DOJ Charges Provocateur Expelled from Militia for Promoting Terrorism

Ken Silva
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DOJ Charges Provocateur Expelled from Militia for Promoting Terrorism

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Did the feds just arrest their own asset?

The Justice Department has criminally charged a man who was recently expelled from a militia for promoting terrorism within the group—the latest bizarre twist in a story that resembles the FBI-driven plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The suspect, Russell Richardson Vane IV, faces a count of attempted production of a biological agent or toxin.

The DOJ’s charge against Vane comes after he was expelled from the “Virginia Kekoas” militia in March for, among other things, offering bomb-making instructions, spreading government documents within group chats, and proposing that all the Virginia militias strike an alliance with Russia.

Instead of reporting Vane to law enforcement—which the militia feared was trying to entrap them—the Kekoas aired their suspicions about him to reporter Ford Fischer, who published a story seen online by hundreds of thousands. The DOJ’s charges, filed last week, reference Fischer’s reporting, confirming many of its details—including, perhaps most shockingly, that Vane spread government documents within militia chatrooms.

“In coordination with one government agency, the FBI ascertained that VANE had used his work computer to search for, access, and print physical copies of the exact documents [Vane spread in militia chats],” an FBI affidavit stated.

“VANE also used his work computer to search for, access, and print physical copies of other documents pertaining to explosive precursor compounds, including how to use them to manufacture explosive devices. Based on government records, these physical documents were accessed as early as February 12, 2024, and removed from a secure government facility,” the affidavit added.

“Based on statements made by the Kekoas members in the News2Share video, it appears that the documents were then transported by VANE in his personal vehicle to the location where he disseminated the documents to the militia on or about March 9, 2024.”

The FBI affidavit, which was written by a joint terrorism task force officer, also acknowledged that the Kekoas thought the government was using Vane to try to entrap the group.

“Kekoas members … believe that VANE might have been a federal law enforcement official attempting to ‘entrap’ members of the group,” the affidavit said.

The FBI executed a search warrant at Vane’s home last week, finding a gallon-size Ziplock bag containing castor beans, as well as a recipe for extracting ricin toxin from those beans.

The FBI affidavit doesn’t explain exactly how the government documents were transferred from a secure government facility to Vane.

Vane’s father, Russel Vane III, appears to be a long-time intelligence specialist who’s worked with agencies such as Homeland Security, the military and FEMA. Vane III has also written papers such as, Planning for terrorist-caused emergencies.

The Washington Post also confirmed that Vane IV has an intelligence background, reporting last week that he served as an intelligence specialist for eight years in the Marine Corps and left as a staff sergeant in 2017.

Vane IV remains in custody, and reportedly has a detention hearing today. Read Headline USA’s prior coverage for a more in-depth story on Vane and his activities within the militia movement.

Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.

Hey Mr. Taxman! What Have You Done for Me?

Money Metals News Service
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Hey Mr. Taxman! What Have You Done for Me?

(Mike Maharrey, Money Metals News Service) They say nothing is certain but death and taxes. No matter what you do, the Grim Reaper and the taxman always show up eventually.

Well, folks, it’s April 15.

And the Taxman cometh.

Again.

I guess that’s better than the Grim Reaper. Of course, he only shows up once. The Taxman makes an annual appearance.

Come to think of it, maybe they are the same person! I mean, have we ever seen them in the same room together?

Something to think about.

Anyway, I’ve been dreading this day for a long time. It means I’m going to have to write a big check, and my bank account balance will be significantly smaller tonight than it is right now.

Of course, for a lot of people, tax season is great – or at least they think it is. It means they get a big fat check from the government because they get a refund. In fact, most of those folks probably filed a long time ago in anticipation of their little windfall. But I’m self-employed. That means I write checks. No windfall for me.

The withholding system was a brilliant move by the government. It’s like anesthesia. It deadens the pain of taxation. Most people have no idea how much money the government takes from them. Their employer just siphons it out of their pay and sends it to the IRS. And then they get a refund. I think a lot of people view this as a gift from government. They certainly don’t feel the pain.

