See How Your Senators Voted on 4 Gun Control Amendments

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The Senate shot down a series of gun control measures Monday, all brought up for debate after the worst terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11.

The four gun control bills—two proposed by Republicans and two by Democrats—were torpedoed after the sides were unable to come to an agreement.

The votes came less than a week after Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., filibustered for more than 14 hours to support a universal background check system to stop terrorists from acquiring guns.

After learning the FBI had twice investigated Islamist-inspired mass murderer Omar Mateen on suspicion of terrorist sympathies, Democrats and Republicans largely agreed that those under investigation for terrorist activity should be barred from purchasing weapons. Mateen killed 49 persons and wounded 53 more in his June 12 shooting rampage at a gay nightclub in Orlando.

“No one wants terrorists to be able to buy guns or explosives. No one,” Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said.

But senators could not come together on specifics to address the problem, with each side accusing the other of using the votes for base political ends.

Senate Republicans rejected two Democratic proposals that would have barred firearm sales to people on the FBI’s terrorist watch list and required every gun purchaser to undergo a background check, arguing that the measures too dramatically expanded the federal government’s power.

“The Democratic alternative would not ensure due process, protect our constitutional rights, or require the government to periodically review its procedures to ensure it’s investigating the right people,” McConnell said.

Democrats, in turn, shot down Republican alternatives that would have required the government to prove probable cause within three days to block a gun sale to a suspected terrorist and increase funding for background checks. They argued the proposals were insufficient half measures only intended to help Republicans who receive donations from gun groups to save face.

“It doesn’t matter how sensible the legislation or how terrible the tragedy,” said Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., “Republicans are beholden to the National Rifle Association, the NRA, and not the people that elect them to come here and represent them.”

The votes of 60 senators were needed to end debate and proceed to a final vote on each measure.

The Republican proposals each received 53 votes. A total of 47 senators voted for the terrorist watch list amendment proposed by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and 44 voted for the expanded background checks proposed by Murphy.

Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., was the only Republican to vote for both Democratic proposals. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., and Jon Tester, D-Mont., voted against one or both.

Some hope for a compromise amendment remained.

Sens. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, said they would present a measure that, while similar to Feinstein’s bill, would restrict gun purchases to a smaller group than the FBI’s far-reaching terrorist watch list.

“There is a solution here, and I’m committed to finding it. But to find that solution, we have to come together instead of having competing proposals that have already mostly failed in this chamber when we took these votes back in December,” Ayotte said. “Let’s put aside the gamesmanship and come together to get a proposal that will be effective and get a result for the American people.”

Here’s how the Senate voted on the first Republican-sponsored gun control measure:

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Here’s how the Senate voted on the second Republican-sponsored gun control amendment:

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Here’s how the Senate voted on the first Democrat-sponsored gun control measure:

Senate-Roll-Call-Vote-105-1

Here’s how the Senate voted on the second Democrat-sponsored gun control amendment:

Senate-Roll-Call-Vote-106-1

(For more from the author of “See How Your Senators Voted on 4 Gun Control Amendments” please click HERE)

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Former SEAL Riles CNN Host by Pointing out How to Stop Mass Shootings

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During a discussion hosted by Alisyn Camerota on CNN’s New Day Monday, political commentator Bob Beckel weighed in on gun control measures being pushed in the wake of the terrorist attack at the Pulse night club in Orlando, Fla., in which Omar Mateen killed 49 people.

“If you can’t pass one thing, after what happened in Orlando on terrorists not getting guns, then I don’t think you’ll ever get gun control laws,” reflecting on gun control bills in the House and Senate on Monday. The measures aren’t expected to pass according to Beckel.

David Gregory, also a CNN analyst, called the bills before Congress “common sense” but admitted he’s “similarly pessimistic” the bills will pass.

Former Navy Seal Carl Higbie was asked by Camerota to share his thoughts on gun control.

“I think the fact is that if you had security guards at that club that were carrying firearms, bullets going in the other direction always has stopped criminals from being armed and carrying out further acts of violence,” he said.

Seemingly agitated, the CNN anchor noted that the club did have one armed guard. “Carl, Just answer that. There was an armed security guard there and this time it didn’t stop the gunman.”

Higbie countered that the problem isn’t guns, it’s radical Islamic terrorism. “So let’s look at the fact here that they’re trying to blame guns for this whole thing,” he said. “You don’t blame Boeing for the planes hitting the towers [on 9/11]. You don’t blame spoons for people getting fat. … Let’s stop blaming guns and let’s start blaming the ideology.”

The former Navy Seal concluded the FBI should clarify what criteria must be met before someone is placed on the terrorist watch list before any American be placed on such a list, and before any decision banning those individuals from obtaining a firearm is made. He went further saying, “If you’re on a terrorist watch list, you should be in jail. I don’t think you should be on a list, you should be in jail.” (For more from the author of “Former SEAL Riles CNN Host by Pointing out How to Stop Mass Shootings” please click HERE)

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Michael Jackson’s ‘Shocking’ Child Pornography Collection Detailed in 2003 Neverland Ranch Police Report

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A Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department police report taken from a 2003 search at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch residence turned up a cache of photos of naked men and women, animal sex videos and child pornography, all allegedly used to seduce young boys.

Jackson’s alleged, never-before-seen, porn stockpile was the result of a search that was part of an ongoing child sex abuse investigation against the pop singer, according to Radar Online.

“The detectives’ report cites Michael even used sexy photos of his own nephews, who were in the band 3T, in their underwear to excite young boys.” a private investigator said, according to Radar.

At the behest of Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Detective Craig Bonner, an additional warrant was granted and investigators also searched a rented storage space. In it, police found audio and video tapes, photos, dairies, and several computer hard drives.

“The documents collected by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department paint a dark and frightening picture of Jackson,” one anonymous investigator working on Jackson’s case told Radar. “The documents exposed Jackson as a manipulative, drug-and-sex-crazed predator who used blood, gore, sexually explicit images of animal sacrifice and perverse adult sex acts to bend children to his will.” (Read more from “Michael Jackson’s ‘Shocking’ Child Pornography Collection Detailed in 2003 Neverland Ranch Police Report” HERE)

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Media Reports Reveal Reason Behind Trump’s Firing of Campaign Manager

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Corey Lewandowski helped convince Republicans across America that Donald Trump should be their next president.

But according to reports emerging in the news media, he could not convince the family members who make up Trump’s closest inner circle of advisers that he was still an asset to the campaign.

Lewandowski was dismissed on Monday as Trump’s campaign manager, even though much of the operational control of the campaign had been ceded to adviser Paul Manafort.

CNN’s Dana Bash tweeted that Trump’s daughter Ivanka was behind the decision.

The Washington Post reported that Lewandowski was ousted “at the urging of [Trump’s] three adult children and many key allies.”

“It just came to a head. There were a lot of voices that came together at once,” the Post reported, quoting an anonymous Republican official. “They were moving into a general election phase and wanted one coherent management style.”

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said the transition reflects the reality of a presidential campaign.

Trump and his team are “rapidly learning the general election, 50 states simultaneously, is a much bigger, more complex system,” Gingrich said. “The general election is like a gigantic football team — it takes a whole different set of requirements both for the candidate and for the team.”

The Post quoted another unnamed GOP official as saying that Lewandowski was not opposed by Manafort, but by Trump’s children.

“What he is saying to operatives is that the critical mass was finally reached with Trump’s kids,” said the second official.

Members of the Trump family long ago soured on Lewandowski, the Post reported, citing another anonymous source.

“The kids do not like him, and they’re certainly happy with Manafort. Donald was Corey’s only supporter within Trump Tower,” this source told the Post.

When reached by the Associated Press, Lewandowski had little to say.

“Paul Manafort has been in operational control of the campaign since April 7. That’s a fact,” Lewandowski said without further comment.

“This shows donors, activists and party officials that he is willing to make significant changes, even if it means parting ways with a trusted political aide,” said Republican strategist Ryan Williams. “Now Trump needs to demonstrate that he is willing to change his own approach by toning down his rhetoric and becoming a more disciplined general election candidate.” (For more from the author of “Media Reports Reveal Reason Behind Trump’s Firing of Campaign Manager” please click HERE)

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Undercover Reporter Who Purchased an AR-15 May Have Broken Federal Law

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The CR Wire reported Thursday that CBS News was SHOCKED at how easy it was for an American citizen to purchase a firearm legally – as if there was no constitutional right to do so.

Well, it appears the CBS reporter who tried to ridicule gun laws may have committed a federal crime in unlawfully purchasing the gun, at least according to the gun store who sold it. The store, SpecDrive Tactical, contacted Virginia State Police and the ATF to report the possible crime.

The Washington Free Beacon reports:

SpecDive said that when CBS News’ Paula Reid purchased the rifle she told the store’s general manager the gun was for her own use. However, when CBS reported on the story they revealed the gun was purchased for the story and transferred to a third party a few hours later. “The rifle we purchased was legally transferred to a federally licensed firearms dealer and weapons instructor in Virginia, just hours after we bought it,” the report said.

“Ms. Paula Reid came into the shop with cash, claiming she wished to purchase an AR-15 to, ‘undergo training,’” Ryan Lamke, SpecDive’s general manager, told the Washington Free Beacon. “She refused basic, free instruction of firearms safety under the pretense that she was using the firearm for training with a NRA certified instructor.”

“Due to the information provided in the CBS News report filed today, I suspect Ms. Reid committed a straw purchase and procurement of a firearm under false pretenses.”

If Ms. Reid did, in fact, mislead the store about her intentions to give the gun over to a third party immediately after purchase it is “in clear violation of the law,” SpecDrive owner Jerry Rapp made clear.

ATF told the Free Beacon that they are aware of the situation and considering opening an investigation. CBS News remains steadfast that their employee did not break any federal law.

Of course, we don’t wish any evil on people, but if Ms. Reid and CBS News were to be punished for their hit piece it would be something like poetic justice. (For more from the author of “Undercover Reporter Who Purchased an AR-15 May Have Broken Federal Law” please click HERE)

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George W. Bush Re-Enters Political Arena to Help Old Friend in Tough Fight

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In a year where outsider candidates are on the rise, members of the Washington establishment are facing new struggles to maintain their position of power.

Even longtime politicians have found themselves vulnerable and are facing significant challenges from up-and-coming new leaders.

One such example is Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who has served for nearly three decades and is currently in a pitched battle against Dr. Kelly Ward for his seate.

As it currently stands, the polls are split, with Gravis Marketing showing a landslide victory for Ward by a 9-point spread and PPP showing the opposite, a 13-point spread in favor of McCain.

Former President George W. Bush has decided to put down the paint brush and re-enter the political arena to support some of his old allies.

So far, Bush has headlined fundraisers for two Republican senators with plans to assist three others in the near future, and McCain has made the list.

According to new reports, Bush will begin fundraising for McCain in an attempt to run damage control for the beleaguered Arizona senator — caused in part by the Trump insurgency.

Bush and McCain will both be skipping this summer’s GOP convention, possibly as a protest of Trump’s presumptive nomination, and instead focus on winning congressional battles.

Whether a Bush endorsement will manage to secure McCain his re-election — or even prove helpful for the incumbent — has yet to be seen.

There also exists the possibility that a Bush endorsement could further fracture the party and amplify resentment among those who desire change in Washington.

Commenting on the infighting between members of the GOP, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan encouraged Republicans to vote their conscience.

“I get that this is a very strange situation. He’s a very unique nominee,” said Ryan of Trump in a yet-to-be-aired interview with NBC. “But I feel as a responsibility institutionally as the speaker of the House that I should not be leading some chasm in the middle of our party. Because you know what I know that’ll do? That’ll definitely knock us out of the White House.” (For more from the author of “George W. Bush Re-Enters Political Arena to Help Old Friend in Tough Fight” please click HERE)

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Look What Else Obama Wants Banned After Orlando Attack

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In the week following the Orlando shooting, presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump sharply criticized President Obama for being unable to use the words “radical Islamic terrorism.” Obama, visibly agitated, said “calling a threat by a different name does not make it go away…There’s no magic to the phrase of radical Islam. It’s a political talking point.”

Now it seems the Department of Homeland Security wants to ban additional words that are normally associated with Islam.

In a proposal submitted this month by the Countering Violent Extremism Subcommittee, they recommended not using words like “jihad” or “sharia law.” The subcommittee concluded that these terms created an “us vs. them” mentality.

The Department of Homeland Security was also asked to use words that are more inclusive to the Muslim community. Words such as “American Muslim” rather than “Muslim American.”

This is all part of an attempt to combat extremism here in the United States. The department says this operation, which will cost $100 million, will involve hiring experts and developing new social media programs and technology to influence young people not to join terror groups.

“The department must reframe the conversation to reflect this reality and design a robust program around the protection of our youth, which must include predator awareness and an understanding of radicalization. In doing so, our citizens will be better equipped for this threat,” the report says.

The report also urges greater private sector cooperation, including with Muslim communities, to counter what is described as a “new generation of threats to the Homeland related to the threat of violent extremism.” (For more from the author of “Look What Else Obama Wants Banned After Orlando Attack” please click HERE)

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Report: DHS Official Protected San Bernardino Terror Suspect From Authorities

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How is it that a federal official is allowed to impede a terrorism case and face no punitive repercussions? This is what happened in the case where U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services-USCIS (part of the Department of Homeland Security-DHS) supervisor Irene Martin restricted access to five armed DHS agents. The agents were sent in response to FBI knowledge that Enrique Marquez, the man who allegedly provided weapons to the perpetrators of the San Bernardino shooting, was arranged to have an interview (along with his wife, Mariya Chernykh) with Martin’s personnel the day after the actual attack.

At the time Marquez and his wife were likely under suspicion by immigration services for their fraudulent marriage. Authorities later described the intention of the two individuals noting, “They wed so she could obtain immigration benefits unavailable to her as a Russian citizen without legal status in the U.S.” Investigators assert Marquez in return received $200 per month to ‘marry’ Mariya Chernykh (sister to the wife of Syed Raheel Farook/older brother to one of the terrorists in San Bernardino shooting).

So, when federal officials went to USCIS to apprehend Marquez, Martin denied them access to the suspect. Fox News reports on the incident:

It is not clear what disciplinary action Martin could face, but the report last week faulted her for making agents wait more than 90 minutes before she gave them access to related files on the suspected terrorist, and then she dismissively ordered them to hand copy files, according to the federal report. Agents told building security they intended to arrest Marquez to prevent him from killing anyone, but Martin had them wait 30 minutes just to see her. When questioned by IG investigators later, Martin repeatedly changed her story and also contradicted what other witnesses said.

(Read more from “Report: DHS Official Protected San Bernardino Terror Suspect From Authorities” HERE)

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Feminist: Toddler’s Gator Death ‘Social Justice’

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On Tuesday night outside a Walt Disney World hotel, a 2-year-old boy was snatched by an alligator and dragged into a lagoon in front of his vacationing parents. The father, attempting to rescue his baby boy, wrestled the alligator in vain. Tragically, the toddler was found dead on Wednesday.

Upon the report of the gut-wrenching incident, a disgusting racist feminist known as “Brienne of Snarth” on Twitter felt the need to voice her reprehensible views on the matter. She didn’t care that the 2-year-old was killed in front of his family. After all, the father—suffering through undoubtedly the worst tragedy he will ever face—was a white male.Therefore, the toddler’s death was an act of “social justice,” according to the feminist.

Brienne of Snarth commented: “I’m so finished with white men’s entitlement lately that I’m really not sad about a 2yo being eaten by a gator bc his daddy ignored signs.”

The account has since been deleted, but journalist Paul Joseph Watson captured the tweet by screenshot:

(Read more from “Feminist: Toddler’s Gator Death ‘Social Justice'” HERE)

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JAG EXPERT: FBI Director Comey Has Delayed the Hillary Investigation “For Too Long”

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The media continue their focus on accusing presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump of racist rhetoric, and facilitating the circular firing squad that some in the Republican Party and conservative movement are only too happy to take part in. Reporters continue to publish story after story damaging to Republicans, salivating over whatever Republican disunity they can unearth, and calling for Republicans to disavow Trump’s actions.

But in doing so they are hoping to protect Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party, and the issue of whether or not its presumptive nominee will face criminal charges. The Obama administration has now admitted that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting a “criminal” investigation into the activities of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who used a private email server to send and receive classified information and has demonstrated a pattern of corrupt behavior while secretary of state.

“And that’s why the President, when discussing this issue in each stage, has reiterated his commitment to this principle that any criminal investigation should be conducted independent of any sort of political interference,” said White House press secretary Josh Earnest, continuing, “and that people should be treated the same way before the law regardless of their political influence, regardless of their political party, regardless of their political stature and regardless of what political figure has endorsed them.” He spoke less than one hour after President Obama endorsed Mrs. Clinton for president last Thursday.

