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Thursday, August 24, 2023

Eight GOP Candidates Have First Debate in Milwaukee

Just the News: Candidates had their knives out for tech mogul Vivek Ramaswamy at the Republican presidential primary debate, with his fellow candidates throwing jabs over his lack of political experience, his stance on Ukraine, and his support for pardoning former President Donald Trump, if elected. Eight Republican candidates took the stage Wednesday night in the first Republican primary debate, seeking to win over voters on the road to securing the party nomination for president in 2024. Apart from Ramaswamy, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum all appeared on the stage. Former President Donald Trump, the front runner in the contest, did not attend, citing his polling lead (Just the News). Washington Examiner: Only two of the eight 2024 presidential candidates kept their hands down when asked if they would support former President Donald Trump if he is convicted in one or more of his four criminal cases. When asked by Fox News moderators who would support Trump as the GOP presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy confidently put his hand up. After looking around, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) put his hand up, followed by former Vice President Mike Pence (Washington Examiner). Charlie Kirk: Many of DeSantis’ answers are spot on, but still not the breakout he needed. Needs more energy (Twitter).

Tucker Carlson Releases Interview with Former President Trump as GOP Debate Begins

Spencer Brown: Instead of participating in the first GOP primary debate on Wednesday evening in Milwaukee alongside his Republican challengers, former President Donald Trump chose to participate in a pre-taped interview with Tucker Carlson for his post-Fox News show based entirely on X, formerly known as Twitter. Sure enough, at 8:55 p.m. ET, just minutes before the first GOP primary debate hosted by Fox News, Rumble, and Young America’s Foundation went live across the country, Tucker posted the full interview (Townhall). Tucker Carlson: Ep. 19 Debate Night with Donald J Trump (Twitter).

Mugshots of Trump’s Lawyers Released

Trump to turn himself in Thursday. Washington Examiner: Jenna Ellis, a former attorney for Donald Trump, became the latest to surrender to authorities in Fulton County Wednesday as part of the sweeping racketeering indictment accusing the former president and associates of attempting to subvert the 2020 election. Her consent bond order, filed Tuesday, is $100,000 in total. The bond amount for the count of violation of Georgia’s RICO Act is $75,000, and the amount for the count of solicitation of violation of oath by public officer is $25,000. Other mug shots of defendants were released on Wednesday, including former Trump attorneys Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani (Washington Examiner). Collin Rugg: Mugshots have been released by the Fulton County Sheriff for Rudy Giuliani, Sydney Powell and Jenna Ellis. You are watching the complete degradation of the so-called ‘justice’ system in real time. After leaving the jail, Giuliani blasted D.A. Fani Willis, saying she will “go down in history” for attacking the US constitution (Twitter). ALX: RUDY GIULIANI: “Enemies of our republic are destroying rights, sacred rights. They’re destroying my right to be a lawyer.. Whether you dislike or you like Donald Trump, let me give you a warning: it’s gonna come for you when the political winds shift” (Twitter).

Yevgeny Prigozhin, Leader of Wagner Mercenary Group, Presumed Dead After Plane Crash Killed All on Board

The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency is investigating the cause of the crash. Associated Press: Mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who led a brief armed rebellion against the Russian military earlier this year, was aboard a plane that crashed north of Moscow on Wednesday, killing all 10 people on board, according to Russia’s civil aviation agency. The crash immediately raised suspicions since the fate of the founder of the Wagner private military company has been the subject of intense speculation ever since he mounted the mutiny. The crash also comes after Russian media reported that a top general linked to Prigozhin was dismissed from his position as commander of the air force (Associated Press). BBC: Prigozhin headed the mutiny on 23-24 June, moving his troops from Ukraine, seizing the southern Russian city of Rostov on Don, and threatening to march on Moscow. The stand-off was settled by a deal which allowed Wagner troops to move to Belarus or join the Russian army. Prigozhin himself agreed to relocate to Belarus but has apparently been able to move freely, making public appearances in Russia and releasing a video of him purportedly in Africa. President Putin’s initial reaction to his challenge to Russia’s defense establishment was vitriolic, calling it a betrayal and a stab in the back in a video message on 24 June. The deal did not mean he was safe (BBC).

Thousands of Illegal Immigrants Overflowing Into Arizona Through Literal Open Floodgates in the Border Wall

New York Post: Thousands of migrants are flowing across the US border in Arizona every day — literally through open floodgates that have made the Tucson post the busiest point of illegal entry into the country. US officials have inexplicably welded open 114 massive gates along the Arizona border to allow water to flow freely during the annual monsoon season and for the migration of an endangered species of antelope, officials said. But the move is also letting an average of 1,400 migrants from as far away as China casually walk into the country daily — with overwhelmed and outnumbered border agents practically helpless to stop them (New York Post). Daily Wire: Brandon Judd, the president a union representing Border Patrol agents, told The Post that authorities should never open the gates, claiming top USBP officials endangered agents’ lives after clearing the path for illegal immigrants to cross. Judd previously said that open gates at the southern border signal the cartels are “exploiting” the agency. In this case, however, the union official said the situation “exploded almost immediately, which shows you how adept the criminal cartels are at exploiting any weakness at any time that we show them” (Daily Wire).

