Flotsam and Jetsam - Hunter Rejects Subpoena, McCarthy to Quit

At Twitchy, Biden Calls House Oversight Evidence 'a Bunch of Lies' and Then Can't Leave the Room Fast Enough. Ace Biden Lies Outrageously, Claiming That It's Just "Lies" That He Ever Even "Interacted" With Hunter Biden's "Business" Associates, Then His Handlers Quickly End the Press Conference.  "Joe Biden previously lied and said he never even spoke with Hunter's "business" partners. Then it was proven that he spoke with them and met them in restaurants. The new claim became, "he only spoke to them about the weather." This reporter attempts to forestall quibbling about what Biden spoke about by asking about Biden "interacting" with Hunter's "business" partners. Obviously, this includes any interactions, including interactions supposedly about "the weather." From Fox, Comer, Jordan threaten to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress after he rejects subpoena for deposition "Hunter Biden's attorney says the president's son would only testify at a public hearing." I think all of Trump's children sat for depositions. At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 12.06.23 (Morning Edition), at Da Fed ‘Two-Tiered Justice System’: House Finds Biden’s DOJ, Weiss Gave Hunter Biden Special Treatment, Biden Admin Gives Catholics, Parents The ‘Domestic Terrorist’ Treatment But Not Violent Antisemites, and Democrats Are Afraid Trump Will Do To Them What They Have Done To Him

 Paul Bedard at WaEx reports Comer told an NBC host: ‘You’re financially illiterate’ “You’re calling it an influence-peddling scheme, and you don’t even know definitively whether or not it’s a loan?” Nobles said. Comer, with a smirk, responded, “You don’t understand. It’s like you’re financially illiterate. You look like a smart guy on TV. Listen, I’m a banker. You know, I’ve been involved in a bank board for a long time. The money that the Bidens pay Joe Biden back with came from influence peddling.”" Jazz Shaw at Hat Hair, Hunter Biden 'Sugar Brother' Confirmed. Ace, Hunter Biden's "Sugar Brother," Hollywood Lawyer Kevin Morris, Has Secretly Given the Crackhead Whoremonger 4.9 Million Dollars. "Do you believe that this $4.9 million dollars was Kevin Morris' own money? Or do you think he's just a funnel for money coming from billionaires? And China? Because I think the latter. Time to subpoena his bank records."

Althouse, "Trump and the Republicans held leads on... being for working people (a 7-point advantage), standing up to elites (8 points)..." Hat Hair's John Sexton hears Democracy Corps on Current Biden Polling Numbers: 'This is Grim' 

On 32 subjects ranging from abortion to China, the Democracy Corps survey asked voters to choose which would be better, “Biden and the Democrats” or “Trump and the Republicans.”

Biden and the Democrats led on six: women’s rights (ahead by 17 points), climate change (15 points), addressing racial inequality (10 points), health care (3 points), the president will not be an autocrat (plus 2) and protecting Democracy (plus 1). There was a tie on making democracy more secure.

Donald Trump and the Republicans held leads on the remaining subjects, including being for working people (a 7-point advantage), standing up to elites (8 points), being able to get things done for the American people (12 points), feeling safe (12 points) and keeping wages and salaries up with the cost of living (17 points).

NYPo,  Biden says ‘probably 50’ Democrats could beat Trump after insisting ‘I have to run’. At Althouse, "Even though he has opponents in the primary, the party leadership has ordered that only Biden will appear on the primary ballot." "Writes Jonathan Turley, in "The Guardians of Democracy: Democrats Move to Protect Democracy from Itself" and "A dearth of charging infrastructure is one of the top reasons Americans say they won’t buy an electric car." "Woefully bland caption under a photograph at the Politico article "Congress provided $7.5B for electric vehicle chargers. Built so far: Zero. The sluggish rollout could undermine President Joe Biden’s reelection messaging promoting electric vehicles." They've taken us so insanely deeply into debt, but what if we had a brilliant, beautiful, well-functioning, modernized national infrastructure to show for it? Did we get anything?!" No, but a lot of Democrat donors and hangers on made a mint. PJM's Steven Kruiser,  Never Mind a Second Term, Can We Make It to the End of Biden's First?

Insty, THE NEW YORK TIMES IS CONCERNED TRUMP MIGHT DO WHAT BIDEN HAS BEEN DOING: “He has threatened to use the power of the presidency against his political opponents, including President Joe Biden and Biden’s family.” "I mean, I know these people are utterly lacking in self-awareness, but. . . ." From Unherd, Why all this Trump hysteria? "America won't descend into an authoritarian state." Capt. Ed comments "The rational argument against Trump is not that he will seize power he doesn’t have under the Constitution, but that he won’t use the authority he *does* have. Far from ‘draining the swamp,’ Trump mainly let it fester by ignoring the political appointments necessary to first controlling it and then dismantling it. The worst of these examples is the COVID-19 pandemic, where Trump allowed the bureaucrats to impose *actual* authoritarian measures while trying to avoid conflict with Fauci and the love the media showered on him." Althouse finds 2 from Glenn Greenwald. Glenn Greenwald@ggreenwald, "This is what you will hear from all liberal corporate outlets for the next year: no, this time we mean it! This time Trump *really will be* fascist! These are the people imprisoning non-violent Jan 6 protesters, prosecuting Trump to win an election, censoring the internet:"

Sundance at CTH has mixed emotions that Kevin McCarthy Announces He Is Leaving Congress at the End of This Month. Spencer Brown at TownHall, Matt Gaetz Responds to Kevin McCarthy's Retirement With One Word  "McLeavin’". From Ace, Kevin McCarthy Will Leave Congress "At the End of the Year" "Not at the end of the current Congress, which extends into January. But at the end of the year. This will leave us with only a 1 member majority for a period." and Update to Last Post "I think the real objection to my criticism of Gaetz is really, "C'mon dude, he offered a single-word sneer on Twitter at McCarthy, it's no big deal and you're acting like a spazz." Hat Hair's Jazz Shaw speculates about What Was Behind McCarthy's Resignation? "So what made his exit so urgent?  . . .  While it pains me to say it, this looks more than anything else like a simple case of sour grapes."

