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James O’Keefe Reemerges at CPAC, Hints at Next Steps

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Recently ousted Project Veritas boss James O’Keefe resurfaced at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) with the whistleblower he credited the success to the recent Pfizer sting

    Last month, O’Keefe was ousted last month by Project Veritas’ board of directors over claims of employer abuse and allegations that he wasted the nonprofit’s money on his musical theater dreams.

    “We need brave whistleblowers,” O’Keefe said while introducing Debbie Bernal. “We need people on the inside. There were people on the inside of Pfizer who helped us obtain this.”

    “Stand up,” Bernal said. “Be brave. Do something for this country or we are all doomed.”

    O’Keefe credited Bernal with setting up the undercover encounter in which Jordon Walker, who leads research and development for mRNA projects at Pfizer. The scientist allegedly revealed to a hidden camera that the company’s COVID vaccines are impacting women’s menstrual cycles and that the company uses “directed evolution” to mutate coronaviruses for the creation of more potent variants and vaccines.

    The former Project Veritas boss admitted that Bernal was hesitant about coming forward regarding her help with O’Keefe’s investigation into the major pharmaceutical company.

    O’Keefe told CPAC attendees said that in the days after he was ousted from the organization he founded in 2010, she decided to go public with him. Bernal admitted that she was “scared for her life.”

    “I was worried that I would end up in a body bag, or in a car accident,” she said. “But I realized that the spirit of fear is not from the Lord. As a believer, I knew that I couldn’t just sit there, I couldn’t just sit there and watch. People get lied to, people get gaslit, it made me angry.”

    O’Keefe has kept his next plans close to the vest, but he strongly hinted that he may set up another investigative journalism group.

    “Courage is the virtue that sustains all others, and without that you really can’t do journalism,” he said. “I’m not stopping or giving up.”

    Trump Slams Rupert Murdoch Over Recent Election Comments

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Donald Trump took a swing at Fox Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch in an early morning post on his Truth Social account on the subject of election fraud.

    “How does Rupert Murdoch say there was no election fraud when 2000 Mules shows, on government tape, that there were millions of ‘stuffed ballots,’ & Elon Musk released the FBI/Twitter Files, where pollsters say that the silencing of information made a 17% difference in the Vote,” Trump asked on TRUTH Social.

    “2000 Mules” is a film produced by conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza that examines claims that drop boxes were stuffed with fraudulent ballots. Fact-checkers have said that the film does not show evidence of widespread voter fraud and former Attorney General William Barr, who served under Trump, told the House select committee investigating the Capitol riot that he was “unimpressed” with the movie. 

    “Then there was, of course, FBI/Facebook, another big election integrity fraud costing millions of Votes-& this doesn’t even count all of the many other ways they cheated, or the fact that they avoided State Legislatures?” Trump continued on TRUTH Social.

    Trump’s jab comes as Fox fights a $1.6 billion lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems, which is arguing that the network defamed its voting tech by sharing Trump’s claims that the machines were used to fraudulently elect President Biden. 

    Recently, court documents revealed that some prominent Fox News figures privately expressed concerns about Trump’s claims of election fraud during the 2020 election. (RELATED: New Court Filing Reveals Fox News Star’s Private ‘Disgust’ with Trump 2020 Election Claims)

    According to the filing, which included statements made by the network’s owner, Ruper Murdoch, former Republican Speaker Paul Ryan (Wis.), who sits on the board of Fox Corp., wrote to Murdoch after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot to express his concerns. (RELATED: Paul Ryan Refuses to Attend RNC if Trump Wins 2024 Nomination)

    The Hill reports Ryans said he believed that “some high percentage of Americans” thought the election had been rigged against Trump “because they got a diet of information telling them the election was stolen from what they believe were credible sources.”

    “Thanks Paul,” Murdoch wrote back, according to the filing. “Wake-up call for Hannity, who has been privately disgusted by Trump for weeks, but was scared to lose viewers.”

    Trump isn’t the only high-profile conservative to target Murdoch recently. Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon tore into Murdoch during his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)

    “Note to Fox News senior management: When Donald J. Trump talks, it’s newsworthy,” Bannon said during a fiery speech saying, “You’ve disrespected Donald Trump for long enough.” 

    “Is there really that much going on at two in the afternoon on Fox News that you can’t cover him live,” Bannon said. “They don’t respect you, read the depositions. They have a fear, a loathing and a contempt for you.” 

