The Washington Free Beacon staff wishes its readers a wonderful Presidents’ Day.
Pritzker Keeps Private Pay Records for Top Aides Hidden
Gov. J.B. Pritzker pledged that he would be transparent about using his personal fortune to double the state salaries of his top aides in the governor’s office, but the billionaire has yet to release payroll records for those employees.
Report: Widespread National Food Stamp Fraud Totals at Least $1 Billion, Could Be as High as $4.7 Billion
According to a new report produced by the Government and Accountability Office (GAO), at least $1 billion in food stamp benefits are “trafficked annually,” meaning they are fraudulently used. The extent of the fraud is uncertain, the GAO warns, estimating the abuse of the program could be as high as $4.7 billion.
Warren: Evidence Suggests Abrams Had Race Stolen From Her in Georgia
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.—Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) agrees with other Democrats who think last year’s Georgia governor’s race was stolen from Democrat Stacey Abrams, saying Saturday it’s what the “evidence seems to suggest.”
Bill Would Cut Red Tape for Kid Entrepreneurs
A bill that would allow Colorado minors to operate lemonade stands and other small businesses in the state without being required to obtain licenses or permits is being considered by the General Assembly.
NYC Mayor De Blasio Rips Ocasio-Cortez’s Opposition to Amazon
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio slammed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., NY) Friday over her opposition to Amazon opening a headquarters in the city.
Warren Supporter Explains Why He Walked Out of Her Announcement Speech
A former supporter of senator and presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren said he walked out of the speech announcing her candidacy because the Massachusetts Democrat was placing too much emphasis on raising taxes, and not talking enough about issues of equality and opportunity for minorities.
Pence Warns at Auschwitz: Flames of Anti-Semitism Rising in U.S., Across Globe
MUNICH, Germany—Vice President Mike Pence, during a tour of the Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp where millions of Jews were put to death during World War II, warned that anti-Semitism is still alive, well, and growing at an alarming rate in the United States and abroad.
Business Groups Come Together to Urge Changes to Minimum Wage Bill
Businesses from across the state came together in Springfield on Monday to urge the Illinois lawmakers to amend a proposed minimum wage increase to allow for lower pay outside the city of Chicago.
Castro-Loving Congresswoman Signs On as California Co-Chair for Kamala Harris
The Kamala Harris campaign announced Thursday that Rep. Barbara Lee (D.), a far-left California congresswoman known for her relationship with deceased Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, would be its co-chair.
AOC Aide Complains Dem Staffers Don’t Want to ‘Burn Down’ Political System
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D., N.Y.) legislative assistant Dan Riffle, who goes by “Every Billionaire Is A Policy Failure” on Twitter, expressed his frustration with Democratic staffers looking to get cushy jobs as lobbyists instead of wanting to “burn” the political system down.
Sanders Called Omar to Provide ‘Personal Support’ Amid Outrage Over Anti-Semitism
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I. Vt.) pledged on several phone calls to stand by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) as she navigates the anti-Semitism quandary she’s created, according to reports Thursday.
Freshman Democrats Announce Opposition to Bipartisan Spending Bill: It Gives More Money to ‘Abusive Agencies’
A group of prominent freshman House Democrats released a joint statement that they wouldn’t vote for a bipartisan deal to keep the government open, saying “abusive agencies” under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security didn’t deserve a funding increase.
Omar Fundraises Off Trump Call to Resign Over Anti-Semitic Tweets
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) is fundraising off the backlash to her anti-Semitic tweets over the weekend that included a call by President Donald Trump for her to resign.
Republicans in Congress Expect Paid Family Leave Proposals Soon
Leading congressional Republicans expect to float multiple plans within the next month to implement access to paid family leave at the federal level.
Democratic Socialists Warn New York House Dems of Primary Challenges: ‘They Should Be Afraid’
Far-left New York Democrats encouraged by the rapid rise of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) are threatening primary challenges against several incumbent House Democrats.
What to Do About the Rebirth of Socialism
“The most important political event of the twentieth century,” wrote Irving Kristol in 1976, “is not the crisis of capitalism but the death of socialism.” Plenty of self-described Marxist and socialist regimes existed throughout the world, Kristol recognized. It was rather the ideas behind such regimes that had reached a moral and intellectual endpoint. Nor was this passing away entirely to be cheered. “For with the passing of the socialist ideal,” Kristol went on, “there is removed from the political horizon the one alternative to capitalism that was rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition and in the Western civilization which emerged from that tradition.”
A Soul Healed
A conversion to Catholicism is invariably a romance with the Eucharist through the holy sacrifice of the Mass—and in this sense, New York Post op-ed editor Sohrab Ahmari’s memoir From Fire By Water is a typical conversion story. But it’s also deeply personal: For Catholics, the Mass is the wellspring of a relationship with God, and Ahmari’s story speaks to the humbling power of the sacrament.
Suit: Washington AG Colluded with Unions
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson tried to cover up his office’s collusion with labor unions after a think tank asked for public records about their communications, according to a lawsuit.
After Six Straight Losses for Democrats, Warren Bets Georgia Can Go Blue in 2020
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.—In a toasty gymnasium in metro Atlanta, one of the 2020 Democratic field’s most progressive candidates made a familiar but bold prediction on Saturday.
State Department Denies Trump’s Top Iran Envoy Met with Kerry
MUNICH, Germany—The Trump administration’s top Iran envoy is denying online reports that he engaged in a secret meeting on Friday with former Secretary of State John Kerry, who himself has engaged in shadow diplomacy with Iranian officials since leaving his post.
Environmental Activists Pushed Chinese-Friendly Policies with Obama Administration
State Department email records show that environmental activists, who have denied operating as foreign agents in response to congressional inquiries, partnered with Obama administration officials to advance climate change policies that were beneficial to China and detrimental to the United States, according to energy policy analysts and attorneys who have reviewed the electronic correspondence.
