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Chief Justice John Roberts say judges’ safety is ‘essential’ to the U.S. court system

December 31, 2022 Published by

US Top News and Analysis

U.S. Supreme Court justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor, Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., Samuel A. Alito, Jr. and Elena Kagan pose for their group portrait at the Supreme Court in Washington, U.S., October 7, 2022.

Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters

With security threats to Supreme Court justices still fresh memories, Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday praised programs that protect judges, saying that “we must support judges by ensuring their safety.”

Roberts and other conservative Supreme Court justices were the subject of protests, some at their homes, after the May leak of the court’s decision that ultimately stripped away constitutional protections for abortion. Justice Samuel Alito has said that the leak made conservative justices “targets for assassination.” And in June, a man carrying a gun, knife and zip ties was arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house after threatening to kill the justice, whose vote was key to overturning the court’s Roe v. Wade decision.

Roberts, writing in an annual year-end report about the federal judiciary, did not specifically mention the abortion decision, but the case and the reaction to it seemed to be clearly on his mind.

“Judicial opinions speak for themselves, and there is no obligation in our free country to agree with them. Indeed, we judges frequently dissent — sometimes strongly — from our colleagues’ opinions, and we explain why in public writings about the cases before us,” Roberts wrote.

Polls following the abortion decision show public trust in the court is at historic lows. And two of Roberts’ liberal colleagues who dissented in the abortion case, Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, have said the court needs to be concerned about overturning precedent and appearing political.

After the leak and threat to Kavanaugh, lawmakers passed legislation increasing security protection for the justices and their families. Separately, in December, lawmakers passed legislation protecting the personal information of federal judges including their addresses.

The law is named for the son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, 20-year-old Daniel Anderl, who was killed at the family’s New Jersey home by a man who previously had a case before her.

Roberts thanked members of Congress “who are attending to judicial security needs.” And he said programs that protect judges are “essential to run a system of courts.”

In writing about judicial security, Roberts told the story of Judge Ronald N. Davies, who in September 1957 ordered the integration of Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. Davies’ decision followed the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling that segregated schools were unconstitutional and rejected Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus’ attempt to stop school integration.

Davies “was physically threatened for following the law,” but the judge was “uncowed,” Roberts said.

“A judicial system cannot and should not live in fear. The events of Little Rock teach about the importance of rule by law instead of by mob,” he wrote.

Roberts noted that officials are currently working to replicate the courtroom Davies presided over in 1957. Roberts said the judge’s bench used by Davies and other artifacts from the courtroom have been preserved and will be installed in the re-created courtroom in a federal courthouse in Little Rock “so that these important artifacts will be used to hold court once again.”

Before that happens, however, the judge’s bench will be on display as part of an exhibit at the Supreme Court beginning in the fall and for the next several years, he said.

“The exhibit will introduce visitors to how the system of federal courts works, to the history of racial segregation and desegregation in our country, and to Thurgood Marshall’s towering contributions as an advocate,” Roberts said. Marshall, who argued Brown v. Board of Education, became the Supreme Court’s first Black justice in 1967.

The Supreme Court is still grappling with complicated issues involving race. Two cases this term deal with affirmative action, and the court’s conservative majority is expected to use them to reverse decades of decisions that allow colleges to take account of race in admissions. In another case, the justices could weaken the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, the crown jewel of the civil rights movement.

The justices will hear their first arguments of 2023 on Jan. 9.

TPG staffers share their 2023 credit card New Year’s resolutions

December 31, 2022 Published by Emily Thompson

The Points Guy

As we enter another year, many of us are taking inventory of what we want to do better in different areas of our lives. And at TPG, credit cards are at the top of our list.

Whether you’re looking to level up your points and miles redemptions or improve your credit score, we all have credit card habits we’d like to adopt or remove this year.

Below, some of our TPG staffers share their 2023 credit card resolutions and why you may want to make them, too.

Track merchant offers

TPG managing editor Melanie Lieberman plans to find a better system for tracking which cards have what offers. “I often kick myself for missing an offer because I didn’t remember it was activated on a certain card,” she says.

Senior points and miles writer Katie Genter also resolves to track credit card merchant offers, like Chase Offers and Citi Merchant Offers, more carefully. She says, “My husband and I have various lists that we jot available offers that we might use in but we need to find a better system. I also want to make a plan to check these offers regularly (like once a week) instead of whenever I remember. There’s plenty of value to be found on purchases we’re making anyway — I recently got 10% back on a Hyatt stay thanks to a Chase Offer — so not maximizing these offers is essentially leaving money on the table.”

RGSTUDIO/GETTY IMAGES

Looking for and adding merchant offers to your cards is an easy way to save money and earn more points and miles on your purchases. No matter which credit cards you have, make sure you’re taking advantage of available merchant offers this year.

Maximize spending categories

TPG editor Erica Silverstein wants to make sure she’s earning bonus points in all of her spending categories this year. She says, “My resolution is to find a card that gets me extra points for in-person supermarket and gas spending since I’m not maximizing these major expenses right now.”

As you think about your credit card plan for the year, consider which cards earn bonus points and miles for your highest spending categories. You may realize you already have cards that offer bonuses for your major categories; if so, make sure you’re intentional about which cards to use for different purchases. If you notice you have spending categories you can’t maximize, however, you might want to focus on adding a card to cover that earning gap.

