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Thursday, January 11, 2024

Governor Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley Pull No Punches in Iowa Debate

Wall Street Journal: While Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis have started criticizing Donald Trump more frequently, their focus tonight has been on one another. The debate between the former South Carolina governor and Florida governor has been nasty as they are essentially competing for second place. Former president Trump has not gone to any of the debates so far and still continues to lead all early state and national polls (Wall Street Journal). Daily Caller: DESANTIS: “I thought he lied a lot, man Nikki Haley gives him a run for his money and she may even be more liberal than Gavin Newsom is” (X). Reporter Tyler O’Neil: Haley: “We need to go to the universities and say you take Chinese money or take American money but the days of taking both are over. We need to stop all of the technologies that are going to China” (X).

Trump Teases VP Pick, Touches on Middle East and Abortion in Townhall

Fox News: Former President Donald Trump signaled during an Iowa Town Hall event on Fox News Wednesday night that he has already decided who he will choose to be his running mate in 2024. “I can’t tell you that really, I mean, I know who it’s going to be,” Trump said when he was asked who his running mate will be in 2024. Speculation about Trump’s potential running mate has run rampant in recent months with a variety of names being floated including GOP Congresswoman Nancy Mace, South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, Trump’s GOP opponent and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley (Fox News). Post Millennial: Trump says he will deter foreign adversaries by “peace through strength” (X). Tom Olohan: Donald Trump on how the overturning of Roe v. Wade saved lives: “For 54 years they were trying to get Roe v. Wade terminated and I did it. And I’m proud to have done it” (X).

Alejandro Mayorkas’ Impeachment Hearing Begins

Townhall: In a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Wednesday, Democrat Ranking Member Bennie Thompson said that Republicans want to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas because he won’t “put kids in cages” at the southern border (Townhall). Townhall: Dem Ranking Member Bennie Thompson: The Mayorkas impeachment hearing is really about Republicans being “angry that (the Biden) administration won’t take babies from their moms or put kids in cages like the last administration” (X). Reporter Jennie Taer: Mayorkas Impeachment Hearing: The Oklahoma AG says foreign nationals from Mexico and China have flooded his state with illegal marijuana grows that involve fentanyl, labor & sex trafficking. “The ongoing border crisis ensures a never ending flood of Illegal foreign nationals who continue to perpetrate crimes that endanger our people” (X).

Ohio House Overturns Governor’s Veto Banning Gender Reassignment Surgery for Minors

National Review: The Ohio House of Representatives on Wednesday afternoon voted to override Governor Mike DeWine’s veto of legislation that would ban child gender transition hormone therapy and surgeries as well as boys in girls’ sports. In a 65–28 vote, the chamber, after convening for a special session, rejected the Republican governor’s attempt to kill the SAFE Act. The bill now heads to the state senate, which will be in session on January 24, for an override vote (National Review). State Rep. Derek Merrin: Ohio House VOTED to Override Governor’s Veto of HB 68. Protecting our Youth. Defending Women’s Sports (X)!

Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre Deflects When Asked About NYC Closing High School to House Illegal Immigrants

Katie Pavlich: Speaking to reporters at the White House Wednesday, Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre punted the issue of illegal immigrants kicking kids out of their schools as a “New York” problem, claiming no responsibility for the catastrophic and unprecedented flow into American cities. Parents were forced to scramble late Tuesday when they were notified illegal immigrants were being moved from a nearby tent city into the school overnight due to bad winter weather. Classes were conducted remotely Wednesday and all sports activities were cancelled (Townhall). Townhall: Karine Jean-Pierre describes the eviction of New York City students in favor of housing migrants a “precaution” (X). Ron DeSantis: Kids have to stay home because the New York City government is commandeering their school to house illegal aliens. They’re depriving these kids of in-person education to house people who don’t have a right to be here to begin with. That’s Joe Biden’s America in a nutshell (X). ALX: White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre: “We have seen results in the migration of migrants, right? We have seen a decrease.” What planet does she live on (X)?