South Carolina Supreme Court Moves to Protect Babies in the Womb After Six Weeks

Washington Post: South Carolina’s Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a new law banning most abortions after roughly six weeks, a move that could once again shake up the nation’s abortion landscape in the Southeast. The 4-1 decision is a reversal from January, when the court issued a 3-2 decision finding a similar law violated the right to privacy in the state constitution. After the opinion was released Wednesday, clinics immediately stopped performing abortions for patients who are more than six weeks pregnant. Catherine Humphreville, an attorney with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said the group is seeking clarity from the court to confirm whether the ban took effect right away (Washington Post). Wall Street Journal: The events in South Carolina underscore how volatile abortion rights could remain for years to come. Unlike U.S. Supreme Court justices, state supreme court justices are often elected and typically don’t have lifetime tenure. That potentially tees up repeated legal battles when the composition of the courts changes (Wall Street Journal).

Appeals Court Allows Alabama Laws Protecting Minors from “Gender Affirming Care”

NBC: A federal appeals court ruled Monday that Alabama can enforce a ban outlawing the use of puberty blockers and hormones to treat transgender children, the second such appellate victory for gender-affirming care restrictions that have been adopted by a growing number of Republican-led states. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a judge’s temporary injunction against enforcing the law. The judge has scheduled trial for April 2 on whether to permanently block the law. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall called the ruling a “significant victory for our country, for children, and for common sense” (NBC). Just the News: The court determined that the state had “a compelling interest in protecting children from drugs, particularly those for which there is uncertainty regarding benefits, recent surges in use, and irreversible effects.” At least 22 states have enacted some restrictions on transgender treatments for minors, which may include surgeries, hormonal, or chemical treatments (Just the News).

MSNBC Insinuates the Term “Woke” is the New “N-Word”

Spencer Brown: Jose Diaz-Balart told viewers it was time to “talk a little bit about” the first GOP primary debate and said “there is one word voters should expect to hear” from the stage: “woke.” According to Diaz-Balart, the word “means so many different things to different people” before asking “where does it come from?” and tossing the segment to MSNBC Correspondent Trymaine Lee. “Woke has become a charged political catch-all phrase often used as a battering ram and a battle cry, and to many, a slur,” Lee said before an interview subject says using “woke” is “almost another way of saying black, it’s another way of saying the n-word” (Townhall). Alex Christy: MSNBC previews the GOP debate by focusing on the party’s use “woke” which is apparently “another way of saying black. It is another way of saying the N-word” (Twitter).

Speaker McCarthy Considers Investigating Response to Maui Wildfire

Just the News: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday suggested that the lower chamber may investigate the national response to a devastating wildfire in Maui that killed more than 100 people, with hundreds more still missing. The emergency response itself has come under scrutiny, with at least one emergency services official resigning over a decision not to set off the warning sirens, and Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez announcing an independent investigator to review the state response. McCarthy, for his part, questioned the evidently substantial number of missing persons. President Joe Biden attracted considerable scrutiny earlier this month for offering “no comment” on the wildfire while on vacation in Delaware. He later visited the island on Monday for roughly half of the day, before departing to resume a separate vacation in Lake Tahoe, Nevada (Just the News). Libs of TikTok: Kids in Maui were burned alive. So far, this is how Biden responded: went on 2 vacations, said “no comment,” fell asleep at an event honoring victims, compared a small house fire to thousands losing everything, cracked jokes about his corvette and the ground being hot and made it all about himself (Twitter).

10.

Democrat Mayor Insists “Democrat mayors all across the nation are creating great places where people want to be"

Fox News: A Democratic National Committee surrogate in Milwaukee ahead of the GOP debate was blasted on social media after disputing the notion that America is in “decline” under President Biden by pointing to the success of Democrat-run cities. “I would suggest that anybody who thinks that this country is in decline — come to cities!” Satya Rhodes-Conway, Madison, Wisconsin’s Democratic mayor, said during a press conference before the GOP debate on Wednesday. Rhodes-Conway touted the success of her town of Madison that she said is “driving the growth” of the state of Wisconsin (Fox News). RNC Research: DNC surrogate in Milwaukee: “I would suggest that anybody who thinks that this country is in decline — come to cities! Because Democrat mayors all across the nation are creating great places where people want to be” (Twitter).