And, then, of course, the Republican also-rans held another debate last night, where it was Nikki Haley's turn in the barrel.  NYPo, Republicans quickly dogpile on Nikki Haley in fourth debateAt WaEx, Republican debate: DeSantis PAC hits Haley over transgender stance before GOP showdown and Republican debate: Christie delivers fiery performance at fourth GOP event, "DeSantis, Haley, Ramaswamy, and Christie clash in fourth GOP debate." Insty, I THINK SHE’S OUT OF TOUCH WITH HER PARTY: Matt Rinaldi@MattRinaldiTX "100% disqualifying." Robby Starbuck@robbystarbuck, 
"Nikki Haley was just asked on CBS what should be done if a 12 year old decides they want a sex change and she said the law should stay out of it to let parents handle it. This is 1000% disqualifying. The law must intervene when a parent abuses their child."

Ace, Liz Cheney, Who Lost Her Primary for Reelection by 36 Points, Says She Might Run Third Party to Stop Trump and the Republican Party. "In related news, an obese five-year-old girl with dyspraxia just told me "I'm gunna bust you up, chief."" From the Da Fetched, Trump: Liz Cheney Is Suffering from ‘TDS’ at a Level Rarely Seen Before. VodkaPundit at Insty, “THIRD-PARTY” IS LIZ-SPEAK FOR “BIDEN STALKING HORSE”: Liz Cheney says she’s ready to consider a third party, warns of ‘grave’ threat of Trump-led GOP.

At Breitbart, Soros’s Foundation Commits $50 Million to Spur ‘Nonpartisan Civic Engagement Among Women,’ Youth. Nonpartisan my ass. 

The redoubtable Julie Kelly at RCI goes into gory detail on the 'Jan. 6 Jurisprudence' About to Be Unleashed on Trump. At da Wire, 6 Nevada Republicans, Including GOP Chairman, Indicted In Trump ‘Alternate Elector’ Case.   OutKick hears BLM Rioters being Fined $500 For Burning Down Wendy's Has The Right Fired Up. 

NewsMax, Sen. Cruz: Govt 'Laundering Taxpayer Dollars' for Censorship, and not very well, because it's obvious to anyone. Matt Taibbi at Racket, Sue the Bastards: Federalist, Daily Wire Take the State Department to Court "Bookending the historic Consortium News suit, conservative news outlets take on the Global Engagement Center for funding "censorship enterprises" and blacklisting."

In the interests of saving time and getting to band practice, Culture War content is DIY and below the line:

Thursday Tanlines

The Beebe, Market Harborough tanning salon to keep bikini image on shopfront

A tanning salon owner has been told he can keep a large image of a sunbathing woman on the front of his store. Market Harborough District Council told Malibu Tanning Lounge that their shop front should be removed after receiving complaints it was "offensive".

Owner Jim Cole says an agreement has since been reached with the council to keep the picture, which he affectionately calls "Lady Malibu". The shop has created a border to reduce the size of the picture.  Mr Cole had been told to remove the imagery due to concerns about the impact on the town's conservation area.

But the owner defended the picture, saying it was important to keep it for the privacy of his customers. "The good thing is that the picture is still full scale, just with a border around it, so people can't see inside the shop for privacy, which is really what we wanted," he said following the adjustment.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: For The Fallen up and awaiting your digital pleasure at The Other McCain. 

Good News, Bad News on Bay Hypoxia

Chesapeake Bay showing record (low) dead zone levels, watermen disagree

The Chesapeake Bay Program says the 2023 Chesapeake Bay dead zone is the smallest on record.

The dead zone are areas of low oxygen that suffocate underwater life, shrinking the available habitat. The historical average is 0.97 and the 2023 record marks it at 0.52.

We spoke to a local waterman, Captain Robert Newberry who says this has some truth, yet they’ve seen something different on the water. 

“The recent report of the low dead zones in the Chesapeake Bay this year as a total body of water in the bay could be as good as they say they are. But what the waterman have found, specifically in the major crab areas north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge as far north as above Poole’s island, is that the dead zones and bad water were prevalent all summer long. Specifically, when we have an east wind or a northeast wind, the bad water which creates the dead zones was extremely large in these areas. Many crabbers had to move their rigs north or south to get out of the bad water, and those that didn’t experience major dead loss in their pots. Even the waterman that harvest eels found many dead eels in their pots as a result of the bad water creating hypoxia. After pulling many of the crabbers in the northern bay, they all agree that there was many weeks of bad water. Maybe the DNR looked at the bay as a whole, but specifically in the northern reaches and in some of the rivers of the Chesapeake bay, bad water was prevalent throughout the summer.”

The Chesapeake Bay Program says that its results show ongoing efforts to reduce pollution.

Both can be true. We did have the best year on record for hypoxia in the deep channel of the Bay, largely due to favorable weather at critical times of the year, but in part (perhaps) from the ongoing reduction in nutrients in the Bay. However, there is still (and probably always will be) a large volume of hypoxic water at the height of summer. And when the wind blows the right direction long enough, upwelling will push it into shallow water. It used to be pretty common here. A few days of a SW wind would bring the deep water up on our beach, driving crabs and some fish with it 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: For The Fallen up and awaiting your digital pleasure at The Other McCain. 

Maryland, My Maryland

Maryland School District Suspends Teachers Union Rep over Anti-Semitic List of Jews. The headline is from Hat Hair, the story from Da Wire:

A Maryland teacher is on leave while the school system investigates her for a string of anti-Semitic social media posts that included creating a list of wealthy Jews in her county, claiming they horde wealth while contributing nothing to society, and calling for “class war.”

Angela Wolf is head of the English Language Development department, which caters to immigrant children, at Takoma Park Middle School, in the most leftist enclave of liberal Montgomery County. Though she was temporarily removed from school, she remains a board member of the Montgomery County Education Association, one of the largest teachers union locals in the country representing 14,000 staff.

Her Facebook posts included a drawing of an Israeli tank pointing a tank’s gun at babies in a hospital NICU, and saying “enemy in sight!” As the war wages against the Hamas terrorists who murdered over 1,200 Israelis on October 7, she has posted frequently against Israel. On November 16, she commended “bus operators at Dulles who refused to transport Zionists to the pro Israel rally,” adding that “their solidarity with the victims of Israeli genocide should be commended.”

