Tuesday, December 3, 2024
spot_imgspot_img
Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Milwaukee Press Club 'Excellence in Wisconsin Journalism' 2020 & 2021 Award Winners

Trump, Republican Governors Back Abbott’s Defense of the Border

spot_img

Abbott has ordered the Texas National Guard to continue building the wire barriers.

Twenty-five Republican governors said Thursday they back Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to defend the state’s border with Mexico.

Abbott invoked the invasion clause of the U.S. Constitution on Wednesday and said the federal government broke its compact with the states.

The “Guarantee Clause” of the U.S. Constitution (Article IV, Section 4) “promises that the federal government ‘shall protect each [State] against invasion.” Fifty-one Texas counties have declared an invasion, citing an imminent threat created by transnational criminal organizations bringing in enough fentanyl to kill the entire state’s population, and expressing support to defend Texas’ sovereignty.

The governors said they support Abbott.

“Because the Biden administration has abdicated its constitutional compact duties to the states, Texas has every legal justification to protect the sovereignty of our states and our nation,” the governors said.

The Biden administration sued Texas over the placement of wire barriers at the border in Eagle Pass. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday reversed a decision by a lower court that stopped the federal government from removing the wire.

Abbott has ordered the Texas National Guard to continue building the wire barriers.

“We stand in solidarity with our fellow Governor, Greg Abbott, and the State of Texas in utilizing every tool and strategy, including razor wire fences, to secure the border,” the governors said in a statement. “We do it in part because the Biden Administration is refusing to enforce immigration laws already on the books and is illegally allowing mass parole across America of migrants who entered our country illegally.”

Separately, former President Donald Trump also backed Abbott and the state of Texas’ response.

“When I was President, we had the most secure Border in History. Joe Biden has surrendered our Border, and is aiding and abetting a massive Invasion of millions of Illegal Migrants into the United States,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Instead of fighting to protect our Country from this onslaught, Biden is, unbelievably, fighting to tie the hands of Governor Abbott and the State of Texas, so that the Invasion continues unchecked. In the face of this National Security, Public Safety, and Public Health Catastrophe, Texas has rightly invoked the Invasion Clause of the Constitution, and must be given full support to repel the Invasion.”

Trump and Biden appear to be headed for a rematch of the 2020 election in November.

The governors’ statement is signed by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon.

Kim Jarrett
Go to Source
Reposted with permission

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Wrong to Blame Legislature

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Wrong to Blame Legislature for Lincoln Hills

By State Senator Van Wanggaard In the morning of Thursday, November 21, 2024, the Milwaukee Journal...
David Prosser Dead

Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser Dead at 81, Tributes Pour In

Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser Jr. died Sunday night. He was 81. Prosser was...
Net Votes for Trump

Milwaukee County Delivered Most Net Votes for Trump, Dane County Least [EXCLUSIVE]

President Donald Trump gained votes in every county in Wisconsin in 2024 when compared to...
kash patel

12 Kash Patel Quotes That Prove His FBI Director Appointment Is EPIC

President Donald Trump announced on November 30 that he is nominating Kash Patel as FBI...
President Biden Pardons Hunter Biden's Alleged Offenses Monthly Payments to President Biden Hunter Biden laptop story Investigation into Biden Family Hunter Biden Plea Deal

CORRUPT: Joe Biden Pardons His Son, Hunter. Who’s Next?

In a stunning act of corruption, President Joe Biden pardoned his own son, Hunter Biden,...
President Biden Pardons Hunter Biden's Alleged Offenses Monthly Payments to President Biden Hunter Biden laptop story Investigation into Biden Family Hunter Biden Plea Deal

Hunter’s Pardon [Up Against the Wall]

The Bidens are at it again. Fox News is reporting Sunday night December 1st that...

Upset Wisconsin Women Scream at Lake Michigan After Trump Victory [VIDEO]

A group of women screamed at Lake Michigan in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, and a post...
elon musk

Elon Musk Flirts With the Idea of Buying MSNBC

Elon Musk flirted with the idea of buying MSNBC, writing on X, "How much does...
2020 was a blessing in disguise

Maybe 2020 Was a Blessing in Disguise [WRN Voices]

This is a column by Amy Hemmer. Maybe 2020 was a blessing in disguise… The strong gust...
Frederick Walls Trump Holds Cash Special Counsel Jack Smith Iowa Victory for Trump Remove Trump From Primary Ballot

Poll: Majority of Americans Support Trump’s Plan to Declare Emergency at Border

A majority of Americans support President-elect Donald Trump's plan to declare a national emergency over the border crisis, according to a new poll. Declaring such an emergency would allow Trump to utilize the military to secure the border and help with his plan to deport violent criminal foreign nationals in the U.S. illegally.

