House Leaders Hint at Imminent Mayorkas Impeachment After Jan. 31

Luis Cornelio
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House Leaders Hint at Imminent Mayorkas Impeachment After Jan. 31

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The Republican-led impeachment proceedings against Alejandro Mayorkas, the scandal-plagued DHS secretary, are nearing the finish line, according to two congressional leaders who spoke on Sunday. 

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., both provided updates on the impeachment proceedings against Mayorkas, focusing on what they characterized as the DHS chief’s dereliction of duty at the southern border. 

“The Founding Fathers talked about breach of public trust was sufficient for impeachment, and we intend to go forward. Chairman Mark Green is doing a great job. We’re working together: articles of impeachment [on] January 31st, and we will impeach him after that,” Mccaul said in an interview with Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo.

Echoing McCaul’s remarks, Green expressed that Mayorkas has violated federal law by refusing to deport illegal aliens crossing the southern border. “[Mayorkas] has subverted the laws passed by congress, ignoring a coequal branch of government,” Green said. 

“It’s very clear, the law says, ‘Shall detain,’ and Mayorkas has done everything not to detain. In fact, he’s created systems of what he calls, ‘Lawful parole,’ but it’s totally contradicting the Immigration and Nationality Act that was passed by this congress,” Green continued.

The House Homeland Security chairman is leading an impeachment investigation into Mayorkas over what many describe as widespread lawlessness at the southern border. In December alone, Border Patrol encountered 302,000 illegal aliens—the highest number ever recorded in U.S. history and the first time the number has exceeded 300,000. 

“The executive branch executes the laws, congress writes laws,” Green added. “If a cabinet secretary doesn’t believe in those laws, he should run for congress and come over here and change them. He shouldn’t just like a king, do whatever he wants. And that’s basically what Mayorkas has done.” 

If Republicans proceed with such a resolution, Mayorkas would be the second cabinet member to be impeached. The only cabinet member previously impeached was Defense Secretary William Belknap in 1876, over a corruption scandal in the Grant administration.

Leftist AG James Rebuked for Prosecuting Cop in Suspected Drug Dealer’s Death

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Leftist AG James Rebuked for Prosecuting Cop in Suspected Drug Dealer’s Death

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) An influential police union has criticized New York Attorney General Letitia James, a radical Democrat, for her controversial decision to prosecute an NYPD sergeant in the death of a suspected drug dealer. 

According to the New York Post, the Sergeants’ Benevolent Association on Friday called out James for leading a criminal indictment against NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran after the sergeant, then undercover, threw an ice cooler at Eric Duprey as the latter rode a scooter.

Duprey died as a result of “blunt force injuries of the head” following the accident. At the time, he was allegedly fleeing a drug bust in the Bronx, New York, before the sergeant threw the cooler, causing Duprey to crash into a vehicle. He was initially identified as a crack-cocaine dealer, according to the NYPD. 

SBA President Vincent Vallelong rebuked the indictment of Duran, who he said was doing his job at the time of the accident. 

“The demonization of Sgt. Duran and the criminalization of his actions once again proves the old adage that overzealous prosecutors with a political agenda can indict a ham sandwich if inclined to do so,” Vallelong declared in a statement, as reported by the NY Post. 

“Sgt. Duran made a split-second decision that was predicated solely on his concern for the safety of others. Now he has become the latest victim of a legal system that treats honest hard-working cops as criminals and criminals as victims,” Vallelong continued. 

Following the accident, Duran was suspended. The suspected drug dealer had a felony assault charge pending before he died. 

He was allegedly riding the scooter at 40 miles per hour before being intercepted by the sergeant who threw the cooler. The SBA said that if the officer had not thrown the cooler, the suspected drug dealer would have caused the death of nearby bystanders. 

As reported by the NY Post, the alleged drug dealer’s family “put a hit” on the sergeant’s head as a result of the man’s death. The SBA stated that if James had properly probed the death, state prosecutors would have found that the sergeant’s actions were “justified, warranted, and lawful.” 

Vallelong added, “Instead, the Attorney General has once again displayed her fecklessness at the expense of a well-respected NYPD Sergeant who did the right thing.” 

The sergeant is expected to turn himself in on Tuesday to be processed for the state charges. 

BREAKING: DeSantis Drops Out 2024 Race, Endorses Trump

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BREAKING: DeSantis Drops Out 2024 Race, Endorses Trump

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has officially suspended his bid for the Republican nomination for president, choosing instead to endorse former President Donald Trump, the front-runner and presumed nominee. 

