120 Major Business Leaders Team up With Gay Lobby to Pressure North Carolina

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In a situation reminiscent of last year’s religious freedom fight in Indiana, and the more recent one last week in Georgia, powerful politicians and CEOs across America are teaming up with the LGBT lobby to pressure North Carolina to overturn its new law protecting privacy in restrooms and similar facilities.

Inside the state, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has refused to back down on his signature of the measure, despite pressure from Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper, who is running a campaign against McCrory.

The Republican governor signed the law last week after a statewide outcry against a Charlotte ordinance requiring all businesses and public buildings to allow citizens identifying as transgender to use their preferred bathrooms, locker rooms, and similar facilities.

The bill overrode the Charlotte ordinance, but included exemptions that allow public entities to make their own internal hiring policies, and allows transgendered individuals who have legally changed their gender on their birth certificates to use restrooms and other facilities of the opposite sex.

Calling the law “a national embarrassment,” Cooper has said he will not defend it, and on Tuesday he declared that “this new law provides for broad-based discrimination” and that “the LGBT community is targeted.” He also said the law conflicts with the employment policies of the Attorney General’s office, and thus “in order to protect our non-discrimination policy and employees, along with those of our client, the State Treasurer’s Office, part of our argument will be that HB2 is unconstitutional.” (Read more from “120 Major Business Leaders Team up With Gay Lobby to Pressure North Carolina” HERE)

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Federal Judge Refuses to Allow Nationally-Known, Conservative Lawyer to Defend Cliven Bundy

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Nevada’s chief federal judge has refused to let nationally known conservative lawyer Larry Klayman join Cliven Bundy’s defense team.

In a three-page order, Gloria Navarro questioned Klayman’s candidness with her about the outcome of professional disciplinary proceedings against him in Washington, D.C. . .

Klayman, the founder of the Washington-based public interest groups Judicial Watch and Freedom Watch, is known for his tenacious pursuit of litigation, mostly in support of a wide range of conservative and libertarian issues. . .

Last week, Klayman told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the Bundy family had asked for his legal help. Bundy, 69, who is in federal custody, is facing criminal charges stemming from the April 12, 2014, armed standoff with law enforcement near his ranch in Bunkerville.

Bundy is now represented by Las Vegas attorney Joel Hansen, who is active in the ultraconservative Independent American Party of Nevada. (Read more from “Federal Judge Refuses to Allow Nationally-Known, Conservative Lawyer to Defend Cliven Bundy” HERE)

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BP Council Says ‘Catch and Release’ Policy Continues Fueling Illegal Immigration

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Officials last week spoke up about the Obama administration’s so-called “catch and release” policies blamed for hindering Border Patrol operations and encouraging illegal crossers from coming into the United States.

A recent letter from the National Border Patrol Council states a high-ranking member of the Obama administration confirmed to Border Patrol agents they have no intention of removing illegal border crossers that are being released with an order to appear in court.

Brandon Judd, president of the American Federation of Government Employees National Border Patrol Council, states in the letter published on March 21 he and two other Border Patrol agents met with Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to discuss concerns about the administration’s policy of releasing illegal crossers into the United States.

During the meeting, which took place on August 26, 2015, Mayorkas confirmed to the agents that the administration has no intention of removing immigrants coming across the border illegally as part of the ongoing surge, according to the letter.

“Why would we NTA [issue a Notice to Appear to] those we have no intention of deporting?” said Mayorkas, according to the letter. “We should not place someone in deportation proceedings, when the courts already have a 3-6 year backlog.” (Read more from “BP Council Says ‘Catch and Release’ Policy Continues Fueling Illegal Immigration” HERE)

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This Big Rumor Is Circulating About Rubio’s Next Career–It’s the Last Thing You’d Expect

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When Sen. Marco Rubio chose to run for Republican presidential nomination, one of his campaign promises was that he would not seek another term as a U.S. senator from Florida.

Rubio’s campaign got off to a great start, but when the one-time senator lost the primary in his home state to billionaire Donald Trump, he apparently saw the writing on the wall and suspended his campaign for president.