The Napolitan News Service survey of 1,000 registered voters was conducted online by pollster Scott Rasmussen Nov. 18-19. It asked: "President Trump has said that he will declare a national emergency because of the illegal immigration problem. This would let the Trump Administration use military force to help with a mass deportation of illegal immigrants. Do you favor or oppose declaring a national emergency to address the problem of illegal immigration?"

In response, 31% of those polled said they strongly favor declaring a national emergency, and 24% said they somewhat favor it. Combined, 55% of Americans support Trump's plan. Those in favor include 62% of Hispanic voters, 57% of white voters, and 50% of Black voters.

On the other side, 12% said they somewhat oppose the idea while 26% said they strongly oppose it, with a total of 38% in opposition. An additional 7% said they were not sure.

"Declaring a national emergency would allow the president to use military forces to assist in the deportation of illegal immigrants," Napolitan News Service said in a statement accompanying the polling results. "Support for the plan comes from 62% of Hispanic voters, 57% of White voters, and 50% of Black voters."The border crisis and Vice President Kamala Harris’ work on the immigration issue were a focal point of the Trump campaign. Trump vowed to close the border and stop the flow of illegal immigration, which rose to unprecedented levels during the Biden-Harris administration.

Jose Ibarra Guilty of Murdering Laken Riley

Jose Ibarra, a suspected member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and in America illegally since 2022 according to immigration officials, has been found guilty on all counts related to the murder of Laken Riley.

Judge H. Patrick Haggard gave the ruling on Wednesday morning shortly after testimony and closing arguments had closed. Ibarra's defense attorneys waived the right to a jury trial in opting for a bench trial.

Riley, 22, was a former University of Georgia student who had transferred into the Augusta University nursing program on the Athens campus. Her name became synonymous with immigration campaign points by Republicans in this year's election cycle.

Prosecutors said, and Haggard agreed, Ibarra killed Riley on the morning of Feb. 22 as she was jogging near her Athens apartment. Haggard said he took two legal pads full of notes during the trial but typically just listened during closing arguments.

The judge offered that he wrote down two things, one by prosecutor Sheila Ross and the other by defense lawyer Kaitlyn Beck.

"One was a statement by Ms. Ross, that the evidence was overwhelming and powerful," Haggard said. "And then I also wrote down what Ms. Beck said that I am required to set aside my emotions. That's the same things that we tell jurors."

The court has recessed to consider when sentencing will take place.

(This is a developing story. Check back for updates.)

Nik Kelly

Fact Checking Wisconsin School Choice Opponents

This is a column by Nicholas Kelly. He is the president of School Choice Wisconsin Wisconsin...
jill underly

Wisconsin’s DPI Rewrote Academic Standards So ‘Only Expectation is Mediocrity’

The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) is urging the Legislature to "rein in...
Reduces $464M Bond Leaked Trump's Taxes Michaela Murphy Shenna Bellows Kicking Trump Off 2024 Ballot Fake Electors Lawsuit Classified Documents Trial Donald Trump Poll Documents Trial Trump’s Poll Numbers Spike After Indictment

Alvin Bragg Suggests Suspending Trump’s Hush Money Sentencing, Perhaps For 4 years

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Tuesday that his office will oppose President-elect Donald Trump's motion to dismiss his felony conviction in New York.

Bragg said that despite plans to oppose Trump's motion, his office would agree to hit pause on the proceedings pending the judge's decision on Trump's motion to dismiss. Bragg also suggested the case could wait until Trump's finishes his term in the White House.

"No current law establishes that a president's temporary immunity from prosecution requires dismissal of a post-trial criminal proceeding that was initiated at a time when the defendant was not immune from criminal prosecution and that is based on unofficial conduct for which the defendant is also not immune," Bragg wrote in a letter to Judge Juan Merchan. "Rather, existing law suggests that the Court must balance competing constitutional interests and proceed 'in a manner that preserves both the independence of the Executive and the integrity of the criminal justice system.' "

In late May, a Manhattan jury convicted Trump on all counts in his hush money case. Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records for disguising hush money payments to an adult film actress as legal costs ahead of the 2016 election. Under New York state law, falsifying business records in the first degree is a Class E felony with a maximum sentence of four years in prison.

