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Thursday, December 5, 2024

Biden Considers Preemptive Pardons for Allies

Daily Mail: Aides of President Joe Biden are debating whether the outgoing Democratic president should issue preemptive pardons for figures President-elect Donald Trump has named as his political enemies. Politico reported Wednesday that among those being discussed for blanket pardons are former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney, Sen.-elect Adam Schiff and Dr. Anthony Fauci. Biden – who has been busy dealing with the fallout from his decision to pardon his son Hunter over gun and tax crimes – hasn’t been brought into the discussions yet (Daily Mail). Mario Nawfal: Apparently, protecting the “unindicted” is now a top priority in the West Wing. The talks, led by White House counsel Ed Siskel, reek of panic over Trump’s promises to hold opponents accountable. After pardoning his son, Hunter, Biden seems eager to extend the courtesy to his political allies. Is this about justice—or just shielding his inner circle before Trump brings receipts (X)?

Justice Samuel Alito Challenges Claim That Gender Surgeries Reduce Suicides

National Review: Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito tore into solicitor general Elizabeth Prelogar for arguing Wednesday that transgender procedures often result in better outcomes, a claim that fails to take into consideration a growing collection of evidence to the contrary. The justices heard oral arguments Wednesday in United States v. Skrmetti, a case about whether Tennessee’s law banning transgender operations and hormone treatments for minors is Constitutional under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment (National Review). Matt Walsh: Huge moment at SCOTUS. Alito pulled up Page 195 of the Cass report, showing that child sex-changes don’t actually prevent suicide. ACLU attorney Chase Strangio admits in response that there’s “no evidence” that these procedures actually reduce suicides (X).

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Likens Bans on Gender Transition Surgery for Minors to Interracial Marriage Bans

Daily Caller: Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson compared child sex change bans to interracial marriage prohibitions on Wednesday. Jackson made the remarks during a hearing for United States v. Skrmetti, a case considering whether Tennessee’s law banning medical procedures intended to enable “minor[s] to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor’s sex,” violates the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. She likened the current issue to the 1967 Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court case that reversed Virginia’s rule barring interracial marriage (Daily Caller). Greg Price: Ketanji Brown Jackson just compared bans on sex changes for kids to bans on interracial marriage (X). Collin Rugg: Yes, because banning a white person from marrying a black person is the same thing as cutting off a 10-year-old’s genitals (X).

Tom Homan Reminds Sanctuary City Leaders It Is a Felony to Hide Illegals From Authorities

Townhall: Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement director and incoming Trump Border Czar Tom Homan has been in a verbal war with sanctuary city mayors for weeks, warning them to get out of the way when federal authorites come to their towns looking for criminal illegal aliens. During an interview with Fox News Tuesday night, Homan upped the ante and warned local authorities that harboring illegal aliens is a felony. “There will be consequences,” Homan said (Townhall). Breaking 911: HOMAN: “You can sit there & watch! Get out of the way. We’re doing it…It is a felony to knowingly harbor & conceal an illegal alien from immigration authorities. It’s a felony to impede a law enforcement officer…Don’t cross that line, because there will be consequences” (X).

Gunman Fatally Shoots UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Outside of Hotel

New York Post: Chilling video shows the moments a gunman calmly shot down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson at close range on the streets of Midtown Manhattan. In the video, the unidentified assailant — clad in a black hoodie, black pants, gloves and wearing a gray backpack — can be seen methodically firing what appears to be a single-action handgun at the CEO, pulling back the slide with each shot (New York Post). Reporter Jim Scuitto: The shooting occurred outside, New York Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Brian Thompson, CEO of United healthcare was walking towards the hotel, dressed in a suit and tie, to attend a United Healthcare conference being held in the ballroom. A gunman, who investigators tell CNN was waiting for some time before Thompson’s arrival, opened fire from 20 feet away firing multiple times striking Thompson (X). Geiger Capital: The United Healthcare CEO was killed by a legit hitman. Knew exactly where he would be within minutes and assassinated him with a silenced pistol (X).

Speaker Johnson Rejects Biden’s Request to Pass $24 Billion Ukraine Aid Package

Hill: House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday rejected a White House request to pass $24 billion in additional aid for Ukraine by the end of the year, saying any further assistance for Kyiv would be decided by President-elect Trump when he assumes office in January. “I’m not planning to do that,” Johnson said in response to a question if he would add aid for Ukraine to a continuing resolution to fund the government (Hill). Benny Johnson: Speaker Johnson rejects Biden’s request for additional Ukraine funding, saying he will wait for direction from the new Commander-in-Chief (X).