But let me tell you; writing a check is painful.

For all of you people who got a big refund, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. You’re getting ripped off too. They just hide it from you.

In fact, they get you with a double whammy.

Not only does the IRS suck money out of your paycheck that you never see, but you also pay the inflation tax every time you go to the grocery store or gas station.

That’s right. Inflation is a tax.

The Federal Reserve enables the federal government to borrow and spend far more than it otherwise could by buying some of the bonds the government issues. (This process is known as quantitative easing or QE.) It buys these Treasuries with money created out of thin air. This is, by definition, inflation. One of the symptoms of inflation is rising consumer prices. So, when you pay more for everything due to inflation, you’re effectively being taxed on the money the federal government borrowed.

But hey, that’s the price you pay to live in a civilized society, right?

At least that’s what “they” say.

But you know, I have questions.

How does taking money from me essentially at gunpoint make society more “civilized?” I mean, isn’t that kind of like stealing? Or maybe extortion is a better word. Whatever label you want to put on it, I wouldn’t call stealing or extortion civilized. In fact, it’s kind of the opposite of civilized. 

But I’m supposed to understand that the government is going to take its ill-gotten gains and make the world a better place. That supposedly justifies the extortion and theft. I should feel good about it! I’m a good citizen!

Sure. That sounds good in a political speech, or maybe coming from a civics teacher, but it’s propaganda spin.

And by propaganda spin, I mean utter BS.

Think about it; given the price tag, we should have reached the pinnacle of civilization by this point.

I think we got hosed.

Here’s the truth: taxation is the price we pay for an overreaching, unconstitutional government. (And a lot of killing and wars.)

In Federalist #45, James Madison explained that the federal government was intended to be rather small. He wrote, “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.”

We’ve flipped the system on its head. As a result, we have to hand over a chunk of our income to the IRS, pay an inflation tax, and the federal government is still running massive deficits month after month. 

If the federal government operated the way Madison said it should, we wouldn’t be in this situation. 

But here we are.

So, the tax man cometh – over and over and over again. 

Reggae artist Lucky Dube gets it. He performed a song called “Taxman.” The lyrics are poignant.

I pay my gardener to clean up my garden

I pay my doctor to check out da other ting

I pay my lawyer to fight for my rights

And I pay my bodyguard to guard my body

There’s only one man I pay

But I don’t know what I’m paying for

I’m talking about the taxman

I’m talking about the taxman

I’m talking about the taxman

What have you done for me lately?

Mr. Taxman

What have you done for me lately?

Mr. Taxman

What have you done for me lately?

Mr. Taxman

What have you done for me lately?

Mr. Taxman

You take from the rich, take from the poor

You even take from me, can’t understand it now

I pay for the police to, err…I don’t know why

‘Cause if my dollar was good enough

There wouldn’t be so much crime in the streets

They tell me you’re a fat man

And you always take and never give

What have you done for me lately?

Mr. Taxman

Good question. What have you done for me?

Not much.

I mean, sure, we have roads. But have you driven through Ohio lately? It’s not exactly a ringing endorsement for taxation.

But what about schools?

Yeah. OK. Go talk to some public school students. Also, not a ringing endorsement.

But hey, I’ve sent billions of dollars to Ukraine to help with the civilizing going on over there.

You get the picture.

So, whether you’re writing a check or spending your refund, give Lucky Dube’s song some thought.

I think you’ll come to a similar conclusion – Mr. Taxman ain’t doing much for us.

Mike Maharrey is a journalist and market analyst for MoneyMetals.com with over a decade of experience in precious metals. He holds a BS in accounting from the University of Kentucky and a BA in journalism from the University of South Florida.

White House Blames Trump, Who Left Office Years Ago, for 2024 Iranian Attack

Luis Cornelio
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White House Blames Trump, Who Left Office Years Ago, for 2024 Iranian Attack

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) White House national security spokesperson John Kirby attributed the recent Iranian attack against Israel to former President Donald Trump, despite his departure from office three years ago. 

