News

Home News Page 82

Democrat Congresswoman and Senate Candidate Signs Nondisclosure Agreement with Chinese Company

5

A Michigan Democrat congresswoman, now running for a seat in the U.S. Senate, is refusing to explain why she signed a non-disclosure agreement with a Communist Chinese “green energy” company.

Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin has refused to answer questions from the media as to why she signed a hush agreement with the Chinese corporation Gotion to hold closed-door meetings about a proposed electric vehicle battery plant the company is building in Big Rapids.

The plant is not located in her district, and it would appear there would be no sensitive information or corporate trade secrets that could be gleaned from a public tour, drawing speculation from some as to why she was there and what was discussed.

“When it was time for a Michigan voice to speak on the national security threats from the CCP emanating from companies based in the PRC and protect the State of Michigan, Congresswoman Slotkin, and her staff needed to ask for an NDA, never took a position, and said nothing,” former Michigan congressman and U.S. Ambassador Peter Hoekstra tells Fox News Digital.

Fox News reports Hoekstra and fellow former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Cella have raised the alarm on Gotion’s proposed facility and similar projects involving other Communist Chinese companies across Michigan and the United States.

“Congresswoman Slotkin is a former CIA analyst and Defense Department official who knows that state and local officials were warned by our intelligence agencies not to sign deals with PRC-based companies with ties to the CCP,” Cella tells Fox News.

Fox News reports that according to its parent company’s corporate bylaws, Gotion is required to “carry out Party activities in accordance with the Constitution of the Communist Party of China.”

The pair are asking the Justice Department to investigate whether Gotion is engaging in illegal foreign lobbying of U.S. officials.  Under federal law, anyone lobbying a member of Congress on behalf of a foreign government or company must register with the Justice Department as a foreign agent.  It does not appear Gotion has filed such a registration.

Despite the jobs it brings to an economically-stressed area, many local residents oppose the plant, citing the company’s demand officials sign non-disclosure agreements to meet with what is essentially a Communist Chinese government agent.

“The township’s concerns have all been surrounded by the lack of information given to them to make an educated decision surrounded by NDAs signed by multiple different organizations including the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and our local economic development corporation and The Right Place which is working for Gotion to bring it here,” Penny Currie, the treasurer of Big Rapids Charter Township, tells Fox News.

“That is one of our main concerns and is why we haven’t been able to move forward with a decision of any kind,” she says.

Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of Great America News Desk.

Former Fox News Host Calls Tucker’s Ouster ‘Suicide’ for Network

3
Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Former Fox News host Glenn Beck slammed the network over its shocking decision to part ways with primetime pundit Tucker Carlson.

On Monday, the network announced Carlson’s departure from the network, sharing that his final program was aired last Friday. The timing of the Fox News icon’s sudden departure comes nearly one week after the network agreed to pay a nearly $800 million settlement to Dominion Voting Systems. (RELATED: Fox News Reaches Last-Minute Settlement With Dominion Voting Systems)

The network did not provide further comment on the host’s departure beyond a statement thanking him for his contributions to the network.

Beck criticized the network over the controversial announcement, saying the move was effectively “suicide” for the network.

“Tucker Carlson is out at Fox News. Now, I don’t know what that means. You know, we’re in wild speculation territory,” Beck said on his BlazeTV program, noting the timing following Fox’s nearly $800 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems last week.

“You know, could be that he was fired because of, you know, they just paid out, you know, almost a billion dollars and they don’t want any chance of anything, but that’s suicidal. To me, this is a suicidal move for Fox,” he said. “If it’s their move.”

Before the launch of “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” Carlson was co-host of “FOX & Friends Weekend” from 2012 through 2016. 

Carlson previously served as an MSNBC host from 2005-2008 and also appeared on CNN earlier in his career. He founded The Daily Caller in 2010 but sold his stake in the political news website in 2020. 

Beck left his gig hosting a Fox show in 2011. He recently appeared on Carlson’s program to discuss former President Trump’s surrender to authorities in New York after an indictment by a grand jury. (RELATED: Trump Indictment Unsealed)

A number of conservative commentators have criticized the news of Carlson’s sudden ouster.