Avoid travel portals

Matt Moffitt, TPG’s senior credit cards editor, wants to focus on letting go of a habit. He says, “My resolution is not to fall for earning more points on airfare by booking through travel portals, like Chase’s or Capital One’s offerings. In 2022, I had too many frustrating episodes in having to make changes to my bookings; it’s a nightmare with the portals and airlines passing the buck. I’d rather forgo the points for more streamlined management of my booking.”

MONGKOL CHUEWONG/GETTY IMAGES

There are many things to consider when making a decision about whether to use a travel portal or book your travel directly with a hotel or airline. There are certainly some benefits, like earning more points and miles, but as Matt reminds us, there can also be some frustrating drawbacks. Make sure to evaluate whether a streamlined booking process or maximizing points-earning is most important to you when purchasing travel.

Cut benefits overlap

TPG senior aviation business reporter David Slotnick wants to take a slightly more minimalist card approach. He says, “I have too many cards with benefits that are either redundant or that I don’t maximize. My resolution is to audit my cards, fees and benefits, and thin down my wallet a bit.”

When we focus on cards with the highest welcome bonuses or flashiest perks, we can accidentally collect multiple cards with similar benefits. We often think the annual fees for our favorite cards are worth paying, but David’s plan of a personal audit is a wise one. If you find you have multiple cards with similar benefits, it might be helpful to consolidate by canceling or downgrading some of them.

Be intentional when under Chase 5/24

TPG staffers know that the card decisions we make when we find ourselves under Chase’s 5/24 rule are critical.

Ryan Smith, credit cards writer, is carefully deciding what Chase cards he and his wife want to open next. He says, “Because my wife and I had a heavy dose of business credit card applications and upgrade offers, rather than new applications, over the past year, we are both under 5/24 right now.”

“We want to be strategic about this since we didn’t plan for it to happen. My wife already applied for the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card to take advantage of its best-ever offer and the Chase Sapphire Reserve during its elevated bonus late last year. I am considering my options with United credit cards and also plan to apply for the Ink Business Unlimited.”

YUGANOV KONSTANTIN/SHUTTERSHOCK.COM

TPG points and miles reporter Kyle Olsen finds himself in a similar situation and is planning accordingly. He says, “In January, I’ll be back under Chase’s 5/24 rule. While I don’t see much value in Chase’s suite of Marriott cobranded cards (especially given the uncertainty of Marriott Bonvoy points), I’m considering opening the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card.”

“If the current grandfathered rules to the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card from Chase remain, I’ll be able to switch over from the Boundless to the Ritz-Carlton card after a year of holding the Boundless card. Even though the annual fee on the Ritz-Carlton card is $450 (instead of the $95 on the Boundless card), it would be worth it. The Ritz-Carlton card includes many lucrative benefits like three Ritz-Carlton club upgrades, $300 in airfare credits, an 85,000-point free night certificate and the same generous insurance benefits as the Chase Sapphire Reserve.”

The information for the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

If you aren’t sure whether you’re under 5/24, start here. And if you are or will be under 5/24 this year, we recommend your next card is one from Chase while you have the option.

Redeem leftover points

TPG senior writer Benjamin Smithson wants to clean up his various leftover points and miles balances. He says his resolution is to “clear out entire balances. I keep stumbling across accounts with 5,000-10,000 points that I may never use because it’s often too small to redeem for anything great.”

If you haven’t looked lately, you might be surprised to find several small rewards balances you have on cards you’ve banished to your sock drawer. The start of a new year is a great time to check all your rewards balances and either redeem or make a plan to replenish them.

Bottom line

If you haven’t already, take a moment to reflect on your credit card habits from last year and set some goals for 2023.

Maybe you want to go back to the basics and revisit our beginners guide or 10 commandments of credit card rewards. Or perhaps you’re finally ready to get a premium credit card.

No matter your goals, you can be confident knowing TPG will be here to support you in working toward them all year long.

Mothers share how crisis pregnancy centers helped them walk away from abortion: ‘huge enlightenment’

December 31, 2022 Published by

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News

Pro-life crisis pregnancy centers have endured vandalism and attacks at the hands of ravenous protesters angered by the overturn of Roe v. Wade and the events leading up to it.

These centers have been villainized by Democrats, but mothers who’ve been helped by them say nothing could be further from the truth.

Two crisis pregnancy centers in and around the nation’s capital, the Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center in Washington, D.C., and Life First in Manassas, Virginia, opened their doors to Fox News Digital to share how they are helping women and families in the nascent stages of building their lives.

PRO-CHOICE PROTESTERS DISRUPT CAPITOL HILL CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTER’S BANQUET SCREAMING ‘BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS’

“My experience happened over a decade ago, so my oldest now is 11, so when I was pregnant, I came through Life First — formerly known as CareNet back then,” Alana Jenkins, a mother helped by Life First said.

Jenkins, a mother of five including her youngest, Rip, said she considered abortion when she was unexpectedly pregnant with her first but chose to keep her child after visiting with Life First.