On October 28, she shared a post saying, “It is not a war — it is a slaughter. Israel determined to make Gaza uninhabitable.”

In December 2020, well before the conflict in Israel, she wrote:

 

Four of the five of the billionaires she named are Jewish except Saul, who happens to have a common Jewish name.

In response to criticism, she claimed — referring the the group of people with names like Rubenstein — that she had “no idea these billionaires are Jewish or that my word choice had an [sic] historic significance for the Jewish community. The diatribe against these two words has turned the discussion into a fallacious attack … People are angry at teachers or a particular politician or the poor. I have read no attacks on the 1% … who have NOT ‘earned’ ‘their wealth.’”

She said “they use their accumulated wealth to further their own interests” and blamed their hoarding for students falling behind while teachers unions refused to work because of COVID. “There should be little question that staying home should NOT equal mental health crises for kids and communities angry because school staff also need to be home,” she wrote.

When someone else criticized her for her anti-Semitic posts, she responded by calling former President Donald Trump a “scumbag” and said, “Fear is leading to censorship. I hope this person gets anti-imperialism and joins us in the struggle … No war but class war!”

Don't give her a paid vacation. Fire her! At Da Signal, Democrats Shouldn’t Be Surprised by Their Left Flank’s Radicalism

Trouble is brewing in the deep-blue state of Maryland, where Democratic state senators are discovering that—gasp!—an “immigrant advocacy” group they have coddled for decades is really full of Hamas supporters who compare Palestinian terrorists to the experience of Hispanics in the Old Line State.

The group is CASA de Maryland. State lawmakers have been forcing weary taxpayers to underwrite this far-left group since it was first incorporated in Maryland’s radical chic neighborhood of Takoma Park in 1985.

The Washington Post reported as far back as 2011 that “nearly half of CASA’s $6 million budget comes from local, state, and federal appropriations.” A reason for that is, as the Post put it, it successfully sells itself as an “immigrants’ rights” lobbying group.

That the people CASA de Maryland represents are mostly not immigrants at all, but illegal aliens who have willfully broken the law didn’t bother reliably lefty voters in tony Montgomery County, where many of the denizens of the federal permanent bureaucracy and the nation’s media and academic elite sleep, play, and more importantly, vote.

But just as CASA has moved out of its original modest Takoma Park church basement and is now headquartered in multimillion-dollar Langley Mansion, a former plantation restored to the tune of $13.8 million in nearby Langley Park (a rehab that the Post reported was partly footed by taxpayers), the organization’s political reach has expanded.

It is now, according to its website, a nationwide community organizing giant. “With over 155,000 lifetime members across 46 U.S. states, CASA is a national powerhouse organization building power and improving the quality of life in working-class: Black, Latino/a/e, Afro-descendent, Indigenous, and Immigrant communities.”

Things were going swimmingly well until this comfy status quo was shattered, as many things have been in America, by Hamas’ massacre of Israeli civilians and the gang-rape of Jewish women on Oct. 7. The fascination that the “woke” Left has shown for the terrorists (a Cornell professor said he was “exhilarated” by the killing spree) has shocked old-fashioned liberals. They are now suddenly finding it hard to overlook some tough realities.

Enter CASA, which chose to make clear on which side it belongs when its longtime executive director, Gustavo Torres, stated in a since-deleted post on X that “CASA stands in resolute and steadfast solidarity with the people of Palestine in their relentless fight for freedom. We stand shoulder to shoulder with countless Black and brown freedom activists from around the world. We specifically condemn the utilization of U.S. tax dollars to promote the ongoing violence.”

“We deeply acknowledge the interconnectedness of the struggle for the liberation of the Palestinian people and Black and brown communities in the United States,” Torres added.

That set off all nine state senators from Montgomery County, who issued a letter that did not mince words. The statements by CASA and Torres, the senators’ letter said, “are hurtful, divisive, and antisemitic. It reflects a complete lack of understanding of the complex geopolitics of the Middle East, the indigenous roots of the Jewish people, and the long and painful history of antisemitism in its myriad forms.”

More to the point, the senators reminded Torres, “We have provided CASA with millions of taxpayer dollars intended to support our new Americans and help provide them with necessities and shelter.”

Then came the kicker: “We cannot and will not allow taxpayer money to subsidize hate speech. In light of CASA’s recent postings and statements, this might be an appropriate time to reevaluate the state’s mechanism for providing financial aid and support to our immigrant community.”

Flotsam and Jetsam - Hunter got $4.9 Million from "Sugar Brother"

