Rep. Cawthorn: Big Tech's censorship of conservatives sets 'dangerous precedent,' 'trust-busting' needed

Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., reacts to Twitter and other platforms banning President Trump and conservatives.

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  • Read the draft of the Democrats' new article of impeachment against Trump

    Democrats in Congress plan to move forward with impeachment proceedings against President Trump on Monday.

  • Sen. Joe Manchin says he'd 'absolutely' oppose Biden's stimulus checks, then swiftly walks it back after stocks tank

    President-elect Joe Biden announced some economic priorities on Friday, but Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) promptly poked some holes in his plans.Biden began laying out his framework for the next round of COVID-19 relief, reports The Washington Post, and said his plans include a multi-trillion-dollar package that would provide "more direct relief flowing to families, small businesses," in part via $2,000 stimulus checks.But Manchin, who Axios notes will become an increasingly important player as a moderate in the Democrats' razor-thin Senate majority, seemed taken aback by Biden's promise. "I don't know where in the hell $2,000 came from. I swear to God I don't," he said. "That's another $400 billion dollars." Since Republicans are united in opposing larger checks, resistance from a single Democrat could throw a wrench in Biden's plans.He told the Post he would "absolutely not" support larger stimulus checks for Americans, but a spokesperson later seemed to walk back his resistance, insisting Manchin "isn't drawing a red line against" $2,000 checks, but simply "believes vaccine distribution should be a higher priority," as NBC News' Sahil Kapur put it. Perhaps realizing how consequential his hardline opposition to the plan may be, Manchin later tweeted to note he was open to discussion. "If the next round of stimulus checks goes out they should be targeted to those who need it," he wrote. Conspicuously, between Manchin's initial comments and his clarification, markets seemed to notice the potential roadblock.> Stocks dropped from all-time highs after a report that West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin will oppose further direct aid payments, denting hopes for another sweeping spending bill https://t.co/qzugAEnxpL pic.twitter.com/34WGqpsXJ3> > — Bloomberg (@business) January 8, 2021Aside from Manchin's role in the announcement, Biden's remarks on his economic plans were noteworthy in that he prioritized extending unemployment insurance, as well as sending billions of dollars in aid to state and local governments, which could help speed up COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Read more at The Washington Post.More stories from theweek.com 7 scathing cartoons about Trump's Capitol riot Experts express concern about Biden's plan to release nearly all available vaccine doses There will be no Trump heir

  • Florida man pictured with Nancy Pelosi’s lectern during Capitol riots is arrested

    Adam Johnson, 36, is being held in Pinellas County Jail in Florida for his alleged involvement in the riots

  • Ted Cruz Denounces Trump’s ‘Rhetoric’ during Riot

    Senator Ted Cruz on Thursday denounced the statement President Trump issued after a mob of his supporters descended on the Capitol building Wednesday, forcing lawmakers to evacuate and unleashing a wave of violence that has resulted in the deaths of five Americans, including one Capitol Police officer.“The president's language and rhetoric often goes too far. I think, yesterday in particular, the president's language and rhetoric crossed the line and it was reckless,” Cruz said in an interview with ABC13 Houston."I disagree with it, and I have disagreed with the president's language and rhetoric for the last four years," the Texas Republican added. "If you looked to what I have said, you will not find me say the same language or rhetoric."Trump refused to strongly condemn the violence perpetrated by his supporters despite his advisers reportedly urging him to do so as the chaos unfolded Wednesday afternoon. He eventually released a pre-recorded video statement, hours into the riot, in which he said he "loved" the people who surrounded the Capitol but urged them to go home peacefully."This was a fraudulent election but we can't play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home, we love you and you're very special. You've seen what happens. You've seen the ways others are treated which are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel. But go home and go home in peace," Trump said.The riot occurred after Trump held a rally in front of the White House and repeated his claim that the presidential election was rife with voter fraud and that he had in fact won a second term. He urged his supporters to go to the Capitol, where Congress was in the process of certifying the electoral votes from each state, and "cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women.""We’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them,” Trump told the crowd during the rally. “Because you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong.”The large crowd of Trump supporters eventually forced their way past Capitol Police and into the Capitol building, causing lawmakers to have to evacuate the Senate, where a joint session of Congress to certify the election results was ongoing. Five people died as a result of the clashes.Earlier this week, Cruz led a group of eleven Republican senators in announcing that they would object to the certification of one or more states’ electoral votes. He was one of six senators who continued to object to the certification even after a number of Senate Republicans who had previously committed to doing so backtracked, citing the violence that unfolded in the Capitol hours earlier.While they haven't explicitly named Cruz, Republican Senators Marco Rubio and Tom Cotton have condemned colleagues who objected to certification and sent fundraising emails touting their commitment to Trump as the Capitol was being overrun, as Cruz did.Cruz rejected the notion that his objection was at all related to the rioting in the Thursday interview."I do think it's really cynical for them to try and take advantage of what was a tragic event that occurred yesterday in Washington - the terrorist attack on the Capitol was despicable," Cruz said.