“It was scary, you know, I wasn’t quite sure what I was expecting other than they offered free services I wanted to take advantage of,” Jenkins said. “I had already decided of having an abortion, but my husband and I decided that we wanted to get more information and a sonogram at the time to confirm I was pregnant.”

Jenkins said she “was greeted with nothing but love” from the staff at Life First and that it was “amazing” to see where her experience at the center “led to.”

“It was great to feel that comfort and love through professionalism, guiding me through the steps,” Jenkins said. “Not what I wanted to hear, but the education of what having a baby was all about, the steps, the process.”

“They offered support, which was huge for me for making my final decision, because I was scared, financially, we were not in a position for bringing on a child,” she continued. “But, again, with their professionalism and their support and what they offered, it was amazing.”

Jenkins said her pregnancy was confirmed by the center with a sonogram and that her time at the center led to a “step-by-step process” to help her and her budding family with what they needed.

Ten years and five kids later, Jenkins and her husband have made their home in Vint Hill, Virginia, where they own a CrossFit gym.

Jenkins said she fell out of contact with Life First after her first experience with them, but reconnected with the clinic after Life First CEO Becky Sheetz visited her gym promoting a church “sit-up” challenge fundraiser and shared her experience with the center.

“Anytime they need help, anything I can do of service, like here just explaining my experience and what the result of their assistance has done for my kids, my life, hopefully now for others,” Jenkins said.

Niya, a mother helped by Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center, initially visited to find out if she was pregnant. After confirming she was pregnant, the center gave her counseling and resources.

Niya was considering abortion at first, as she felt she “wasn’t ready” to be a mother, but knew she had to “get ready” and decided to keep her baby, Amara, after visiting with Maloney.

The team at Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center explained all the options for her baby that Niya could choose, such as raising the child or placing the child up for adoption, instead of going through an abortion.

“After that, I left, [Jamie] gave me a few pamphlets about adoption, giving your child to somebody else, a family that might want them,” Niya said. “And she was emailing me and stuff, checking on me. She sent me a gift for my baby, I told her I was going to keep it, and she’s just been in contact with me since.”

Both centers help new parents get on their feet through counseling and professional placement help, ensuring that the budding families have a steady source of income.

Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center, while not currently providing medical procedures such as ultrasounds, provides faith-based counseling to expectant mothers who may be considering abortion.

The center was hit with vandalism in the wake of the Supreme Court leak of the opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. They were hit with red paint, eggs, and graffiti reading “Jane Says Revenge.”

Janet Durig, executive director of Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center, told Fox News Digital the center’s staff felt “violated” by the vandalism and it “comes back to people misunderstanding what pregnancy centers like ours do, or they really understand it and think it’s awful to help people.”

Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center’s annual banquet was interrupted by protesters who disrupted Durig while she was speaking on the work the center performs. The protest led to the center upping their security presence.

Durig said she was called by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), who told her that the protesting group, ShutdownDC, had been chattering about the banquet protest on social media.

The protesters inside the banquet had sat at the table with one mother, Niya, and her child as well as the center’s director of client and volunteer services, Jamie Maloney and dug into the meal provided to attendees before interrupting the event.

“They ate our meal, they ate our hors d’vours, they ate our meal, and even commented on how good it was from other people I’ve been told — and so did the other protesters, by the way,” Durig said in regards to the protesters.

“And then sat right next to Niya, the mother testimony-giver and her baby, and seemed to feel comfortable standing up and protesting the center,” Durig added.

Durig said the protest was mostly a lot of yelling, but nobody could “explain” to her how they have “blood” on their hands when they are “helping people who choose to give birth to their baby.”

“They want to have their baby, we don’t force that on anyone, and we don’t force that choice on anyone,” Durig said. “Where is the blood on our hands because that woman has chosen to keep her baby?”

Durig also noted that mothers coming to the clinic were “disconcerted” by the protests but they “all felt everything was under control” when handling the protest at the banquet.

She also said she believes that the protesters misunderstand what the center and others like it provide to families, such as job counseling.

Life First was also hit by vandalism prior to their move to their Manassas location “on the day that Roe v. Wade was overturned” at their old location, but CEO Becky Sheetz said the protesters tagged the back side of the building that is not as visible.

Sheetz also said the vandalism was not the reason behind the move.

“We came in one day and there was vandalism, graffiti, on the back of the center, on the side that we operated the building, so we reported it to local law enforcement right away and it was cleaned up,” Sheetz said.

“It was actually just graffiti, clearly targeted along the lines of the graffiti and vandalism that you were seeing all across the nation in the tens and tens, over 100 pregnancy centers that were vandalized,” she continued.

Sheetz said the vandalism was “intimidating” but that it was “comical” that the tagging happened on the back of the building that “none” of their “patients or visitors would ever see.”

“That was the best they had that day,” Sheetz added, noting that, in the wake of the vandalism, the staff and center were operating “business as usual.”

“So that didn’t change, the mission doesn’t change, so it made us feel like we were probably on the right track because we’re doing good work and we’re having an impact,” Sheetz said.

Additionally, both centers provide material goods and services to struggling mothers and families, carrying children’s clothes, diapers, and other necessities that are given to families that visit the center.

Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center provides baby formula and car seats, as well as approved baby playpens and crib analogues. They are also planning to get their own ultrasound up and running.

