Senate Passes Bill to Ban Most Abortions Once Fetal Heartbeat Is Detected

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The Georgia Senate passed legislation Friday to ban abortion on most babies once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, albeit with more exceptions than the version originally introduced in the state House.

House Bill 481’s original language states that “no abortion is authorized or shall be performed if the unborn child has been determined to have a human heartbeat,” except to save a mother from death or “serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function,” or if the pregnancy has been deemed “medically futile” (i.e., the child would die shortly after birth). The bill specifies that mental or emotional conditions do not qualify.

Earlier this month, Georgia Right to Life president Ricardo Davis called the measure, which was introduced alongside a trigger bill to automatically ban most abortions once Roe v. Wade is overturned, a “hopeful step toward the ultimate goal of adopting a ‘personhood’ amendment to the state constitution that will protect all innocent human life from fertilization through natural death.”

The measure passed the House 93-73 earlier this month, and a version passed the Senate on a 34-18, party-line vote Friday. The vote followed four hours of contentious debate, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

“I applaud the members who supported the heartbeat bill’s passage for protecting the vulnerable and giving a voice to those who cannot yet speak for themselves,” Republican Gov. Brian Kemp said. But despite Kemp’s campaign-trail pledge to enact the “toughest abortion laws in the country,” the Senate version is notably weaker than both the original House version and the heartbeat laws of other states. (Read more from “Senate Passes Bill to Ban Most Abortions Once Fetal Heartbeat Is Detected” HERE)

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The Next Big Challenge to Roe v. Wade Is Brewing

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Now that Donald Trump’s nominees have shifted the makeup of the Supreme Court, we’re starting to see what the next legal challenges to Roe v. Wade might look like.

Last week, federal judges blocked two Kentucky pro-life bills: one banning abortion based on sex, race, or a disability diagnosis (otherwise known as eugenics) and the other a heartbeat law. Also last week, a federal judge blocked an Ohio law banning dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion procedures. Indiana’s eugenics abortion ban was blocked by a federal judge and is still waiting to hear back from the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, other states are passing and considering new pro-life legislation at an impressive pace. Mississippi recently enacted a heartbeat law, banning most abortions after the fetal heartbeat can be detected, at about six weeks of pregnancy. Iowa put one in place last May. One is working its way through the Georgia legislature, along with others in Tennessee and Missouri. Utah’s governor recently signed a bill banning abortion based on a Down syndrome diagnosis, while a similar Arkansas measure is working its way up in Little Rock. A dilation and evacuation ban bill is being deliberated in North Dakota.

And, naturally, whenever a new pro-life bill becomes law, the abortion industry mounts a new legal offensive. When you’ve got multiple legal challenges in different circuits, you increase the chance that there’s going to be disagreement among the courts and therefore increase the likelihood that the issue will be taken up by the Supreme Court.

Between the number of heartbeat laws, anti-eugenics abortion bills, and D&E bans, the real question is which issue will get the chance to chip away at Roe v. Wade first.

With Justice Brett Kavanaugh now sitting in the seat vacated by Justice Anthony Kennedy, the unborn Americans’ odds at the Supreme Court are better than they’ve been in decades, though some serious pro-life concerns about Chief Justice John Roberts are now cropping up.

At National Review, David French makes the argument that now is the time to bombard the judicial branch with legal challenges to Roe v. Wade like these: “it’s time to throw down the gauntlet, declare to the world (and to the Court) that the era of incrementalism is over, and show that the people are ready to embrace life.”

The number of new laws passing may well signal that bombardment is under way. (For more from the author of “The Next Big Challenge to Roe v. Wade Is Brewing” please click HERE)

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Pregnant California School Teacher Repeatedly Stabbed, Carjacked

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Five suspected gang members have been accused of attempted murder and other charges after investigators said the group attacked, stabbed and carjacked a pregnant Catholic school teacher in Southern California last week.

Tanya Nguyen, 33, was parking her car in front of her house on March 20 when she was attacked by 20-year-old Christian Reyes, 19-year-old Andrew Bran and 18-year-old Jesus Morales, investigators alleged. In dashcam footage made public Monday, Nguyen could be heard screaming and pleading with her attackers, at one point telling them, “I’m pregnant!”

Despite her pleas, Nguyen was stabbed nearly a dozen times — including in her face — suffering a punctured lung and losing her front teeth in the process, Fox 11 reported. The attackers then took off in Nguyen’s car, striking other vehicles as they tried to leave the scene.

Reyes, Bran, Morales and two other suspected accomplices — Christina Luna, 24, and Monica Gomez, 25 — were arraigned Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. All five were charged with one count each of attempted murder, carjacking, second-degree robbery and misdemeanor hit-and-run driving resulting in property damage. Reyes faced a separate count of aggravated mayhem and an allegation of personal use of a deadly and dangerous weapon.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said Reyes’ bail had been recommended at $1.9 million, with $1.4 million for the other four defendants. All five face a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.