  • Air Force Demotes Former General as IG Report Reveals Details of Illicit Affair

    Maj. Gen Peter Gersten retired as a colonel effective Jan. 1, spokeswoman Ann Stefanek told Military.com.

  • Experts express concern about Biden's plan to release nearly all available vaccine doses

    President-elect Joe Biden plans to release nearly every available dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines when he takes office later this month rather than holding back millions of second doses, his transition team said Friday. The decision is meant to "ensure the Americans who need it most get it as soon as possible."The Trump administration has insisted it's necessary to retain second doses, with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on Friday expressing concern that Biden's plan could backfire if there are any manufacturing mishaps.Outside of the White House, Dr. Leana Wen of George Washington University, was also apprehensive, noting that there is "an ethical consideration" since those who volunteered for the initial dose were reasonably expecting to receive the second in the proper amount of time. Biden does not intend to delay the second shot for those patients, and is instead counting on an increased production to keep pace. But, Wen says, not only is there no guarantee of a smooth manufacturing process, much of the slowdown has occurred between distribution and injection, so until that stage improves the risk of delay remains.> First, the bottleneck now is not supply, but the "last mile" between getting the vaccine to distribution sites & injecting it into people's arms. Speeding up this process should be the focus, or else vaccines will just sit in different freezers. > > (2/6)> > -- Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) January 9, 2021Harvard University's Juliette Kayyem, however, is more on board with the plan. She believes it's unlikely there will be a supply problem and is encouraged by recent upticks in actual vaccinations. > Quick thoughts: we are unlikely to have a supply problem by Feb with Biden announcement (he is not changing FDA standards, only distribution timing of first vaccine because of reliance on supply chain per @ScottGottliebMD good idea) and other vaccines (johnson and johnson). 2/> > -- Juliette Kayyem (@juliettekayyem) January 9, 2021More stories from theweek.com 7 scathing cartoons about Trump's Capitol riot There will be no Trump heir What would actually happen if Trump tried the 'martial law' idea?

  • Fellow soldier faces military trial in sex assault of soldier from NC who later died

    A private first class will be arraigned on a sex assault charge before a military judge.

  • Petition to Recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom Draws 1 Million Signatures

    The latest effort to recall California governor Gavin Newsom has gained more than 1 million signatures, with nine weeks left to collect the additional 500,000 that would enable the measure to be placed on the ballot.Should the recall effort receive 1.5 million total signatures by mid-March, a mid-year election would take place."The people are being heard loud and clear, and it is not a matter of IF we are going to reach our goal necessary that will trigger a recall election of Newsom, it is just when we cross the finish line," Orrin Heatlie, the Lead Proponent of the official RecallGavin2020.com, said in a statement.A senior adviser to the recall campaign, Randy Economy, previously told Fox News that it hoped to meet the benchmark required to place the measure on the ballot by mid-to late-January.He told the outlet the effort is nonpartisan, with supporters of both Senator Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) and President Trump backing the cause.While recall initiatives in the Golden State seldom make it onto the ballot, Newsom’s public image has been marred recently by a series of controversies, including his attendance at a mask-less, not-socially-distanced indoor dinner party late last year even as he enacted strict coronavirus restrictions in the state.Economy said a number of the movement’s supporters believe the governor has mismanaged the state’s coronavirus response, particularly as it relates to small businesses.Many small business owners in the state have lost their livelihoods while big-box stores have been allowed to remain open, he said. Newsom "put corporate interests before the people of California," Economy said.In 2003, Gray Davis became the first governor to be recalled in the U.S. since 1921. The vacancy was ultimately filled by Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.

  • FBI arrests Arkansas man from photo inside Pelosi's office

    The FBI on Friday arrested an Arkansas man who was photographed sitting at a desk in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office following the storming of the Capitol by a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters, authorities announced. Richard Barnett turned himself in to FBI agents at the Benton County Sheriff's Office in Bentonville, Arkansas, said FBI Little Rock spokesman Connor Hagan.

  • California Congresswoman Who Once Questioned Mask-Wearing Catches COVID-19

    Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA), who once expressed skepticism about the mask mandate in Orange County last spring, has tested positive for COVID-19. Although she does not show any symptoms, the 65-year-old Korean American politician learned she had been in contact with someone positive with the virus, Steel’s statement said via Associated Press. “At the advice of the Attending Physician, and to protect the health of my colleagues, I will be quarantining,” Steel said via Los Angeles Times.

  • Black woman says group of Trump supporters attacked her

    The Los Angeles Police Department said it is investigating Wednesday's attack as a hate crime.

