John Kerry, Biden’s Embattled Climate Czar, to Call It Quits

Luis Cornelio
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John Kerry, Biden’s Embattled Climate Czar, to Call It Quits

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry is set to leave the Biden administration by the winter of 2024 to prop up the struggling Biden campaign’s climate agenda, multiple media outlets reported Saturday. 

Kerry, appointed by President Joe Biden as his chief climate representative since January 2021, will transition to articulating talking points for the Biden re-election campaign. White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients is reportedly working with Kerry on the transition from government work to the campaign.

Despite his office being within the Department of State, Kerry directly reports to Biden under a cabinet-level agreement, marking three tumultuous years as the first Biden-appointed climate “envoy.” 

Although holding a high-ranking position comparable to other cabinet members requiring Senate confirmation, Kerry himself has not undergone Senate confirmation. 

Kerry’s impending departure followed a scathing report from the Boston Herald, stemming from a Freedom of Information Request investigation. 

The report revealed that his office spends a staggering $4.3 million in taxpayer funds for annual operations.

The Herald‘s investigation did not disclose the names of the high-ranking officers working under Kerry’s office due to so-called security concerns cited by the Department of State. 

Furthermore, Kerry’s office faced scrutiny from the House Oversight Committee for an alleged collaboration with radical environmentalist groups. 

In a Jan. 5 letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Comer stated, “The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is continuing its investigation into the activities of the office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate (SPEC).” 

Comer added, “Documents produced to the Committee reveal that the State Department sought and received feedback from leftist environmental groups on the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) and enabled those groups to influence U.S. foreign policy.” 

Additionally, over two dozen Republicans introduced the No Taxpayer Funding for Climate Zealots Advancing Radical Schemes Act to defund Kerry’s office, according to Fox News. 

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, the sponsor of the bill, stated on Twitter, “John Kerry is a climate zealot destroying reliable American energy and doesn’t deserve a dime of taxpayer funding.”

Dem. Judge Orders Trump to Pay $400K to NY Times After Outlet Leaked Taxes

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Dem. Judge Orders Trump to Pay $400K to NY Times After Outlet Leaked Taxes

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Former President Donald Trump has been ordered to pay a $392,638 fee to the leftist New York Times after he unsuccessfully sued the newspaper over the disclosure of private tax and financial filings. 

On Friday, New York Supreme Court Justice Robert Reed, a Democrat, granted the legal fees as compensation for the failed lawsuit against the newspaper and Mary L. Trump, the former president’s infamous niece. Reed directed Trump to pay $229,921 to NY Times reporters Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner and $162,717.69 to reporter David Barstow, according to a court order.

“Today’s decision shows that the state’s newly amended anti-SLAPP statute can be a powerful force for protecting press freedom,” claimed Danielle Rhoades Ha, a spokesperson for the NY Times. Similarly, Barstow, one of the journalist sued, celebrated the decision on Twitter, stating, “Not fun to be sued personally for $100 million.”

Trump attorney Alina Habba said that the former president will continue its lawsuit against his niece.

“While we are disappointed that the NY Times is no longer in this matter, we are pleased that the Court once again affirmed the strength of our claims against Mary and is denying her attempt to avoid accountability,” Habba said in a statement, according to the NBC News “We look forward to proceeding with our claims against her.”

Initially, Trump aimed to hold the NY Times responsible for encouraging his niece to leak his tax filings, along with 100,000 pages of financial documents, as admitted by the NY Times itself.

Years earlier, Trump and his niece had reached a settlement that included a confidentiality provision arising from Trump’s father’s will. 

However, the NY Times, citing documents provided by Mary Trump, published a report in 2018 that contained private information related to the former president. The 2018 report claimed that Fred Trump gave his son, Donald Trump, approximately $413 million in tax avoidance plans over several decades. 

In a $100 million defamation lawsuit, Trump rebuked the report and accused the NY Times and his niece of being “by a personal vendetta and their desire to gain fame, notoriety, acclaim and a financial windfall and were further intended to advance their political agenda.” 