Trump Files Motion to Dismiss RICO Case Against Him in Georgia

Townhall: President-elect Donald Trump has filed a motion requesting that the Georgia Court of Appeals “confirm its lack of jurisdiction” to continue hearing his appeal and then direct the trial court to “immediately dismiss” altogether the Fulton County election interference case against him brought by Democrat DA Fani Willis. According to the five-page notice of jurisdictional issue filed Wednesday, Trump is arguing the case’s unconstitutionality, now that he is about to enter the White House again with the protection of presidential immunity. “A sitting president is completely immune from indictment or any criminal process, state or federal,” Trump’s defense counsel wrote (Townhall). Washington Times: A grand jury indicted Mr. Trump and his associates on racketeering charges. The case ran into a big hiccup. The defense said Ms. Willis had a romantic relationship with a lead investigator on the case, Nathan Wade, resulting in a financial conflict of interest. The trial judge let Ms. Willis stay on the case after Mr. Wade left the investigation, but the defense appealed that decision, putting the case on hold for months. Mr. Trump won the election last month, making him the president-elect and giving him leverage to exterminate the criminal cases, which he has long argued were politically motivated (Washington Times).

Joy Reid Complains Trump Threatened Hamas, Made Jokes About Canada

Daily Wire: Far-left MSNBC host Joy Reid complained Tuesday night on the network that President-elect Donald Trump was pressuring the Hamas terrorist organization to release the dozens of hostages that remain inside Gaza. Reid compared Trump to mob boss Tony Soprano from the hit HBO show “The Sopranos,” complaining that he was “muscling other countries” on social media, like threatening BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — with tariffs if they moved away from the U.S. dollar. Reid then complained that Trump was “demanding Hamas release all hostages being held in Gaza before his inauguration, or there will be, ‘all hell to pay in the Middle East.’” An estimated 63 hostages are still alive inside Gaza after they were kidnapped from their homes by Hamas during the Iranian-backed terrorist group’s unprecedented attack on October 7 last year. Several Americans are believed to still be alive (Daily Wire). Ryan Saavedra: Joy Reid is complaining that Trump is threatening Hamas that they have to return hostages — which include American citizens — that have been held for more than 400 days (X). End Wokeness: Joy Reid is melting down over Trump joking about annexing Canada and threatening Hamas (X).

French Government Falls After Vote of No Confidence Passes

CNBC: The French government has been toppled in a vote of no confidence Wednesday, plunging the euro zone’s second-largest economy into a period of deep political uncertainty. A total of 331 lawmakers from both the leftwing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance and the far-right National Rally (RN) supported a no-confidence motion in the country’s lower house, far exceeding the 288 votes needed to pass the motion. Motions had been tabled by both the left and rightwing blocs on Monday after Prime Minister Michel Barnier used special constitutional powers to force a social security budget bill through Parliament without a vote. Losing the confidence vote means Barnier will be forced to tender his resignation to French President Emmanuel Macron just three months after he was installed as premier on Sept. 5; Barnier’s administration will be the shortest-lived in France’s Fifth Republic, which began in 1958 (CNBC). Fox News: Barnier is now expected to resign just a mere three months into holding his position. The conservative leader will be the shortest-serving prime minister in French history. Macron intends to serve until his term ends in 2027, despite pressure from both sides of the aisle for him to resign. If he stays in office, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time (Fox News).

10.

UNRWA Calls for Israeli Censorship

HotAir: The UNRWA is one of the worst international organizations in the world. Funded by Western governments, it subsidizes terrorist organizations, delivers supplies to them, employs many terrorists, trains them in schools, and hides tunnels for Hamas on its properties. Trump defunded them; Biden restored their funding when he came into office. Since 10/7/2023, there has been an undeclared war between the UNRWA and Israel in the political sphere. Israel exposes UNRWA corruption, and the UNRWA defends its practices, attacks Israel using mostly baseless accusations and Hamas propaganda, and egging on antisemites around the world to pressure Israel to give up its war against Hamas (HotAir). UNRWA: The Government of Israel is running a global disinformation campaign targeting UNRWA, the largest humanitarian provider for people in war-torn Gaza. The act of Israel, a UN member state, to label UNRWA, a UN agency, as a terror organization may amount to hate speech. Using both Google ads and billboards around the world, the campaign is creating immense reputational damage to UNRWA. Those responsible for the spread of disinformation must stop and be held accountable. Regulations must be put in place to control the spread of such damaging and possibly dangerous messages (X).