Month: July 2020

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) filed a lawsuit late Tuesday seeking to strike down affordable insulin legislation the day before the law took effect.

The Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act was named after a 26-year-old who died in 2017 while rationing his insulin medicine because he couldn’t afford the $1,300 refill after aging out of his parent’s insurance coverage.

Commentary: Playing the Russia Card

America was at a historic crossroads in 1971. The war in Vietnam increasingly was seen as unwinnable, while triggering ongoing unrest in cities and college campuses across the nation. The economy was challenged with rising inflation and rising trade deficits. In August 1971, the British ambassador turned up at the Treasury Department to request that $3 billion be converted into gold. That same week, President Nixon ordered a freeze on all prices and wages in the United States.

In the Communist world, America’s problems were trumpeted as the inevitable collapse of capitalist imperialism. Russia and China stood triumphant over a declining West. And what did Nixon do? He stunned the world by traveling to China. His goal: To drive a wedge between the two Communist superpowers.

Kanye West Says He’s ‘Running For President,’ Picks Up Elon Musk’s Endorsement

by Mary Rose Corkery Kanye West said he’s “running for president” on Saturday. “We must realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States,” West wrote on Twitter Saturday. https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/1279575273365594112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1279575273365594112%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fdailycallernewsfoundation.org%2F2020%2F07%2F05%2Fkanye-says-hes-running-for-president-picks-up-elon-musks-endorsement%2F Tesla CEO Elon Musk…

Commentary: It Was a Magnificent Speech

Donald Trump did not mention Lincoln’s First Inaugural address in his speech commemorating the spirit of American Independence at Mount Rushmore on Friday night. But the president’s speech—perhaps his most forceful and eloquent to date—vibrated with the same energy and existential commitment that fired Lincoln in March 1861.

Lincoln came to office at a time of crisis. His election had precipitated the secession of seven Southern states. His inaugural address was both a plea for conciliation and unity as well as a warning that violence would be stopped with force. “We are not enemies, but friends,” Lincoln said.

Cornell University Slammed for Allegedly Donating Student Fees to Black Lives Matter

In a letter to the editor published by The Cornell Sun, one student blasted the Ivy League’s Student Activities Funding Commission after it allegedly gave $10,000 to the Cornell Students for Black Lives fundraiser using mandatory student fees, without first telling the student body.

Bill Cosby Cites ‘Systemic Racism’ as He Fights Assault Conviction

In a nearly empty Philadelphia courtroom in June 2015, a lawyer for Bill Cosby implored a federal judge to keep the comedian’s testimony in an old sexual battery lawsuit under wraps. It was sensitive. Embarrassing. Private.

U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno had another word for it.

Black Worker Files Discrimination Complaint Against Facebook

While there may be Black Lives Matter posters on Facebook’s walls, the complaint says, “Black workers don’t see that phrase reflecting how they are treated in Facebook’s own workplace.”

One of the Two Protesters Hit by Driver While on Seattle Freeway Dies

One of two people hit by a man who drove his car onto a closed Seattle freeway late Saturday night and into a crowd protesting police brutality has died.

Bellagio Error May Be Biggest Sportsbook Loss for Las Vegas

The nearly quarter-million dollars in winning wagers reportedly placed at MGM Resorts last Sunday might be the largest sportsbook loss in Las Vegas history on bets made after an event has started.

Seven longtime Las Vegas bookmakers can’t recall a larger loss, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. But each oddsmaker has taken hits on past posts and said it’s a fairly common occurrence at books.

Despite Supreme Court Win, Energy Companies Cancel $8 Billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline

The developers of the long-delayed, $8 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline announced the cancellation of the multi-state natural gas project Sunday, citing uncertainties about costs, permitting and litigation.

Despite a victory last month at the United States Supreme Court over a critical permit, Dominion Energy and Duke Energy said in a news release that “recent developments have created an unacceptable layer of uncertainty and anticipated delays” for the 600-mile project designed to cross West Virginia and Virginia into North Carolina.