However, Reed removed the NY Times from the lawsuit over the claims that reporters have the right to engage in “newsgathering” without fear. Specifically, Reed agreed with the NY Times’ attorneys that Trump’s lawsuit against the newspaper was “frivolous.”

In May 2023, Reed claimed, “Courts have long recognized that reporters are entitled to engage in legal and ordinary newsgathering activities without fear of tort liability — as these actions are at the very core of protected First Amendment activity.”

Mary Trump remains a defendant in the lawsuit.

Biden Challenger Rebukes DNC Primary Meddling, Alleged Media Blackballing

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Biden Challenger Rebukes DNC Primary Meddling, Alleged Media Blackballing

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) One of President Joe Biden’s primary challengers, Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., has criticized allegedly being blackballed from MSNBC and what he characterized as a hypocritical plan to thwart the Democratic primary race. 

During a tell-all interview with Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club on Friday, Phillips called out the Democratic Party for claiming they are fighting “for democracy” while simultaneously blocking him from freely and fairly challenging Biden’s re-election bid. 

“How can Democrats say we’re fighting for democracy, we’re fighting to make voting easier, and then yet removing me from the ballot in Florida and North Carolina?” Phillips questioned. “How can you say you are for free speech and protecting freedom and democracy and not even consent to doing one debate? How can you say this?”

Phillips, a two-term lawmaker hailing from Minnesota who is not seeking re-election for his congressional seat, announced in 2023 he would seek the Democratic nomination for president, challenging Biden, the incumbent president.  

Ever since his announcement, Phillips has faced stonewalling from several states’ Democratic Party, many of which have canceled their primary and automatically tapped Biden as their respective states’ nominee. 

Addressing the canceled primaries, Phillips told the Breakfast Club, “Right now, they’re saying this to the voters in New Hampshire, that their vote doesn’t count, that this is a meaningless primary. And it’s true, by the way, Democratic voters in Florida, North Carolina and New Hampshire—their votes don’t count because in two states, there isn’t going to be a Democratic primary and the other state, there is and their votes aren’t gonna matter. And this is the United States of America.” 

Phillips rebuked the Democratic Party’s alleged obstruction on the same day an interview with the candidate was published by Politico. In the interview, he accused MSNBC of blackballing him at the request of the Biden campaign. 

“I’m appalled,” stated Phillips, expressing his dismay to Politico. I’m disappointed. I’m disgusted that professionals who ostensibly have committed their entire careers to sharing truth and to providing facts and to sharing information with American voters … are fundamentally avoiding their responsibilities.” 

He specifically pointed fingers at the Biden campaign, accusing them of carrying out “antithetical” acts by allegedly requesting MSNBC not to interview him. 

“I do know of specific cases where representatives of the Biden campaign have been very clear to others about trying to not attend events of mine, to not support me, and to not platform me,” he continued, before adding. “It is almost antithetical to democratic principles, which include debate, deliberation and ultimately compromise.”

House Committee to Hold Second Hearing on Mayorkas, Border Failures

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House Committee to Hold Second Hearing on Mayorkas, Border Failures

(Bethany Blankley, The Center Square) The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security is holding its second hearing next week as part of its efforts to bring impeachment proceedings against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

The hearing will examine the human cost of the border crisis, and witnesses will testify as to how they’ve been impacted it.

“The human cost of Secretary Mayorkas’ failed leadership and decision-making is truly immeasurable. Due to his refusal to uphold his oath of office, tens of thousands of families have suffered the devasting loss of loved ones due to the smuggling of fentanyl across our open Southwest border, law enforcement at our borders and across the country have been completely overwhelmed, and countless Americans and migrants have lost their lives at the hands of vicious cartels and gang members,” committee chairman Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., said.