Donald Trump also noted his surprise by the sudden change at Fox News

“Well, I’m shocked. I’m surprised” Trump told Newsmax’s Greg Kelly. “He’s a very good person and a very good man, and very talented as you know. And he had very high ratings. So, we’re just learning about it almost as we speak. You and I just said, “Wow, that was something, that’s a big one.” I don’t know if it was voluntary, or was it, somebody fired? But I think Tucker’s been terrific. He’s been – especially over the last year or so – he’s been terrific to me.”

Tucker Carlson Leaves Fox News

19
Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Tucker Carlson is leaving Fox News.

“We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor,” the network said in a statement.

Carlson’s last show was Friday, the network said.

The Hill has more:

Fox said it would air a new program called “Fox News Tonight” at 8 p.m. starting Monday evening as an interim show helmed by rotating Fox News personalities until a new host is named.

Carlson was Fox’s top-rated prime time host, netting an average of more than 3 million viewers per night, the most of any pundit on cable.

Before the launch of “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” Carlson was co-host of “FOX & Friends Weekend” from 2012 through 2016. 

Carlson previously served as an MSNBC host from 2005-2008 and also appeared on CNN earlier in his career. He founded The Daily Caller in 2010, but sold his stake in the political news website in 2020. 

This is a breaking news story. Click refresh for the latest updates.

Larry Elder Announces White House Bid

2
Larry Elder ,Sgt. Jacob Harrer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The 2024 Republican primary pool has a new contender.

Conservative talk show host Larry Elder announced Thursday night that he is launching a bid for the White House.

Elder said that he is pro-life, doesn’t believe America is racist, wants secure borders, wants the U.S. to be energy independent, and wants to fix urban schools.

“I’m announcing that I’m running for the presidency of the United States on your program,” Elder said. “And thank you so much for giving me this honor and this platform.”

Elder said that the reason he wanted to run for president is because his father, older brother, and little brother all served in the U.S. Armed Forces and he did not.

“I’m the only one who didn’t serve, and I don’t feel good about that,” Elder said. “I feel I have a moral, a religious, and a patriotic duty to give back to a country that’s been so good to my family and to me. And that is why I’m doing this.”

Elder joining a growing list of Republicans vying for the 2024 nomination.

Tech mogul Vivek Ramaswamy and former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley launched their respective White House campaigns in February. However, Donald Trump has kept a commanding lead in nationwide polls.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is also widely expected to enter the race once his state’s spring legislative session concludes.

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Outburst Angers GOP Leaders – Was She Right?

27
Marjorie Taylor Greene -Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, via Wikimedia Commons

ANALYSIS – Is Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga), otherwise known as MTG, a firebrand conservative who tells it how it is, or is she a loud-mouth who doesn’t know when to shut up? 

Well, as I have noted before, I think she is a bit of both.

I often agree with Greene, and she does bluntly say a lot of things that need to be said. Sometimes she just says really dumb things.

In this case, she called Joe Biden’s Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas a liar. 

Or more accurately, yelled at him that he was a liar.

She also said Democrat Congressman Eric Swalwell, from California, had a sex with a Chinese spy.

To be clear, I think Mayorkas is a liar, and a disgrace to his post, and to all Americans of Cuban heritage, such as myself. He is also a Biden puppet and a national security risk due to his actions and inactions at the border.

But sometimes it’s not what you say that matters, it’s how, and where.

And in this case, the GOP-led House Homeland Security Committee may not have been the place, and ‘liar’ may have been too blunt a term to be yelled at a cabinet secretary testifying before Congress.

She should probably save those truths for other venues. Or simply say “that isn’t true.”

So, in a rare bipartisan act, the committee formally silenced Greene, ‘taking down’ her comments, and ending her line of questioning.

“It’s pretty clear that the rules state you can’t impugn someone’s character. Identifying or calling someone a liar is unacceptable in this committee, and I make the ruling that we strike those words,” Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-Tenn) said, according to NBC News. 

And I can see his point.

But it’s a fine line, especially since MTG’s ‘liar’ outburst followed a similar line of questioning by Chairman Green where he less bluntly accused Mayorkas of lying to Congress about DHS maintaining operational control of the border. 

“Not only have you lied under oath; you just admitted your own incompetence,” Green said in an earlier round of questioning where he referenced Team Biden’s response to tackling cartels.