Speaking with Fox News’s Shannon Bream on the latest edition of Fox News Sunday, Kirby suggested that Trump – not incumbent President Joe Biden – empowered Iran through the cancellation of the Iran nuclear deal. Kirby suggested that this brought the Middle East to the conflict it is currently facing.

Kirby’s claims followed Bream’s highlighting of Trump’s response to the over 200 drones and missiles launched against Israel by Iran. Trump stated that such an attack was made possible due to Biden’s weak foreign policies. 

In response, Kirby unsuccessfully retorted, “It’s hard to take a look at what President Biden has done and say that we have somehow gone soft on Iran.” 

Tying Trump to the situation, he added, “It was the previous administration that decided to get us out of the Iran deal. And now Iran is so much dramatically closer to a potential nuclear weapon capability than they were before Mr. Trump was elected.” 

Despite Kirby’s claims, Trump oversaw the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020, when Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed a historic agreement to normalize diplomatic relations. Such a declaration opened the door for direct flights, business partnerships and government agreements between these countres. 

The notable peace witnessed during the Trump administration (2017-2021) abruptly ended with the arrival of the Biden administration, Trump himself said during a campaign rally on Saturday. 

Speaking in Pennsylvania, Trump said, “I want to say God bless the people of Israel, they’re under attack right now. That’s because we show great weakness. The weakness that we’ve shown is unbelievable and it would not have happened if we were in office. You know that. They know that. Everybody knows that.”

Trump, currently seeking to return to the White House after the 2024 general election, vowed that such global conflicts would not occur if he were elected. 

“We were respected four years ago all over the world,” Trump added. “Today, we are considered a joke. It’s not going to going to be for long. Believe me. it’s not going to be for long.”

Sununu Mocked by Left-Wing Media for Reversal on Trump, as Predicted by Former POTUS

Luis Cornelio
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Sununu Mocked by Left-Wing Media for Reversal on Trump, as Predicted by Former POTUS

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Recall how former President Donald Trump urged Republicans not to hesitate in backing his campaign, warning that doing so would only benefit Democrats? Well, once again, Trump’s foresight has been vindicated.

On Sunday, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu faced criticism from a left-wing news anchor after his pivot from staunch opposition to endorsement of Trump. Sununu’s backing of failed Republican candidate Nikki Haley came despite polls clearly indicating Trump as the frontrunner.

George Stephanopoulos, host of ABC News’s This Week, confronted Sununu over his prior anti-Trump remarks, which at the time largely aligned with those of the Democratic Party and left-wing activists. However, faced with Trump as the clear frontrunner, Sununu endorsed him ahead of the 2024 general election. 

On Sunday, Stephanopoulos asked Sununu, “Just to sum up, you would you support him for president even he’s convicted of classified documents. You’d support him for president even though you believe he contributed to an Insurrection. You support him for president even though you believe he’s lying about the last election. You’d support him for president even if he’s convicted in the Manhattan case. I just want to say the answer to that is, ‘Yes.’ Correct?” 

A seemingly unfazed Sununu simply interjected, “Yeah, me and 51% of America.”

While Sununu has somewhat embraced Trump and now endorses him, the former president predicted that primary attacks would be hurled during the general campaign. 

To prevent this, Trump urged the Republican National Committee and other long-shot GOP candidates to unite behind his candidacy for president. Trump warned that the longer they waited to align with the will of Republican voters, the more challenging it would become to defeat President Joe Biden in 2024. 

Nearly every poll released before the primary election heated up and positioned Trump as the clear frontrunner.  

Despite this reality, many individuals entered the primary race entertaining the idea of defeating a former president and a charismatic figure like Trump. Several of these candidates refrained from sharply criticizing the former president while presenting themselves as a fresh alternative. 

However, Haley, Sununu’s presidential pick, went to great lengths, albeit unsuccessfully, to tarnish the former president.  

Notably, since exiting the primary field, Haley has declined to endorse Trump (though her endorsement wouldn’t carry much weight). 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another unsuccessful GOP nominee hopeful, garnered endorsements from many, including Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., the chair of the House Freedom Caucus, who currently faces a primary challenge for his DeSantis endorsement. 