At the first hearing held this week, committee members heard from attorneys general from Montana, Oklahoma and Missouri who testified about how the border crisis was impacting their states. They also said it was Congress’ constitutional duty to impeach Mayorkas.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen described how “Mayorkas’ failed leadership … turned the border into an effectively meaningless 2,000-mile line in the sand, ceding operational control to Mexican drug cartels – some of the most savage and depraved organizations in world history. In turn, the cartels have seized on Secretary Mayorkas’ weakness, driving addiction and death in our country, expanding their enterprises into human trafficking and smuggling, and engaging in a reign of terror in communities on both sides of the border …”

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey testified that Mayorkas had failed to secure the U.S. border when he and others in the military had secured Iraq’s border. Unlike Mayorkas, he said, “we closed the border to ensure the country was safe from those who wanted to cross the border to undermine the sovereignty and safety of the nation.”

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said law enforcement personnel were coming into daily contact with foreign nationals who entered our country illegally or who remain here illegally – or both. … Our law enforcement partners report that the foreign nationals most often involved in … illegal enterprises come from China and Mexico. We have identified individuals from many other countries, to include Cuba, Bulgaria and Russia.”’

The hearings follow the committee’s year-long investigation into “the causes, costs, and consequences of the unprecedented crisis at America’s borders.”

Mayorkas maintains he inherited a broken system from the Trump administration. He has called on Congress to provide more funding and argues impeachment articles are baseless . Mayorkas says he has no plans on resigning. He also has argued the border is secure and agents have operational control, claims Border Patrol chiefs have refuted.

He has been invited multiple times to appear before the committee but has not done so.

“After repeated invitations, offering Secretary Mayorkas multiple dates, the Secretary continues to refuse to appear before the Committee to testify specifically on the border crisis,” Green said. The committee’s most recent invitation was on Jan. 5 for the Jan. 18 hearing. After the committee received no communication until late on Jan. 11, the committee granted two extensions for an answer on Jan. 12. “Both [were] left unmet by the Secretary. After failing to accept our invitation or offer an alternative time to testify, the Committee is moving forward with hearing from victims of Secretary Mayorkas’ border crisis next week,” Green said.

The reason Mayorkas won’t be appearing before the committee next week is because he is hosting a delegation of Mexican officials. In response, Green said, “Yet again, this Secretary is putting the interests of Mexico ahead of the American people. Apparently, he needs to be reminded that Congress is a co-equal branch of government, and our Committee, not Mexico, has oversight over his department.”

The committee first sent a letter to Mayorkas on Aug. 16, 2023, inviting him to testify about the border crisis. On Sept. 14, DHS rejected the invitation. The committee sent a follow-up letter on Sept. 18, reiterating its request for Mayorkas to appear before the Committee and to reply by a specific deadline. Several days after the requested deadline, DHS declined the invitation, stating DHS had “limited capacity” to respond to a hearing request.

Three articles of impeachment have been filed against Mayorkas claiming he is derelict in duty, is violating laws established by Congress, and his actions are creating a national security threat.

The hearings and plan to impeach Mayorkas come after more than 10 million illegal border crossers entered the U.S. since January 2021 under his watch, The Center Square first reported.

The hearing will be held at 9:30 am ET Thursday.

Cop Jumps into Frozen Pond to Save Girl

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Cop Jumps into Frozen Pond to Save Girl

(Headline USA) A Vermont state trooper plunged into a frigid pond and pulled out an 8-year-old girl who had fallen through the ice while playing with siblings.

The child survived and fully recovered after a brief hospital stay.

The girl and her younger sister fell through the thin ice on the pond on private property in the town of Cambridge on Dec. 17, state police said in a news release Friday.

The 80-year-old homeowner was able to pull the younger girl to shore but couldn’t reach the older girl, so called 911, officials said.

Trooper Michelle Archer was nearby and arrived less than five minutes later, police said.

She pulled a rope and flotation device from her cruiser, ran to the pond and swam to the girl, according to body camera video released by state police. She swam back to shore with the girl, and a second trooper who arrived as she was bringing her out of the water carried the child to a waiting ambulance.