Senator Rand Paul Grills Dr. Fauci in Congressional Testimony

National Review: While testifying before the House on Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci refused to explain the rationale for social-distancing guidelines that he and other federal health officials heavily promoted during the Covid-19 pandemic, Representative Brad Wenstrup (R., Ohio) revealed after the closed-door hearing. Further probing the issue, Republican members of the committee asked why social distancing was not established as three, four, or five feet. Fauci did not provide a clear answer to that question (National Review). Daily Wire: Kentucky Senator Rand Paul confronted Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former chief White House medical adviser and former director of NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), saying he should “take some responsibility for funding gain-of-function research in Wuhan,” while saying “what you’ve done is change the definition on your website to try to cover your a**” (Daily Wire). Laura Ingraham: Rand Paul exposes Fauci: What he says in public is largely a lie (X).

House Judiciary Committee Recommends Bringing Contempt Vote to Full Congress

NBC: The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday voted to formally recommend the full House hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena in the Republican impeachment inquiry into his father. The GOP-led committee voted along party lines, 23 to 14, in favor of advancing the contempt resolution. The vote comes hours after the president’s son arrived on Capitol Hill to attend in person congressional committee meetings on the matter. House Republicans on the Oversight and Judiciary Committees were holding separate votes Wednesday recommending a contempt charge for Biden. The president’s son, facing two separate criminal indictments, has said he would testify publicly, an offer Republicans have refused, continuing to insist that the interview be held privately (NBC). National Review: Hunter Biden made a surprise appearance Wednesday morning at a congressional hearing where lawmakers were debating whether to hold him in contempt over his refusal to comply with a subpoena to appear for a deposition in December. After opening statements from Oversight Committee chairman James Comer and ranking Democrat Jamie Raskin, Representative Nancy Mace (R., S.C.) immediately laid into the first son, calling him a “coward” over his refusal to appear for the closed-door deposition to answer questions about his alleged overseas influence-peddling operation. Hunter abruptly left the hearing a few minutes later, just as Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene was recognized to speak (National Review).

Democrat Calls on Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to Resign: “I have lost trust”

Just the News: Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Chris Deluzio on Wednesday called for Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s resignation amid ongoing scrutiny surrounding his hospitalization and failure to notify the public. Though many Republicans have condemned Austin’s handling of the matter, Deluzio is the first Democrat in Congress to call for his resignation (Just the News). Congressman Chris Deluzio: I have lost trust in Secretary Lloyd Austin’s leadership of the Defense Department due to the lack of transparency about his recent medical treatment and its impact on the continuity of the chain of command (X).

Reporters Caught on Hot Mic Joking About Trump Being Assassinated

New York Post: Two media members were heard cracking jokes over a hot mic Tuesday about former President Donald Trump being cut down by an assassin’s bullet as they waited for him to appear at the federal courthouse in Washington. The unidentified male journalists had their news cameras stationed outside the E. Barrett Prettyman US Courthouse when they started to grouse about the difficulties of getting a view of the 77-year-old 2024 Republican front-runner (New York Post). Charlie Kirk: Reporters caught on a hot mic joking about a JFK-style Trump assassination at DC courthouse ahead of his immunity appeal hearing: “I mean, if he’s driving, we’ve got a good shot” (X)!

10.

Nick Saban Retires From Coaching After 17 Seasons, Six National Championships at Alabama

He has been an outstanding mentor and shaper of young men into professionals. CBS: Alabama coach Nick Saban, 72, has decided to retire, ending a run that ranks among the greatest in college football history. The seven-time national championship-winning coach leaves the game having spent his last 17 seasons with the Crimson Tide. Saban informed the Tide of his decision in a team meeting Wednesday. Saban’s seven national titles — one at LSU (2003) and six at Alabama (2009, 2011-12, 2015, 2017, 2020), the latter total matching legendary Tide coach Paul “Bear” Bryant — stand as the most in the sport’s history (CBS). Fox News: Saban boasts an all-time record of 292-71-1 at the college level, including a 19-12 record in bowl games and a 9-5 record in the College Football Playoff. At Bama, he went 206-29. Nine of Saban’s 11 SEC titles came with the Crimson Tide. His 292 wins are the fifth-most in Division I history (Fox News).