“We help them with material support, which is very important, but we also help them with free childbirth classes and free parenting classes,” Durig told Fox News Digital.

“They could call at any time to the client advocates, especially the ones they know, but anyone can fit in if they’re not available,” Durig continued. “… They know this is someone they can call.”

First Care Women’s Health Woodbridge Center director Pam Dudley told Fox News Digital that their clinic sees “women from all different nationalities, all different backgrounds and walks of life, but one thing that they all have in common when they walk through our doors is they’re facing an unplanned pregnancy.”

She also said that the center “partners with dozens of organizations that help with things like food and clothing and diapers and formula and housing, even,” as well as organizations that provide “free prenatal care, in some cases.”

“We could almost connect her with anything because of all partnering organizations that we work with,” Dudley said, adding their centers also provides prenatal and parenting classes “at no cost” to the mother.

While they don’t distribute car seats and baby formula, Dudley said First Care Women’s Health can connect mothers with organizations that do “so they can get a free car seat, they can get free formula.”

Sheetz said their product carrying comes down to “shelf life,” “storage,” and other similar factors, so First Care Women’s Health gives “away other items like diapers and wipes and goods like that, that we can keep and can have in a steady supply.”

Dudley said that the clinic looks to “empower women with all of their information” who are facing unexpected pregnancies and will try to be a “calming voice” for the mother over the phone. The service will then confirm with the women that they are pregnant when they come into the center.

Life First also provides faith-based counseling, but has a registered nurse on staff, Linda Kisha, who performs ultrasounds and keeps track of patient information on their First Care Women’s Health side of the operation.

“We talk to them about the ultrasound and how important that is as part of their decision-making process,” Dudley told Fox News Digital. “Many of them call and they’re looking for the abortion pill or they’re saying ‘I can’t have a baby right now.’”

“So all of us are trained to talk to them on the phone and explain our services and to get them to come in, especially to have an ultrasound,” Dudley said. “Because she needs to know that it’s a pregnancy that’s going to continue, and she needs to know how far along she is so that she knows how to make that next step.”

Dudley said the staff at the center will listen to the mothers; stories and “many times” the staff at First Care Women’s Health are the first people the mothers reach out to for help.

“We want to be that safe place, that nonjudgmental place, that caring place that she can come and learn about all her options,” Dudley said. “She may feel like abortion is her only option when she first comes in, but we can explain that she has does other options and how that would work.”

Kisha told Fox News Digital the First Care Women’s Health clinic provides medically-administered pregnancy tests, ultrasounds to “confirm her pregnancy” and if the baby is viable, as well as tests for the sexually transmitted infections (STIs) gonorrhea and Chlamydia.

“These are all things the patient needs to know if she’s going to have an abortion,” Kisha said.

“And explain the abortion procedures to her, as well, depending on how far along she is, from a medical professional,” Sheetz added.

Dudley also encouraged people who know mothers struggling with an unplanned pregnancy to visit First Care Women’s Health.

“I always tell every patient I meet with, ‘I’m so glad you came in today,’” Dudley said. “And we mean that genuinely. We welcome anyone who desires our services, who needs a little help, who doesn’t feel like she has support, that’s what we do.”

“That’s why we’re here: we’re that safe place for her,” Dudley continued. “So we would just welcome her in this place and we also encourage an ongoing relationship with her, if she would allow us to do that.”

Amara joined her mother at the Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center’s recent banquet, where Niya’s spoke on her experience with the center.

During the dinner, though, Niya’s speech recounting the counseling and help she received from the Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center was interrupted by protesters who had planted themselves in the crowd.

“That is all blood on your f—ing hands, every last motherf—ing one of you,” one woman screamed as security escorted her out of the event. “Jane says revenge motherf—er,” she added.

Niya said she had clocked the protesters when she showed up to the banquet but was unaware that three of the protesters were sitting next to her during the event.

“They were talking, I was talking, saying how I felt about the people outside and stuff like that, and they were listening. I think one of them did have something they really wanted to say, but she didn’t say anything,” Niya said about the protesters. “And then they just start standing up and yelling.”

Niya said she was “confused” by the protesters at first and that the protesters had been complimenting her child’s cuteness before interrupting the banquet.

“Like, I understood what they were saying, but at the same time, that’s not how you go about stuff,” Niya said. “I just felt like everybody got a mind of their own, I went to a pregnancy center and didn’t have a problem with it.”

The mothers, however, say other women in similar situations to them should explore their options at crisis pregnancy centers.

“Don’t be scared! Like, don’t be scared,” Niya said, encouraging other women in similar situations to visit crisis pregnancy clinics. “I just feel like we all have a responsibility, whether you’re pro-choice or not. And that’s something you want to do, you have to stand up for what you believe in and do it.”

“Nobody changed my mind on anything like that,” she continued. “I changed my own mind because I knew deep down inside that I wasn’t built for abortion. I really didn’t want to, but I also wasn’t ready at the same time. So, don’t be scared. Do what you want to do. Don’t let nobody tell you what’s right for you.”

“My definition of success was what I thought it was, and when I came in, I really, firmly believed for my success, I needed an abortion,” Jenkins said. “The place I was in my life, financially as a professional athlete back then, success and my plan ahead did not call for a kid. It just didn’t look like that would equate.”