Dave Yost Seeks Public’s Input on Whether Google Uses ‘Deceptive Sales Practices’

July 6, 2020July 5, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said he wants the public to weigh in on the question of whether internet search engines should be “allowed to favor their own products and services in search results.”

Pharma Trade Group Sues State Over Affordable Insulin Law Hours Before it Became Law

July 6, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) filed a lawsuit late Tuesday seeking to strike down affordable insulin legislation the day before the law took effect.

Lt. Gov. Flanagan, Who Welcomed Toppling of Columbus Statue, Chairs Board Responsible for Capitol Art

July 6, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who welcomed the destruction of a Christopher Columbus statue, chairs the board responsible for Capitol artwork and monuments.

Rep. Ilhan Omar Introduces Federal Job Guarantee Bill

July 5, 2020July 4, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) introduced a bill last week that would create a “job guarantee program” at the U.S. Department of Labor.

The Workforce Promotion and Access Act, sponsored by Omar and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12), seeks to get more Americans “back to work in living-wage jobs created directly by the federal government.”

Commentary: Why Do They Hate Thomas Jefferson?

July 5, 2020July 5, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

When Al Sharpton demanded, three years ago, that the funding for the Jefferson Memorial’s upkeep be cut off, people laughed. But they’re not laughing now. Actually, they’re still laughing, but now it’s more of a nervous chuckle in dismal expectation of what’s to come. First it was Robert E. Lee, then it was Christopher Columbus, and now it’s old TJ himself.

FBI Arrests Antifa Ringleader of Attempt to Topple Andrew Jackson Statue in DC

July 5, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

The alleged “ringleader” in a recent attempt to destroy the Andrew Jackson statue in Washington DC was arrested Thursday, and charged with destruction of federal property.

Jason Charter, a known antifa agitator, was arrested at his home by the FBI and U.S. Park Police as part of a joint task force, Fox News reported.

Activist Leaves Hong Kong After New Law to Advocate Abroad

July 5, 2020 The Associated Press

Prominent Hong Kong democracy activist Nathan Law has left the city for an undisclosed location after testifying in a U.S. congressional hearing about a tough new security law imposed by mainland China on the semi-autonomous territory.

Law, who declined to disclose his whereabouts for safety, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday that he left because Hong Kong needs an advocate for democracy who can work internationally.

Commentary: When Tyranny Through Bureaucracy Takes Root the Growth of Violence Follows

by Annie Holmquist It’s funny how peaceful all this recent protesting for change has been. In fact, it’s so peaceful that average Americans, trying to go about their lives as normally as possible, are simply surrounded by love and feelings of euphoria. I speak tongue-in-cheek, of course, for the…

New Virginia Gun Laws Take Effect Amid Nationwide Unrest

July 5, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

A host of gun control laws, passed months ago and spearheaded by Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, took effect on Wednesday in the commonwealth after months of fierce opposition from pro-firearm groups.

Northam signed the slew of gun restrictions in April after they passed the state’s General Assembly, where Democrats hold the majority, USA Today reported. The lawmakers faced dissent from over 20,000 angry citizens — many of whom were heavily armed — in the state’s capital in late January, according to Fox News.

LA City Council Okays Replacing Police with Community Responders for Non-Violent Calls

July 5, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

The Los Angeles City Council approved a measure Tuesday that would allow unarmed community responders to step in for uniformed officers on non-violent calls, according to news reports.

The local government’s initiative was unanimous and will replace cops on calls for drug overdoses and mental health issues, among other non-violent situations, according to CBS Los Angeles. The city is likely to draw on its health and homeless departments to strategize on the new style of policing.

Analysis: A Deeper Look at Black Lives Matter and Its Impact

Standing behind vandals who attempted to pull down the bronze statue of Andrew Jackson near the White House last week is a loosely configured, increasingly well-funded network of Black Lives Matter activists bent on constraining and defunding law enforcement.