    “The Murdochs immediately have to start covering President Trump. No special deals, just cover the man, ask the tough questions,” Bannon said. “But we need to hear the voice of Donald J. Trump.”

    MAGA Representative to Introduce Bill Designating Antifa as Terrorist Org. after Atlanta’s ‘Cop City’ Set Ablaze

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

      House Republicans want to hold Antifa accountable after demonstrators allegedly set fire to the construction site of an Atlanta public safety training facility anti-police and environment activists dubbed “Cop City” Sunday evening.

      Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said she plans to introduce legislation to declare Antifa as a terrorist organization.

      “Antifa are domestic terrorists and I’m introducing my resolution to officially declare them a terrorist organization on Tuesday,” Rep. Green tweeted while sharing a video of the fire.

      “This is domestic terrorism. It was planned for weeks and announced on social media. Antifa are self proclaimed communists and consistently organize to attack our government over and over again. They should be taken seriously and not tolerated anymore,” she tweeted.

      Fox 5 reported Sunday that the facility was on lockdown after at least one construction vehicle was set on fire amid the latest protests on Sunday.

      A progressive group called “Stop Cop City” has been protesting against the new 85-acre training facility being built in the wooded parts of DeKalb County, Atlanta since plans for it were announced, arguing it will promote the militarization of the police and may result in environmental concerns.

      On Monday, the Atlanta Police Department (APD) confirmed that a group of “agitators” left the nearby South River Music Festival around 5:30 p.m. and descended on the construction site of the proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training Center “to conduct a coordinated attack on construction equipment and police officers,” the APD said in a statement. 

      Authorities noted that agitators changed into black clothing and allegedly began to throw commercial-grade fireworks, Molotov cocktails, large rocks, and bricks at police officers. Antifa is known to use similar tactics.

      Atlanta Chief of Police Darin Schierbaum said Sunday’s incident marked a “significant escalation” both in the level of violence and the number of individuals involved in the attack.

      “This wasn’t about a public safety training center. This was about anarchy, and this was about an attempt to destabilize. And we are addressing that quickly,” Schierbaum told reporters. “Actions such as this will not be tolerated. You attack law enforcement officers, you damage equipment, you are breaking the law. This was a very violent attack that occurred this evening.” 

      The FBI and Georgia Bureau of Investigation have joined the probe, he said. 

      Atlanta police said at least 35 people had been detained as of Sunday night. Charging decisions have yet to be announced.

      “Some of those arrested yesterday were from Massachusetts and New York and France and Canada. So this is a national network, an international group of people that are organized to come to our state to undermine a public safety training center,” Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said in an appearance on Fox News Monday morning. 

      “This is not a protest,” the chief added. “I made a clear distinction of what a protest looks like. When it is a legitimate protest, you have the full protection of the Atlanta Police Department. This is not a protest. This is criminal activity. And the charges that will be brought forth will show that.” 

      Before Sunday, at least 19 people had been arrested and charged with domestic terrorism since December in connection to demonstrations at the “Cop City” site. 

      In January, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) issued a state of emergency after protests broke out in response to a police shooting of an activist during an operation to clear out the construction site for the facility.

      Report: Trump ‘Workshopping’ Three More Nickname Names For DeSantis, Digging Up ‘Dirt’ On His Wife

      By
      Madeleine Jackson
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      Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

      Is this as low as Donald Trump can go?

      Former President Trump is reportedly workshopping multiple new disparaging nicknames for Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis as the race for the White House begins to heat up, despite the fact DeSantis has not even thrown his hat into the ring.

      According to The Daily Wire, Bloomberg News senior reporter Jennifer Jacobs tweeted a report authored by Nancy Cook which said that Trump is spending “much of his and his team’s time” on complaining about a lack of media coverage, what he claims was a stolen election, and trying to come up with new names for DeSantis, who is widely expected to enter the presidential race in the coming months.

      Jacobs said that, according to Trump’s allies, the former president is considering trying to label DeSantis as “Ron DisHonest,” “Ron DeEstablishment,” or “Tiny D.”

      The report added that Trump is trying to “dig up dirt” on DeSantis’ wife, recent breast cancer survivor Casey DeSantis, who has three children with the governor.