“And when I was given the support, the education, the resources, all that, it was just amazing to see a different perspective,” she said. “And when I got that different perspective, that success can be many different ways, that, yes, a decision to keep a child is hard, but when you know there’s support and everything else out there, especially centers like Life First that offers that, it really is a huge enlightenment to go out there and just get educated.”

“And with Life First not judging and offering the professionalism, that they care, it makes a huge difference,” Jenkins continued. “So I challenge women to get out there and get educated, and go to center, take advantage of centers, that offer their services.”

Fox News Digital’s Kristine Parks contributed reporting.

Mega Millions jackpot climbs to $785M after no big winner

December 31, 2022 Published by The Associated Press

The first Mega Millions drawing of the new year will be a big one after no one won an estimated $685 million jackpot.

No ticket purchased for the lottery matched all six numbers drawn Friday night, Mega Millions said in a statement early Saturday. The top prize increased to $785 million ahead of the next drawing Tuesday night.

The numbers selected Friday were: 1, 3, 6, 44, 51 and gold Mega Ball 7.

The jackpot has grown so large thanks to long odds of one in 302.6 million that have resulted in 22 straight drawings without a big winner.

The estimated $785 million prize is for a winner who chooses to be paid through an annuity, with annual checks over 29 years. Nearly all winners opt for cash, which for the next drawing would be an estimated $395 million.

The jackpot is the largest since a $2.04 billion Powerball prize was won Nov. 8 in California. A winner hasn’t been announced for that record-setting payout.

“On only three previous occasions has the Mega Millions jackpot gone beyond $700 million, and all three times those rolls continued on past $1 billion,” Mega Millions said.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

source

Rep.-elect George Santos faces scrutiny over campaign filings his team blames as ‘database error’: Report

December 31, 2022 Published by

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News

A federal insider is questioning embattled Republican Rep.-elect George Santos’s explanation that dozens of $199.99 campaign expenses were the result of an FEC “database error.”

“I don’t believe it,” Ann Ravel, former FEC chairwoman, told the New York Post about the Santos claim that the mysterious expense filings were the result of a database error. “There are too many expenditures for the $199 that were filed.”

Santos, who is currently under investigation after admitting to several lies about his personal life and resume on the campaign trail where he was eventually elected to represent New York’s 3rd Congressional District in November, has defended himself against questions about the FEC expense filings.

“This reporting issue is the result of a database error and amendments were filed with the FEC. We believe that accurate information has been provided to the FEC,” a Santos campaign representative told the New York Post in an email.

NY GOP REP-ELECT GEORGE SANTOS GRILLED OVER BIOGRAPHY ‘LIES’: ‘DO YOU HAVE NO SHAME?’

According to FEC filings, the Santos campaign recorded 37 expenditures between April 2021 and February 2022 that totaled $199.99, one cent below the threshold for federal law requiring receipts.

Among the expenses were rooms at Florida hotels, supply runs to Staples and Target, airline flights and meals at various restaurants.

“If they did provide an amending filing to the FEC to change it, and if the FEC agrees that it was a database error, the FEC would have already changed the website,” Ravel said.

MEDIA MELTDOWN OVER GEORGE SANTOS, WON’T ADMIT BIDEN IS SERIAL LIAR

Christian Hillard, a representative for the FEC, agreed that “any amended transactions and filings submitted by committees would be reflected in the data through the FEC website.”

The Santos campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS CALLING ON SANTOS TO RESIGN OVER RESUME LIES SILENT ON BIDEN’S LONG HISTORY OF FABRICATIONS

Santos recently admitted to fabricating his business resume, Jewish faith, and education and told Fox News “Tucker Carlson Tonight” guest host Tulsi Gabbard that everyone makes mistakes.

“I think humans are flawed, and we all make mistakes, Tulsi,” Santos said. “I think we can all look at ourselves in the mirror and admit that once in our life we made a mistake. I’m having to admit this on national television for the whole country to see. And I have the courage to do so because I believe that in order to move past this and move forward and be an effective member of Congress, I have to face my mistakes, and I’m facing them.”

Santos has faced criticism from fellow Republicans and calls to resign but has refused to do so, and the Democrat he defeated in November has demanded an election rematch.

“George, if that’s even your real name, if you’re so convinced that #NY3 voters still trust you – resign & run against me again in a special election,” Democrat Robert Zimmerman tweeted Tuesday. “Face the voters with your real past & answer questions about your criminal history. Let the voters decide.”

What’s The Weirdest Thing You Can Find On This AutoZoned Audi S4

December 31, 2022 Published by Stephen Rivers

Carscoops

Car customization is an important facet of automotive culture. For many, it’s important that their car not only reflects their lifestyle but also that it’s distinguishable from other similar models on the road. One owner took that to the extreme with a bunch of accessories that make this Audi S4 truly one of a kind… we hope.

Spotted at a grocery store parking lot that we think is in Michigan, this S4 is full of unique touches. We’ll start with the lights because it looks like the owner has made a functional change to them by adding a honeycomb effect to each housing. Sure, they’re probably dimmer than they were originally, but who cares when they look so cool?