 Goodness gracious there's a lot today. Starting with Biden and his crime family syndicate, at NYPo, Hunter Biden got staggering $4.9M from ‘sugar brother’ Kevin Morris: IRS whistleblower,  He must be a helluva good friend. Also First brother James Biden ducks impeachment deposition — for now. Ace notices Surprise! One of Hunter Biden's Shell Companies Made Direct Payments to Joe Biden's Bank Account. "And this is one of the shell companies which was receiving money from China. Jake Tapper will be all over this story, I just know it!!!!" Nick Arama at RedState, Hunter Biden Tries to Subpoena Trump and Barr, and Special Counsel's Response Is Gold "Not only does defendant’s motion fail to identify any actual evidence of bias, vindictiveness, or discriminatory intent on the Special Counsel’s part, his arguments ignore an inconvenient truth: No charges were brought against defendant during the prior administration when the subpoena recipients actually held office in the Executive Branch," Weiss wrote." Miranda Devine@mirandadevine "Special Counsel David Weiss files a scathing rejection of Hunter Biden’s request to subpoena Donald Trump and Bill Barr to prove he is being unfairly prosecuted on gun charges. “In seeking discovery for a claim of selective prosecution, defendant fails to identify even one similarly situated individual who was not prosecuted for similar conduct….  “He also identifies no constitutionally protected class to which he belongs.”" From Fox, DOJ deviated from 'standard processes,' gave Hunter Biden 'special treatment' in probe, House GOP report says, "House GOP says inquiry is 'far from complete,' but is ongoing to determine whether to draft articles of impeachment against Biden." Steve Richards at JTN, New House report asserts special treatment for Hunter Biden by DOJ and FBI. "The report follows allegations by the IRS Whistleblowers of favorable treatment for Hunter Biden that was corroborated by reporting on the House Judicary Committee's main witnesses." Breitbart, House Committees Produce 78-Page Report on DOJ’s ‘Deviations’ in Hunter Biden Probe.  Rumble rumbles Rep. Comer: House Oversight is prepared to go to court to enforce Hunter Biden subpoena  At Twitchy, Senator Kennedy Turns FBI Dir. Wray Into a Babbling, Sputtering MESS Asking About Hunter Biden's Laptop. Video at link. At PM  Christopher Wray says FBI couldn't admit Hunter Biden laptop was real because it was 'an election season', " We have to be very careful about what we can say— especially in the middle of an election season." From Da Caller, Joe Biden Used Fake Name To Exchange Over 50 Private Emails With Hunter Biden’s Business Associate, Docs Show.  At Da Fed Dave Harsanyi has A Short History Of Joe’s Long Record Of Lying About Biden Inc. Capt. Ed. notes "Biden has always lied and demagogued his way through Washington DC. That’s not new. What is only a little more novel is the extent to which the mainstream media keeps circling wagons around the Bidens as though they were the Kennedys rather than the Menendezes. (And they circled the wagons around the Kennedys too, for that matter.)" Mark Tapscott at Insty, EMAILS SHOW OBAMA OFFICIALS SHOCKED BY BIDEN’S ‘AUDIBLE:’ "An internal State Department email thread reviewed by The Epoch Times reveals officials there and in the White House National Security Council (NSC) were taken by surprise when they learned that then-Vice-President Joe Biden had told Ukraine its receipt of $1 billion in U.S. backed loans was dependent on them firing Special Prosecutor Victor Shokin." Nichola Ballasay at JTN reports Speaker Johnson says a Biden impeachment inquiry vote expected next week in House. "Johnson previously said on Saturday that he thought the GOP had the votes to approve the inquiry." At Breitbart,  Mike Johnson: House Will Vote Next Week on Formalizing Joe Biden Impeachment Inquiry. Andy McCarthy at NRO, cited at Hat Hair, thinks Impeachment-Inquiry Vote Would Be an Improvement, but Many Problems Remain. Capt. Ed kibbitzes "McCarthy should have held a vote for it in the first place. He may not have foreseen anyone pulling that incredibly stupid Motion to Vacate stunt and ending his legally shaky personal authorization for the probe, but Republicans rightly objected when Pelosi pulled the same stunt in 2019. Had it been authorized in a floor vote, McCarthy’s status wouldn’t have mattered and the probe would have had a more credible legal foundation." 

From NYPo, Biden tells Democratic donors ‘I’m not sure I’d be running’ in 2024 if Trump was out: ‘We cannot let him win’. From Da Caller,  Trump Predicts Biden Will Not Be Dems’ 2024 Nominee‘: I Personally Don’t Think He Makes It.’ PJM's Matt Margolis observes Biden Campaign Gets Fact-Checked for Fake Trump Quote "It's not exactly unprecedented for the Biden campaign and anyone remotely associated with it to lie about Donald Trump. But it is somewhat unusual for left-wing fact-checkers to call them out for their lies."

Hat Hair's Beege Welborn has a Bidenomics Update: JOLTS Job Report Was a Bit of a Shock. Ace, Economists Predict Recession in 2024; Oil Likely to Hit $100 Per Barrel Again "Wouldn't it be nice if we were producing our own oil, like we did for four years before this usurper was placed in the White House by a criminal conspiracy to defraud the United States of a valid election?" NYPo notes Price of gold surges to all-time high on the back of falling US dollar and Bidenomics has taken a big bite out of your retirement. Anxious is anxious that House Democrats ditch "Bidenomics" messaging. PJM's VodkaPundit thinks You Won't Believe How Many EV Chargers Biden Can Buy for $7.5 Billion. Zip, zero, nada, nil and none. I believe it, I worked for the government. Evita Duffy-Alfonso is outraged that the Biden Administration Pledges $3 Billion To The UN’s Neocolonialist ‘Green Climate Fund’

Paul Bedard at WaEx, Anti-police rants by top Interior aide cited in poor morale and low staffing of officers "In a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, eight senators said that the attacks by spokesman Tyler Cherry have led to staffing and morale problems inside the U.S. Park Police, which Interior oversees." NYPo reports Faces of Muslim ‘Abandon Biden’ movement accused of wife beating, Hamas links. Ace, The Immigration Agent Who Celebrated the 10/7 Attacks -- And Who Had the Job of "Vetting" Her Terrorist Cousins -- Uses Her Paid Time off to Threaten US Military Officials. "If you remember, a couple of weeks ago a DHS employee who was charged with vetting her terrorist cousins for terrorism connections posted her support of the 10/7 slaughter."

At Off The Press, Poll Show Trump Leading Biden In Battleground States Of Georgia, Arizona. But they haven't counted the mail in ballots yet. Bob Kagan at WaPoo opines A Trump dictatorship is increasingly inevitable. We should stop pretending. Pure projection. PJM's Stephen Kruiser agrees, The 'Trump Will Be an Authoritarian Destroyer of Democracy' Narrative Is Patently Absurd. Sundance at CTH takes an even dimmer view of the article, Subtle Like a Brick Through a Window – CIA Outlet Approves Donald Trump Assassination. Eddie Scarry at Da Fed, How Democrats And Their Media Allies Plan To Assassinate Trump’s Presidency, Again. Hat Hair's Jazz Shaw finds a poll he likes,  Majority Want Trump Off Ballot If Convicted. Take all the Democrats  and a handful of Republicans and you get a majority. We already knew that a "majority" don't want either Biden or Trump. 