The girl was taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington for treatment of injuries that at first were thought to be life-threatening, police said. She has made a complete recovery and returned home.

Vermont State Police leadership have commended Troopers Archer and Keith Cote and the homeowner “for their selfless, heroic conduct, and all three have been recommended to receive the agency’s Lifesaving Award,” state police said.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Bill Would Allow Washington Legislature to Ban Political Candidates

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Bill Would Allow Washington Legislature to Ban Political Candidates

(TJ Martinell, The Center Square) A Washington bill introduced this session would give the state Legislature and the Secretary of State the power to ban a political candidate from appearing on a ballot in the state.

House Bill 2150, sponsored by Rep. Kristine Reeves, D-Federal Way, sets up a process by which the Legislature and SOS can disqualify a candidate based on their interpretation of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits anyone from running for office who previously “shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same (United States), or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”

However, the bill also considers a candidate to be disqualified “who has been convicted of, or charged with and not yet acquitted of, any state or federal crime arising from actions taken while serving as a state or federal officer, whether or not those actions were taken in the course of official duties.” This section would be interpreted in conformity “with relevant court decisions interpreting that section.”

If passed, the bill could allow the Legislature to remove President Donald Trump, who is running for the office again and is currently facing several criminal charges though none regarding insurrection.

The bill would require political candidates to sign an oath created by SOS attesting that they are eligible to run. The Legislature would authorized to send a resolution to SOS by a simple majority vote requesting that a candidate be removed from the ballot and must “clearly state the grounds on which the legislature believes the candidate is or may be ineligible, citing the relevant provision or provisions of law.”

The SOS would then be able to issue an order removing the candidate, or deny the request. However, the Legislature would still have the authority to remove a candidate by a two-thirds vote.

A political candidate would be able to appeal the decision in Thurston County Superior Court.

When asked for comment on the bill, SOS Deputy Director of External Affairs Derrick Nunnally wrote that the proposal would constitute a significant expansion of their responsibilities, as “it would require the Secretary of State to move from an administrative role in elections to a determinative one, since there would be a new responsibility to decide the eligibility of everyone who files for a state or federal office.”

According to Nunnally, SOS would have to determine the eligibility for 375 elected offices.

Additionally, he noted that the time frame between filing dates and printing deadlines for ballots would “present a significant challenge to making those eligibility determinations – especially if any substantial degree of research is involved.”

HB 2150 has been referred to the State Government & Tribal Relations Committee, but is not scheduled for any public hearing.

Republicans Back Bill to Remove Foreign Nationals for Security Reasons

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Republicans Back Bill to Remove Foreign Nationals for Security Reasons

(Brett Rowland, The Center Square) U.S. House and Senate Republicans are pushing a bill that would force removal proceedings for illegal immigrants who have a visa revoked on security grounds.

Existing law allows such people to remain in the country at the discretion of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and others introduced the Mandatory Removal Proceedings Act.

The act mandates the Department of Homeland Security start removal proceedings for any person whose visa is revoked on security-related grounds.

Rubio released a statement explaining the need for the bill.

“Supporting terrorism disqualifies individuals from having a visa, and we should not allow these individuals to remain in our country based on the whims of this administration,” Rubio said.

U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, introduced companion legislation in the House.

“At a time when Biden’s Border Crisis is crippling the American people, we need an all-hands-on-deck approach to solving this crisis, and the Mandatory Removal Proceedings Act is a significant step in that direction,” Hunt said in a statement.

MURDOCK: Biden Unravels Bob Dole’s Legacy En Route to Socialist Takeover

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MURDOCK: Biden Unravels Bob Dole’s Legacy En Route to Socialist Takeover

(Deroy Murdock, Headline USA) President Joe Biden’s Commerce Department proposed on Dec. 7 a mechanism to invoke the so-called “march-in” clause of 1980’s bipartisan Bayh–Dole Act.

This would empower Uncle Sam to capture and control patents fully or partially funded with federal research grants, if bureaucrats disliked the prices or rollout speeds of their ensuing technologies.