Then there’s the plethora of stickers everywhere. On the rear panel alone you’ll find a Tampa Bay Buccaneers logo, fake bullet holes, Wylie Coyote, the Roadrunner, Nike logos, and even one sticker that says “Official racing car 526 HP.” Keep in mind that a stock S4 of this vintage makes about 350 hp (261 kW) from the factory.

More: What’s The Most Annoying Tuning Mod These Days?

Now, there’s no telling if the owner of this S4 has added any horsepower to this car but considering all that they’re willing to do to the outside, we’re certainly hopeful that they started with actual performance mods, which are arguably far more important. What’s clear is that this person was not content to stop adding body modifications once the stickers were applied.

On the rear deck, there are no less than seven spoilers if we count the lip on the trunk lid. That of course doesn’t count the tiny winglets placed on the rear quarters of the car or the additional six spoilers we could find on the roof of the car. On top of all of that aero, there are at least three mini-spoilers, two sets of chin spoilers, and even a little toy fighter plane on the front of the car.

There’s a lot to soak in when looking at this Audi S4 and we’re wondering what’s the weirdest thing in your eyes. Could it be one of the numerous fake exhausts or the weird flame tips on the real tailpipes? Maybe it’s the triangular tow hooks that are stuck onto the bumper (one of which is placed just above the actual tow hook location). Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Image Credit / Source: Nikky296 on Reddit

Ukraine's debts: US aims to get IMF to reexamine loan fees

December 31, 2022 Published by The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A provision in the recently signed defense spending bill mandates that the United States work to ease Ukraine’s debt burden at the International Monetary Fund, which could create tensions at the world’s lender-of-last-resort over one of its biggest borrowers.

The National Defense Authorization Act requires American representatives to each global development bank, including the IMF, where the U.S. is the largest stakeholder, to use “ the voice, vote, and influence ” of the U.S. in seeking to assemble a voting bloc of countries that would change each institution’s debt service relief policy regarding Ukraine.

Among other things, the U.S. is tasked with forcing the IMF to reexamine and potentially end its surcharge policy on Ukrainian loans. Surcharges are added fees on loans imposed on countries that are heavily indebted to the IMF.

The U.S. interest in changing the policy comes as it has distributed tens of billions for Ukrainian military and humanitarian aid since the Russian invasion began in February. Most recently, Ukraine will receive $44.9 billion in aid from the U.S. as part of a $1.7 trillion government-wide spending bill.

Inevitably, some U.S. grant money is spent servicing IMF loans.

“I can see why the Senate would want to relax the surcharge for Ukraine,” Peter Garber, an economist who most recently worked at the global markets research division of Deutsche Bank, wrote in an email. “As the principal bankroller of economic aid for Ukraine, the US would not want to deliver funds only to have them go right to the coffers of the IMF.”

Economists Joseph Stiglitz at Columbia University and Kevin P. Gallagher at Boston University wrote in February about surcharges, saying that “forcing excessive repayments lowers the productive potential of the borrowing country, but also harms creditors” and requires borrowers “to pay more at exactly the moment when they are most squeezed from market access in any other form.”

Other economists say the fees provide an incentive for members with large outstanding balances to repay their loans promptly.

Even with the aid, the beleaguered Ukrainian economy is expected to shrink by 35 percent, according to the World Bank, and the country will owe roughly $360 million in surcharge fees alone to the IMF by 2023.

The effort to wrangle the IMF’s 24 directors, who are elected by member countries or by groups of countries, to end the surcharges may not be so easy.

Just before Christmas, the directors decided to maintain the surcharge policy. They said in a Dec. 20 statement that most directors “were open to exploring possible options for providing temporary surcharge relief,” but others “noted that the average cost of borrowing from the Fund remains significantly below market rates.”

Prominent economists studying the war’s impacts pointed out in a December report — “Rebuilding Ukraine: Principles and Policies,” by the Paris- and London-based Centre for Economic Policy Research — that “some significant voting members may have interests that are not aligned with having Ukraine succeed economically.”

Securing consistent financing to Ukraine could become harder as the war rages on. There are growing fears of a global recession and concerns that European allies are struggling to deliver on their financing promises. In addition, the GOP is set this coming week to take control of the House, with the top Republican, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, saying his party will not write a “blank check” for Ukraine.

Mark Weisbrot, co-director of the liberal Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, said the surcharge issue affects not just Ukraine, but also other countries facing debt crises. Among them: Pakistan, hit by flooding and humanitarian crises, as well as Argentina, Ecuador, and Egypt, who together are on the hook for billions in surcharges.

“There is no logic to the IMF imposing surcharges on countries already in crisis,” Weisbrot said, “which inevitably happens because the surcharges are structured to hit countries already facing financial problems.”

He said the issue will become more urgent as Ukraine’s debt grows and the war drags on.

Jeffrey Sachs, an economist and director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, said “these surcharges should certainly be eliminated,” adding: “The IMF undercuts its core lender-of-last-resort role.”

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Black support for GOP ticked up in this year's midterms

December 31, 2022 Published by The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Black voters have been a steady foundation for Democratic candidates for decades, but that support appeared to show a few cracks in this year’s elections.

Republican candidates were backed by 14% of Black voters, compared with 8% in the last midterm elections four years ago, according to AP VoteCast, an extensive national survey of the electorate.