DeSantis’ decision to conclude his presidential aspirations marks the end of a tumultuous era characterized by scandals, low polls and concerns that he was tarnishing his image as America’s favorite governor.

In a heartfelt video lasting over four minutes, shared on Twitter, DeSantis revealed that he made the decision to withdraw following his second-place loss in the Iowa caucuses. 

“Now, following our second-place finish in Iowa, we’ve prayed and deliberated on the way forward,” DeSantis said. “If there was anything I could do to produce a favorable outcome, more campaign stops, more interviews, I would do it. But I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources. We don’t have a clear path to victory. Accordingly, I am today suspending my campaign.” 

Notably, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, the remaining presidential candidate, and Trump would likely vie for DeSantis’ supporters (although it isn’t immediately clear how many of DeSantis’s supporters would back Haley). However, in the same speech, DeSantis endorsed Trump while simultaneously taking a jab at Haley.

“It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” DeSantis continued, before adding, “He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.” 

DeSantis secured second place in the Iowa caucuses and was polling second and even third in some polls in the New Hampshire primary. 

Trump has since expressed willingness to reconcile with those who ran against him. He has hosted campaign events with North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, tech mogul Vivek Ramaswamy, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, all of whom unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination. 

While many are eyeing DeSantis for a potential Trump-DeSantis ticket, the Florida governor has previously stated his preference to remain as governor rather than become vice president. 

Most recently, Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s son, expressed his desire to see his father consider DeSantis for a potential vice president role. 

Vance Says DNC Media Machine Will Destroy Haley: She ‘Does Have Baggage’

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Vance Says DNC Media Machine Will Destroy Haley: She ‘Does Have Baggage’

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, dismissed Sunday the idea among some Republican voters that former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley might have a smoother path to the White House compared to former President Donald Trump in terms of political baggage. 

Haley has consistently argued that she is the right choice for the Republican nomination because, unlike Trump, she lacks baggage. However, countering Haley’s campaign slogan that picking Trump for the Republican nomination would be a choice for “chaos,” Vance remarked, “Nikki does have baggage.”

Vance’s comments were made during a Sunday interview on Fox News Sunday with Shannon Bream. He added, “She has not faced the onslaught of years of media attacks, of super PACs attacks that Donald Trump has faced and the fact Trump is still standing and is still leading against Joe Biden suggests he has real political resilience,” he added. 

Currently serving as a campaign surrogate for Trump and potentially a candidate for the Trump 2024 ticket if he secures the nomination, Vance argued that Haley would easily become entangled in ongoing ads and political attacks if she were the nominee.

“I know a lot of people who are choosing Nikki Haley think she is the low-baggage candidate. In reality, she’s the candidate that Democrats haven’t teed off on. But they will tee off on her if she is the nominee.” 

Vance continued, “I don’t think she will survive, and I certainly don’t think she would win the presidency through it. That is why we need to elect the guy who showed some resilience. That’s why we need to nominate Donald Trump.” 

Later in the show, Vance predicted that Haley would face criticism for proposing to raise the retirement age for Social Security entitlement. 

“We have to ask ourselves not what polls would say today, but what do polls say when Democrats run ads saying, ‘Nikki Haley wants to slash social security so that she can send more to foreign countries,’ that is what they’re going to do because that is in fact what Nikki Haley says she wants to do on the campaign trail.”

The senator’s remarks come against the backdrop of the Republican primaries, where Trump, Haley, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are competing for the nomination. Trump consistently leads both Haley and DeSantis in the race, fueling speculation that they may be running for a vice-presidential spot. 

Trump comfortably won the Iowa caucuses and maintains a strong lead in the New Hampshire primary, scheduled for Jan. 23. 

Chicago Mayor Allegedly Treated for ‘Panic Attacks’ over Job Stress, Immigration

Luis Cornelio
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Chicago Mayor Allegedly Treated for ‘Panic Attacks’ over Job Stress, Immigration

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, has been taken to the hospital for “panic attacks” stemming from the stress of being mayor, a veteran reporter revealed during a podcast on Jan. 15.

Anita Padilla, Director of Florida’s Voice News, and podcast host John Kass broke this news in the latest edition of the WGN-AM’s Chicago Way Podcast, drawing on information from multiple sources, according to the Post Millennial.

Padilla, who spent 25 years as an anchor in Chicago, said she has received information from sources that Johnson has been treated for panic attacks because he is “stressed out.” 

During a discussion on rampant illegal immigration in Chicago, Kass said: “No amount of anti-depressants can cure him of this problem.”