“March-in”—Perfect: Jack-booted thugs stomping on private property and seizing it for Big Government.

As usual, Biden hopes to capsize the efficient, productive status quo. Since Sens. Birch Bayh, D-Ind., and Bob Dole, R-Kansas, secured this legislation, universities and other institutions have owned the patents that emerged from federally funded research.

Many then license these patents to companies and entrepreneurs who nurture them into goods and services.

“Since its passage more than 40 years ago, the Act has spurred nearly 300 new drugs and discoveries that have driven the innovation economy—contributing $1.7 trillion to the US gross industrial output and adding more than 5.9 million jobs,” according to Laura Savatski, former chair of AUTM, an intellectual property licensing group.

Before Bayh–Dole, under 5% of federally supported patents were licensed. By 2022, AUTM data show, 9,884 licenses and options arose among that year’s 16,857 US patent applications. By that measure, 58.6% of patents typically are licensed each year, nearly 12 times the pre-Bayh-Dole pace.

The resulting embarrassment of riches has improved lives from Kansas to Kazakhstan:

  • Google’s pioneering search algorithm
  • Firefighting drones
  • HDTVs
  • Honeycrisp apples
  • Nicotine patches
  • Rotavirus vaccines
  • Taxol cancer therapy
  • Touch screens
  • Windows software
  • Zerit anti-AIDS treatments

Now imagine life with few new amusements, business tools or medical cures. The ever-meddlesome Biden now wants new powers to reassign or simply nationalize patent licenses if his pests decide that these items are not marketed quickly or cheaply enough.

“Bayh–Dole did not intend that government set prices on resulting products,” its authors explained in The Washington Post. “The law makes no reference to a reasonable price that should be dictated by the government. This omission was intentional.”

Such Big Government caprice would karate chop private investment. Why would venture capitalists license new patents if federal busybodies could march in, expropriate, and award them to politically connected competitors?

Even worse, anti-capitalist bureaucrats could snatch licenses and sit on them while chanting, “Equity!” “Social justice!” or “Climate!”

As it happens, no administration—Democrat or Republican—has marched in on a patent since Bayh–Dole blossomed. While screaming, “Democracy!” Biden lusts for a nightstick to bash to bits this 44-year-old precedent.

Biden & Co. argue that when the state goes marching in, cheaper medicines will flow like the mighty Mississippi. This will prove to be yet another Marxist mirage, as drug companies avoid licensing patents for fear of being fleeced by the Everything for All crowd.

Taxpayers also will suffer if these patents cannot be harnessed. They never will taste the fruits of scientific developments that stay theoretical. They also will not collect the corporate taxes that commercialization now yields. Assuming today’s 21% rate, Bayh–Dole’s $1.7 trillion in blessings already would have rendered unto Caesar potentially $357 billion.

Bayh–Dole was “possibly the most inspired piece of legislation to be enacted in America over the past half-century,” The Economist swooned in 2002. “More than anything, this single policy measure helped to reverse America’s precipitous slide into industrial irrelevance.”

Twenty-two years later, Joe Biden is not amused. As he bans gas stoves and incandescent bulbs, mandates electric vehicles, censors his critics, and labors to imprison the leader of the opposition, he increasingly resembles the late, not great Latin dictator Hugo Chavez.

Giving Biden and his comrades the power to smash patents and grab them for “better uses” would imperil property rights and endanger innovation. This could cripple the conveyor belt that speeds modern marvels from university laboratories to Best Buys, Walgreens and Whole Foods across America.

Joe Biden should peel his sticky fingers off of Bayh–Dole and shove them somewhere else.

Deroy Murdock is a Manhattan-based Fox News contributor.

Jordan Demands Unreleased FBI Informant File Initially Exposing $10M Biden Bribe

Luis Cornelio
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Jordan Demands Unreleased FBI Informant File Initially Exposing $10M Biden Bribe

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, demanded on Thursday that the FBI turn over an unreleased informant file linked to the alleged $10 million bribe received by President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden, the New York Post reported. 