Despite past comments from ABC News and Sununu, Trump remains a steadfast favorite among Republican voters, with several polls indicating Trump is leading Biden in numerous swing states. 

Rand Paul Says No ‘Difference’ Between Speaker Johnson and Democrats

Luis Cornelio
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Rand Paul Says No ‘Difference’ Between Speaker Johnson and Democrats

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., lambasted House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for consistently supporting Democratic-led initiatives, including the contentious reauthorization of a surveillance tool and the budget allocation that effectively endorsed the Biden administration’s agenda. 

In an interview on Fox News’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Paul asserted that there was no difference between Johnson’s leadership and that of a hypothetical Democrat. 

Paul’s comments came on the heels of Johnson’s decisive vote against an amendment mandating warrants for Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

“FISA doesn’t obey the Fourth Amendment, and so Speaker Johnson was incredibly wrong,” Paul remarked, referring to Johnson’s vote against the amendment, which failed 212-212. “He broke the tie. He voted with the Democrats. Here we have the leader of the Republicans in the House votes with the Democrats against a warrant requirement.”

Expanding on his critique, Paul remarked, “We also have Speaker Johnson voting for the spending package once again with the majority of the Democrats. If as I see it now, I’m not sure there’s a difference between Mike Johnson being in charge and the Democrats being in charge.” 

Paul’s statements followed Johnson’s vote against an amendment introduced by Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz. Had it passed, the amendment would have ordered the FBI to obtain warrants from a judge before using the surveillance tool spy on Americans. 

Johnson has also faced backlash for working with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and President Joe Biden to secure funding for the federal government, including the Biden administration’s progressive policies, through September 30. 

This funding, totaling $1.2 trillion, elicited criticism from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who introduced a motion to remove Johnson from the speakership. Although Greene has yet to propose a privileged motion, she retains the option to do so, potentially resulting in Johnson’s ouster. 

During his Fox News appearance, Paul underscored Johnson’s willingness to cooperate with Democrats in passing the spending bill.

He remarked, “The debt, the deficit this year will be $1.5 to 2 trillion, and that’s Mike Johnson’s bill. He put it forward. He supported it with a minority of Republicans, with the majority of Democrats. This is not using the power of the purse, this is abdicating the power of the purse.”

Anti-Israeli Protestor Who Threatened to ‘Murder’ Officials Sobs after Felony Charges

Luis Cornelio
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Anti-Israeli Protestor Who Threatened to ‘Murder’ Officials Sobs after Felony Charges

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The anti-Israeli protestor who threatened to “murder” members of a city council in California turned out to be not so tough after being hit with 18 felony charges over the harrowing remarks. 

On Friday, activist Riddhi Patel was seen sobbing as she pleaded not guilty to the staggering charges, which stemmed from the disturbing threats she hurled at the Bakersfield City Council and Republican Mayor Karen Goh earlier this week.

Patel had made the threatening remarks during a public city council meeting where constituents were invited to offer their comments on a resolution calling for a cease-fire in the Israeli-Hamas war and a separate law ordering the implementation of metal detectors inside the city hall. 

“I hope one day somebody brings the guillotine and kills all of you mother——,” Patel said in front of a podium, as reported by the New York Post. Patel also told lawmakers that “Jesus probably would have killed you himself.”

Later in her remarks, she issued a dire warning to the city councilmen, adding: “We’ll see you at your house. We’ll murder you.”

As Patel concluded her remarks, Goh called on law enforcement officials to escort the woman out of the building. “Ms. Patel, that was a threat, what you said at the end,” he told the woman. “So the officers are going to escort you out and take care of that.”

According to the Los Angeles Times, Patel was arraigned on 10 counts of threatening with the intent to terrorize a public official. These officials include five councilmen, the mayor, the city clerk, the assistant city clerk, the city attorney and the city manager. The other charges include eight counts of threatening specific public officials. 

Patel’s demands come as part of a broader effort from the left putting pressure on U.S. officials, including President Joe Biden, to call for a cease-fire in Israel’s conflict against Hamas, a foreign-designated terrorist organization. 