Padilla concurred, expressing her intent to address the matter, leading Kass to inquire further: “The panic attacks? The mayor’s panic attacks? Can we talk about that?”

“Can we talk about that?” Padilla responded. “Because sources told me, two sources told me that he has been in the hospital for these panic attacks. And he is stressed out because this is a big, big job for him.”

Later in the podcast, Padilla delved into the scathing perception that Johnson lacked leadership qualities for the job. 

“He’s not a leader. I’m sorry. He’s not a leader,” Padilla continued. “A leader. … brings people up and supports them and the Chicago Police are still waiting to see where that comes from. Yeah, he put in a good superintendent. But I still think that he needs to prove himself to the police. You know, where does he stand on that? But this immigration issue? This is not helping him at all this situation.” 

Directly addressing immigration, Padilla said that the mayor should blame Chicago’s sanctuary status rather than Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for bussing illegal aliens into Chicago. 

Addressing the immigration issue directly, Padilla pointed to Chicago’s sanctuary status as the primary factor driving the presence of illegal aliens, rather than attributing it to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for transporting them into Chicago. 

“When you call yourself a ‘sanctuary city’, you call yourself a ‘sanctuary state’ and guess what’s gonna happen?” Padilla said. “Don’t blame Texas because Texas—if you look at what they’re dealing with, they have a massive influx. We don’t even show the videos on television.” 

In recent months, Johnson and Abbott engaged in a dispute over the transportation of illegal aliens into Chicago, with Johnson suing charter bus companies to restrict their access to the city.

Johnson also urged the Biden administration to act against illegal immigration but focused on advocating for job permits for undocumented individuals in Chicago. 

The city faced criticism following the death of a 5-year-old child in a Chicago shelter for illegal aliens, shedding light on the dire conditions in the self-proclaimed sanctuary city.  

Chicago’s sanctuary status implies non-collaboration with federal immigration authorities for the detention of undocumented individuals.

It isn’t immediately clear whether the Chicago mayor’s office has publicly addressed the panic attack reports.

Fla. AG: Fake Xanax, aka ‘Benzo Dope,’ Is Dangerous New Drug on Market

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Fla. AG: Fake Xanax, aka ‘Benzo Dope,’ Is Dangerous New Drug on Market

(Bethany Blankley, The Center Square) Attorney General Ashley Moody is warning Floridians and Americans about another illicit drug on the market: fake Xanax, known as “benzo dope.”

In an alert, she said there’s an increase in the number of deaths nationwide from bromazolam, a potent benzodiazepine, which is reportedly being mixed with illicit fentanyl, she said.

“It is imperative that Floridians understand how dangerous bromazolam is on its own,” Moody said. “It is also reportedly mixed with fentanyl, leading to adverse health conditions, overdoses and even deaths – including here in Florida. Please, never use an illicit substance. Just one pill can kill.”

“Bromazolam is a ‘designer’ triazolobenzodiazepine synthesized in 1976 but never approved for therapeutic use,” the CDC warned in a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released earlier this month. “Since its first detection in Sweden in 2016, a significant increase has persisted in both the toxicologic identification of bromazolam in combination with fentanyl and its identification in counterfeit benzodiazepine preparations.”

Benzodiazepines are “a class of medications that work in the central nervous system and are used for a variety of medical conditions, such as anxiety, seizures, and for alcohol withdrawal,” Drugs.com explains. Common examples are Xanax (generic: alprazolam), Valium, (generic: diazepam) and Ativan (generic: lorazepam).

Moody pointed to a 2022 Center for Forensic Science Research and Education alert stating, “bromazolam has been identified in more than 250 toxicology cases submitted to NMS Labs, including both antemortem and postmortem investigations.” Bromazolam had also been identified in more than 190 toxicology samples the center tested. In the first quarter of 2021, the center found a 1% increase in positivity of the drug in its toxicology samples; by the second quarter of 2022, it found a 13% increase.

“More significantly, co-detections with fentanyl have increased in recent months to more than 75% for bromazolam positive samples,” it reported. Bromazolam had also been confirmed in counterfeit benzodiazepine preparations at the CFSRE, it said.

The CFSRE also reported that bromazolam accounted for 4% of novel benzodiazepines in circulation in 2021. It now estimates that bromazolam’s presence increased to 73% of the supply of novel benzodiazepines through the first six months of 2023.

The CFSRE reported that 83% of its samples tested positive for fentanyl, prompting Moody to issue her alert.