(Read more from “Pregnant California School Teacher Repeatedly Stabbed, Carjacked” HERE)

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Pastor Mentions ‘Right to Life’ in Prayer Devotion, Gets Banned From Senate

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Rev. Rosaire Bisson is the assistant pastor at Christ Community Alliance Church in Barre, Vermont. He also gives devotions before the Vermont Senate as many local religious leaders have done. According to TrueNorthReports.com, Bisson spoke about “everyone’s right to life” in January, just a week before the State House held a public hearing on Vermont’s expansive abortion bill H.57 (which passed in the House and is now in the Senate). Because what he said was deemed to be controversial and political by several senators, Bisson was banned from giving devotions for a full year. . .

He went on to say that the “key purposes of government include the protection, promotion and provision of human life, especially its most vulnerable.”

Bisson, by standing up for the God-given right to life — because our rights are given to us from God, not from the government — is now forbidden to offer devotions in the Vermont Senate. Time will tell if he is actually invited back or not. (Read more from “Pastor Mentions ‘Right to Life’ in Prayer Devotion, Gets Banned From Senate” HERE)

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It’s Not Enough She’s Marvel’s First Leading Female Superhero, Now SJWs Want Captain Marvel to Be Gay

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Captain Marvel may be the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s biggest female star, but simply commanding her own movie and having no faults or weaknesses to speak of isn’t enough for the social justice warriors; Captain Marvel must also openly embrace the LGBT lifestyle.

Comic book and nerd culture site, CBR.com, has published an extensive dive into the subject on its website, suggesting that “revealing Captain Marvel as gay would be a winning move for Disney, and an important step forward for the MCU.”

The piece argues that the MCU should embrace “progressive storytelling” more fully after “Avengers: Endgame,” the conclusion to the “Infinity War” saga, and the end of the first generation of Marvel superhero films — and by “progressive storytelling,” it’s apparent they mean targeting specific quotas rather than genuine inclusiveness. Since Marvel already has successful minority superhero franchises (“Black Panther”) and a moderately successful female-led franchise (“Captain Marvel”), it’s simply time to check the next box.

“The Brie Larson-helmed film has opened the door for the studio to make an even bigger statement by presenting the new face of the MCU as a straight-up LGBT character,” CBR opines. “Why can’t the strongest Avenger out there, the one who’s leading the new era of Marvel movies, be gay?”

“The general audience has embraced the hero’s progressive style and what she stands for, inspiring girls and women globally,” they continue. “By making her queer, the studio would jump to the forefront of gay rights everywhere. By presenting Carol Danvers as a feminist, a strong woman, and a hero with an unbreakable will who just so happens to be an LGBT representative would be a remarkable way to help shape the MCU’s future.” (Read more from “It’s Not Enough She’s Marvel’s First Leading Female Superhero, Now SJWs Want Captain Marvel to Be Gay” HERE)

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Robert Kraft Breaks Silence After Prostitution Bust With Lengthy Statement

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New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft released a lengthy, apologetic statement to the media on Saturday, breaking his silence for the first time since news broke last month that he allegedly paid for sex acts. . .

“I know I have hurt and disappointed my family, my close friends, my co-workers, our fans and many others who rightfully hold me to a higher standard,” Kraft said in the statement, according to Fox News. . .

“Throughout my life, I have always tried to do the right thing,” Kraft said. “The last thing I would ever want to do is disrespect another human being. I have extraordinary respect for women; my morals and my soul were shaped by the most wonderful woman, the love of my life, who I was blessed to have as my partner for 50 years.”

“As I move forward,” he added, “I hope to continue to use the platform with which I have been blessed to help others and to try to make a difference. I expect to be judged not by my words, but by my actions. And through those actions, I hope to regain your confidence and respect.”

There is apparently surveillance footage of Mr. Kraft engaging in the alleged sex solicitation. “Jupiter police reports indicate Kraft visited the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter on Jan. 19 and 20. On the 19th, the transaction lasted approximately forty minutes and on the 20th, about 14 minutes,” WPTV reported. “In both instances, video surveillance captured a woman performing a sex act on Kraft and shows him paying in cash.”

(Read more from “Robert Kraft Breaks Silence After Prostitution Bust With Lengthy Statement” HERE)

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Dog Dies After Attacking Gunman, Protecting His Family During Shooting

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The labrador, named Zero, jumped to action when a gunman opened fire during a birthday party at the home of Laura Martinez last Sunday night. Martinez and her two children were shot as Zero attacked the shooter. The dog was hit by a bullet during the altercation and later died. . .

The suspected shooter has now been identified as Javian Castenada, a friend of the family who they believe was involved in a robbery of their home. Police believe he is in hiding and is considered armed and dangerous.

The Martinez family said after the burglary, they confronted Castaneda’s parents with their suspicions that he was responsible. A few days later, Canstaneda allegedly arrived at the party and began arguing with the Martinez family, which escalated into gunfire.