Althouse wondersWhy have anti-Trump Republicans chosen Nikki Haley as the one who should beat Trump? "I see, in the NYT, "Some Republicans Have a Blunt Message for Chris Christie: Drop Out/Several anti-Trump Republican donors and strategists are pushing Mr. Christie to end his presidential campaign and back Nikki Haley." What makes me suspicious of Nikki is that liberal outlets like the NYT, and liberal donors appear to be pushing her on us. It's not like they really want her to be President. Sundance, Dimon Benefits – One Week After JPMorgan CEO Says Support Nikki Haley, Wall St Delivers $500k in One Night. From Breitbart, DeSantis Campaign Slams Haley for Democrat Mega-Donor Money. Ace, Nikki Haley's PAC Takes a Big Contribution from Leftwing Democrat Millionare Reed Hoffmann, "From the NYT, quoted by Hot Air:" KT at Hat Hair, Final Four Not-Trump Republicans Emerge - Who Will Be in the RNC Debate? "The candidates who qualified for an invitation are Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Chris Christie." Darn, I thought Christie was done. 

The Divine Ms. Devine at NYPo, Republicans suckered into expelling George Santos and the most conservative voting record in NY: ‘To hell with this place’. Don't expect the Democrats to do likewise with any of their nare-do-wells. At BI, John Fetterman paid George Santos $343 for a Cameo to troll Bob Menendez. At least John has his sense of humor back.

From PM, Louisiana Judge orders NEW ELECTION for county sheriff after Democrat wins close race, voting irregularities cited ""It was proven beyond any doubt that there were at least 11 illegal votes cast and counted," the ruling states." Race has a 1 vote margin. "Numerous people were discovered to have voted both in person and by mail, according to KTAL NBC 6." TNP, Judge Voids Democrat Election Win Due To Fraudulent Ballots.

Jeff Charles at RedState claims a Bombshell: Jim Jordan Claims Fulton County DA Fani Willis Colluded With J6 Committee to Indict Trump. At ET, Jury to Hear Giuliani Defamation Case as Judge Rejects Bench Trial Request "Having already scuttled plaintiffs’ right to 'obtain relevant evidence both to support their claims and rebut any defenses,' ...  Giuliani will not now be rewarded with his effort to abrogate plaintiffs’ properly pleaded demand for a jury trial on damages," the judge wrote." I'm not so sure I'd want that judge. 'Becca Downs at Town Hall says Jack Smith Isn't Just Going After Trump's Social Media, he's going after yours, too. 

From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 12.04.23 Twitchy Idiots Who Burned Down A Wendy’s For BLM Get $500 Fine,

Ace, The Criminal Christopher Wray Asks Congress to Renew the 702 Spying Authority the FBI Abused During Russiagate, But Refuses to Answer Any Questions About FBI Corruption. "Give us the power to continue spying on American political opponents of the Democrat Party, or else we'll blame you when the terrorists we should be surveilling strike." Nicole Silvero at Da Caller, Sen. Josh Hawley, Christopher Wray Get Into Near Shouting Match Over Memo Targeting Traditional Catholics. Insty, CHRIS WRAY LIES TO CONGRESS: "Ya think Merrick Garland will prosecute him?" At the Right Scoop, FBI Director suggests NOBODY was fired over the outrageous anti-Catholic memo. Capt. Ed, "At any rate, I’m not surprised that no one got fired over this, because the policy did not appear to go operational for any length of time. The people who ordered the Code Red on the Houcks? Those people should have been fired by now, and nothing’s been done there either." Nicole again, ‘Have You Apologized?’: Rep. Chip Roy Grills DOJ Attorney Over Arrest Of Pro-Life Dad. "“We follow the facts and apply the law. That is our job, and we welcome opportunities to engage with other pro-life groups that may be experiencing threats or acts of violence,” Clarke responded."

From Da Wire, Daily Wire And The Federalist Sue Biden State Department Over Censorship Effort. "The State Department is tasked with foreign relations and has no authority over domestic affairs, yet it took a government office designed for countering foreign terrorist propaganda, the Global Engagement Center (GEC), and unleashed it against Americans engaged in what it claimed was “disinformation,” according to the lawsuit, filed in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas on Tuesday night by the New Civil Liberties Alliance." Insty, at his NYPo gig says Disinformation starts at the top — with America’s elites. Hollywood in Toto cites Adam Carolla: ‘Every Mainstream Media Narrative … Has Been Wrong’ “Every mainstream media narrative of the last five years has been wrong, if you really think about it, or skewed or morphed into something,” Carolla said. “Maybe you start with Russian collusion and the Steele Dossier. ‘There’s a tape. There’s a pee-pee tape,'” he continued of the debunked attacks on President Donald Trump. “And you roll it all the way through COVID or George Floyd or Kyle Rittenhouse .. Hunter Biden’s laptop." Sundance hosts Chris Pavlovski (CEO Rumble) and Devin Nunes (CEO Truth Social) who Discuss How They Protect the Liberty Flame of Free Speech. At PM, Woke outlet says Elon Musk ignited 'hate storm against black reporter' who falsely accused 9-year-old child of blackface. "The Root defended Phillips, stating that the photo of the child was used "to make a broader point about racism within the NFL."

I'm gonna dump the Culture Bin. It's gotta a lotta good stuff, but I just don't have the time:

Mr. Hockey Stick Says the Quiet Part Out Loud About Population Control Agenda : The Other McCain
Almost 1 in 10 college students threatened with punishment for their speech: study
'P' is for propaganda
Attn Universities: The First Amendment May Not Defend Your Anti-Semitism – HotAir
Democrats Shocked to Find Radicalism in Their Own Ranks – HotAir
Dude Dodged a BULLET: Conservative Guy Shares CRAY-CRAY Message From Lefty Woman on Dating App and LOL – Twitchy
Republican Lawmakers Spar With University Presidents at Campus Antisemitism Hearing - WSJ
Girl on Cross-Country Field Trip Assigned to Sleep With Biological Male – PJ Media
Instapundit » Blog Archive » WARD CLARK: Colorado Eyes Reintroduction of Wolverines. Here’s a question for the governor: Why?
Lesbian Teacher Sentenced to Prison for Sexually Molesting Two Teenage Girls : The Other McCain
Althouse: In the realm of law school rankings and affirmative action: "There is no subterfuge here."
Instapundit » Blog Archive » DISPATCHES FROM POST-WEIMAR AMERICA: https://twitter.com/BillAckman/status/1732179418787783089
Instapundit » Blog Archive » LOL: https://twitter.com/TheBabylonBee/status/1731847037304344909
Ace of Spades HQ The House voted to condemn antisemtism. 92 Democrats voted "present."
Columbia Tries Hosting Event Honoring Hamas October 7 Attack – HotAir
OUCH! Riley Gaines Owned a Rep So Hard the Dem Wanted it Erased From the Congressional Record – Twitchy
Global Test Indicates Widespread Post-Pandemic Learning Loss
Kendi: White People Can't Connect to Humanity – HotAir
These 105 Democrats Rejected 'Anti-Zionism Is Antisemitism' Resolution
Riley Gaines vows to compensate women athletes who lose prize money after refusing to play against trans athletes | The Post Millennial | thepostmillennial.com
Riley Gaines hits back at 'Squad' Dem calling her testimony 'transphobic': You're a 'misogynist'
Virginia Jewish group slams art festival over Hanukkah lighting
Anti-Semitism Hearing Highlights Ivy League Hypocrisy on Free Speech
Just 4 Percent of American Universities Condemned Hamas Terror Attack on Israel as Anti-Semitic
Columbia University Shuts Down Event Justifying October 7th Hamas Attacks on Israel as a “Counteroffensive”
Newsom Cancels Tree Lighting Ceremony over Pro-Palestinian Protests
To Biden Admin, Catholics Are 'Terrorists' But Violent Antisemites Aren't
Islamic Antisemitism and its Leftist Twin | Frontpage Mag
GOP Can't Beat Antisemitism Without Fighting All Anti-White Racism
Republicans Propose New Office To Enforce Affirmative Action Ban
EXCLUSIVE: District’s LGBTQ Lesson Plans For Kindergarteners Include Resources From Pro-Sex Change Organization | The Daily Caller
University Of Minnesota Pushes Critical Race Theory As Public Health With ‘Anti-Racism’ Trainings | The Daily Wire
The University of Arizona May Add a Racist, Anti-White Program To Its Lineup
WATCH: Sparks Fly Between Riley Gaines And Dem Rep During Hearing On Biden Proposal To Rewrite Title IX | The Daily Wire
Cornered By Facts, Rabid Trans Ideologues Lash Out With Lies
Is Sexual ‘Transitioning’ the Tipping Point? - American Thinker
'Woke' Was Invented to Kill the West, and It's Working – PJ Media
Campus Reform | Report indicates leftist Stanford students 'blacklisted' profs for not complying with woke academic accommodations in 2020
In The Mailbox: 12.04.23 : The Other McCain

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: Dune up and awaiting your digital pleasure at The Other McCain. 

Some Wednesday Wetness

Chesapeake Bay Program, New data confirms that the Anacostia River is getting cleaner

If you’ve been following local Washington, D.C., news over the last six months, you may have heard about the Anacostia River Splash event that was canceled due to inclement weather. Given the legacy of pollution in the Anacostia, it may come as a surprise that a swim event can even be organized. While it is still illegal to swim in the Anacostia because the river has not met water quality standards in many respects, conditions in some parts of the river are improving, which makes a carefully monitored and arranged swimming event now possible.

I remember when we had to get hepatitis A shots to work in the Anacostia.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: For The Fallen up and awaiting your digital pleasure at The Other McCain. 

Maryland, My Maryland

 At the Balmer Sun, Maryland Supreme Court to hear arguments on qualified immunity in police shooting of Korryn Gaines’ son 

The Maryland Supreme Court is slated to hear oral arguments Monday in the civil case of Korryn Gaines’ son Kodi, who was shot by Baltimore County Police in 2016. The case could have broader consequences for bystanders injured in police shootings. 

Kodi Gaines was 5 years old when county police officers came to the door of his mother’s Randallstown apartment in 2016 to serve arrest warrants for her and her fiancé. After a standoff, Kodi was injured in the shooting that killed his mother and had to undergo multiple surgeries, according to court filings.

The hourslong standoff turned fatal when Cpl. Royce Ruby fired through a wall at Korryn Gaines, an action a Baltimore County jury found was unreasonable in 2018 though she was armed with a shotgun and had pointed it at officers. The jury awarded $38 million in damages, with about $32 million allocated to Kodi.

Since then, the litigation has dragged on for nearly six years, leading to two different opinions in the Appellate Court of Maryland. In August, Maryland’s highest court agreed to take up two legal questions arising from the state appeals court’s most recent opinion in April.
. . .
On that day in 2016, a few hours into the standoff, Korryn Gaines followed Kodi into the kitchen to make him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, according to testimony from the jury trial. Ruby testified that he shot through the kitchen wall, aiming to hit Gaines in the head. Instead, he hit her in the back with a shot that then lodged in Kodi’s face, according to an appellate court opinion. As Ruby fired additional shots at Korryn Gaines, another hit Kodi and injured him further.

Ugh.  

Flotsam and Jetsam - Hunter Payed Joe a Salary from Chinese Cash

From Da Caller, Hunter Biden Sent Direct Monthly Payments To Joe Biden From Bank Account For Chinese Money, Comer Reveals. Follow the money, they said. Matt Margolis at PJM, House Oversight Committee Followed the Money Right to Joe Biden's Bank Accounts. If it was a "loan repayment", they better have some documentation showing a loan actually occurred. 

Althouse, "Biden was initially ambivalent about the term, then embraced it — but 'Bidenomics' has recently disappeared from his prepared speeches...." Explains Axios, in "House Democrats ditch 'Bidenomics' messaging." At RCP, The Potemkin Presidency of Joe Biden. Harold Hutchinson at Da Caller hears Dem Governors Warn Biden To Avoid Talking About One Key Issue "he needs to avoid talking about former President Donald Trump." Breitbart Reports ‘Nervous’ Democrats Sound Alarm on Biden’s 2024 ‘Lack of Urgency’. Don't worry, they've created "the most extensive and inclusive voter fraud organization" ever. Larry Elder at Front Page explains The Kamala Conundrum, "Why Democrats are stuck with her." Black women voters. 