Trump and his attorneys want the judge to dismiss the case based on the U.S. Supreme Court's immunity decision. In July, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that presidents and former presidents have absolute immunity for actions related to core constitutional powers and presumptive immunity for official actions. The ruling said the president has no immunity for unofficial conduct.

Bragg said Tuesday that the case could remain on pause through the end of Trump's second term. Trump beat Vice President Kamala Harris in the two-way race for the White House. He will be inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2025.

"Given the need to balance competing constitutional interests, consideration must be given to various non-dismissal options that may address any concerns raised by the pendency of a post-trial criminal proceeding during the presidency, such as deferral of all remaining criminal proceedings until after the end of Defendant's upcoming presidential term," Bragg wrote.

FEMA Head Grilled About Staffer Who Told Others to Avoid Homes With Trump Signs

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Deanne Criswell, told lawmakers that she personally approved the firing of an employee who directed FEMA workers to not knock on the doors of those affected by Hurricane Helene if they had Trump signs in their yards.

Helene hit Florida as a Category 4 hurricane and wreaked havoc from Florida up the Eastern United States, killing more than 100 people in North Carolina alone and causing billions of dollars of damage across several states.

In less than two weeks, Hurricane Milton did its own damage in many of the same areas, leaving thousands of Americans needing help.

FEMA, however, has taken fire for its handling of the storms as well as its ongoing funding to help illegal immigrants.

In particular, The Daily Wire first broke news showing screenshots of text messages from a FEMA employee telling about a dozen workers under her supervision to avoid visiting houses with Trump signs.

The text message instructed workers that its “best practices” include avoiding “Trump homes.”

Criswell began her remarks at the hearing saying she does not believe this employee is representative of a broader problem in the agency but acknowledged it is investigating more.

She pledged to make sure nothing like this happens again and said a team went back to the homes skipped over.

However, the employee in question told the media that she was only following orders from higher up the chain.

“Since being fired, this supervisor has made multiple media appearances claiming she was following direction from above and that the practice is widespread,” House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky. said.

“So, the question is this: from FEMA’s perspective, was her main offense not only saying the quiet part out loud, but that she put it in writing?” he added, apparently referring to the text messages.

U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Penn., referenced the fired employee’s claims, adding that “independently we’ve heard reports of similar practices in places like North Carolina” and that the employee said she was following orders and the FEMA culture.

House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, pressed Criswell on the issue, pointing out that another anonymous FEMA source backed up the fired employee’s claims about getting orders from higher up.

“She said it’s common practice, you said it’s reprehensible and isolated,” Jordan said. “Both statements can’t be true…”

Perry demanded answers about the internal investigation into FEMA, and compelled Criswell to eventually promise to request an investigation from the inspector general.

“What has your investigation gleaned regarding [the fired employee’s] direct supervisors,” Perry asked Criswell. “Have you questioned them and what have your answers been.

Criswell said they have been questioned but said they denied the employee’s claims.

Comer pointed to Trump’s promise to bring the federal government into check. Trump’s cabinet nominees, billionaires Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk, have promised to significantly cut back federal agencies and even eliminate some outright.

“The current system does not have strong enough mechanisms to ensure accountability. The disciplinary system is run by and for civil servants to protect civil servants,” Comer said.

“President Trump has pledged to take action to bring accountability to the federal workforce and ensure there are measures in place to appropriately deal with poor performers and those who actively resist implementing the policies of a duly elected president,” he noted.

McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty

WILL: Race Prioritization by USDA Needs To Be Stopped

(The Center Square) – Citing discrimination against nonminorities in farming assistance programs, the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty has filed an amicus brief in support of plaintiff Robert Holman's litigation against the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

He's a corn and soybean farmer.

The institute is calling on the incoming Trump administration to address the issue among other federal agencies as well.

In an amicus brief supporting Holman, the conservative-leaning institute says prioritizing members of races deemed “socially disadvantaged” in taxpayer-funded assistance programs is unconstitutional.

“During the Biden administration, race discrimination infected every nook and cranny of the federal government,” Deputy Counsel Dan Lennington of the Institute for Law and Liberty said. “These programs impact Americans and small businesses every day. The new Congress and administration should immediately dismantle each one of these discriminatory programs. Otherwise, we’ll see them in court.”

WILL also said it had identified more than 60 federal programs across 11 federal agencies that allocate support based on racial preferences.

Examples included those agencies prioritizing racial minorities when distributing financial assistance, awarding contracts, granting business subsidies and home improvement rebates, and waiving required fees for those seeking disaster assistance.