      “If you want to know who Ron DeSantis really is, when I was diagnosed with cancer, and I was facing the battle for my life, he was the dad who took care of my children when I couldn’t,” Casey DeSantis said.

      “He was there to pick me off of the ground when I literally could not stand,” she added. “He was there to fight for me when I didn’t have the strength to fight for myself.”

      Trump has repeatedly launched attacks against the Florida Governor, sometimes referring to the lawmaker as “Ron DeSanctimonious.”

      Last month, a reporter asked if DeSantis’s proposal to make it easier for government officials to sue the media for defamation would address Trump’s “damaging” posts about him. After defending his panel proposals, DeSantis got more direct about Trump’s attack:

      “I spend my time delivering results for the people of Florida and fighting against Joe Biden,” DeSantis said to applause. “That’s how I spend my time. I don’t spend my time trying to smear other Republicans.”

      Trump Denies Asking GOP Governor for Endorsement

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
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        0
        Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

        Donald Trump is setting the record straight.

        The 2024 presidential candidate is refusing a New York Times report which claimed the former president asked Sarah Huckabee Sanders to endorse his most recent White House campaign. Sanders, who previously served as Trump’s White House Press Secretary was elected Governor of Arkansas in November.

        The New York Times reported on March 4 that Trump is having difficulty garnering public support from former allies, noting that Trump was “disappointed” after Huckabee Sanders, his former White House press secretary, reportedly said she would not yet publicly support him.

        Trump refuted the claims in a post on Truth Social, slamming the report as fake.

        “As per a rather unimportant Fake News report in the NYT, I never asked Sarah Huckabee Sanders for an endorsement,” Trump wrote.

        “I give endorsements, I don’t generally ask for them. With that being said, nobody has done more for her than I have, with the possible exception of her great father, Mike!” he added.

        Sanders has notably stayed out of the 2024 race so far.

        “My focus isn’t on 2024,” Sanders told Shannon Bream on “Fox News Sunday” in January.

        Trump won with 62 percent, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), likely his closest rival, came in at 20 percent. Businessman Perry Johnson, who announced his candidacy for the White House this week, earned 5 percent.

        Trump won last year’s straw poll at CPAC in Orlando, Fla., with 59 percent support. DeSantis scored 28 percent in that straw poll.

        North Dakota AG Sounds Off on Concerns Facing His State

        By
        Matt Whitaker
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        Ted Eytan from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

        North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley joins Liberty & Justice to discusses challenges facing his state and the United States of America.

        Per Matt Whitaker:

        Drew Wrigley is a fourth generation North Dakotan with family roots in Walsh County and Burke County, where Wrigley Brothers Farm still thrives. Wrigley was born in Bismarck and grew up in Fargo. After graduating from Fargo South High School in 1984, Wrigley attended the University of North Dakota, graduating in 1988 with honors in economics and philosophy. He graduated from the American University, Washington College of Law, in 1991, followed by a year-long judicial clerkship in Delaware. Wrigley then worked as an Assistant District Attorney for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office, prosecuting every variety of crime in one of our nation’s most violent cities.

        Wrigley and his wife Kathleen married in 1998 and moved home to North Dakota. In 2001, Wrigley was nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the United States Senate as North Dakota’s 17th United States Attorney. Wrigley led his office’s successful efforts to combat violent crime, large-scale narcotics trafficking, illegal immigration, financial fraud and ground-breaking investigations focused on Internet crimes against children. Under Wrigley’s leadership, the office’s Civil Division worked diligently to promote and protect legal and contractual interests of the United States, while battling to ensure the protection of civil rights and the promise of landmark legal protections such as the Americans with Disabilities Act. Even while serving as United States Attorney, Wrigley personally tried several noteworthy cases, including North Dakota’s first federal Internet child-luring case, and the successful death penalty prosecution of Alfonso Rodriguez, Jr., who kidnapped, assaulted, and viciously murdered University of North Dakota student Dru Sjodin. That was North Dakota’s first and only federal death penalty case, for which Wrigley served as lead trial and appellate counsel. From 2004 to 2009, Wrigley was appointed by three successive Attorney Generals of the United States to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, a select group of United States Attorneys tasked with advising the Attorney General of the United States and other Department of Justice leaders.