Some may have wondered in what direction Rubio’s career would take him post-race. According to the New York Post, rumors were circulating he would join the Miami Dolphins in an executive role for the team . . .

Citing insiders within the Rubio campaign, the Post reports Rubio is still considering another White House bid in 2020, all the while lobbying to keep the delegates he won in 21 different states, asking delegates not to release them to the three remaining candidates.

With the possibility of an open GOP convention, Rubio is still active behind the scenes. The Post acquired a letter written to the Alaska Republican Party. In it Rubio reportedly wrote, “It is my desire at this time that the delegates allocated to me by your rules remain bound to vote for me on at least the first nominating ballot at the National Convention.” (Read more from “This Big Rumor Is Circulating About Rubio’s Next Career–It’s the Last Thing You’d Expect” HERE)

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State Dept. Just Made Massive Announcement About Hillary’s Email Investigation

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The State Department has stopped an internal investigation into former Secretary Clinton, giving way to the FBI’s ongoing investigation of Democratic presidential candidate.

State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said Friday that the FBI suggested last month that the State Department has ceased its review of several highly confidential emails in order to let the broader FBI investigation into Clinton’s emails go forward.

“While the ongoing law enforcement investigation is taking place, our internal review is on hold, pending the completion of that. We do not want our internal review to complicate or impede the progress of their ongoing law enforcement investigation,” Trudeau said, calling the decision “standard procedure.”

The State Department had been reviewing 22 emails that carried the highest level of secrecy and had not been made public in any form. The State Department review was designed to determine whether the emails contained classified information at the time they were sent, or whether the information became classified after the fact. Clinton’s defenders have said any classified information in her emails was made so after she sent them. Her opponents say Clinton would have known the information was sensetive, regardless if the documents were marked as “classified” at the time they were sent or not.

Asked at a press briefing if the State Department’s action should be taken as “a sign that the administration thinks that the laws may have been broken,” Trudeau said. “I wouldn’t read anything into it.” (Read more from “State Dept. Just Made Massive Announcement About Hillary’s Email Investigation” HERE)

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What Trump Just Said About Abortion Will Outrage Many Conservatives

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Two days after GOP presidential contender Donald Trump caused a firestorm after walking back his statement that women who have illegal abortions should receive some form of “punishment,” he said during another interview that abortion “laws are set,” and they should be left that way until changed.

In an interview on CBS’ Face the Nation – the broadcast of which will be aired on Sunday – Trump again attempted to clarify his views to moderator John Dickerson.

When asked by Dickerson – from a pro-abortion perspective — “What would you do to further restrict access to abortion?” Trump responded, “The laws are set now on abortion and that’s the way they’re going to remain until they’re changed.”

“A question was asked to me. And it was asked in a very hypothetical,” Trump explained about his prior MSNBC interview with Chris Matthews. “And it was said, ‘Illegal, illegal.’ I’ve been told by some people that was an older line answer and that was an answer that was given on a, you know, basis of an older line from years ago on a very conservative basis.”

When Dickerson mentioned a prior Bloomberg interview during which Trump reportedly said he believed abortion should be banned after a certain point in pregnancy, Trump replied, “I would’ve preferred states’ rights. I think it would’ve been better if it were up to the states. But right now, the laws are set….At this moment, the laws are set. And I think we have to leave it that way.” (Read more from “What Trump Just Said About Abortion Will Outrage Some Conservatives” HERE)

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This Big Rumor Is Circulating About Rubio’s Next Career–It’s the Last Thing You’d Expect

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When Sen. Marco Rubio chose to run for Republican presidential nomination, one of his campaign promises was that he would not seek another term as a U.S. senator from Florida.

Rubio’s campaign got off to a great start, but when the one-time senator lost the primary in his home state to billionaire Donald Trump, he apparently saw the writing on the wall and suspended his campaign for president.

Some may have wondered in what direction Rubio’s career would take him post-race. According to the New York Post, rumors were circulating he would join the Miami Dolphins in an executive role for the team . . .

Citing insiders within the Rubio campaign, the Post reports Rubio is still considering another White House bid in 2020, all the while lobbying to keep the delegates he won in 21 different states, asking delegates not to release them to the three remaining candidates.