The war between Israel and Hamas began after the latter launched a brutal assault on southern Israel, resulting in roughly 1,200 deaths. Hamas terrorists kidnapped hundreds of innocent civilians, many of whom were taken to the Gaza Strip, where they remain captive. 

Opponents argue that implementing a cease-fire would inadvertently provide Hamas with the opportunity to regroup and strengthen its position, potentially leading to more effective counterattacks. 

Barges Break Loose Damaging a Marina and Striking a Bridge

Editor 5
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Barges Break Loose Damaging a Marina and Striking a Bridge

(Headline USA) More than two dozen river barges broke loose from their moorings and floated down the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, striking one bridge that had already been preemptively closed and damaging a marina, officials said. The boats eventually were pinned to the riverbank or went over a dam downstream, officials said.

Pittsburgh police, fire and emergency medical services responded around 11:25 p.m. Friday to reports of the barges “floating uncontrolled” down the river, Pittsburgh Public Safety said in a statement. The area had been hit by flooding after heavy rains Thursday.

The Sewickley Bridge was struck by a barge a few minutes before 2 p.m. Saturday, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said. It “was closed in advance of the strike and will remain closed until our crews complete an inspection,” spokesperson Steve Cowan said.

Officials in Moon Township, which is connected by the bridge to the community of Sewickley, earlier said the span would be temporarily closed “due to unmanned barge passing through.”

Eleven of the 26 barges that broke free were quickly contained to one side by another towing vessel just downstream, said Cmdr. Justin Jolley of the Coast Guard marine safety unit in Pittsburgh. Nine others were collected at the Emsworth lock and dam downstream.

Five or six barges went through the dam. Four ended up just downstream at a lock and dam, while another ended up on the bank of the river and was stabilized. Marine safety units were searching for one barge unaccounted for, Jolley said.

Pittsburgh public safety officials reported damage to Peggy’s Harbor, a marina on the river. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the McKees Rocks Bridge was also closed as a precaution but later reopened following inspection.

Twenty-three of the barges were carrying dry cargo, mostly coal, and at least one was loaded with fertilizer, according to the owner, Jolley said. Three were empty. There were no hazardous materials on any of the vessels, the city said.

The Coast Guard put out a broadcast notice to mariners to inform them about the potential hazard, but high water was preventing traffic on the river, Jolley said.

The barges were owned or operated by Campbell Transportation Co., the city’s statement said. Jolley said Coast Guard officials were working with the owner on a salvage plan. Pennsylvania State Police and other agencies were also alerted.

The vulnerability of bridges to strikes from barges and ships came into stark relief last month when a container ship rammed a support of the major Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, collapsing the span and leading to the deaths or presumptive deaths of six road workers.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

FACT CHECK: Newsom Says Film Subsidies Bring Jobs to California

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FACT CHECK: Newsom Says Film Subsidies Bring Jobs to California

(David Mastio, The Center Square) Does California need to pay Hollywood to make films in … Hollywood?

In a press release this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom pointed to the economic growth produced by subsidies for film and TV production in the state as a key part of his “California Jobs First initiative.”

“From bringing Fallout home to keeping classics in California, this program has helped our iconic, world-leading entertainment sector create tens of thousands of good jobs for Californians and generate billions of dollars for communities across the state over the past 15 years,” Gov. Newsom said.

But economists call claims about film subsidies vastly inflated. “Peer-reviewed studies are unanimous that the incentives do not spur economic growth, nor do they create a sufficient number of jobs to justify the cost,” Professor Michael Thom of the University of Southern California told The Center Square. “As California’s budget deficit balloons, taxpayers can scarcely afford to subsidize television shows.”

The California Film Commission disagrees. “California’s Film and Television Tax Credit program has continuously delivered for California’s taxpayers, ensuring the state retains production jobs while maximizing economic impact. For every tax credit dollar allocated through this program, the state can expect significant returns – not just in Hollywood, but in communities across California where our unmatched crews, talent, infrastructure and locations have made us the world’s entertainment capital,” Colleen Bell said in a statement to The Center Square.