In Georgia, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp more than doubled his support among Black voters to 12% in 2022 compared with 5% four years ago, according to VoteCast. He defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams both times.

If that boost can be sustained, Democrats could face headwinds in 2024 in Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, where presidential and Senate races are typically decided by narrow margins and turning out Black voters is a big part of Democrats’ political strategy.

It’s too early to tell whether the 2022 survey data reflects the beginnings of a longer-term drift of Black voters toward the GOP or whether the modest Republican gains from an overwhelmingly Democratic group will hold during a presidential year. Former President Donald Trump, who has announced his third run for the presidency, received support from just 8% of Black voters in 2020, according to VoteCast.

The survey from this year’s midterms also found that Republican candidates in some key states improved their share of Latino voters, so any sustained growth in the share of Black voters would be critical.

A variety of factors might play into the findings, including voter turnout and candidate outreach. Yet some Black voters suggest they will be sticking with Republicans because they said the party’s priorities resonate with them more than those of Democrats.

Janet Piroleau, who lives in suburban Atlanta, left the Democratic Party in 2016, during Trump’s first run for office, and now votes Republican. That includes this year, when she voted for Kemp in his victory over Abrams.

Piroleau said she felt Democrats were pushing for more reliance on government programs. “That bothered me,” she said.

“For me, it was about being accountable and responsible and making your own decisions, and not depending on the government to bail you out,” Piroleau said.

April Chapman, who lives in metro Atlanta, is among the Black voters who favored Kemp and other Republican candidates.

Like Piroleau, Chapman cited issues such as immigration, border security and the economy as important in deciding to become a Republican a decade ago. But the 43-year-old mother said her main break with the party is over education.

She said she felt Democrats were trying to control what her children should be exposed to and how they should be educated.

“For our family, the government educational system was not the best option,” Chapman said.

Camilla Moore, chair of the Georgia Black Republican Council, said a large percentage of the voters Kemp won in the Black community “were actually Black Democrats.” Those voters made decisions based on Kemp’s performance in addressing issues they care about, Moore said.

Her group also suggested that the Kemp campaign advertise on Black radio and “expend a little more effort in some areas that were a little uncomfortable.”

The results in Georgia, she said, could be replicated elsewhere with the right candidates.

“It’s not going to work for everybody,” Moore said. “It does work for those Republicans who have demonstrated that they truly are a senator for all or a governor for all.”

Abrams’ campaign office and Fair Fight Action, which was founded by Abrams, did not answer repeated phone or email messages.

The VoteCast findings underscore a dynamic that Black activists and community leaders have long sought to convey — that Black voters are not a monolith and that the Democratic Party should not take them for granted.

Nationally, Republicans worked during the midterms cycle to try to shift a share of Black voters to their side. The GOP conducted business roundtables, prayer gatherings, food drives and school choice events to hear the kinds of priorities in Black communities that might influence their voting, said Janiyah Thomas, a communications strategist and former Black media affairs manager at the Republican National Committee.

Thomas, who recently voted Republican, added that her disagreement with the Black Lives Matter movement encouraged her switch.

Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York and the author of a book on the voting rights movement, said Black voters need to hear from Democrats about why their vote is important and what the party will do for them.

She said the message is particularly important for younger voters, who “went out in the street and risked their lives for police reform” after the killing of George Floyd in 2020. They also want voting rights protected but got neither at the federal level during President Joe Biden’s first two years in office.

“Instead, we get Juneteenth, and I don’t remember who asked for Juneteenth,” Browne-Marshall said, referring to the new federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in America.

W. Franklyn Richardson, chair of the board of trustees of the Conference of National Black Churches, acknowledged that not all Black community priorities are met by Democrats but said the party is more likely to address those needs than Republicans.

“We have to pick the best of the two,” and continue pushing, he said.

For James W. Jackson, the choice was to switch to the Republican Party after he decided its values better aligned with his.

The pastor at Fervent Prayer Church in Indianapolis said he was a Democrat initially because it was the party of his father and many prominent Black leaders.

Not everyone sees a noteworthy shift of Black voters away from Democrats and toward Republicans. Ron Daniels, president of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century, said his question isn’t about what Democrats have failed to do, but rather what they have accomplished and not been more vocal about.

The agenda Biden has pursued since taking office “was fairly explicit about a number of key issues that relate to Black people. The problem is that because there is a hesitancy and a concern about whether or not white voters will be turned off,” Democrats have not promoted those moves, Daniels said.

Biden, he noted, named Kamala Harris as vice president, nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court and appointed Lisa Cook to the Federal Reserve. He also noted the impact of the American Rescue Plan on Black business owners.

“The fact of the matter is, they’re not talking about the tangible things that happened,” Daniels said.

The higher percentages of Black voters casting ballots for Republicans this year also may not suggest greater and more durable support for the GOP, said Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO.

He noted that African Americans are a diverse voting group with varying concerns and priorities, and are attracted to specific candidates because of that. NAACP focus groups found that inflation, student loan debt and violence prevention were among Black voters’ top concerns. Candidates who speak to those concerns will be heard, he said.

“That’s what democracy should be — an opportunity to have choices among candidates,” Johnson said. “But that is not to suggest the national (Republican) party platform is more reflective of the needs and interests of African Americans as a whole.”