        After stepping down as United States Attorney in 2009, Wrigley served as vice-president of a national Medicare and Medicaid contractor based in Fargo. He subsequently served as North Dakota’s 37th Lieutenant Governor, from December 2010 through December 2016. Wrigley served as the President of the State Senate, chaired the State Investment Board and its oversight of then-$11 billion in pension and other state assets, chaired the state’s International Trade Office Board, chaired the Governor’s Cybersecurity Task Force, and led the economic development efforts and oversight authority for North Dakota’s FAA-sanctioned unmanned flight systems testing facility. In 2016, Wrigley and Governor Jack Dalrymple chose to not seek re-election, and in early 2017 Wrigley once again returned to the private sector, serving in a senior advisory role for a regional healthcare, insurance, research and philanthropy enterprise, Sanford Health. In 2019, Wrigley was nominated by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed by the United States Senate as North Dakota’s 19th United States Attorney, becoming the first North Dakotan to twice serve as our state’s chief federal law enforcement officer. Wrigley stepped down in February of 2021 and worked as counsel with his family’s industrial/mechanical/commercial contracting firms, Wrigley Mechanical, Inc. and BDT Mechanical LLC, both located in Fargo. Wrigley maintains an ownership interest in both companies.

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

        Larry Hogan Shuts Down 2024 White House Speculation

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
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        Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

        Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) has officially decided against launching a presidential campaign.

        Hogan, who has been a staunch critic of Donald Trump, told CBS News that while he gave “serious consideration” to pursuing the Republican nomination he ultimately felt he did not need to run for another office.

        “I did give it serious consideration and I talked to people everywhere and I talked to my family,” Hogan told CBS News. “And it was a tough decision. But I’ve decided that I will not be a candidate for the Republican nomination for president.”

        The two-term Maryland governor said it was not the idea of running against Trump that deterred him from launching a campaign but noted it would have been an uphill battle. Trump has dominated amongst 2024 prospective polls and handily won the Conservative Political Action Conference’s (CPAC) straw poll.

        Trump won with 62 percent, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), likely his closest rival, came in at 20 percent. Businessman Perry Johnson, who announced his candidacy for the White House this week, earned 5 percent.

        Trump won last year’s straw poll at CPAC in Orlando, Fla., with 59 percent support. DeSantis scored 28 percent in that straw poll.

        “That didn’t really scare me,” Hogan said. “You’re right. It would be a tough race. And he’s very tough. But, you know, I beat life-threatening cancer. So having Trump call me names on Twitter didn’t really scare me off.”

        Hogan asserted he was not running to give other candidates who are polling in the “single digits” a chance to challenge front-runners such as Trump and DeSantis.

        “I didn’t want to have a pile up of a bunch of people fighting,” Hogan said. “Right now, you have Trump and DeSantis at the top of the field, they’re soaking up all the oxygen, getting all the attention. And then a whole lot of the rest of us in single digits and the more of them you have, the less chance you have for somebody rising up.”

        “I didn’t need that job,” Hogan said. “I didn’t need to run for another office. It was really, I was considering it because I thought it was public service and maybe I can make a difference.”

        Justice Department Refutes Trump Immunity Claim in Jan. 6 Civil Suits

          By
          Madeleine Jackson
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          9
          Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

          The Department of Justice (DOJ) refused to support former President Donald Trump’s claim that he should be immune from civil suits seeking to hold him responsible for his conduct on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters illegally entered the U.S. Capitol building as lawmakers certified the election for Joe Biden.

          The consolidated cases include legal challenges launched by 11 members of Congress who rushed for cover during the riot at the Capitol as well as Capitol Police officers. The cases allege Trump conspired to block lawmakers from carrying out their congressional duties. The suits also seek to hold Trump liable for physical and psychological injuries.

          According to reports from The Hill, the DOJ’s position comes as the former president has appealed a lower court ruling deeming he is not immune from the suits given that a president’s efforts to “secure or perpetuate incumbency” are not part of the White House role that otherwise prevents the president from facing civil suits for actions taken through the office.

          The government in its brief draws a clear line, arguing the broad protections for the president should not cover statements inciting violence. 

          “His briefs advance only a single, categorical argument: A President is always immune from any civil suits based on his ‘speech on matters of public concern’…even if that speech also constitutes incitement to imminent private violence. The United States respectfully submits that the Court should reject that categorical argument,” DOJ wrote in the filing.

          “In the United States’ view, such incitement of imminent private violence would not be within the outer perimeter of the Office of the President of the United States,” they write.