“I’m staring at the whole scene around and it almost feels like a dream,” Martinez’s daughter Valori Pace said. “I went to go turn to run and I just feel instant pressure in my lower back. Put my hand back there and I realize there was blood all over my hands,” she said. (Read more from “Dog Dies After Attacking Gunman, Protecting His Family During Shooting” HERE)

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New Evidence Shows Transgender Hormones Could Trigger MAJOR Heart Problems

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The Western world is engaged in a massive and almost unregulated experiment on children and young adults. As gender dysphoria—the feeling of being trapped in a body of the opposite sex—takes hold and ramps up, physicians such as the notorious Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy are administering medical treatments that can literally ruin young people’s lives. . .

One medical intervention provided by physician allies of the transgender lobby is off-label administration of puberty blockers to children so their bodies won’t experience the normal maturation process. But this treatment has already been exposed for its dangerous side effects and irreversibility. Now the other primary non-surgical intervention—administration of cross-sex hormones (estrogen to gender-dysphoric boys, testosterone to gender-dysphoric girls)—is coming under scientific fire.

In January, researchers from the Netherlands published a study finding that therapy with cross-sex hormones can substantially increase the risks of acute cardiovascular events like heart attacks, strokes, and deep vein thrombosis. The study followed 2,517 men who were transitioning to a female appearance, with a median age of 30 and an average of nine years on hormone therapy, and 1,358 women who were transitioning to a male appearance, with a median age of 23 and an average of eight years on therapy. Their incidences of cardiovascular events were then compared to those of the general population. The numbers were startling.

The transgendering men suffered more than twice as many strokes as women (29 versus 12) and nearly twice as many as non-transitioning men (29 versus 16). They suffered more than five times as many deep vein clots as women (73 versus 13) and 4.5 times as many as non-transitioning men (73 versus 16). They suffered more than twice as many heart attacks as women (30 versus 13).

As for transgendering women, the researchers found no statistical differences with respect to strokes and deep vein clots. But these women suffered almost four times as many heart attacks (11 versus 3) as did non-transitioning women. (Read more from “New Evidence Shows Transgender Hormones Could Trigger MAJOR Heart Problems” HERE)

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Democrats Don’t Want to Comment on Accused Sexual Harasser Donor

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By The Daily Caller. Democrats declined to say Thursday if they would return contributions from a wealthy donor who recently resigned from the board of an asset management firm amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

Jess Ravich, a former board member of Los Angeles-based TCW Group, has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Democratic campaigns and committees over the years.

A January 2018 lawsuit against Ravich and TCW alleges that Ravich repeatedly coerced his employee, Sara Tirschwell, into sex in exchange for support of her investment fund. Tirschwell says that when she complained about the behavior, TCW fired her in retaliation.

“[Ravich] repeatedly coerced [Tirschwell] into sex, implicitly threatening that if she rejected his advances, TCW would deprive her of resources and investor access that were essential to her successfully building out the Distressed Fund,” the suit claims. . .

The Daily Caller reached out to the offices for Sens. Wyden, Casey, and Carper, as well as the DSCC, DCCC, and DNC to inquire if they would return the donations from Ravich. None of them responded. (Read more from “Democrats Don’t Want to Comment on Accused Sexual Harasser Donor” HERE)

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TCW’s Jess Ravich Resigns From Board Amid Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

By Bloomberg. TCW Group’s Jess Ravich has resigned from the Los Angeles-based investment firm’s board after an investigation uncovered “unprofessional communications” between him and Sara Tirschwell, who is suing the money manager for alleged sexual harassment.

TCW, which oversees about $200 billion, replaced Ravich on its board with Penelope Foley, a portfolio manager specializing in emerging markets, the company said in a statement Thursday. Ravich is the head of alternatives at TCW.

Tirschwell, who was dismissed by TCW in December, sued the firm in January for $30 million, alleging she was fired after complaining about sexual harassment and unwanted advances by Ravich. She was dismissed for “repeated compliance violations,” spokesman Doug Morris said in a phone interview. (Read more from “TCW’s Jess Ravich Resigns From Board Amid Sexual Harassment Lawsuit” HERE)

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Airline to Allow Passengers to Identify as Non-Binary

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United Airlines announced in a Friday press release that it will be the first U.S. airline to allow customers to identify themselves with a non-binary gender.

“United Airlines today announced it has become the first U.S. airline to offer non-binary gender options throughout all booking channels in addition to providing the option to select the title ‘Mx.’ during booking and in a MileagePlus customer profile,” the release began. “Customers now have the ability to identify themselves as M(male), F(female), U(undisclosed) or X(unspecified), corresponding with what is indicated on their passports or identification.” . . .

The statement goes on to explain that United Airlines teamed up with Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and The Trevor Project to compile initiatives by which employees will be trained about “preferred pronouns and the persistence of gender norms, LGBT competency in the workplace and other steps to make United an inclusive space for both customers and employees.”

Though United Airlines did not respond to The Daily Caller’s request for specifics of their training initiatives, HRC’s “Diversity Training on Gender Identity and Gender Expression” website explains that “to ensure compliance with employment policies, all employees should at a minimum have clear guidance regarding appropriate workplace behavior and the consequences of failing to comply with anti-discrimination policies that include gender identity.” (Read more from “Airline to Allow Passengers to Identify as Non-Binary” HERE)

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