced ‘Stolen Valor’ Accusations in 2006 That He Denied

/1 Comment/in , /by

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the current vice president pick for 2024 Democrat presidential nominee Kamala Harris, has been aware of stolen valor accusations going back to 2006, according to a report from CNN.

While Walz’s service in the U.S. National Guard remains undisputed, his use of the rank “retired Command Sergeant Major” has sparked accusations of stolen valor as well as his claims to have carried weapons “in war,” even though he never served in war or a combat zone. As Breitbart News reported, Walz “listed on his official biography a higher military rank than the one he ultimately retired with, drawing criticism from some veterans”:

Walz served in the Minnesota Army National Guard and retired at the rank of master sergeant, or an E-8. However, on his official website bio, he lists a higher rank that he served at for a short period that ultimately was rescinded, as he did not complete all the requirements to serve at that rank. However, his bio implies that he retired at the rank of command sergeant major, or an E-9.

. . .

According to CNN, Walz encountered criticisms of his service characterizations going all the way back to 2006 during his run for U.S. Congress, which he denied at the time. Per the report:

That year, multiple letters to his local paper in Mankato, Minnesota, accused him of making misleading statements about his service, including whether he had served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

(Read more from “Report: Tim Walz Faced ‘Stolen Valor’ Accusations in 2006 That He Denied” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

WATCH: Harris Dodges Trump’s Debate Challenges

/0 Comments/in , /by

Vice President Kamala Harris has made headlines this week for her conspicuous refusal to address former President Donald Trump’s invitation for multiple debates. Trump’s challenge, which proposed three separate debate dates across major networks—Fox News on September 4, NBC News on September 10, and ABC News on September 25—was met with Harris’s reluctance to commit beyond the September 10 date.

In a statement made in Wayne, Michigan, Harris confirmed her participation in the September 10 debate on NBC News, expressing eagerness to engage with Trump. “I am looking forward to debating Donald Trump and we have a date of September 10. I hear he’s finally committed to it and I’m looking forward to it,” she said. However, when pressed about the remaining debate invitations, Harris remained non-committal, avoiding any clarification on her stance regarding the other two proposed dates.

This evasion has not gone unnoticed. Throughout the week, Republicans have seized the opportunity to criticize Harris for what they perceive as a lack of transparency and engagement with the media. Former President Trump, in particular, did not hold back in his critiques. During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump took aim at Harris’s media handling skills. “Excuse me, what are we doing right now? She’s not doing any news conference … She doesn’t know how to do a news conference. She’s not smart enough to do a news conference,” Trump remarked, suggesting Harris’s reluctance to face unscripted media interactions reflects poorly on her readiness for public scrutiny.

In response to Trump’s comments, Harris indicated that she is working with her team to schedule an interview before the end of August, although the exact timing remains uncertain. “I’ve talked to my team. I want us to get an interview scheduled before the end of the month,” she said. Despite her commitment to addressing Trump’s challenge on September 10, Harris has yet to participate in an unscripted press conference since launching her presidential campaign 18 days ago.

(Read more from “WATCH: Harris Dodges Trump’s Debate Challenges” HERE)

Runway Standoff: Trump’s VP Pick Approaches Kamala Harris at Airport (VIDEO)

/0 Comments/in , , /by

By Breitbart. Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance (OH), unlike establishment media reporters, is unafraid to question Democrat presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris about her radical record and coup-turned-campaign.

Vance approached Air Force Two, which Harris was onboard, during a tense standoff on Tuesday in which the current and perhaps future vice president occupied the same Wisconsin runway.

“I just wanted to check out my future plane,” Vance said, Semafor reported.

Vance did not speak to Harris but said he “wanted to go say hello to the vice president and ask her why does she refuse to answer questions.”

(Read more from “Runway Standoff: JD Vance Approaches Kamala Harris at Airport” HERE)

__________________________________________________

Vance Trolls Harris at Air Force Two

By The Hill. Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) approached Air Force Two “to check out” the plane after both he and Vice President Harris landed at the same airport in Wisconsin.

When he told gathered press what he was doing, Vance also attacked Harris for not answering questions from the media.

“I figured that I would come by and get a good look at the plane because hopefully it’s going to be my plane in a few months,” Vance said in front of Air Force Two. “I also thought you guys may get lonely, because the VP doesn’t answer questions from reporters.”

Harris’s campaign responded to Vance approaching Air Force Two by calling it “weird.” (Read more from “Vance Trolls Harris at Air Force Two” HERE)

FBI Raids Home of Ex-UN Weapons Inspector & Anti-War Pundit Scott Ritter

/2 Comments/in , , /by

On Wednesday the upstate New York home of Scott Ritter was raided by the FBI and state police. The FBI has since confirmed in a statement that this is part of an ongoing federal investigation into Ritter.

Agents were seen entering his house in Delmar, NY in widely shared photographs and local media footage in the afternoon. It was unclear if Ritter was at home at the time and the allegations at the center of the investigation remain unknown.

“I can confirm FBI personnel are at a home on Dover [Drive] conducting law enforcement activity in connection with an ongoing federal investigation,” a statement from the FBI’s Albany office confirmed. “As the investigation is ongoing, [Department of Justice] policy prevents me from commenting further.”

Ritter became a prominent figure as the chief UN weapons inspector in the 1990s in Iraq and ex-intelligence official (Marine Corp intelligence) who publicly opposed the George W. Bush administration’s drive to take the United States into war with Iraq.

He subsequently became a popular anti-war pundit and leading critic of US foreign policy. For an example of his ongoing criticisms of the US government and foreign policy, he wrote in 2019, “I love my country, but the collective ignorance of the American people empowers so-called public servants who abuse their positions of trust to push policies that further individual agendas at the expense of the nation they ostensibly serve. Fact-based logic no longer matters.”

More recently he has been a fierce critic of US policy related to the war in Ukraine, having also made several trips to Russia during the course of the war which began in February 2022.

(Read more from “FBI Raids Home of Ex-UN Weapons Inspector & Anti-War Pundit Scott Ritter” HERE)

George Floyd Redux: 4 Hotel Employees Who Removed “Morbidly Obese” and Drugged-Out Man From Woman’s Restroom Charged With Murder

/0 Comments/in , , /by

According to a criminal complaint, the four employees dragged [decedent] Mitchell out of the Hyatt Hotel on June 30 after he entered a women’s bathroom and held him on his stomach for eight or nine minutes. . .

An autopsy showed that Mitchell suffered from morbid obesity and had ingested cocaine and methamphetamine, the complaint said.

Hyatt surveillance video shows Mitchell frantically running into the hotel’s lobby and then into the gift shop before entering the women’s bathroom, the complaint said.

A few seconds later, a woman emerges and Turner, who was off duty but happened to be visiting staff at that moment, drags Mitchell out of the bathroom into the lobby by his shirt.

[One of those charged, a hotel guard,] told investigators that Mitchell was very strong and kept resisting them and tried to bite him. But the guard said he never did anything to intentionally hurt or harm Mitchell. [Another charged employee] told a detective that he heard women screaming in the bathroom after Mitchell entered it, and he thought Mitchell was on drugs. (Read more from “George Floyd Redux: 4 Hotel Employees Who Removed “Morbidly Obese” and Drugged-Out Man From Woman’s Restroom Charged With Murder” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr