The Blaze - All Stories

'Don't mess with my family' — CNN anchor lashes out at Mercedes Schlapp over accusations in ...

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 22:30:14 GMT

CNN anchor Brianna Keilar fired off a scathing rebuke to Mercedes Schlapp, a senior advisor on the Trump 2020 campaign, over an op-ed she wrote that included accusations against Keilar's husband.

Keilar posted her response in a statement to her official social media account.

"Your op-ed is riddled with lies, Mercedes, but most despicable is you trying to character assassinate my husband, an active duty military officer, and mistaking him for someone else in the process," wrote Keilar.

In response to ⁦⁦@mercedesschlapp⁩’s ⁦@RealClearNews⁩ op-ed. Get your facts straight. And don’t mess with my family. https://t.co/pMgIyfSEv0
— Brianna Keilar (@Brianna Keilar)1596746591.0

"He is a Green Beret who has served this country with honor and distinction, including 7 combat deployments. You state that he tweeted something disparaging about the president. No he didn't. I don't know what tweet you're talking about, but it is not my husband's," she continued.

Keilar went on to note that her husband had been an NSA director in the Obama administration, as Schlapp mentioned, but that he continued on in that role and was promoted under the Trump administration, which Schlapp did not mention.

"He has spent the past two years as part of Ambassador Zalmay Khalidzad's team, including a year plus overseas, much of that time in Afghanistan, away from our two little boys and me," Keilar continued.

"He has served and sacrificed for this country in ways you and I can't begin to fathom," she added.

"Get your facts straight," Keilar concluded. "And don't mess with my family."

The Schlapp op-ed

The op-ed to which Keilar objected was posted at Real Clear Politics after a very heated debate between Schlapp and Keilar on CNN about vote-by-mail. Schlapp addressed some of her main points on the debate but then made accusations against Keilar's husband.

I have dealt with, and socialized with, mainstream journalists in Washington, D.C., for my entire career. Sometimes we agree, often we don't. But I respect the work the best of them do, and the critical role a free press plays in society. But this episode at CNN, and the host's continued online harangue, was beyond the pale. I was further disturbed to learn that Brianna Keilar's husband is a ferocious opponent of the president, a former director of the National Security Council under President Obama, and a man who tweets, among other things, that Donald Trump makes him "throw up."

Schlapp did not include a link to the tweet she attributed to Keilar's husband.

"I don't think Brianna Keilar's husband is who ⁦@mercedesschlapp⁩ appears to think he is when she slams him in this piece," tweeted Maggie Haberman of the New York Times.

Tapper backs up Kielar

Keilar's fellow CNN anchor Jake Tapper backed up his colleague in a tweet with her statement included.

Tapper tweeted that Schlapp was entitled to opine on any journalist, but "to smear with lies Brianna's husband, an active duty Green Beret, as part of her political vendetta is truly despicable. Truly vile."

Here's the debate that began the feud:

Trump campaign official falsely implies mail-in voting leads to fraud www.youtube.com

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tests positive for coronavirus just before he was scheduled to meet with Trump

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 22:01:12 GMT

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) announced on Thursday that he tested positive for coronavirus. The 73-year-old governor was tested for COVID-19 as a safeguard before meeting with President Donald Trump in Ohio.

"As part of the standard protocol to greet President Trump on the tarmac in Cleveland, I took a COVID test. I tested positive. I have no symptoms at this time. I'm following protocol and will quarantine at home for the next 14 days," he wrote on Twitter.

DeWine is not exhibiting any symptoms at the present time. He is returning to Columbus with First Lady Fran DeWine, where they will both be tested. DeWine will then quarantine at his home in Cedarville for the next two weeks.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted was also tested for coronavirus ahead of Trump's visit and tested negative, according to DeWine's office.

President Trump was expecting to meet DeWine at the Burke Lakefront Airport tarmac in Cleveland.

"I want to just say that a very good friend of mine just tested positive, do you know that? Our great governor, Governor of Ohio, DeWine, just tested positive, just here," President Trump said at the airport on Thursday afternoon. "And we want to wish him the best. He'll be fine. I guess he's going for a secondary test. I just said, 'I look forward to seeing the governor.' They said, 'Sir, he just tested positive.' But he's a great guy. He's done a fantastic job, and your Lt. Gov. Jon Husted is here someplace."

When he arrived in Cleveland earlier this afternoon, President Trump (@realDonaldTrump) sent a message of support f… https://t.co/V5fkIzakvE
— WKYC 3News (@WKYC 3News)1596741451.0

Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper reacted to DeWine's positive test in a statement, "We know how hard he's been working to keep Ohioans safe, and this is just one more reminder that this virus can impact everyone. As fellow Ohioans, we stand with and support our governor and his family at this time."

DeWine has taken more aggressive action during the coronavirus pandemic than other Republican governors. DeWine declared a state of emergency on March 9, despite there only being three confirmed coronavirus cases at the time and no deaths from the virus yet. Ohio implemented a stay-at-home order on March 23. All restaurant dining rooms and bars were closed on March 15. On July 8, DeWine announced a mandatory face mask order in any county that is under alert level 3 or higher. Earlier this week, DeWine issued an order requiring all K-12 students to wear face coverings.

Ohio has nearly 78,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and over 3,600 COVID-19 deaths.

DeWine becomes the second U.S. governor to test positive for coronavirus, following Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R), who announced contracting coronavirus last month.

Project Veritas' James O'Keefe sues FBI, claims he was wrongfully denied the right to purchase ...

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:45:02 GMT

Project Veritas' James O'Keefe posted a video Thursday, in which he was purportedly denied the right to purchase a firearm due to an erroneous entry in the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check (NICS) system. The interactions led O'Keefe to file a lawsuit against the FBI in order to have his name removed from the registry.

In the video, O'Keefe can be seen attempting to purchase firearms from multiple locations, each of which rejects him because his background check comes back "denied." O'Keefe and the salesmen then have conversations about whether O'Keefe is being retaliated against because of his journalism.

According to O'Keefe, his entry on the NICS system is erroneous because he has never been "convicted" of a felony. There are, however, a number of other reasons that a person might fail an NICS background check. For instance, many states can include their own disqualifiers for NICS checks, and those might be more stringent. Additionally, anyone who has been convicted of a misdemeanor that is punishable by more than two years in prison (even if the person did not actually serve two years) can disqualify a person from purchasing a firearm.

Of note, O'Keefe was charged with a felony of entering federal property under false pretenses for his actions related to an attempted sting operation against former Senator Mary Landrieu. They ended up pleading guilty to a misdemeanor count of entering a federal building under false pretenses. He was ordered to pay a fine and serve two years of probation. That charge, however, carried a maximum jail sentence of six months. However, it is within the realm of possibility that some states may bar persons who were charged with felonies but pled down to misdemeanors from owning a firearm. Additionally, it is possible that O'Keefe's name was entered into the NICS database when he was charged, but never removed when the plea was actually entered.

A phone call to the FBI requesting comment was not immediately returned.

Two students say school suspended them for circulating photos of overcrowded school hallways ...

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:31:50 GMT

Two Georgia high school students say their school suspended them after posting pictures of crowded hallways on social media.

What are the details?

The students, who attend North Paulding High School in Dallas, Georgia, reportedly shared photos of students filling the school's hallways on social media.

The photos, amid the COVID-19 crisis, went viral, and sparked reactions ranging from concern to outrage.

One student, 15-year-old Hannah Watters, said that her school handed down a punishment of a five-day out-of-school suspension for sharing the photos on her social media pages.

"Day two at North Paulding High School," she captioned one of the photos. "We were stopped because it was jammed. We are close enough to the point where I got pushed multiple go to second block [sic]. This is not ok. Not to mention the 10% mask rate."

After sharing the photos on her social media pages, Hannah said school officials pulled her into the office on Wednesday for questioning.

Officials reportedly told Hannah said that she violated the school's student code of conduct because she reportedly used her phone in the hallway without permission, used her cell phone to update social media, and posted pictures of minors without their consent.

Buzzfeed News reports that the school district has yet to respond to requests for comment on Hannah's alleged suspension.

'Many people are not following CDC guidelines'

Indeed, the school's code of conduct does state that students are not permitted to use cell phones while at the school, and cannot access social networking sites while in the building.

A second student — who wished to remain anonymous — also reportedly told the outlet that they were suspended for the same reason.

On Wednesday, the outlet reported, Principal Gabe Carmona reportedly announced that any student found "criticizing the school on social media" could face disciplinary action.

Hannah complained that her punishment was not just, and added that the school is not being safe in their COVID-19 practices.

"Many people are not following CDC guidelines because the county did not make these precautions mandatory," she told the outlet.

She also pointed out that while she does admit that she apparently violated the school's code of conduct, she doesn't believe the punishment fits the crime, calling it "excessive."

"I do understand that I violated a code of conduct policy," she added. "[But] we have a progressive discipline system. When disciplining me and the other student, [the school] skipped level one and went straight to two."

Hannah's not the only one who feels this way

Hannah's sentiment is apparently one shared by many people in the school, both students and teachers alike.

The outlet reported that students, teachers, and parents all said that they had fears surrounding the reopening of schools amid the pandemic. The school district has also reportedly not chosen to enforce mask-wearing, and instead, allows it up to the individual to make a "personal choice" on the matter.

"Despite positive reports of COVID-19 cases among students and staff," the outlet reports, "classes have resumed and students have been told they could face expulsion if they don't attend."

At least one teacher reportedly resigned over safety concerns.

Using the photo without context

Earlier this week, Paulding Superintendent Brian Otott told parents that "some individuals on social media" are taking such photos and using them "without context to criticize our school reopening efforts."

"Under the COVID-19 protocols we have adopted, class changes that look like this may happen, especially at a high school with more than 2,000 students," his statement to parents continued.

"One area where we have received a good deal of feedback is mask use in our schools. Wearing a mask is a personal choice and there is no practical way to enforce a mandate to wear them. What we will do is continue to strongly encourage all students and staff to wear masks," he concluded.

Student suspended after showing fellow students without masks l GMA www.youtube.com

Joe Biden once again reveals his belief that all black people think the same, but says Latinos ...

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:14:10 GMT

Former Vice President Joe Biden made another racially questionable comment Tuesday when discussing the difference between black and Latino voters, Politico reported.

During a virtual conference hosted by the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Biden was asked by NPR reporter Lulu Garcia-Navarro about what he would do to address deportations of Cubans, especially while some Venezuelan people are receiving Temporary Protected Status to stay in the U.S.

Biden did not answer the question directly, causing Garcia-Navarro to have to restate it in an attempt to get specifics. On the second try, Biden pivoted to what may have been intended as a compliment to Latino communities that came out as a needless shot a black voters.

"Unlike the African American community, with notable exceptions, the Latino community is an incredibly diverse community with incredibly diverse attitudes about different things," Biden said. "You go to Florida, you find a very different attitude about immigration than you do in Arizona. So it's a very diverse community."

.@JoeBiden: “Unlike the African-American community, with notable exceptions, the Latino community is an incredibly… https://t.co/WQuSmkzgCp
— Tom Elliott (@Tom Elliott)1596721949.0

President Donald Trump, who won the 2016 election with approximately 8% of the black vote, tweeted Tuesday that the remark would cost Biden in November.

"Wow! Joe Biden just lost the entire African American community," Trump wrote. "What a 'dumb' thing to say!"

The day before, Biden snapped at a Errol Barnett, black journalist who asked him about cognitive tests (which Biden had previously taken), by asking "why the hell would I take a test" and saying it was like asking Barnett if he had taken a cocaine test before the broadcast.

Biden's apparent belief that the black community is ideologically homogenous has shown up before. In May, Biden scoffed at a black radio host who said he had more questions about Biden, telling him that black people who are undecided about voting for Biden over Trump "ain't black."

While it's true that black voters tend to overwhelmingly support Democratic candidates, that voting pattern may have as much to do with distaste toward Republicans or a lack of good Republican candidate choices as it does with political ideology. Past research has shown that black Democrats are less likely than white or Hispanic Democrats to label themselves as liberal.

FiveThirtyEight has also commented on this issue:

But black voters aren't the monolith exit polls make them out to be. Pew Research Center found that a quarter of black Democrats identify as conservative, and 43 percent identify as moderate.

New York City teachers' union protests school reopening plan with guillotines and coffins

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 20:59:09 GMT

A group of protesters marched from the United Federation of Teachers headquarters to the New York City Department of Education offices on Monday, displaying a number of props designed to convey the dramatic message that the Department of Education was killing them.

According to the New York Post, the protest included about 200 people, "many" of whom were described to be educators, administration officials, or parents. They carried along with them a homemade yellow guillotine with "DOE" written on the blade, and "US" written where the head should go. They also reportedly carried along at least two coffins draped in black, and three body bags.

The protesters were upset about New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to partially reopen schools this fall. They reportedly chanted "We demand safe schools!" as they marched, and complained to media personnel who attended the protest that de Blasio's plan did not do enough to protect their safety.

Many on social media noted that, among other issues with the protest, the protesters were literally not observing proper social distancing during the course of their protest, which made their protestations about lack of proper safeguards ring a bit hollow.

They aren't six feet apart AT the protest. Do people review messaging before implementing it or is everyone just… https://t.co/y95SIIOS9x
— Caleb Howe (@Caleb Howe)1596743526.0

Also, presumably these same teachers have been utilizing the services of the food processing and distribution industries, as well as the transportation industry and health care industry, which have been required to be at work since the pandemic began.

School reopening plans have emerged as one of the hottest political issues going into election season. The Trump administration, backed by the CDC and the American Pediatric Association, have strongly encouraged local schools to reopen in the fall for in-person learning, with the possible exception of some urban areas that are particularly hard hit or active hot spots for the infection.

Teachers' unions, on the other hand, have strongly resisted plans to reopen local schools, and in many cases have attempted to use their leverage with the public to demand a list of far-fetched, non-germane liberal policies before they will willingly return to their jobs.

Cop reportedly shares sexually explicit photos of college student after she files a police ...

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 20:44:08 GMT

A University of Utah police officer is under fire after reportedly showing colleagues explicit sexual photos of a 21-year-old student who later ended up dead.

Newly released reports allege that Officer Miguel Deras inappropriately showed his fellow officers explicit images and that Deras' fellow officers "inappropriately commented on the photos."

What are the details of the girl's death?

Lauren McCluskey was killed in Oct. 2018 when her ex-boyfriend shot her inside a parked vehicle at the university.

Just three days before her murder, McCluskey filed a police report alleging that her ex-boyfriend — 37-year-old registered sex offender Melvin Rowland — was blackmailing her with explicit photos. McCluskey also insisted that Rowland was sending her threatening texts and email messages, warning that he would damage her "financially and reputationally."

KUTV-TV reported that Rowland lied about his age to McCluskey, who had allegedly paid him a sum of $1,000 to stop him from spreading the photos online. McCluskey was also allegedly unaware of Rowland's sex offender status.

Rowland reportedly showed up at the school and shot McCluskey multiple times while she was on the phone with her mother.

The suspect was found dead from an apparent suicide just hours after police discovered McCluskey's body.

How did the officer come into play?

Deras, who was assigned the case prior to McCluskey's murder, flaunted the evidence in front of at least three of his colleagues, reports say, boasting that he could "look at them whenever he wanted."

At the time, one of Deras' fellow officers reportedly commented, "She's cute," while another allegedly said that Deras' was "lucky" to have been assigned the case.

Following her death, Deras' reportedly continued to show off the graphic photos of McCluskey's body, allegedly showing at least one officer at the crime scene what she looked like through the photos, which Deras' allegedly accessed through his cell phone.

The girl's parents filed a $65 million lawsuit against the school and police force, insisting it mishandled the case.

Deras reportedly quit the department in September 2019 and now works for the Logan City Police Department, reports say.

You can read more on the case's background here.

Rodney Chatman, chief of police for the University of Utah's Department of Public Safety, issued remarks on the findings on Wednesday.

"I am deeply disturbed by this finding and disappointed in the officers who were present and who did not report this incident through appropriate university channels," Chatman said. "It is inexcusable for any law enforcement officer to discuss photos or information provided by a victim outside of clear and legitimate law enforcement reasons."

A statement from Deras' legal team roundly denies the allegations against its client.

Here are the 10 states with the lowest — and highest — unemployment rates as COVID-19 ...

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 20:29:37 GMT

In July, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that the national unemployment rate in June was 11.1% — an unhealthy level, but far better than the 14.7% we saw in April.

The national July numbers, which will be reported Friday, are expected to be better than last month. Experts are forecasting an unemployment rate of 10.5%.

But how are things looking in each of the states?

The most recent state-by-state data, which was posted last Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, revealed that there are some states that are truly seeing a "V-shaped recovery," as Fortune noted Thursday. But too many states are still languishing in a slower-than-hoped-for recovery from the hit that the coronavirus — as well as the federal, state, and local governments' responses — delivered to the American economy.

Leading the states that have recovered seemingly quickly is Kentucky. The Bluegrass State's unemployment rate is currently 4.3% — nearly identical to its pre-COVID rate of 4.2% in February. The state hit a peak unemployment rate of 16.6% in April, but seems to have fully recovered — at least when it comes to jobs. And the recovery appears to have come as a surprise to the state government. From Fortune:

But dig a bit deeper and it's clear that not all recoveries are proceeding equally. They vary immensely by state. In Kentucky, the seasonally adjusted jobless rate soared from 4.2% in February to 16.6% in April, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But as Governor Andrew Beshear reopened the Bluegrass State's economy, the jobless rate sunk to 4.3% by June — the lowest in the nation. That's a textbook V-shaped recovery.

The swift recovery in Kentucky even caught its state officials by surprise. In May the state projected a $457 million general fund shortfall, however, it ended the fiscal year in June with a $177.5 million surplus. It helped that Kentucky doesn't rely heavily on industries like leisure and hospitality that were decimated by the pandemic.

On the other end of the joblessness spectrum is Massachusetts, where the unemployment rate has continued to rise during the COVID-19 crisis. As recently as March, the state's unemployment rate was 2.8%, but it took a huge jump to 16.2% in April. And the most recent data shows the Bay State currently with a rate of 17.4%.

Generally speaking, rural states tend to be out-performing more populous states.

The 10 states with the lowest unemployment rates:

No. 1: Kentucky
● Current unemployment rate: 4.3%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 16.6% (April)
● February unemployment rate: 4.2%

No. 2: Utah
● Current unemployment rate: 5.1%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 10.4% (April)
● February unemployment rate: 2.5%

No. 3: Idaho
● Current unemployment rate: 5.6%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 11.8% (April)
● February unemployment rate: 2.7%

No. 4: North Dakota
● Current unemployment rate: 6.1%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 9.1% (May)
● February unemployment rate: 2.2%

No. 5: Maine
● Current unemployment rate: 6.6%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 10.4% (April)
● February unemployment rate: 3.2%

No. 6: Oklahoma
● Current unemployment rate: 6.6%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 14.7% (April)
● February unemployment rate: 3.2%

No. 7: Nebraska
● Current unemployment rate: 6.7%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 8.7% (April)
● February unemployment rate: 2.9%

No. 8: Montana
● Current unemployment rate: 7.2%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 11.9% (April)
● February unemployment rate: 3.5%

No. 9: South Dakota
● Current unemployment rate: 7.2%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 10.9% (April)
● February unemployment rate: 3.3%

No. 10: Alabama
● Current unemployment rate: 7.5%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 13.8% (April)
● February unemployment rate: 2.7%

The 10 states with the highest unemployment rates:

No. 1: Massachusetts
● Current unemployment rate: 17.4%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 17.4% (June)
● February unemployment rate: 2.8%

No. 2: New Jersey
● Current unemployment rate: 16.6%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 16.6% (June)
● February unemployment rate: 3.8%

No. 3: New York
● Current unemployment rate: 15.7%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 15.7% (June)
● February unemployment rate: 3.7%

No. 4: Nevada
● Current unemployment rate: 15%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 30.1% (April)
● February unemployment rate: 3.6%

No. 5: California
● Current unemployment rate: 14.9%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 16.4% (May)
● February unemployment rate: 3.9%

No. 6: Michigan
● Current unemployment rate: 14.8%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 24% (April)
● February unemployment rate: 3.6%

No. 7: Illinois
● Current unemployment rate: 14.6%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 17.2% (April)
● February unemployment rate: 3.4%

No. 8: Hawaii
● Current unemployment rate: 13.9%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 23.8% (April)
● February unemployment rate: 2.7%

No. 9: Pennsylvania
● Current unemployment rate: 13%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 16.1% (April)
● February unemployment rate: 4.7%

No. 10: Delaware
● Current unemployment rate: 12.5%
● Peak COVID unemployment rate: 15.9% (May)
● February unemployment rate: 3.9%

Steve Deace: Here's what they DON'T want you to know about COVID-19

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 20:14:14 GMT

On Wednesday, "The Steve Deace Show" compiled the coronavirus facts vs. lies and put the media-driven fear in perspective.

In this clip, Steve Deace explained that America is testing everything that moves for COVID-19. At the time Wednesday's show was taped, 0.07% of Americans had tested positive for the coronavirus. He dove into the statistics, state by state, and provided data for the number of COVID-19 tests conducted, positive tests, and the mortality rate.

Later, Deace addressed mask mandates, which states have them and which states do not. According to Deace, of the top 10 most deadly states, eight have mask mandates. Get informed. Watch the video.

Use promo code DEACE to save $10 on one year of BlazeTV.

Want more from Steve Deace?

To enjoy more of Steve's take on national politics, Christian worldview and principled conservatism with a snarky twist, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.

More than 20% of NYC mail-in votes in Democratic presidential primary were disqualified

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 20:12:10 GMT

More than 1 out of every 4 mail-in ballots submitted by New York City residents in the June 23 Democratic presidential primary were not counted because they failed meet one or more submission criteria, according to the New York Post.

The city Board of Elections received over 400,000 mail-in ballots, but certified results released Wednesday revealed that only about 318,000 mail-in ballots were counted. That means about 84,000 people who attempted to vote in the primary did not get their vote counted — another example of the potential problems that could arise in November under a universal vote-by-mail system.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) facilitated the high number of mail-in ballots with an executive order expanding the practice and providing pre-paid return envelopes to make it free and easy for people to vote by mail. The result was an extremely high invalidation rate and accusations of disenfranchisement.

