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Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Ron DeSantis to Join Elon Musk in Special Twitter Event to Announce His 2024 Presidential Campaign

Daily Wire: Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis is officially entering the 2024 presidential race this week during a special event with Twitter owner Elon Musk. The conversation between DeSantis and Musk will take place on Twitter at 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. The conversation will be moderated by Republican donor David Sacks, who is supporter of DeSantis and a close ally of Musk (Daily Wire). Benny Johnson: Ron DeSantis will launch his presidential bid in a Twitter Space with Elon Musk (Twitter). ALX: Elon Musk confirms reports that he will be holding a Twitter Space with Ron DeSantis tomorrow with “real time questions and answers” (Twitter).

Ford Will Keep AM Radio in 2024 Fleet of Vehicles

Fox News: Ford CEO Jim Farley announced Tuesday that his company is reversing course and will include AM radio on “all 2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles” after “speaking with policy leaders about the importance of AM broadcast radio as a part of the emergency alert system” (Fox News). Jim Farley: After speaking with policy leaders about the importance of AM broadcast radio as a part of the emergency alert system, we’ve decided to include it on all 2024 Ford & Lincoln Motor Co. vehicles. For any owners of Ford EVs without AM broadcast capability, we’ll offer a software update. Customers can currently listen to AM radio content in a variety of ways in our vehicles – including via streaming – and we will continue to innovate to deliver even better in-vehicle entertainment and emergency notification options in the future (Twitter).

Poll Shows Only 33 Percent of Americans Approve of Biden’s Economy

Associated Press: As President Joe Biden embarks on his reelection campaign, just 33% of American adults say they approve of his handling of the economy and only 24% say national economic conditions are in good shape, according to a new poll. Public approval of Biden’s handling of the economy remains low in a time of high inflation, a difficult housing market and concerns about a potential U.S. government debt default. American opinion is also gloomy about Biden’s efforts on gun policy and immigration, with only 31% saying they approve of the president’s performance on those hot button issues (Associated Press). Townhall: Showing the impact of Biden’s policies on more than his own approval, a shrinking number of Americans believe the country as a whole is moving in the right direction. An alarmingly low number of Americans — just 21 percent — think America is on the right track. Among Democrats, that number is still only 36 percent while seven percent of Republicans say America is moving in the right direction. That is, even those who approve of Joe Biden’s efforts have to admit his indifference to real-world issues has left a post-pandemic America in disarray (Townhall). RNC Research: CNN: Biden’s approval rating is lower than any president since Jimmy Carter at this point in their presidencies (Twitter).

Russia Extends Detention Period of Wall Street Journal Reporter Who is Illegally Detained

Wall Street Journal: A Russian court extended until at least Aug. 30 the pretrial detention of Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter deemed by the U.S. to be wrongfully held, after investigators requested more time before his trial. In a closed hearing before a judge at Lefortovo District Court in Moscow, investigators from the Federal Security Service, known as the FSB, asked that Gershkovich remain behind bars awaiting trial, according to Rapsi, the Russian state agency for legal and judicial reporting. The FSB, without providing evidence, has said Gershkovich “acting on the instructions of the American side, collected information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex” (Wall Street Journal). Associated Press: U.S. Embassy officials were allowed to visit Gershkovich once in prison since his arrest in Yekaterinburg on March 29, but Russian authorities have denied two more recent requests to see him (Associated Press).

Democrat Rep. Suggests if Biden Negotiates Debt Ceiling with Republicans, People Will Take to the Streets

National Review: Representative Pramila Jayapal (D., Wash.) on Tuesday warned that leftist protesters will take to the streets if President Biden agrees to spending cuts as part of negotiations with Republicans to ward off a looming debt default (National Review). Townhall: Rep. Pramila Jayapal: There will be “a huge backlash…in the streets” if the White House agrees to spending cuts (Twitter). Daily Caller: The House of Representatives passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act April 26 by a 217-215 vote. The legislation increases the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion, repeals portions of the Inflation Reduction Act, requires Congress to approve regulations that have an economic effect of $100 million or more and establishes new work requirements for some beneficiaries of welfare programs (Daily Caller).