With the possibility of an open GOP convention, Rubio is still active behind the scenes. The Post acquired a letter written to the Alaska Republican Party. In it Rubio reportedly wrote, “It is my desire at this time that the delegates allocated to me by your rules remain bound to vote for me on at least the first nominating ballot at the National Convention.” (Read more from “This Big Rumor Is Circulating About Rubio’s Next Career–It’s the Last Thing You’d Expect” HERE)

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Walker Sees Cruz Victory Over Trump in Wisconsin Resetting Republican Race

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Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker said voters in his state are about to shift the dynamic of the Republican presidential race.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz is on the verge of a victory in Wisconsin that would propel him to the nomination, Walker told Mark Halperin and John Heilemann in an interview set to air Friday on Bloomberg Television’s With All Due Respect.

“I really believe looking at the momentum in this state—and certainly we’ve tried to help create some of that—Ted Cruz wins on Tuesday,” Walker said. “That’s the momentum shift. I think that starts him down the path toward people seeing, hey, this has really devolved into a two-person race.”

A Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday showed Cruz with a 10-point lead over Donald Trump in Wisconsin, where 42 delegates are up for grabs in Tuesday’s primary. Trump is leading the Republican race with 736 delegates, compared 463 for Cruz, the Associated Press estimates. A candidate needs 1,237 to win the nomination.

Walker, a Republican who has endorsed Cruz, declined to criticize Trump during the interview. Instead, Walker kept his focus on what he sees as Cruz’s positives. (Read more from “Walker Sees Cruz Victory Over Trump in Wisconsin Resetting Republican Race” HERE)

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U.S. Commandos Trained to Stop Terrorists With `Dirty Bombs,’ Nukes

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U.S. commando units have been trained to seize and disable nuclear or radioactive bombs, providing a crucial last line of defense if terrorists get their hands on such weapons, according to the general in charge of the forces.

The U.S. Special Operations Command “has sufficient ‘render-safe’ capacity to respond to the most likely” scenarios involving weapons of mass destruction under the current analysis of threats, Army General Raymond Thomas has told lawmakers.

The Pentagon rarely discusses publicly its plans to use commandos if terrorists obtain a nuclear weapon or build a “dirty bomb” from radioactive material. While U.S. officials say there’s no sign yet that Islamic State has such a capability, the prospect was on Friday’s agenda for the Nuclear Security Summit of world leaders being hosted by President Barack Obama in Washington.

Thomas described the role U.S. commandos might play in written responses to the Senate Armed Services Committee before his confirmation as head of the Special Operations Command, a post he took this week. He moved up a rung from his previous role heading the Joint Special Operations Command, directly overseeing fabled — and secretive — units such as the Army’s Delta Force and the Navy’s SEAL Team 6. (Read more from “U.S. Commandos Trained to Stop Terrorists With `Dirty Bombs'” HERE)

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Americans Fear the Federal Government More Than Terror

According to a pair of recent polls, for the first time since the 9/11 terrorist hijackings, Americans are more fearful their government will abuse constitutional liberties than fail to keep its citizens safe. (Read more from this story HERE)

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Taxpayers Billed $1.4 Million for Obama’s Argentina Trip

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President Barack Obama’s two-day visit to Argentina, where he tangoed and downplayed the differences between capitalism and communism, cost taxpayers nearly $1.4 million.

The president traveled to Argentina last week after his two-day stop in Cuba. The visit racked up substantial costs for hotels, transportation, and advance bathroom maintenance, according to government contracts signed by the State Department and Department of Homeland Security.

Lodging for the president and White House staff totaled $115,588, while conference rooms cost $35,584. Another contract for hotel rooms cost $31,585.

U.S. Secret Service costs associated with the trip included $120,782 for hotel rooms at the Hyatt Park in Buenos Aires and $707,801 for transportation.

Use of Marine One, the presidential helicopter, during Obama’s trip cost $44,611. Other transportation costs included contracts worth $68,597, $23,304, $4,789, $8,212, and $24,955. (Read more from “Taxpayers Billed $1.4 Million for Obama’s Argentina Trip” HERE)

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