From the Post:

"A 26 percent invalidation rate is astounding. It's very troubling," said Arthur Schwartz, who represented several candidates in a federal lawsuit claiming voters were disenfranchised over the BOE and Postal Service's handling of ballots.

A federal judge ruled Monday that thousands of voters were disenfranchised because of the tardy mailing and processing of the ballots.

The mess included votes not being counted because the pre-paid ballot envelopes were not postmarked.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he has had "deep concerns" about the Board of Elections for a while, but even after this massive failure he trusts them to do better in November when even more people could be voting by mail, because other states do it.

"I am certain they can learn from this and be prepared for the general election," de Blasio said. "Three months is a long time. There are whole states in this country that do everything with mail-in [voting] and it works perfectly well."

In Brooklyn, 30,000 out of 120,000 mail-in ballots were invalidated. In some cases, voters failed to sign the envelope properly. In other cases, the postal service failed to postmark the ballots or was simply too slow in delivering the mail.

The postal service has recently made changes to its operations to cut costs, and acknowledged at the time of those changes that they could lead to delays in mail delivery. Because the current postmaster general is an ally of President Donald Trump, Democrats have accused Trump of attempting to sabotage the election by slowing down postal service deliveries.

Joe Rogan says people fear 'mentally compromised' Biden 'Weekend at Bernie's' presidency

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 19:57:10 GMT

Popular podcaster Joe Rogan says there is a large contingent of Americans who fear a potential Joe Biden presidency.

Rogan also adds that whoever ends up being Biden's vice president should prepare to be de facto commander in chief.

What are the details?

Rogan, host of "The Joe Rogan Experience," insisted that Biden, the 77-year-old presumptive Democratic nominee, is "mentally compromised."

Rogan pointed to Biden's recent interview with CBS News' Errol Barnett, when the former vice president made a bizarre cocaine comparison after Barnett asked if he should take a cognitive test to become president.

"Come on, man," Biden snapped. "That's like saying you, before you got on this program, you take a test where you're taking cocaine or not. What do you think, huh? Are you a junkie?"

Biden scoffs when asked if he's taken a cognitive test www.youtube.com

Puzzled over the longtime lawmaker's remarks, Rogan quipped, "I believe there is ... a large group of people that are very uncomfortable with a man who seems to be mentally compromised winning the election, and doing so by hiding."

Rogan's remarks about "hiding" seem to echo those of President Donald Trump, who swiped at Biden for refusing to "come out of his basement" during his presidential campaign.

"To be president, you have to be sharp and tough and so many other things," Trump said in recent remarks. "[Biden] doesn't even come out of his basement."

'VP is gonna have a bucket of lube' and use him like a puppet

Rogan also added that Biden voters should fully prepare for his choice as vice president to be a de facto president.

"I believe there's a large group of people that are very uncomfortable with Donald Trump being the president. I absolutely believe that," Rogan explained. "I believe that there's also a large group of people that are very uncomfortable with a man who seems to be mentally compromised, winning the election, and doing so hiding. I mean, the guy's never — he was just at a thing the other day and he forgot where he was."

He added, "[Biden's] VP is gonna have a bucket of lube and she's gonna dunk it in there and stuff her hand up his a**. She's gonna be working him like 'Weekend at Bernie's,'" Rogan added.

Joe Rogan on Joe Biden: “I believe there is also a large group of people that are very uncomfortable with a man wh… https://t.co/t8EKHHhLKR
— Daily Caller (@Daily Caller)1596637797.0

WATCH: Things got hairy: Intense footage from Steven Crowder's latest 'Change My Mind' taping

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 19:53:17 GMT

Steven Crowder takes to the streets of Austin, Texas, where armed anti-police brutality protester Garrett Foster was recently shot and killed. When Steven tries to have a discussion about whether the shooting was justified, things get interesting.

Use promo code LWC to save $10 on one year of BlazeTV.

Want more from Steven Crowder?

To enjoy more of Steven's uncensored late-night comedy that's actually funny, join Mug Club — the only place for all of Crowder uncensored and on demand.

Riot declared in residential Portland after insurgents attempt to burn down police station, try ...

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 19:41:26 GMT

Portland police declared a riot Wednesday night after insurgents tried to burn down a police station and attempted to run over officers with a truck.

Protesters demonstrated near the Portland Police Department's East Precinct, which is located in a residential area. A person with a megaphone asked, "Who's ready to raise some hell tonight?"

The crowd cheered in response, according to KOIN reporter Hannah Ray Lambert.

Rioters began attacking the police station located on the city's east side on the 69th night of protests. Around 9:30 p.m., rioters wearing helmets and carrying shields attempted to tear down surveillance cameras at the police station. Others spray-painted the cameras to try to prevent their identities from being revealed.

Rioters tore down wood boards protecting the police station's windows. Vandals used wooden 2x4s to smash glass windows and doors. The plywood barricade that was protecting the police station was used to start a fire at the East Precinct station.

Better view. Cops moving in now. https://t.co/rEGhRLmqD3
— Hannah Ray Lambert (@Hannah Ray Lambert)1596690388.0

Cops attempted to disperse the crowd and were hit with projectiles, including "heavy rocks the size of shot puts" and "commercial grade fireworks." Rioters also used lasers to attempt to blind police officers. Portland police countered with tear gas and crowd control munitions.

After police dispersed the crowd, a person driving a "truck associated with the group attempted to run over several officers," according to the Portland Police Bureau.

Police said several arrests were made.

Police disperse protestors, pushing them away from the East precient https://t.co/yiIoqiljEk
— Sergio Olmos (@Sergio Olmos)1596691289.0

A few eggs were throw at the police, so the officers decide to charge and tackle people in the crowd.… https://t.co/g6aqeUAcKj
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof))1596691298.0

At 2:49 a.m. Thursday, North Precinct police officers responded to reports of a shooting.