Adverse effects from taking the drug, CFSRE said, “include loss of coordination, drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, slurred speech, muscle relaxation, respiratory depression, and, in some cases, death.”

It emphasized that these “factors make their presence in forensic cases of high importance, paired with increasing concerns over combinations of benzodiazepines with opioids, colloquially known as ‘benzo-dope.’”

Health authorities have found that naloxone, which has been successful in reversing opioid overdoses if administered quickly enough, does not reverse benzodiazepine overdoses.

The CDC reported that the number of law enforcement seizures in the U.S. that involved bromazolam increased from “no more than three per year during 2016–2018 to 2,142 in 2022, and 2,913 in 2023.”

It also said, “It is essential that physicians, medical examiners, toxicology laboratories, public health officials, and emergency responders be aware of the increased presence of bromazolam both in polydrug ingestions and in substance use disorder patients who report the use of benzodiazepines.”

Moody’s office has published a Dose of Reality website to educate Floridians, and Americans, about the dangers of illicit substances, how and where to receive support.

Wisconsin Republicans Want Voters to Decide on Abortion Limitations

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Wisconsin Republicans Want Voters to Decide on Abortion Limitations

(Headline USA) Republicans who control the Wisconsin Assembly introduced a bill Friday that would call for a binding statewide referendum on whether abortion should be banned after 14 weeks of pregnancy.

The GOP has scheduled a public hearing on the bill for Monday afternoon at the state Capitol.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is almost certain to veto the measure.

Abortion has been an ongoing political issue in Wisconsin. A Dane County judge ruled this past summer that Wisconsin’s 174-year-old ban on abortion only prohibits feticide, or an attempt to kill an unborn child. The ruling emboldened Planned Parenthood, which had ceased providing services in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision, to resume operations in September. The case is on appeal, though, and likely will end up before the state Supreme Court.

Monday’s hearing is set for the same day Kamala Harris is set to visit Waukesha County as part of a nationwide tour promoting infanticide, promising plenty of headlines for both sides on abortion.

Another Wisconsin law bans abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The bill Friday would outlaw abortions after 14 weeks of pregnancy, or about three months.

Forty-three states prohibit abortions after a certain point of viability. Two states — Georgia and South Carolina — have laws in effect that ban abortion at six weeks, before many women realize they are pregnant. Nebraska and North Carolina have laws in effect that outlaw abortion at 12 weeks. Arizona and Florida have laws in effect that prohibit abortion at 15 weeks.

The proposal calls for a statewide referendum conducted during April’s election asking voters whether the 14-week prohibition should take effect. If approved, the bill would take effect the day after the results are certified. If the question is rejected, the bill would not take effect.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Poll: Nearly a Third of Voters Lack Confidence in 2024 Presidential Election

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Poll: Nearly a Third of Voters Lack Confidence in 2024 Presidential Election

(Corey Walker, The Center Square) – With primary season under way, nearly one third of registered voters think the 2024 presidential election will not be conducted fairly or accurately, according to a new poll.

The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll conducted in conjunction with Noble Predictive Insights shows that most Americans have faith that votes will be counted correctly and the true winner of the contest will assume the role of the presidency.

The survey asked respondents, “How confident are you that the vote will be counted correctly in 2024?” and “How confident are you that the true winner of the 2024 election will be sworn in as president?”

Among likely voters, 37% indicated they were “very confident” that votes would be counted accurately in the November election and an additional 28% were “somewhat confident.” In contrast, 19% of respondents answered they were “not very confident” and 13% said they were “not confident at all” that the votes will be tallied correctly. Four percent of likely voters indicated they are “not sure.”
Likely Republican voters were evenly split and had the most doubts, with 48% saying they were either very or somewhat confident but 48% also saying they were not very confident or not confident at all and 4% unsure.
TCS VVP Trust in 2024 vote count
Kate Guenther | The Center Square

Most likely voters also say that the true victor of the election will become the next president. Among likely voters, 38% indicate they are “very confident” and an additional 30% say they are  “somewhat confident” that the “true winner” of the election will become the next president.

Conversely, 17% are “not very confident” and 9% are “not confident at all” that the actual winner of the election will serve as president. Seven percent of respondents say they are “not sure.”

Along party lines, Republicans have less trust in the upcoming election outcome than Democrats.While 52% of likely Republican voters trust that the true winner of the election will be sworn in as president, 40% do not while 8% are unsure. Among Democrats, 80% trust that the true winner of the election will be sworn in as president while just 12% do not, with 7% unsure.