In addition to the USDA, the law firm said such programs are being run in the Small Business Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, Treasury, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Federal Communications Commission, Department of Transportation, and the Office of Federal Procurement Policy.

“These programs are designed to serve ‘socially disadvantaged individuals,’ a racially charged term created to favor some races over others," the firm said in a statement. "Like many other federal agencies, USDA relies on unlawful stereotypes in distributing benefits to farmers, assuming that some races are all ‘disadvantaged’ while others are not.”

The law firm added that the incoming administration should use the USDA lawsuit and Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty's findings as a “road map” in rooting out diversity, equity and inclusion policies in the federal government.

jerome powell

The Fed Chair Needs to Resign [UP AGAINST THE WALL]

This is a column by Terrence Wall. First, let me say, that congratulations to myself. This...
oscars fire

Photos Show Damage at Oscar’s After Fire ‘Ravaged’ Popular Waukesha Restaurant

Photos and video show the extensive damage to Oscar's Frozen Custard & Sandwiches on November...
sean duffy

Trump Taps Sean Duffy to Lead Department of Transportation

President-elect Donald Trump is nominating former Congressman and current Fox Business host Sean Duffy to serve as his Department of Transportation secretary.

“During his time in Congress, Sean was a respected voice and communicator in the Republican Conference, advocating for Fiscal Responsibility, Economic Growth, and Rural Development,” Trump said in a statement. “Admired across the aisle, Sean worked with Democrats to clear extensive Legislative hurdles to build the largest road and bridge project in Minnesota History.”

Duffy is an attorney who represented the seventh district of Wisconsin from 2011-2019 as a Republican.

“He will prioritize Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness and Beauty when rebuilding America's highways, tunnels, bridges and airports,” Trump said. “The husband of a wonderful woman, Rachel Campos-Duffy, a STAR on FoxNews, and the father of nine incredible children, Sean knows how important it is for families to be able to travel safely, and with peace of mind.

“Sean will use his experience and the relationships he has built over many years in Congress to maintain and rebuild our Nation's Infrastructure, and fulfill our Mission of ushering in The Golden Age of Travel, focusing on Safety, Efficiency, and Innovation,” he added.

Notably, Trump said Duffy will “make our skies safe again by eliminating DEl for pilots and air traffic controllers.”

Taking on DEI in the federal government is a growing theme for some of Trump’s nominees, including Federal Communications Commission nominee Brendan Carr and Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth, both of whom promised to root out DEI policies in their respective roles.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which represents truck drivers and has more than 150,000 members, immediately backed Trump’s pick.

“OOIDA and the 150,000 small business truckers we represent congratulate Representative Sean Duffy on his nomination as Secretary of Transportation,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said in a statement. “We look forward to working with him in advancing the priorities of small business truckers across America, including expanding truck parking, fighting freight fraud, and rolling back unnecessary regulations. We encourage a swift confirmation in the Senate and look forward to working with the new administration.”

Duffy accepted the nomination on X.

“I’m eager to help you usher in a new golden age of transportation,” Duffy said.

Trump's picks for his administration so far include:

Sean Duffy to lead the Department of Transportation.Chris Wright for Department of Energy Secretary.Brendan Carr to lead the Federal Communications Commission.North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as Secretary of the Interior.William Owen Scharf as Assistant to the President and White House Staff Secretary.Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as head of U.S. Health and Human ServicesFormer Congresswoman and veteran Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence.Former Congressman Doug Collins as Secretary of Veterans AffairsJay Clayton as Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.Former congressman Matt Gaetz for Attorney General.Veteran and Fox News host Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.Veteran and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin as head of the Environmental Protection Agency.U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., as Secretary of State.Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan as “border czar.”Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.Former Congresswoman and current governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the “Department of Government Efficiency.William Joseph McGinley as White House Counsel.Steven C. Witkoff as Special Envoy to the Middle East.Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla. as national security advisor.Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel.Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. as ambassador to the U.N.Dean John Sauer as Solicitor General.Todd Blanche as Deputy Attorney General.Emil Bove as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General.Dan Scavino of the Trump campaign as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff.Susie Wiles, co-chair of the Trump campaign, as White House Chief of Staff.Stephen Miller as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor.James Blair of the Trump campaign as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative, Political and Public Affairs.Taylor Budowich of the Trump campaign as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Personnel.

josh kaul

BREAKING: Josh Kaul’s Crime Lab Implodes as DNA Delays Skyrocket

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul has badly mismanaged the state crime lab, a new report...