When asked about the discrepancy, the governor’s press office defended the governor’s statement citing a study done for the Motion Picture Association which represents firms who have benefited from billions of dollars in subsidies from the program since it was put in place in 2009. The firm that conducted the analysis for the MPA previously tried to hide its connections to industry lobbyists, according to Thom and the LA Times.

The study is based on a computer model called IMPLAN developed for the U.S. Forest Service to model policy decisions about natural resource management in forests and grasslands. Economists are highly critical of the model, which costs about $1,000 and non-economists can be trained to use in a few hours.

In a peer-reviewed analysis of IMPLAN in 2019, Texas A&M Professor John Crompton derided the model as “easy for unscrupulous sponsors and their consultants to (use to) produce ‘mischievous’ analyses designed to … position their project in the minds of elected officials and taxpayers as being a key element in a community’s economy.”

He cited 25 flaws in the program, including the fact that it only counts the benefits of subsidized projects and none of the costs and that “fudged multiplier coefficients” produce inflated results.

Indeed, even the study cited by Gov. Newsom’s office acknowledges that its results may be inflated by nearly 50% as the state’s own data show that nearly half of projects that don’t get subsidies stay in California anyway.

The consensus that film and TV subsidy programs don’t work is so solid that even the think tanks on the right and left that disagree about everything else are in accord on the flaws of the programs. Michigan’s right-leaning Mackinac Center argues they don’t work and Washington’s left-wing Center for Budget and Policy Priorities sings kumbaya.

Newsom and California are not alone in pursuing what economists call a “flawed” economic development plan. Since Hawaii became the first state to create a film and TV subsidy program in the 1990s, the programs have spread to dozens of states of all political persuasions. Red states Texas and Oklahoma are in what The New York Times called a “border war” in expanding their own programs to compete with each other.

Feds, Scientists Take Fire for Allegedly Hiding COVID Origins Truth

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Feds, Scientists Take Fire for Allegedly Hiding COVID Origins Truth

(Casey Harper, The Center Square) A Republican-led Congressional committee says a scientist and top advisor to Anthony Fauci used his personal email to hide evidence related to the origins of COVID-19.

Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, sent a letter to the National Emerging Infectious Disease Institute asking for more information about these communications.

“The Select Subcommittee is now aware of potential further attempts by Dr. [David] Morens to subvert public transparency,” the letter said. “Specifically, the Select Subcommittee has been made aware of alleged communications between Dr. Morens and you regarding EcoHealth Alliance.

“These communications included emails from Dr. [David] Morens’ personal Gmail account to you and Dr. Peter Daszak of EcoHealth,” the letter adds.

Critics say the use of a personal email account allowed Morens to avoid having his emails obtained by official records requests.

At least some of the email exchanges, handed over by a whistleblower, were with Dr. Peter Daszak, who leads EcoHealth, the controversial research group accused of having a role in the creation of COVID-19.

The federal government has denied the claim that partially taxpayer-funded EcoHealth had a role in COVID’s origin.

EcoHealth is a U.S. nonprofit research company that used taxpayer-funded grants to carry out coronavirus research.

Federal records show that EcoHealth was conducting coronavirus research involving bats in China when the pandemic broke out.

As The Center Square previously reported, a federal grant database reports that the same group has received millions in taxpayer funds from the federal government over the past decade to research coronaviruses that originate in animals and in some cases can transfer to humans.

A highly disputed part of the inquiry is whether EcoHealth Alliance’s research involved making coronaviruses more dangerous to humans.

As lawmakers have dug into the issue, they have raised more questions.

“In today’s letter to Dr. Keusch and Boston University, Chairman Wenstrup is requesting the production of any documents and communication related to correspondence with Dr. Morens, Dr. Daszak, and other individuals and entities with knowledge of and access to COVID-19 origins material,” Wenstrup’s office said. “This letter continues our investigation into the potential cover-up of COVID-19 origins information by America’s public health authorities.”