Earnest maintained that the civil servants at the FBI “aren’t going to be swayed by political forces” when conducting the investigation. But, surely, these civil servants will notice the direction of the political winds.

President Obama held a meeting with Department of Justice Attorney General Loretta Lynch shortly after his endorsement of Hillary. If FBI Director James Comey were to refer his investigation to Lynch, the Attorney General would have the power to not pursue the case.

“In order for Clinton to carry Obama’s torch, she has to stay out of prison,” writes Katie Pavlich for Townhall. “In order to do that, she has to avoid prosecution. I’m sure Obama made that very clear to his somewhat new Attorney General.”

We have regularly cited the various scandals still hanging over Mrs. Clinton’s head. They include the mishandling of classified materials, obstruction of justice, the public corruption scandal in which she used the State Department as leverage for benefitting the Clinton Foundation as well as her family, and Benghazi.

Contrary to President Obama’s assertion that he is allowing a non-partisan and full investigation, by endorsing Mrs. Clinton he has placed his hand on the scale of justice and made his wishes more than clear to federal investigators. The question is, will Director Comey and the FBI follow the President’s direction?

Despite the administration’s continued support for Clinton, new stories break daily outlining Mrs. Clinton’s corruption and pay-for-play. ABC News, with the help of Citizens United, found that a Clinton donor was placed on a sensitive intelligence board during Mrs. Clinton’s term as secretary of state—even though he lacked the credentials for the appointment.

The Wall Street Journal also reports that “many” of the 22 classified emails from Mrs. Clinton’s private email server that the government refuses to release, “dealt with whether diplomats concurred or not with the CIA drone strikes…” These highly sensitive and classified emails were “written within the often-narrow time frame in which State Department officials had to decide whether or not to object to drone strikes before the CIA pulled the trigger…” There are more than 2,000 emails that Mrs. Clinton handled that contained classified material on her private, unsecured server, whether marked as such or not.

“Several law-enforcement officials said they don’t expect any criminal charges to be filed as a result of the investigation,” reports the Journal, continuing, “although a final review of the evidence will be made only after an expected FBI interview with Mrs. Clinton this summer.”

Jonathan F. Keiler, a lawyer and former captain in the Army’s Judge-Advocate General Corps, writes that Comey has already delayed for too long. In an outstanding column for American Thinker, he wonders what Comey is up to: “What FBI director James Comey intends is perhaps the greatest conundrum in Washington these days. Is he playing Hamlet to Hillary’s Claudius, introspective, doubtful, and unwilling to strike the killing blow? Is he just being a careful apolitical policeman? Or is he a political hack who will do what’s best for Jim Comey? Perhaps it’s a bit of all three. Whatever the truth, it is in Hillary’s best interest to discourage Comey as much as possible. Her early claim to be the Democrat nominee serves that purpose.”

Keiler argues that Hillary’s convenient surge past the magic delegate number the night before the California primary, through a sudden burst of superdelegate declarations, served both her political and legal purposes. “If Comey is an honest policeman,” he writes, “the best time for him to have acted was before Hillary claimed the nomination. Then he would only have been referring charges against another—albeit notorious—private citizen. After the nomination, Hillary becomes not only the standard bearer of one of America’s two great political parties, but a ‘historic’ figure as the first woman to do so. As such, it behooved both Hillary and her backers in the media to reach that point ASAP.”

“As a political and media matter,” he adds, “an FBI referral at this point will be against not only the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, but also a historic figure, an affront to the American political system and women everywhere.”

The evidence against Mrs. Clinton is clear. If Director Comey finds no evidence of criminal activity by Mrs. Clinton, he will lose his reputation as a straight shooter. Either way, at this point, it will be viewed as a political act. If the Attorney General and President Obama stymie an investigation through political interference, Director Comey could, and should, go public. There might even be a revolt within the FBI. Whether or not that happens, Hillary Clinton’s fate is now quite clearly in Director Comey’s hands. (For more from the author of “JAG EXPERT: FBI Director Comey Has Delayed the Hillary Investigation “For Too Long”” please click HERE)

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