So it really is how you say it that makes the difference.

MTG’s comments about Swalwell however, didn’t get a Republican reprimand. And I’m glad they didn’t. 

Swalwell absolutely had a dangerous, long-term liaison with an attractive, female, suspected communist Chinese spy – Christine Fang. 

It was likely sexual in nature. And as I wrote earlier, several other Democrat politicians likely had sex with her too.

The FBI said they found no evidence Swalwell shared classified intelligence with her, but the Bureau never truly investigated the sexual relationship aspect before the spy fled back to China.

At the hearing, Swalwell showed a poster that depicted a defund-the-FBI campaign with Greene’s face on it. Greene retorted by saying his criticism was rich coming “from someone that had a sexual relationship with a Chinese spy, and everyone knows it.”

Democrats quickly moved to strike her words, arguing it violated House rules on making attacks based on personality, and MTG declined to withdraw them voluntarily.

However, in that case, Republican leaders declined as well.

Minutes later, Greene accused Mayorkas of failing to prevent the flow of fentanyl into the United States. 

“Congresswoman, let me assure you that we’re not letting it go on. We are fighting this,” Mayorkas responded. MTG then yelled: “You’re a liar! You are letting this go on, and the numbers prove it!”

And she is right. Mayorkas is letting these deadly drugs into the U.S., by the truckload.

But that second outburst sealed the deal for Republican leaders against MTG during the hearing.

In his closing remarks the Chairman said, “we do need to dial the rhetoric down in the country and apparently in the committee.” apparently in the committee.” 

That’s probably something we should all agree on.

Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of Great America News Desk.

Report: Dan Bongino Quits Fox News

9
Dan Bongino via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Fox News is losing a fan favorite.

Dan Bongino, the pro-Trump firebrand who turned frequent Fox News appearances into a job hosting a weekend show on the network is leaving the outlet.

Bongino, the host of Unfiltered and Fox Nation’s Canceled in the USA, left Fox after contract negotiations fell apart, he said Thursday. The network confirmed the departure in a statement to Forbes, which first reported the news, saying “We thank Dan for his contributions and wish him success in his future endeavors.”

Bongino announced his departure from the network on his latest podcast, telling his audience that “regretfully, last week was my last show on Fox News Channel.”

“The show ending last week was tough. It’s not some big conspiracy theory, I promise you. There’s no acrimony…We just couldn’t come to terms on an extension. That’s really it,” Bongino said. “I really enjoyed myself there. They were good for me for ten years…It’s a sad day. They did give me the opportunity to do one last show, I don’t want you to think they showed me the door. That’s one me, not on them, but I thought it was best to go this way for now.”

Fox News host Lawrence Jones will cover for Bongino this weekend, and the network will announce a permanent replacement in the coming weeks

Earlier this week, Fox News reached a last-minute $785M settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.

The settlement came just hours before opening arguments in the defamation trial were slated to begin in a Delaware courtroom

This is a breaking news story. Click refresh for the latest updates.

Mike Lindell Ordered to Pay $5 Million Over Debunked 2020 Election Data

0
Mike Lindell via Gage Skidmore Flickr

My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell has been ordered to pay $5 million to a software developer who debunked the Trump ally’s data around the election.

Lindell, who promised to pay the $5 million award to anyone who could debunk his data that purportedly proved election fraud, was ordered to pay the sum by a private arbitrator, who ruled that Robert Zeidman, a software expert, successfully disproved Lindell’s claims, in a decision first reported by CNN.

The arbitrator cited Lindell’s repeated claims to have data that he said was captured during the 2020 election and proved that China interfered in the contest. Lindell repeatedly made the false claims in public appearances and on TV.

Lindell then launched the “Prove Mike Wrong Challenge,” offering $5 million to anyone who could prove that the data was not valid. Zeidman entered the contest, submitting a report that concluded the data did not include information from the 2020 election. When Lindell’s team said Zeidman did not win the contest, he filed the arbitration.

“Based on the foregoing analysis, Mr. Zeidman performed under the contract,” the ruling said. “He proved the data Lindell LLC provided, and represented reflected information from the November 2020 election, unequivocally did not reflect November 2020 election data. Failure to pay Mr. Zeidman the $5 million prized was a breach of the contract, entitling him to recover.”