EcoHealth released a statement after initial reports of these emails rebuffing many of the claims and releasing what it says are the original emails in question in a news release.

“These reports do not show the full text of the emails in question, but allege that they are part of a cover up, or represent inappropriate communications,” the group said in a statement. “Contrary to the news reports, they show clearly that EcoHealth Alliance was appropriately communicating with senior staff at the NIH, or who formerly worked at NIH, to try to identify ways to reinstate a grant that had been terminated unexpectedly and arbitrarily, then suspended with onerous conditions. The grant was subsequently reinstated by NIH, and EcoHealth Alliance is currently working under this grant to conduct critical scientific research to prevent future pandemics.”

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., in particular has been outpoken on this issue, stating that more than a dozen federal agencies were aware that federally funded research was being done on coronaviruses in China to make them more dangerous.

“Newly obtained documents confirm yet again Fauci lied about COVID. Fauci’s NIH lab was a partner with Wuhan on a proposal to engineer a highly transmissible coronavirus in 2018,” Paul wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “But he wasn’t alone, 15 government agencies knew about it and said nothing. Americans deserve answers.”

Biden’s Easing of Iran Sanctions in Focus After Missile Strike on Israel

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Biden’s Easing of Iran Sanctions in Focus After Missile Strike on Israel

(Dan McCaleb, The Center Square) Joe Biden is taking heat from Republicans for easing sanctions on Iran – including giving the terrorist-sponsoring nation access to billions of dollars in previously frozen assets – before it launched a massive drone attack on U.S. ally Israel.

Iran fired more than 300 drone and other missiles into Israel during the early morning hours Sunday (Israel time) in response to Israel’s strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria on April 1. Israel said 99% of the missiles were intercepted and damage from the attack was limited, with no fatalities, but the escalation is drawing wider concern of a potentially heightened conflict in the Middle East.

Republican members of Congress in part blamed the Biden administration’s easing of sanctions against Iran for the attack.

“Iran has encircled Israel and has been attacking our Israeli allies from almost every front for months,” U.S. Sen Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said in a statement. “They have launched attacks from Syria, Iraq, Yemen, the West Bank, Hezbollah-controlled Lebanon, and of course the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Now they have escalated by launching attacks directly from Iranian territory.”

Cruz continued: “These attacks are enabled and financed by deliberate policy choices made by Joe Biden and Biden officials, who have allowed roughly $100 billion to flow to Iran since 2021. Americans and Israelis have been made catastrophically more vulnerable by these policies.”

Biden eased the sanctions, which gave Iran access to billions of dollars in assets that previously had been frozen, in an attempt to get the country to follow the terms of a nuclear deal struck under former President Barrack Obama.

Republican U.S. Rep. Rep. Greg Steube of Florida also blamed Iran’s missile attack in part on the Biden administration.

“Biden’s weakness has given billions to Iran to launch attacks on US Soldiers and now Israel. All their military capability should be destroyed and severe economic sanctions put back in place, Steube said, according to Florida Politics. “The Iranians were broke when Trump left office and now they are enriched, empowered and emboldened.”

In a statement, President Joe Biden condemned the attacks and said the U.S. will do its part to support Israel.

“At my directions, to support the defense of Israel, the U.S. military moved aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers to the region over the course of the past week,” Biden said. “Thanks to these deployments and the extraordinary skill of our servicemembers, we helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles.”

Israel promised retaliation, but Biden said the U.S. would not assist Israel in any counteroffensive. Instead, Biden said he “will convene my fellow G7 leaders to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack.”

Former President Donald Trump said on social media late Saturday that Iran would never had attacked Israel if he were still president.

“The weakness that we’ve shown is unbelievable,” Trump said on Truth Social. “It would not have happened if we were in office.”

Israel has been engaged in a war with Hamas in Gaza after the Iranian-backed terrorist organization killed more than 1,100 people and took hundreds of hostages in an Oct. 7 sneak attack. After Israel invaded Gaza, antisemitic incidents increased throughout the U.S. by 360%, according to preliminary data published by the Anti-Defamation League.

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