An area called Black Lives Matter Plaza became the staging ground for more than 100 demonstrators, many of them egging on the vandalism before police intervened.

STUDY: Anti-Malarial Drug Used to Treat Lupus Helped COVID-19 Patients Survive, Despite Media Claims

An anti-malarial drug that President Donald Trump hyped as a potential therapy for the coronavirus helped some patients survive the disease while in the hospital, according to research published Wednesday.

Some of those who received hydroxychloroquine before acute symptoms began were much less likely to die from the virus, according to researchers at Henry Ford Health System in Michigan. Their findings come after other studies determined that the experimental drug provided little or no benefit to people struggling with the coronavirus, or COVID-19.

Supreme Court to Determine Whether Congress Can See Redactions in the Mueller Report

The Supreme Court announced Thursday that it will hear a case that will decide whether Congress can see redacted portions of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s report into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The case’s arguments will most likely be heard in the fall after the presidential election, and the Supreme Court will likely reach a decision in 2021, The New York Times reported. The case came after the House Judiciary Committee requested grand jury documents the Department of Justice redacted from the Mueller report.

American Greatness Ad in New York Times Calls for Yale to be Renamed After Jeremiah Dummer

The New York Times on Thursday published an advertisement calling for Yale to be renamed after someone who was not a brutal, white supremacist slave-trader. A Harvard man named Jeremiah Dummer fits the bill, New Criterion editor and American Greatness contributor Roger Kimball argues.

Republicans Invoke Independence Day In Opposition to Walz’s Coronavirus Response

July 5, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Gov. Tim Walz recently filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought against him regarding his use of emergency powers during the coronavirus pandemic.

The lawsuit was filed on May 28 by four members of the New House Republican Caucus, the Free Minnesota Coalition, and at least eight businesses across the state. The complaint argues that the governor does not have the authority to “suspend the constitutional rights of Minnesotans.”

Walz Asks Federal Government to Help Twin Cities Rebuild from $500M Worth of Rioting Damage

July 4, 2020July 3, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Gov. Tim Walz has requested federal financial assistance to help the Twin Cities recover from more than $500 million worth of damage caused by rioting.

In a press release, Walz’s office said nearly 1,500 Twin Cities businesses were vandalized, burned, or looted during the late May riots, with current estimates of the damage exceeding $500 million.

Commentary: Three Reasons America Is Great

Independence Day in 2020 will have great meaning to many Americans.

As we’ve seen many symbols of America’s past get literally smashed by mobs, it’s important for those who still love their country to reflect on why it is exceptional and worth fighting for.

‘When Is Fourth of July?’: Here Are the Top Five Google Searches Asking About Independence Day

Google revealed the top five searches and questions people are asking about July 4 when they visit the company’s platform ahead of Independence Day.

“Independence Day is upon us, and that means searches for fireworks, sparklers and tons of delicious recipes are on the rise,” Google Trends noted Tuesday three days ahead of Independence Day. Along with the greeting, the company also showed the top questions people are asking regarding July 4.

Armstong Williams Commentary: Reflecting on the 1619 Project

In the wake of recent Black Lives Matter protests — in response to the murder of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer and the important dialog that has resulted — I am inclined to revisit The New York Times’ controversial 1619 Project. This project propagates a popular narrative, which has taken hold among many in the media, politics, and education, to link the foundational origins of the American experiment not to the context of the American Revolution of 1776 but to 1619, the year that enslaved Angolans arrived on the shores of colonial Jamestown, Virginia.

Iran Declines to Disclose Cause of Mysterious Nuke Site Fire

An online video and messages purportedly claiming responsibility for a fire that analysts say damaged a centrifuge assembly plant at Iran’s underground Natanz nuclear site deepened the mystery Friday around the incident — even as Tehran insisted it knew the cause but would not make it public due to “security reasons.”