  • House Majority Whip Wants Investigation into How Rioters Found His Office

    House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D., S.C.) on Friday called for an investigation into how rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol earlier this week knew where to find his office.In an interview with SiriusXM Radio’s Joe Madison, Clyburn said that he had never before seen such a failure of law-enforcement leadership and claimed “something else is going on.”"My office, if you don't know where it is, you aren't going to find it by accident," he said. "The one place where my name is on the door, that office is right on Statuary Hall. They didn't touch that door. But they went into that other place where I do most of my work. They showed up there, harassing my staff.""How did they know to go there? Why didn't they go where my name was?"  he added. "Something else is going on untoward here," he said. "We need to have an extensive investigation to find out."He said that while he supports the Capitol Police, the agency’s leaders failed to do their jobs. He questioned why videos circulating on social media seemed to show officers opening barriers and taking selfies with rioters who broke into the building. "Why were they out there waving people on to the grounds? Why were they allowing people through those doors?" he asked. The rioting, which took place Wednesday as Congress met to count the Electoral College votes and affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, left five people dead, including Capitol Police officer Brian D. Sicknick. Clyburn said those involved need to be held accountable."We've got to indict. We've got to convict these people because one of those Capitol Police [officers] died and somebody should be tried for their death," he said. "All those people who were on those grounds the other day were complicit in that."

  • Senate impeachment trial could begin one hour after Trump leaves office, says top Republican Congressman

    Donald Trump could face a trial in the Senate starting an hour after he leaves office. Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, sent a memo to colleagues setting out the timings for a trial if Mr Trump is impeached. The Democrat-led House of Representatives may move to impeach the president for "incitement to insurrection" as soon as early next week, after Mr Trump encouraged crowds to march on the Capitol, which was later stormed and desecrated, leaving five people dead. Mr McConnell, the most powerful Republican in Congress, said the Senate is scheduled to begin attending to business after its January recess on Jan 19. According to its rules the Senate “must proceed to their consideration" at 1pm the day after that. That would mean an hour after Joe Biden is inaugurated.

  • Inside the Charming Parisian Apartment of French Designer Sarah Poniatowski

    Located directly under the roof, Poniatowski’s idyllic Right Bank apartment is flooded with light, flea market finds, and the designer’s very own collectionOriginally Appeared on Architectural Digest

  • Latest message from North Korea's Kim meant to light 'a fire under' Biden administration, experts say

    North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called the United States his biggest enemy and vowed to subdue Washington while enhancing Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal, the state's Korean Central News Agency reported Saturday, per Bloomberg.Kim's aggressive remarks, especially those related to nuclear weapons, are viewed by experts as a message to the incoming Biden administration. "It lights a fire under the Biden administration," Ankit Panda, a Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Bloomberg. "Kim is making clear that if Biden decides not to prioritize North Korea policy, Pyongyang will resume testing and qualitatively advancing its nuclear capabilities in ways that would be seriously detrimental for Washington and Seoul."Cheon Seong-whun, a former president of the government-funded Korea Institute for National Unification think tank in Seoul, added that Kim is trying to pressure Biden into accepting North Korea as a nuclear state, and he expects Pyongyang to move forward with a series of provocations after the White House transition.It's not a new strategy for Pyongyang, which has a history of trying to rattle new American presidents, Bloomberg notes. Former President Barack Obama and President Trump both saw North Korea test a series of weapons upon taking office. Read more at Bloomberg.More stories from theweek.com 7 scathing cartoons about Trump's Capitol riot Experts express concern about Biden's plan to release nearly all available vaccine doses There will be no Trump heir

  • Capitol protests organized by Alabama AG’s nonprofit group

    Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall plays a key role in the group that helped organize the protest rally that took place in D.C. prior to the deadly revolt at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. Marshall is at the helm of the Republican Attorneys General Association’s dark-money nonprofit, Rule of Law Defense Fund (RLDF), which is listed as a participating organization for the March to Save America on the march’s website. Although the website has been taken down, archived versions confirm RLDF as a participating group, according to Alabama Political Reporter.

  • U.S. attorney's office: FBI agents search Tenn. lawmakers' offices and homes

    Federal prosecutors in Tennessee said Friday that FBI agents have searched the homes and offices of multiple state lawmakers.

  • Dems' momentum builds to impeach Trump, Pelosi hits rioters

    Momentum built among Democrats on Saturday for a fresh and fast push to impeach President Donald Trump, even as the House speaker accused his backers who violently invaded the Capitol of choosing “their whiteness over democracy.” Nancy Pelosi's remark came as Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., one of the chief sponsors of draft impeachment articles accusing Trump of inciting insurrection, said at midday that his group's draft had collected 176 co-sponsors. Pelosi, addressing her hometown San Francisco constituents during an online video conference, shed no fresh light on Democrats' plans.

  • National Guard Troops Deploying to DC Will Come With Lethal Weapons

    National Guard troops deploying to Washington, D.C., will have access to lethal weapons.

  • Murder or suicide? Troubling clues in the death of Christian Andreacchio

    Was a Mississippi man so distraught over his girlfriend that he took his own life or was there something more sinister behind his death?