"When responding officers arrived on scene they learned an adult male victim had been shot in the foot by an unknown suspect," the Portland Police Bureau said. "The victim was transported to a local hospital by ambulance. The victim's medical status is unknown at this time."

On Wednesday, Portland police identified the 32-year-old victim of a fatal shooting that occurred on July 26. Derrick James of Sandy, Oregon, was shot and killed in North Portland. His death was ruled a homicide, and an investigation is ongoing.

Shootings and homicides in Portland have spiked this year. As of the end of July 2020, there have been 376 shootings in Portland, only 12 shootings shy of 2019's entire total, according to the Portland Police Association. In July 2019, there were 35 verified shootings, compared to 99 last month.

There were 15 homicides in Portland in July, compared to 31 homicides in all of 2019.

In June, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) pledged that he would divert $12 million from the police budget to directly support communities of color. One of the casualties of the budget cuts was the Gun Violence Reduction Team.

Daryl Turner, the president of the Portland Police Association, said disbanding the Gun Violence Reduction Team has "proven a failure with deadly consequences."

"The dissolution of the GVRT left a void, the result of which is a rise in shootings; to pretend otherwise is negligent," Turner said.

Pat Gray Unleashed: Oprah Winfrey talks to white people about their racism

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 19:33:00 GMT

Pat and Jeffy discussed Oprah Winfrey's recent special about white people, whiteness, and white privilege on Thursday's episode of "Pat Gray Unleashed." During Oprah's discussion, one panelist named Seth told Oprah he must be racist because he'd never been actively anti-racist.

Pat explained that if we don't stand up to this kind of rhetoric, we will be sorry.

"I'm sick of it," he said. Watch the clip for the full story.

Use code PAT to save $10 on one year of BlazeTV.

Want more from Pat Gray?

To enjoy more of Pat's biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.

NY attorney general sues to dissolve NRA, accuses group's leaders of misusing millions of ...

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 17:55:31 GMT

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday that the state is taking action to dissolve the National Rifle Association. The lawsuit alleges that the NRA is "fraught with fraud" and that senior leadership of the gun rights group squandered millions in donations on personal vacations, private jets, gifts, and expensive meals.

An 18-month investigation into the NRA allegedly revealed financial misconduct that contributed to a loss of more than $64 million over three years.

"The NRA's influence has been so powerful that the organization went unchecked for decades while top executives funneled millions into their own pockets," James said during a Thursday morning news conference. "The NRA is fraught with fraud and abuse, which is why, today, we seek to dissolve the NRA, because no organization is above the law."

James said that the NRA was "a breeding ground for greed, abuse, and brazen illegality."

NRA President Carolyn Meadows responded to the lawsuit:

This was a baseless, premeditated attack on our organization and the Second Amendment freedoms it fights to defend. You could have set your watch by it: the investigation was going to reach its crescendo as we move into the 2020 election cycle. It's a transparent attempt to score political points and attack the leading voice in opposition to the leftist agenda. This has been a power grab by a political opportunist – a desperate move that is part of a rank political vendetta. Our members won't be intimidated or bullied in their defense of political and constitutional freedom. As evidenced by the lawsuit filed by the NRA today against the NY AG, we not only will not shrink from this fight – we will confront it and prevail.

The lawsuit claims that top NRA executives misused millions of illegally misappropriated funds. The suit also accuses head NRA executives of awarding contracts to family members and friends.

The lawsuit names four current and former NRA executives: Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, general counsel John Frazer, former CFO Woody Phillips, and former chief of staff Joshua Powell.

The complaint demands that executives named in the suit pay full restitution. The complaint also recommends that all four executives should never be permitted to serve on the board of a New York charity.

The NRA is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization and has 501(c)(4) status, which means it is regarded as a "social welfare organization" by the Internal Revenue Service. Donations to such groups are not tax-deductible as allowed by law.

The NRA is headquartered in New York, which falls under James' jurisdiction. The suit was filed in the New York State Supreme Court.

The suit claims that LaPierre and others re-routed their expenses to its former advertising firm, Ackerman McQueen. Then the Oklahoma-based company allegedly billed the National Rifle Association for the personal expenses under the guise of advertising expenses.

Ackerman McQueen and the NRA had an unceremonious separation last year, punctuated by the NRA suing Ackerman McQueen over its billing practices, and Ackerman McQueen counter-suing with a defamation case.

The AG's lawsuit claims that Ackerman McQueen spent $70 million on such "out-of-pocket expenditures" and "public relations and advertising" in 2017 and 2018. The expenses reportedly a cover-up for travel by NRA executives, including eight trips to the Bahamas and all-expense-paid safaris in Africa. There were also alleged payments for personal hair and makeup for Susan LaPierre, wife of the NRA CEO.

James, who is a Democrat, also claims that the salary of former NRA chief of staff Joshua Powell tripled in a little more than two years into his tenure.

The NRA reportedly laid off more than 200 employees in 2020 because of a "deepening financial crisis," according to The Guardian.

In a 2018 Ebony interview, James said, "The NRA holds [itself] out as a charitable organization, but in fact, [it] really [is] a terrorist organization."

The NRA spent over $30 million on Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, according to Federal Election Commission data.