          The Justice Department’s brief doesn’t specifically back the claims from the lawmakers that Trump incited the riot, instead noting that they “plausibly allege” the former president’s speech that day motivated the attack.

          The district court that previously heard the suit also rejected Trump’s First Amendment defense.

          DOJ ultimately encourages the court to make a narrow ruling. The department briefly addressed its own investigation into Trump in a footnote dismissing any connection between outside civil suits and its own probe.

          “The United States does not express any view regarding the potential criminal liability of any person for the events of January 6, 2021, or acts connected with those events,” they write.

          Disgraced GOP Lawmaker Lands New Gig After Stunning Primary Loss

          By
          Madeleine Jackson
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          0
          Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

          So the saying goes, “those who can’t do, teach.”

          It seems that recently ousted Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney has accepted a position with The University of Virginia as a professor at its Center for Politics.

          According to The Hill, Cheney will participate in university-wide lectures, serve as a guest lecturer in student seminars, contribute to the department’s research, and participate in university and community events.

          “With democracy under fire in this country and elsewhere around the world, Liz Cheney serves as a model of political courage and leadership,” the center’s director, Larry Sabato, said in a statement.

          “Liz will send a compelling message to students about integrity. She’s a true profile in courage, and she was willing to pay the price for her principles — and democracy itself.”

          Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, was vice chairwoman of the House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6., 2021 attack at the Capitol. The Republican lawmaker was also one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for his role in the riot.

          In a statement, Cheney, who lost her primary to Trump-endorsed Harriet Hageman after becoming a leading critic for former President Trump within her party, expressed her excitement with her new role, saying that “preserving our constitutional republic is the most important work of our time, and our nation’s young people will play a crucial role in this effort.”

          “There are many threats facing our system of government and I hope my work with the Center for Politics and the broader community at the University of Virginia will contribute to finding lasting solutions that not only preserve but strengthen our democracy.,” Cheney added. 

          Cheney’s appointment with the department is effective immediately and will run through the fall 2023 semester, with an option to renew for one or more additional years. 

          Critics of the former Congresswoman reacted on Twitter.

          Florida Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Eliminate Democrat Party

          By
          Madeleine Jackson
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          14

          A Republican lawmaker is trying to change the political landscape of the Sunshine State.

          Following Democrats’ widespread losses in Florida during the 2020 midterms, Republican state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia has filed a bill to eliminate the party entirely.

          According to The Hill, “The Ultimate Cancel Act” (SB 1248), sponsored by Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill), would cancel the filings of any political party that supported slavery during the Civil War.

          “The Democrat party adopted pro-slavery stances in their party platforms and this bill says that if you have done that in the past, then the Secretary of State shall de-certify and get rid of the party,” Ingoglia said. 

          Any “canceled” party would have the opportunity to register again, however, the name of the organization must be substantially different from the name of any other party that was previously registered with the department.

          The proposal is expectedly drawing widespread criticism from Democrats.

          “Shame on the Republican Party for initiating legislation of this magnitude. This is what a dictator does,” newly elected Florida Democrat Party chair Nikki Fried said. 

           “It’s a complete and absolute abuse, and it’s unconstitutional. This bill will go nowhere. It is meritless. It deserves zero airtime and frankly, it’s a distraction from the Republicans’ failed policies,” House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell said.

          Ingoglia said he has not spoken to the governor or legislative leaders about the bill.

          The governor’s office has not commented on the bill. Legislative leaders in the House and Senate have also yet to express interest in taking up the bill during the upcoming session. If this were to become law, it would take effect in July 2023.

          “Florida Democrats are lucky I’m not asking them to return all the political contributions that they got in years past for their Jefferson Jackson dinners since they want to cancel everything. They were raising money based upon two people that, by their own admission, should have been canceled,” Ingoglia said.

          On Wednesday, the Florida Democrat Party issued the following statement:

          “Presenting a bill that would disenfranchise 5 million voters is both unconstitutional and unserious. Under Ron DeSantis, Senator Ingoglia is using his office to push bills that are nothing more than publicity stunts instead of focusing on the issues that matter most to Floridians, such as reforming property insurance, addressing housing affordability and combating climate change.

          “The sooner DeSantis and his puppets in the legislature learn that Florida is a Democratic Republic and not a Banana Republic, the better it will be for all Floridians.”

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