The multiple, different claims by a self-described group called the “Cheetahs of the Homeland” included language used by several exiled Iranian opposition organizations. They also focused almost entirely on Iran’s nuclear program, viewed by Israel as a danger to its very existence.

Commentary: Trump Economy Is Well Ahead of Schedule

The U.S. economy has added a record 7.8 million to 8.8 million jobs back in May and June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) respective establishment and household surveys, bringing the reported unemployment rate down to 11.1 percent even as the number of Americans returning to the civilian labor force following the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns continues to increase.

This is incredible news because it means for certain that the labor market hit its bottom in April, the same month the IHME-estimated number of new cases daily was peaking at about 250,000 on March 29, down to an estimated 70,000 new cases a day now.

Ohio School District Dropping Redskins Name for Sports Teams

An Ohio school district has decided that its high school sports teams should no longer be known as the Redskins.

The Forest Hills Board of Education voted 4-1 on Thursday to “retire” the name and mascot at Anderson High School. A new name has not been chosen, and officials plan to soon announce a timeline and process for how a new name and mascot will be selected.

MLB Cancels All-Star Game for First Time Since 1945

Dodger Stadium’s 40-year wait to host the All-Star Game is going to last even longer.

The game scheduled for July 14 was canceled Friday because of the coronavirus pandemic, and Dodger Stadium was awarded the 2022 Midsummer Classic. The 2021 game is set for Atlanta’s Truist Park, home to the Braves since 2017.

LA School Police Chief Quits After Budget Cut by School Board

The Los Angeles School police chief resigned from his post Wednesday, less than a year after he took the job and less than 24 hours after the district’s board cut $25 million from his department’s budget, Fox News Reports.

Police Chief Tod Chamberlain said the cuts put him in a “position that makes my ability to effectively, professionally and safely impact those groups unachievable.”

Hundreds of Bush Administration Officials Declare Support for Joe Biden

A large group of officials who worked for former President George W. Bush will endorse the former Democrat Vice President Joe Biden.

The group formed a super PAC Wednesday, called “43 Alumni for Biden,” a reference to Bush, the 43rd president and described its formation as an effort to restore “the principles of unity, tolerance and compassion to the greatest elected office in the world,” according to Reuters.

President Trump Kicks Off Independence Day Celebrations at Mount Rushmore

July 4, 2020July 4, 2020 Admin

President Trump traveled to South Dakota Friday to kick off Independence Day celebrations across America with an historic appearance at Mount Rushmore.

In front of a packed, open-air audience of about 7,500, the president delivered a much-anticipated remarks White House representatives promised would be an unapologetic and full-throated defense of American culture, values, history, and future.

PG&E Exits Bankruptcy, Pays $5 Billion into Wildfire Fund

Pacific Gas & Electric has emerged from a contentious bankruptcy saga that began after its long-neglected electrical grid ignited wildfires in California that killed more than 100 people.

The nation’s largest utility announced Wednesday it emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy and paid $5.4 billion in initial funds and 22.19% of its stock into a trust for victims of wildfires caused by its outdated equipment.

AP Source: NFL to Play Black Anthem Before National Anthem

“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” will be performed live or played before “The Star-Spangled Banner” prior to each NFL game during Week 1 and the league is considering putting names of victims of police brutality on helmet decals or jersey patches, a person familiar with the discussions told The Associated Press.

The person said the league is working collaboratively with players to recognize victims of systemic racism throughout the season in a variety of ways. The person spoke to the AP on Thursday on condition of anonymity because discussions between the league and the NFL Players Association are ongoing.

Hugh Downs, Genial Presence on TV News and Game Shows, Dies

Hugh Downs, the genial, versatile broadcaster who became one of television’s most familiar and welcome faces with more than 15,000 hours on news, game and talk shows, has died at age 99.

Downs died of natural causes at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Wednesday, said his great-niece, Molly Shaheen.

Steve Bannon Presents: Descent Into Hell