The official Twitter account of New York Attorney General Letitia James' Office released a statement:

I filed a lawsuit to dissolve the National Rifle Association for years of self-dealing and illegal conduct. The NRA is fraught with fraud and abuse. No organization is above the law. We are seeking to dissolve the NRA for years of self-dealing and illegal conduct that violate New York's charities laws and undermine its own mission. The NRA diverted millions of dollars away from its charitable mission for personal use by senior leadership. Our lawsuit charges the NRA as a whole and four senior leaders, including Wayne LaPierre, with failing to manage the NRA's funds and failing to follow numerous state and federal laws. These actions contributed to the loss of more than $64 million in just three years for the NRA. The four defendants failed to fulfill their fiduciary duty to the NRA and used millions upon millions from NRA reserves for personal use, including: trips for them and their families to the Bahamas & safaris in Africa private jets expensive meals and other private travel. They and board members at the NRA abused their power & illegally diverted or facilitated the diversion of tens of millions of dollars from the NRA. The NRA has failed to carry out its stated mission for many years, and instead, operated as a breeding ground for greed and abuse. In New York, we have a set of laws that every individual and entity must be held accountable to, regardless of its size, influence, power, or wealth. No one is above the law, not even the NRA, one of the most powerful organizations in this country.

Horowitz: More than money: GDP loss from lockdowns will cost millions of life years

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 17:38:48 GMT

In 1957, America was faced with a flu-like virus that had a similar fatality rate to COVID-19 and was even more disruptive in some ways. Yet, Americans understood that these viruses cannot be stopped, and they slogged along without shutting down their economy and infringing upon liberties. Which, as I mentioned before, is why almost nobody living at the time remembers it. Contrast that to 2020 when we have compounded inevitable viral deaths with avoidable man-made deaths from lockdown – no matter how much these policies fail to deliver.

On July 30, the Bureau of Economic Analysis released the GDP numbers for second quarter and revealed that the economy had contracted by an unfathomable 32.9%. This number shocks the conciseness and blows out the worst quarter of the Great Depression, yet the announcement barely stayed in the news cycle beyond a few hours. But behind that loss of money is a loss of life that few are trying to quantify and balance against the policies that have induced this misery.

In May, four professors with backgrounds ranging from medicine to economics attempted to quantify the number of lives lost from the devastation of the lockdown itself – something our government failed to simulate when it embarked on this novel policy. They used a formula based on government data assuming one life lost from suicide, alcohol or drug abuse, or stress-induced illnesses per $17 million of economy productivity lost. Now that we have hard data of GDP losses, I wanted to revisit those numbers.

According to BEA, the current‑dollar GDP decreased by $2.15 trillion in the second quarter and by $186.3 billion in the first quarter, primarily in the final days of March. The total loss of $2.3 trillion in GDP is roughly in line with what Scott Atlas of Stanford University's Hoover Institution, John Birge of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Ralph Keeney of Duke University, and Alexander Lipton of the Jerusalem Business School of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem predicted in their May article in The Hill.com.

Using their formula of one life lost per $17 million in decreased economic productivity, that would equal roughly 137,000 lives lost just from the drop in economic activity through June. Those numbers have likely grown by tens of thousands over the past five weeks, and based on the trajectory of our existing problems, will continue for months on end. In other words, the death toll just from the economic stress alone (not to mention the delayed health care) will be more than the eventual excess deaths from COVID-19.

But it's worse than that. Most people who die from the virus are at or above the age of life expectancy. Even Neil Ferguson of the Imperial College of London, the primary advocate for lockdown policies, predicted that two-thirds of the fatalities would be among people who would have died within the year. Contrast that to a younger generation of adults and even children who are now committing suicide and overdosing on drugs due to the disproportionate anxiety and social isolation being imposed upon their lives thanks to the national masochism and panic. This will result in millions of years of live lost.

Just take drug deaths in Davidson County (Nashville), Tennessee, for example. Even with our liberal counting, there have only been 205 coronavirus deaths. At the same time, from March through July 25, there have been 354 fatal drug overdoses. Drug overdose deaths are up 47% this year in Davidson County. That alone accounts for a good chunk of the excess deaths. The deaths will likely skyrocket in the future because so many more are getting hooked on the drugs now, as indicated by the non-fatal ER visits in recent months that will likely translate into fatalities later on because of intractable addiction. Here is a look at the rate of increase in drug-related ER visits, according to the Davidson County Health Department:

And most of these deaths are among young adults who have many years left to their lives.

This is just a snapshot of the real-life consequences of treating every virus case as if it's stage 4 pancreatic cancer. It winds up taking priority over every other social, medical, and economic consideration. The tragic irony is that none of these policies have even helped reduce the fatalities from the virus itself, even with this myopic and paranoid focus of our government and society.

A new research paper published in JAMA Network reveals that the mean weekly number of new cancers diagnosed plummeted by 46.4% for six forms of cancer: breast, colorectal, lung, gastric, pancreatic, and esophageal. No, the virus is not that novel – it doesn't cure cancer. It means that in our paranoid obsession over coronavirus, treating it as if it is worse than cancer, has ensured that so many would-be stage 3 diagnoses will not be caught until stage 4. What ever happened to the trope – “if we can only save one life…."?

Most black Americans don't want less police presence in their communities, poll shows

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 16:34:04 GMT

More than 80% of black Americans either want the same level of police presence in their communities, or an increased police presence, according to a recent Gallup poll.

In fact, 20% of black Americans feel their communities are under-policed and need more police presence, compared to only 17% of white Americans, while 61% of black Americans favor maintaining the current level of police presence.

At the same time, a higher percentage of black Americans reported seeing police often or very often when compared to white, hispanic, or Asian Americans. Most of the black Americans who reported seeing police often in their neighborhoods also said they wanted the same level of police presence, or an increase.

The problem, if conclusions can be drawn from the results of this poll, is not that there is too much police presence and interaction in black communities, but that the interactions that occur are viewed unfavorably by many black Americans. From Gallup:

Although Black Americans seem about as comfortable as Americans overall with the amount of police presence where they live, they differ markedly in their perceptions of how their local police might treat them if they were to interact.