TCS VVP Trust in election outcome
Kate Guenther | The Center Square

Opinions on the upcoming election are divided along levels of educational attainment, with 67% of college degree-holders and 60% of non-degree holders expressing confidence the votes will be counted accurately. Seventy-two percent of college graduates and 61% of non-degree holders believe the ‘true winner’ of the election will be ‘sworn in’ as the next president.

These results come amid mounting concerns over voter trust in the legitimacy of the American election processes. A June Monmouth poll found that 3-in-10 Americans believe that Joe Biden won the 2020 election solely due to voter fraud.

The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll was conducted in conjunction with Noble Predictive Insights and surveyed 2,573 Americans from Jan. 2-4, including about an even number of Republicans and Democrats as well as 266 “true independents,” which are independents who indicated they do not lean toward either party. The poll has a margin of error of about 2%

Trump Turns the Tables on Biden: An ‘Absolute Threat to Democracy’

Luis Cornelio
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Trump Turns the Tables on Biden: An ‘Absolute Threat to Democracy’

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Former President Donald Trump is pushing back against President Joe Biden’s and Democrats’ attempt to portray him as a so-called threat to democracy. 

In a Friday interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Trump countered the Democratic talking point by labeling Biden, the scandal-plagued Democrat, as an “absolute” threat to the nation. 

“Now, Biden is a threat to democracy. He is an absolute threat to democracy. He’s very dangerous for a couple of reasons,” declared Trump, before calling the president “grossly incompetent.” 

The former president’s remark came during a discussion on efforts to remove him from the Republican primary ballots over claims that the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution bars him from holding public office again.

Specifically, they claim that Trump’s alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021 protests, which Democrats claimed was an insurrection, disqualifies him from holding elected office. Despite numerous Democrat-led criminal indictments, Trump has not yet been indicted or convicted of such an offense. 

“It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? A party that is making an argument that democracy is in peril couldn’t be more undemocratic as they try to remove your name from even running and even having your name on the ticket,” Hannity said, predicting that the U.S. Supreme Court would overturn a Colorado Supreme Court decision to block Trump from the state’s primary ballots. 

“We put on three great justices, and you have the other great justices up there, and they’re not going to take the vote away from the people,” Trump replied, before adding: “I’m sure the Supreme Court is going to say, ‘We are not going to take the vote away from the people.’” 

In the same segment, Trump rebuked the Biden-led Department of Justice and the cabinet. “They are young and smart and they are communists and they are Marxists, fascists, and they are running this country. They are running it right into the ground,” he said.

Biden Stonewalls Investigation on Contentious Move to Halt Firearm Licenses

Luis Cornelio
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Biden Stonewalls Investigation on Contentious Move to Halt Firearm Licenses

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The House Oversight Committee has threatened to issue subpoenas due to the Biden administration’s refusal to disclose information related to its contentious decision to pause the issuance of new export licenses for firearms, firearm components and immunity for 90 days. 

In a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., called out the agency for its failure to respond to a Nov. 28, 2023, letter requesting information about what Comer described as the targeting of the “firearm industry.”

Initially, Comer issued pointed questions about the Commerce-housed Bureau of Industry and Security’s move to block new licenses as it investigated alleged ways to mitigate that such new firearms would not be used to promote global instability, perpetrate human rights violations or engage in other criminal activities. 

“The deadline for Commerce to produce the requested information was December 12, 2023. Commerce is now more than five weeks delinquent in satisfying those requests,” wrote Comer, highlighting the letter that followed the Commerce Department’s decision to ban new permits. 

“Despite attempts by Committee staff to obtain status updates on Commerce’s efforts to identify and produce the requested documents, Commerce has failed to provide any substantive status updates or a timeline of their activities working toward production,” he added. 

The decision to halt the export licenses affected mostly civilian firearms and ammunition, excluding Ukraine and Israel. 

In an Oct. 27, 2023, press release, the Commerce Department claimed the move was needed to “further assess current firearm export control review policies to determine whether any changes are warranted to advance U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.” 

It added, “The review will be conducted with urgency and will enable the Department to more effectively assess and mitigate risk of firearms being diverted to entities or activities that promote regional instability, violate human rights, or fuel criminal activities.” 

Strikingly, the Commerce Department did not specify specific examples of wrongdoing or conflicts for the reasoning behind the blockage of new licenses. 

When pressed for information, Commerce failed to meet the deadline on a letter from the House Oversight. 

“If Commerce continues to fail to produce the requested documents by January 26, 2024, we will consider other measures, including the use of compulsory process, to gain compliance and obtain this material,” Comer said. 

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