In a letter addressed to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Jordan requested a March 1, 2017 file containing a “report about payments made to the Biden family from foreign entities.” Jordan stated, “The Committee requires this document to evaluate whether sufficient grounds exist to consider drafting articles of impeachment.”

The document reportedly led to the infamous June 2020 informant file, also known as FD-1023, causing a weeks-long stand-off between Republicans and the FBI. The 2020 file, containing information alleging that Burisma paid $10 million in bribes to the Biden duo, was eventually released by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. 

As recounted in the Thursday letter, Jordan mentioned that House Republicans first became aware of the 2017 FD-1023 during a 2023 transcribed interview with Scott Brady, the former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. 

“Mr. Brady explained to the Judiciary Committee that he was selected to accept and vet Ukraine-related information for indicia of credibility using publicly available resources and pre-existing FBI records,” Jordon wrote. 

He added, “During this assignment, Mr. Brady’s office found information that had not been ‘developed’ from a previous CHS report, which led to Mr. Brady requesting another interview with the CHS.” 

According to Brady, the FBI was aware of the 2017 FD-1023 but did not necessarily act on the file’s information because it was potentially unrelated to the FBI’s investigation of Hunter Biden. However, years later, the 2017 file resurfaced in the new investigation of Burisma. 

Specifically, Brady was tapped by former Attorney General Bill Barr to further investigate initial corruption allegations potentially tied to Burisma. The new probe led federal investigators to reassess the 2017 information, resulting in the 2020 FD-1023. 

During an October 2023 transcribed interview, Brady told House Republicans, “They brought that to my attention, and we then engaged the FBI and said we need to understand what this is or what this is not; can you please go out and re-interview the [confidential human source] and develop this.” He added, “That then led to this June of 2020 1023.” 

Jordan gave Wray until Jan. 19 to turn over the document. According to the NY Post, Jordan will issue a subpoena if the FBI fails to provide the file. Wray infamously refused to turn over the 2020 FD-1023, citing concerns that it would place the informant’s life at risk.

AOC Downplays Illegals Sieging NYC School: ‘It’s Not in My District’

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AOC Downplays Illegals Sieging NYC School: ‘It’s Not in My District’

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., faced questions regarding the 24-hour placement of illegal aliens at a New York City high school during a severe storm, prompting the schools to ignite COVID-era virtual classes. 

The contentious decision to use James Madison High School as a shelter prompted criticism from parents, with concerns about the impact on their children’s education.

On Thursday, Fox Business correspondent Hillary Vaughn questioned Ocasio-Cortez, a pro-amnesty Democrat, about her stance on the school being used as an emergency shelter. “Are you okay with the school being used as a shelter?” Vaughn questioned, to which Ocasio-Cortez responded, “You know, I think it’s uh — again, this is not in my district.” 

On Thursday, New York City relocated 2,000 illegal aliens to James Madison High School in Brooklyn due to an impending storm with powerful winds and flash floods. This decision led to some parents expressing frustration as their children had to take virtual classes for the day. 

“How do you feel? Does it feel good?” a self-described concerned mother named Michelle asked, according to the New York Post.  

She added, “How does it feel that you kicked all the kids out of school tomorrow? Does it feel good? I hope you feel good. I hope you will sleep very well tonight!” 

Another resident reportedly voiced concern that the relocated illegal aliens would remain until the summer. “This is f—ed up. It’s a litmus test. They are using a storm, a legitimate situation, where they are testing this out. I guarantee you they’ll be here for the entire summer,” a man said, as reported by the NY Post. 

Republican Councilwoman Inna Vernikov strongly criticized the city’s decision, connecting it to what she sees as the consequences of President Joe Biden’s policies.

During an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, she stated, “Our kids are really being punished for his failed policies, for his failure to secure our border. Our schools should never be migrant shelters.”

Notably, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., the lawmaker closest to the school district, claimed he had not received a full briefing on the relocation, as reported by ABC 7. 

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