Fewer than one in five Black Americans feel very confident that the police in their area would treat them with courtesy and respect. While similar to the 24% of Asian Americans saying the same, it is markedly lower than the 40% of Hispanic Americans and the 56% of White Americans who feel this way. This could either stem from Black Americans' own negative experiences with the police or from their familiarity with people who have had negative encounters with law enforcement.

The poll results showed that black Americans who have had negative interactions with police in the past, or who have the least amount of confidence that they will be treated fairly and respectfully when they encounter police, are "much more likely" to want less police presence in the community.

The poll's findings are notable during an era in which many protests and political efforts, often undertaken on behalf of black Americans, call for significantly defunding police departments, or in some cases, fully dismantling them.

A proposal to disband the Minneapolis Police Department failed to get on the November ballot, as the commission tasked with reviewing the proposal rejected it due to its vagueness. George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis Police Department officers in May, sparking weeks of anti-police riots and protests around the country.

POLL: What will Joe Biden say next?

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 15:52:11 GMT

What will Joe Biden say next?
— TheBlaze (@TheBlaze)1596728690.0

Finalized NFL COVID-19 rules forbid players from ... ...

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 15:46:10 GMT

The NFL and the NFL Players Association finally settled this week on terms for the 2020 season concerning COVID-19 rules and protocols, and one item on the discipline schedule that appears to be flying under the radar was highlighted by WBZ-TV's Michael Hurley.

According to the published agreed-to league policies designed to help slow the spread of the coronavirus and keep players safe, NFL players are banned from attending professional sporting events — except for NFL games or events.

Yes, the NFL will punish players for attending sporting events because the league believes such behavior will exacerbate the virus' spread.

However, the NFL is still selling tickets, so at least fans will still be able to attend.

What are the new rules?

Tom Pelissero, a reporter with the NFL Network, which is owned and operated by the NFL, reported Monday that the league and the players' union had agreed to a final COVID-19 discipline schedule for the 2020 season. The agreement outlines "High Risk Covid-19 Conduct" for which players can be fined and suspended without pay for uptimes to four weeks. The safety concerns are so great, there will be no first-offense warnings for players who violate the conduct rules.

The first four items on the High Risk Covid-19 Conduct list are not unexpected: no night clubs with more than 10 people; no indoor bars with more than 10 people; no house gatherings of more than 15 people; and no indoor music concerts.

What stood out to Hurley was item No. 5 on the list: "Attending a professional sporting event (other than applicable NFL games or events) unless the player is seated in a separated seating section, such as a suite or owner's box, is wearing PPE, and there are no more than 10 people in that separate seating section."

Apparently, the NFL believes attending sporting events the way a normal fan would can boost the spread of COVID-19 and is not safe.

But it's not so dangerous that the NFL will stop selling tickets to games.

Hurley noted:

And if you saw this inclusion on the list and figured that it meant there's no way in heck that the league will still be trying to sell as many tickets to fans in 2020, then you are likely mistaken. Only the Jets and Giants have ruled out fans from attending games in 2020. The rest of the league is putting together various contingency plans to try to get as many fans into their buildings as possible, so long as local governments allow it. ...

Granted, the NFL only believes it's safe for players to attend sporting events if those players are in a suite, with a maximum of 10 people, all of whom must be wearing face coverings. Fans? Well, the safety rules are different for fans … because their money goes toward the NFL's bottom line. While sitting in the stands among the commoners may be dangerous for NFL players, it's perfectly safe — ehhhh, it's safe enough — for the paying customer.

What about the church ban?

The NFL came under fire in July over a proposal that would have listed indoor church services as one of the banned activities.

Apparently the players were not going to stand for a ban on religious services, so the line was removed from the final deal, as reported by Pelissero.

The NFL Management Council just sent clubs an updated discipline schedule, including fines and suspensions for “Hig… https://t.co/xeqivsrTS8
— Tom Pelissero (@Tom Pelissero)1596506373.0

Feds charge 11 alleged MS-13 members in gruesome assault and sex trafficking of 13-year-old girl

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 15:34:06 GMT

Federal law enforcement officials charged 11 individuals purported to be involved with MS-13 on Wednesday following the "gruesome beating" and sex trafficking of a 13-year-old girl, CBS News reported Wednesday night.

What are the details of the beating?

A 48-page FBI affidavit alleges that at least 11 individuals are involved in the vicious beating and sex trafficking of a young girl identified as "Minor 2."

The 13-year-old girl was reportedly beaten with a baseball bat on at least two occasions between August and October 2018. Investigators said that the girl was struck at least 26 times in each incident.

The first incident was reportedly part of an "initiation" into the gang, and the second incident allegedly took place at an El Salvadoran individual's request because the individual reportedly believed she was fraternizing with another gang.

Minor 2 reportedly wet herself from the beating.

A medical examination of Minor 2 reportedly found evidence of blunt force trauma to her lower back, buttocks, and thighs.

What are the details of the sex trafficking?

Minor 2 was also reportedly sexually abused and trafficked by several alleged gang members and their associates over a period of two years.

One communication obtained by investigators reportedly showed the girl in a state of undress with the message, "I will move the little young female over there with you. You can have her all week if you want. Just give me something under the table."

The young girl, who had previously been reported missing, was recovered in Maryland in October 2018.

A health examination determined that she tested positive for several sexually transmitted diseases.

'Vicious and vile group'

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said during a Wednesday news conference that MS-13 members and their associates give legal immigrants a band name.

"Fighting MS-13 is not anti-immigrant. Fighting MS-13 is about as pro-immigrant as it gets," he said in remarks to reporters. "Because it is that group, hard-working immigrants seeking a better life and safety, that suffer the most at the hands of this vicious and vile group."

At least 10 defendants were arrested Wednesday and made their initial appearances in federal court. Their preliminary and detention hearing is scheduled for Friday.