Second IRS Whistleblower Investigating Hunter Biden Comes Forward with Concerns

New York Post: A second IRS whistleblower in the criminal investigation of first son Hunter Biden emerged Monday in documents sent to Congress following the purge of the entire investigatory team looking into President Biden’s son for tax fraud and related crimes. The new whistleblower is a special agent in the IRS’s international tax and financial crimes group and worked on the Hunter Biden case since it was opened in 2018 — until he was ousted without explanation last week. The agent joins his supervisor, who plans to testify behind closed doors before the House Ways and Means Committee on Friday, in publicly registering concerns about how the Justice Department has handled the investigation. Both IRS whistleblowers expressed concerns internally for years about the case being swept under the rug but got nowhere. Hunter, 53, allegedly failed to pay taxes on millions of dollars he received from foreign associates who in some instances interacted with then-Vice President Joe Biden (New York Post). Spencer Brown: So, when is the Biden administration going to answer for the abrupt removal of investigators? Explain why there were so many concerns by those working on Hunter Biden’s case that went unaddressed? The drip, drip, drip of allegations from whistleblowers at IRS — as well as those at the FBI — are starting to pile up. If Biden can’t head them off, he’s going to have a lot to answer for on the campaign trail as it heats up ahead of 2024 (Townhall).

College Professor Who Accosted Pro-Life Students and Threatened Reporter with Machete Gets Fired

New York Post: The manic Manhattan college professor who threatened a Post reporter with a machete has been fired, the school said Tuesday. Shellyne Rodriguez was sacked by Hunter College just hours after the adjunct professor was caught on camera holding the blade to the veteran reporter’s neck while threatening to “chop” him up outside her Bronx apartment. The unhinged art professor wielded the machete and spewed the menacing remarks after the veteran Postie approached her regarding a viral video that showed her flipping out on pro-life students at Hunter College earlier this month (New York Post). Fox News: A professor at a New York public college appeared to shout down pro-life students before snagging and throwing items in their display, accusing the students of spreading “propaganda” and “triggering” other students (Fox News). Students for Life of America: Pro-abortion professor Shellyne Rodriquez curses at pro-life students and vandalizes table at Hunter College (Twitter).

Some Target Locations Move Pride Merchandise to Back of Store to Avoid Major Pushback from Customers

This is not surprising considering the fact they invite Satan into their stores. New York Post: Some Southern Target stores were forced by the corporation to move LGBTQ Pride merchandise away from the front of their locations after customer “outrage” to avoid a “Bud Light situation.” Many Target locations across the country feature massive June Pride month displays on an annual basis, with items this year ranging from “tuck friendly” bathing suits for transgender people to mugs that say “gender fluid” (New York Post). Fox News: Most rank-and-file employees were left in the dark, with many not knowing the Pride sections would be moved until they noticed it themselves. Pride merchandise remains prominently displayed at other locations and on the Target website (Fox News).

Iran Executes Protestors While the West is Distracted

National Review: Critics say the Biden administration’s eagerness to ink a new nuclear deal with Tehran has distracted it from the regime’s egregious human-rights abuses. After the Iranian government’s execution of three men last week over their participation in anti-regime demonstrations, human-rights advocates and analysts see a broader crackdown underway, made possible by the West’s flagging interest in the nationwide protest movement (National Review). Reporter Masih Alinejad: Islamic Republic is planning to execute another protester, Mohammad Ghobadlou, for the crime of protesting. We call on the Western leaders to call out Iran’s regime to halt the execution. We don’t need condemnations after the Islamic republic hangs him, we need action now (Twitter)! New York Times: Most of the men have been charged with “moharebe,” a broad term that means waging a war on God and that typically carries the death penalty in Iran. Their trials were fast-tracked behind closed doors by Iran’s Revolutionary Court system, with government-assigned lawyers representing the defendants. The evidence presented was often opaque, sometimes relying on coerced confessions or grainy video footage. Rights groups say that there are accounts and evidence of torture (New York Times).

10.

House Votes to Protect Heavy Duty Trucks from Constricting EPA Emissions

Just the News: The GOP-led House on Tuesday voted in favor of a resolution to strike down the Environmental Protection Agency’s emissions restrictions for heavy-duty trucks. The joint-chamber resolution, which passed the House by a 221-203 vote, was introduced by Republican lawmakers in February via the Congressional Review Act (CRA) – a law that allows Congress to reverse rules made by a federal agency. Passed by the Senate last month in a narrow 50-49 vote, the resolution now heads to President Biden’s desk, where the White House previously said he would veto the bill in response. It was touted by the agency as the “strongest-ever national clean air standards.” In addition, the decree forces manufacturers, trucking companies and more to take drastic steps to cut carbon emissions for their products, which are over 80% stricter than the standards that have been in place for decades (Just the News).