In an I&I poll Angry Independent Voters Give Trump Edge Over Biden In 2024.  CJ explains Who The  Populist Voters Are. "Supporters of such campaigns around the globe are more diverse than academics and the media acknowledge." Breitbart notes Leftist Outlets Stoke Fear of Second Trump Administration. Dan Oliver at Am Great, George Conway and the Politics of Fright. "Horrors: Trump would hire loyalists and people who believed in his agenda!" Althouse observes Oh! He's getting credit for sophistication now. "Trump is no longer a wild crazy idiot. Pay attention to the reframing. I'm reading "Why a Second Trump Presidency May Be More Radical Than His First/Donald Trump has long exhibited authoritarian impulses, but his policy operation is now more sophisticated, and the buffers to check him are weaker" in The New York Times." Eric Lendrum suggest Dr. Ben Carson for his Veep, Doctor, Secretary…Vice President? "This ticket is as close to perfect as you can get." I could live with that. At Da Fed, the unsinkable Mollie Hemingway says To Win, Republicans Have To Be Smarter And Tougher Than Sen. James Lankford. Not a high bar. Sauron's Unblinking Eye reports Doug Burgum ends 2024 presidential campaign. Who? Well, there's always 2028. 

Shanwn Fleetwood at Da Fed reports an Appeals Court Smacks Down Democrats’ Ludicrous Challenge To Florida’s Congressional Map “The constitution cannot demand that all voters are treated equally without regard to race and at the same time demand that voters are treated differently based on race.” Hat Hair's Capt. Ed comments "I’m not sure that was a ‘ludicrous’ interpretation, although clearly wrong. Federal courts have used that interpretation in the past, although hopefully the recent SCOTUS case on Harvard and UNC’s affirmative action admissions policies might signal a step away at some point. I’d bet this ends up in federal court soon."

At CJ Chris Rufo suspects Will It Be Riot Season Again in 2024? "Conservatives must learn the lessons of 2020—and prepare."

Breitbart cites Marsha Blackburn: Durbin Blocked My Request for Epstein Flight Logs. Hmm, I wonder what he's hiding. At Da Wire, Gold Bars Recovered In Menendez Bribery Case Linked To 2013 Robbery: Report. Reminder to self, melt down gold bars to destroy serial numbers.

Sauron's Unblinking Eye whines Trump seeks "urgent review" of gag order ruling in New York civil fraud case. Am Con calls him The First Amendment’s Unlikely Champion. Jordan Boyd at Da Fed reports  Biden Admin Withholds Election Integrity Documents Key To Jeff Clark’s DC Bar Defense. "The decision to withhold documents also suggests an unwillingness by the federal government to publicize its findings on 2020 election problems."

Clark, who was also named as one of the 19 “co-conspirator” targets in Democrats’ wide-ranging election indictment in Fulton County, Georgia, is scheduled to appear at an evidentiary hearing on Jan. 9, 2024 after the legal licensing association claims he violated their rules by drafting a letter to Peach State officials noting the DOJ “identified significant concerns that may have impacted the outcome of the [2020] election in multiple States, including the State of Georgia.”

Clark chose not to send the letter after his DOJ superiors objected to signing it and then-President Trump opted against having it sent. The D.C. Bar, however, proceeded to charge Clark with “attempted dishonesty” and “attempted serious interference with the administration of justice.” Both of those charges, Clark’s lawyers assert, are “legally and factually ridiculous for a compelling set of reasons.”

Jeff Charles at RedState claims a Former Capitol Police Officer Blows J6 Narrative Wide Open With Release of New Audio. "On Sunday, Johnson released some of the audio, which included communication showing that a high-ranking Capitol officer was not cooperating with the effort to stop the situation from getting even further out of control." Matt Margolis, Ex-Capitol Police Officer Releases Audio Proving J6 ‘Cover-Up.' At Da Caller, James Lynch reports DOJ Blocked Google From Informing Congressional Staffers They Were Being Spied On and Kate Anderson reports on a House Report that Sheds Light On FBI Targeting Of Catholics, Pro-Lifers. 

From TNP, WATCH: DOD Whistleblower Says Pilot Heart-Failure Spiked 1000% After Vax Mandate.

🚨🚨BREAKING: DOD Blocks US Navy Medical Officer’s Computer Access After He Exposed Data Of Heart Issues Among Pilots During Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination.

Lieutenant Ted Macie, an active-duty officer in the Navy Medical Service Corps and whistleblower, has been denied access… pic.twitter.com/wwLsrwalNQ

— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) December 2, 2023

Mary Chastain at LI reports Antisemitic ‘Pro-Palestinian’ Mob Targets Famous Philadelphia Jewish Restaurant, "Gov. Shapiro: “Tonight in Philly, we saw a blatant act of antisemitism — not a peaceful protest.”   Ace, Antisemitic Mob in Philadelphia (With a George Soros DA) Surrounds Jews to Scream At Them, "Goldie, Goldie, You Can't Hide, We Charge You With Genocide." "We finally have found the antisemitism the leftwing media found problematic until the very moment they discovered their Democrat/socialist allies were the ones guilty of it. HE,  NYC's education boss is determined to sweep antisemitic attacks under the rug. Capt. Ed wonders is it American Kristallnacht? Jeff Blehar at NRO cited at Hat Hair explains what it's like To Be a Jew in America after 10/7. Hat Hair's Dave Strom, say Hanukkah Is Being Canceled "The other day, the London Council canceled its annual menorah lighting due to safety concerns." mrc-TV reports Group Pulls Hanukkah Event From Williamsburg, VA Festival So As Not to Offend Jew-Haters. NYPo ed board decries Canceling Jews to placate bigots. The LAT, cited at Hat Hair, Jewish Professor Graciously Allowed to Return to USC Campus  "as the university continues its investigation into his comments about Hamas during a student protest, according to his lawyer." At Am Spec JT Young speculates Are Hispanics Next on the Progressive Hate Parade? "Progressives will turn on Hispanics as fast as they did conservative blacks and pro-Israel Jews."

From Breitbart, Parents of 9-Year-Old Chiefs Fan Threaten Suit Against Far-Left Deadspin  'Bonchie' at RedState notes Parents of Kid Accused of 'Blackface' Aren't Going Away, Make First Demands of Deadspin. Demand an apology, but do not promise not to sue anyway. Jim Treacher, Gee, Libs Sure Do Hate Children "Deadspin is bad."