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Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut in Washington contributed to this report.

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Associated Press coverage of race and voting receives support from the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI dies

December 31, 2022 Published by CNN

Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in 2012. (Pier Paolo Cito/AP)

Global leaders are paying homage to Benedict XVI, the Pope Emeritus, who died Saturday in Vatican City at the age of 95.

Benedict, who was the first pontiff in almost 600 years to resign his position, rather than hold office for life, passed away on Saturday, according to a statement from the Vatican.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Saturday that the former pope “sent a strong signal through his resignation.”

“Pope Benedict’s passing saddens me. My sympathy goes out to all Catholics,” von der Leyen said in a tweet, adding, “He had set a strong signal through his resignation. He saw himself first as a servant for God and his Church.”

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also paid tribute. “I am saddened to learn of the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI,” Sunak tweeted Saturday.

“My thoughts are with Catholic people in the UK and around the world today,” Sunak added.

Britain’s King Charles III sent a message of condolence to Pope Francis after Benedict’s death. “His visit to the United Kingdom in 2010 was important in strengthening the relations between the Holy See and the United Kingdom,” the king said in the message published on the Royal Family’s official website.

“I also recall his constant efforts to promote peace and goodwill to all people, and to strengthen the relationship between the global Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church,” he said.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni voiced her admiration for the former pope.

“Benedict XVI was a giant of faith and reason. He put his life at the service of the universal Church and spoke, and will continue to speak, to the hearts and minds of men with the spiritual, cultural and intellectual depth of his Magisterium,” she tweeted Saturday.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella described Pope Benedict XVI as an “unforgettable figure for the Italian people,” saying that Italy is in “bereavement” over his death.

His gentleness and wisdom were a blessing “for our community and the entire international community,” Mattarella said Saturday in a statement.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the former pope “was a special church leader for many.”

“As a ‘German’ Pope, Benedict XVI was a special church leader for many, not only in this country. The world loses a formative figure of the Catholic Church, an argumentative personality and a clever theologian. My thoughts are with Pope Francis,” Scholz tweeted.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer tweeted: “Together we Catholics mourn the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

“He was a remarkable historical figure, a great scholar even at a young age. Benedict XVI was one of the few German-speaking heads of the Church and the first Pope of modern times, who resigned from office of his own accord.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said his “thoughts” were with Catholics around the world after the former pope’s death.

“My thoughts are with the Catholics of France and the world, mourning the departure of His Holiness Benedict XVI, who worked with soul and intelligence for a more fraternal world,” Macron tweeted.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky paid tribute to the pope emeritus in a message on Twitter.

“I express my sincere condolences to Pope Francis, the hierarchy and the faithful of the Catholic Church all over the world on the death of Pope Benedict XVI – an outstanding theologian, intellectual and promoter of universal values,” Zelensky wrote.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the former Pope will be remembered for his “rich service to society.”

“Saddened by the passing away of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who devoted his entire life to the Church and the teachings of Lord Christ. He will be remembered for his rich service to society. My thoughts are with the millions around the world who grieve his passing,” Modi said in a tweet.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was “saddened” by the former pope’s death.

“Saddened to hear of the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, this evening. May he rest in eternal peace,” Albanese tweeted.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is leading Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, called the former pope “a staunch defender of traditional Christian values.”

“I had the opportunity to communicate with this outstanding person, and I will forever keep the brightest memories of him. I would like to convey to you the words of sincere sympathy in this mournful hour,” he added.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres honored the former pope as “a humble man of prayer and study” who was “principled in his faith, tireless in his pursuit of peace, and determined in his defence of human rights.”

CNN’s Stephanie Halasz and Richard Roth and Sharon Braithwaite contributed reporting.

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California couple killed in Yosemite National Park rockslide identified by park officials

December 31, 2022 Published by

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News

Officials have identified the two people who were killed by a rock slide in Yosemite National Park on Tuesday morning.

According to a statement released by the National Park Service, the victims have been identified as 51-year-old Georgios Theocharous and 35-year-old Ming Yan, a married couple from San Jose, California.

The incident took place on El Portal Road, near Big Oak Flat Road at approximately 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 27.

OREGON, WASHINGTON HIT WITH DEADLY STORMS, FLOODING

The section of Highway 140 hugs the Merced River on one side and large, rocky hills on the other side. The road leads to Yosemite Valley to the east and one of the park’s three western entrances to the west.

The couple’s Dodge Ram was hit by Rocks that fell from 1,000 feet above El Portal Road. The force of the rockfall pushed their rented truck off the road and onto the embankment of the Merced River.

HEAVY RAIN SLAMS CENTRAL AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, LEADING TO WIDESPREAD ROAD CLOSURES AND EVACUATION ORDERS

Park officials said about 185 tons of rock, in total, were involved in the rock slide, which affected 500 feet of the road. The cause of the rockfall remains under investigation by the National Park Service.

The rock slide closed a portion of El Portal Road for several hours, the National Park Service said in a tweet. The road reopened the following day after the unexpected tragedy.

On Friday evening, the park announced another closure at Big Oak Flat Road, east of Foresta, due to another rock fall incident. On Saturday afternoon, the park reopened the road.