The arbitrator ruled that the money must be paid within 30 days of the decision.

Lindell blasted the arbitration decision.

“It was a horrible decision, and it is all going to end up in court,” he told The Hill.

Federal Appeals Court Delays Deposition of Ex-Manhattan Prosecutor in Trump Probe

4
Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

A federal appeals court has delayed the congressional deposition of Mark Pomerantz, a former senior prosecutor in the Manhattan district attorney’s criminal investigation of former President Donald Trump.

House Republicans are seeking to question Pomerantz as part of their probe into Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg‘s (D) prosecution of Trump. Earlier this month Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records as part of a yearslong investigation into alleged hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.

According to reports from The Hill, the pause will last until a three-judge panel on the 2nd Circuit can hear a motion from Pomerantz and Bragg to pause the lower court ruling while their appeal proceeds.

“This order reflects no judgment regarding the merits of the parties’ respective positions,” the appeals court wrote in its order.

The court has put in place a quick schedule to consider the motion. Written briefs will be submitted through Saturday afternoon, and the court further directed the clerk to schedule the motion’s consideration for the first available three-judge panel.

U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, a Trump appointee, on Wednesday rejected Bragg’s bid to quash Pomerantz’s subpoena.

“In our federalist system, elected state and federal actors sometimes engage in political dogfights …The Court does not endorse either side’s agenda. The sole question before the Court at this time is whether Bragg has a legal basis to quash a congressional subpoena that was issued with a valid legislative purpose. He does not,” Vyskocil wrote.

Last week, Bragg last week filed a lawsuit against House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio.) to block Pomerantz’s subpoena and Jordan’s other attempts at getting information from prosecutors. 

Pomerantz served as a top prosecutor on the district attorney’s Trump case, which began under Bragg’s predecessor.

Former Trump Organization CFO Released From Jail

0
Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Former Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg has been released from prison.

According to reports from CNBC, he was promised a sentence of five months in jail to be served on Rikers Island and five years’ probation in exchange for his testimony and agreed to repay nearly $2 million in taxes owed.

He was sentenced to five months behind bars but was eligible for release after 100 days with time off for good behavior.

Weisselberg pleaded guilty in August to all 15 charges: one count of grand larceny in the second degree; three counts of criminal tax fraud in the third degree; one count of scheme to defraud in the first degree; one count of conspiracy in the fourth degree; one count of criminal tax fraud in the fourth degree; four counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree; and four counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. (RELATED: Longtime Trump Org CFO Heads to Rikers Island)

Weisselberg, while no longer the company’s chief financial officer, remained employed with Trump’s family real estate firm and expected to make more than $1 million last year in salary and bonuses, according to his testimony.

In December, a Manhattan jury found two Trump Organization companies, the Trump Corp. and Trump Payroll Corp., guilty of criminal tax fraud.

Georgia Prosecutor Reveals New Details of Active Trump Investigation

8
Gage Skidmore Flickr

Things are heating up in Georgia…

Georgia prosecutor Fani Willis (D) who is overseeing an investigation into Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election results indicated Tuesday that she has conducted fresh interviews with some of the Republican activists who falsely claimed to be Georgia’s legitimate presidential electors.

In a court filing Tuesday, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis noted that her office conducted those interviews on April 12 and April 14. Willis disclosed in the filing that more than one of the false electors had described potential violations of Georgia state law by another one, according to Politico.

Willis is urging the judge overseeing the matter to disqualify the lawyer who represents 10 of the false electors, an arrangement she had previously challenged — with limited success — because of the potential for conflict among the different false electors. Now that some have provided testimony implicating others in potential crimes, Willis’ office argued, it is no longer tenable for them to share the same attorney, Kimberly Debrow.

“It is unfathomable how Ms. Debrow can offer competent and adequate counsel to her client who has been accused of further crimes,” Willis argues in the filing.

The fresh batch of interviews is the latest indication the investigation into Trump is ongoing. In February, the special grand jury recommended multiple indictments in the case, however, nobody has been charged in the case yet. (RELATED: Georgia Grand Jury Recommended Multiple Indictments)

In March, Trump’s legal team filed a move to the use of any evidence presented to a grand jury reviewing the matter.