At Minding the Campus, Curbing DEI in Ohio. At Liberty Unyielding, Left-wing Democrats want to take land from America’s whites and other non-Native inhabitants.

Dave Strom again, Surprise: People With Gender Dysphoria Are Mentally Ill, and Remain So After Transition. 

One of the slanders aimed at critics of gender ideology is that we are indifferent to the pain of gender-confused children. Nothing could be further from the truth: our argument is actually that the medical transition of these kids compounds the harm that already exists.

The proper treatment for mental illness is not to break out the hormones and scalpels but rather to treat the underlying cause of gender dysphoria, which has its origins in psychiatric dysfunction.

The GD group had received many times more specialist-level psychiatric treatment both before and after contacting specialized GIS than had their matched controls. A marked increase over time in psychiatric needs was observed. Among the GD group, relative risk for psychiatric needs after contacting GIS increased from 3.3 among those with the first appointment in GIS during 1996–2000 to 4.6 when the first appointment in GIS was in 2016–2019. When index period and psychiatric treatment before contacting GIS were accounted for, GR patients who had and who had not proceeded to medical GR had an equal risk compared to controls of needing subsequent psychiatric treatment.

Conclusion: Contacting specialized GIS is on the increase and occurs at ever younger ages and with more psychiatric needs. Manifold psychiatric needs persist regardless of medical GR.

Ace, Prepare for a Shock: People Who Undergo Genital Mutilation Surgery, Voluntarily, Are Mentally Ill "Okay, so that isn't a surprise. Here's the surprise: Slicing and dicing pieces of their body in order to look like bizarre parody of the opposite sex also does nothing to improve their mental illness, despite claims of the Transevangelists that it will fix everything. Okay, so I guess that's not a surprise, either. But what is maybe a surprise is that some doctors are daring to admit it."

A Tuesday Tune - Numb

Juliet Callahan is an American alternative pop-rock singer, songwriter, and producer.

Julie’s journey as a musician came naturally to her through writing poems, messing around on the keys, and observing her friend’s studio sessions. The minute her pen hit the paper and she wrote her first song, there was no turning back. As somebody who has felt like an outsider, writing music was her safe haven amidst the chaos of life to be completely herself.

This was the rush she had been looking for her whole life. Just a stream of consciousness pouring onto the paper, free from the judgment of the outside world. A way to let go. Once she felt this incomparable high there was no turning back, in fact, this was just the beginning of her story as a musician.

She is known by her fans as a slamming lyricist and musical genre trendsetter. “Numb” set the stage for Juliet with its veiled rock power chords, melodic pop lyricism, smooth high hats, punchy kick, and upbeat snare, to come together into this rhythmic pop-rock symphony. The music video for her single “Numb” is set in the winter of Manhattan NY with an edgy and trippy cinematic ambiance to match the tonality and emotions in her lyrics. The video had an impressive turnout with her fans reaching 125k streams on Spotify and 117k views on Youtube. Following “Numb,” her pop-rock single “TYPICAL” was released at the end of January 2022 with another impressive turnout reaching 56k streams so far. “TYPICAL” possesses an alternative pop/rock sound with daring lyrics, swinging melodic guitar note progressions, and imperfectly perfect live rock drums. While staying along the theme of a pop-rock vibe, her sound stands out with her experimental lyricism. Juliet continues to craft her sound in the studio and has released her third single “Burning” which is available to stream on all platforms.

 To know that others find solace in my music makes me feel complete and motivates me to keep working hard in such a tough industry.” From a young age, Juliet has been fascinated by the impact of music. Listening to her favorite artists inspired her to create her own unique sound and express her realist message to the public while simultaneously working through her own inner demons. Although Juliet is at the beginning of her career, she is rapidly growing as an Independent artist. It seems that her hard work is beginning to pay off. We are excited to watch Juliet blossom as an artist and spread her vibrational positive influence.

 

Beach Report 12/4/23

Skye and I were on our own today. It was a warm day for December, pushing 55 F, and all but windless under partly cloudy skies.

The tide was nominally low, but not very, if you know what I mean, and we had to wade to get around the rocks.

A pretty good day for teeth, 16 including this bone breaker upper parasymphyseal Snaggletooth, somewhat the worse for wear. It came as a bit of a shock, I saw a funny dark shape under water, but I had no idea what it was until I picked it up.

Bay Journal, After 40 years, Chesapeake Bay Program yields mixed results "Collaboration made inroads in science and policy, but the vision of a 'restored' Bay is changing."

In other words, send another $25 billion, we'll totes fix it this time, pinky swear!

Oregon, My Oregon

At the Free Bacon, Portland Public Schools Must Now Consider Race, Gender Identity When Disciplining Students

A new collective bargaining agreement between Portland Public Schools and its unionized teachers requires school officials to consider a disruptive student's race, gender identity, and sexual orientation when crafting that student's disciplinary plan.

When a student exhibits "continuous disruptive behavior," the agreement says, school officials must develop a "support plan" for the student, which can include disciplinary measures such as detention. That plan "must take into consideration the impact of issues related to the student's trauma, race, gender identity/presentation, sexual orientation … and restorative justice as appropriate for the student," according to the agreement. The new disciplinary policy also eliminates mandatory suspensions for students who threaten or harm others—now, those students may only be removed from their classroom, not from school altogether.

The policy change reflects a broader effort at both the federal and local levels to develop race-conscious disciplinary rules for public school students. Earlier this year, for example, the Biden administration released a memo urging schools to refrain from suspending students for truancy, arguing that "significant disparities by race … have persisted in the application of student discipline." School districts in Washington and Illinois, meanwhile, have adopted disciplinary policies that aim to provide a "culturally responsive" and "restorative approach" to student discipline.

Parents Defending Education senior adviser Michele Exner slammed Portland Public Schools and the Portland Association of Teachers for their "absurd" disciplinary policy changes.

"These policies are wrong, counterproductive, and will only feed into the divisive climate we are seeing across academic institutions," Exner told the Washington Free Beacon.

Neither Portland Public Schools nor the Portland Association of Teachers responded to requests for comment.

So basically, only straight white males will receive any discipline.