Nigerians Head for the Polls as Religious Freedom Activists Call for U.S. Special Envoy
Nigerians go to the polls on Saturday to choose their next president in an election some Christian observers call a “matter of life and death,” as ongoing violence prompts activists to call for the appointment of a U.S. special envoy to the country.
Trump Just Declared a National Emergency. What Does That Mean?
Speaking in the White House Rose Garden Friday morning, President Donald Trump announced that he would declare a national emergency in order to construct a barrier on the southwestern border.
“We’re talking about an invasion of our country, with drugs, with human traffickers, with all types of criminals and gangs,” Trump said. “I’ll sign the final papers as soon as I get into the Oval Office, and we’ll have a national emergency.”
Iran Mocks Trump Admin as U.S. Preps New Campaign to Crush Tehran
MUNICH, Germany—Iran’s top diplomat boasted that the Trump administration’s international gathering this week to galvanize the globe against Tehran was a colossal failure that only served to further isolate the United States and its Israeli allies.
DIA: China to Deploy ASAT Laser by 2020
China’s military is expected to deploy a laser weapon capable of destroying or damaging U.S. military satellites in low earth orbit in the next year, the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency disclosed in a report on space threats.
Stauber, Duffy Say Union Members Essential to GOP Success
Union members will be essential to Republican success in traditional Democratic strongholds in the Midwest, according to freshman Rep. Pete Stauber (R., Minn.).
2020 Dems Silent on Data Showing Voters Oppose Their Abortion Stance
The Democratic Party’s leading presidential contenders are silent on data showing an overwhelming majority of voters oppose their stance on abortion.
Inside the Ring: Destroyers in Disputed Waters
Two U.S. destroyers sailed into waters of some of China’s militarized islands in the South China Sea this week in a challenge Beijing’s expansive maritime claims, the Pacific Fleet said.
Amy Klobuchar’s ‘Tough-on-Crime’ Prosecutor Past Could Sting During Primaries
Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s (D., Minn.) tenure as a “tough-on-crime” prosecutor may prove a problem and could damage her standing among progressives during the Democratic primaries.
‘Alita: Battle Angel’ Review
Alita: Battle Angel may not be the best movie of the year. Heck, it may not even be director Robert Rodriguez’s best adaptation of a comic book. But it will almost certainly be the best big-budget comic book movie released in the first half of 2019 about a super-powered young woman who feels compelled to protect the innocent and is having trouble remembering her past.
What to Do About the Rebirth of Socialism
“The most important political event of the twentieth century,” wrote Irving Kristol in 1976, “is not the crisis of capitalism but the death of socialism.” Plenty of self-described Marxist and socialist regimes existed throughout the world, Kristol recognized. It was rather the ideas behind such regimes that had reached a moral and intellectual endpoint. Nor was this passing away entirely to be cheered. “For with the passing of the socialist ideal,” Kristol went on, “there is removed from the political horizon the one alternative to capitalism that was rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition and in the Western civilization which emerged from that tradition.”
Harris Freezes, Laughs Awkwardly When Asked About Calling Smollett Incident a ‘Modern-Day Lynching’
Farrakhan: The ‘Wicked Jews’ Use Me to Attack Women’s Movement, March Leaders
Farrakhan Praises Omar for Anti-Semitic Language: ‘You Have Nothing to Apologize For’
Pritzker Keeps Private Pay Records for Top Aides Hidden
Gov. J.B. Pritzker pledged that he would be transparent about using his personal fortune to double the state salaries of his top aides in the governor’s office, but the billionaire has yet to release payroll records for those employees.
Terry McAuliffe Talks About His Book When Asked About Ralph Northam
DNC Chief Perez: You Can ‘Absolutely’ Be a Democratic Socialist and a Capitalist
De Blasio: Amazon Proved My Point That There Is Plenty of Money in This Country but It’s in the Wrong Hands
A Soul Healed
A conversion to Catholicism is invariably a romance with the Eucharist through the holy sacrifice of the Mass—and in this sense, New York Post op-ed editor Sohrab Ahmari’s memoir From Fire By Water is a typical conversion story. But it’s also deeply personal: For Catholics, the Mass is the wellspring of a relationship with God, and Ahmari’s story speaks to the humbling power of the sacrament.
Suit: Washington AG Colluded with Unions
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson tried to cover up his office’s collusion with labor unions after a think tank asked for public records about their communications, according to a lawsuit.
Report: Widespread National Food Stamp Fraud Totals at Least $1 Billion, Could Be as High as $4.7 Billion
According to a new report produced by the Government and Accountability Office (GAO), at least $1 billion in food stamp benefits are “trafficked annually,” meaning they are fraudulently used. The extent of the fraud is uncertain, the GAO warns, estimating the abuse of the program could be as high as $4.7 billion.
Ocasio-Cortez: ‘Every Democratic Presidential Candidate’ Supports Green New Deal
After Six Straight Losses for Democrats, Warren Bets Georgia Can Go Blue in 2020
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.—In a toasty gymnasium in metro Atlanta, one of the 2020 Democratic field’s most progressive candidates made a familiar but bold prediction on Saturday.
Warren: Evidence Suggests Abrams Had Race Stolen From Her in Georgia
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.—Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) agrees with other Democrats who think last year’s Georgia governor’s race was stolen from Democrat Stacey Abrams, saying Saturday it’s what the “evidence seems to suggest.”
Nadler (D) Suggests a Dem President Can Seize Guns After Trump’s National Emergency Precedent
State Department Denies Trump’s Top Iran Envoy Met with Kerry
MUNICH, Germany—The Trump administration’s top Iran envoy is denying online reports that he engaged in a secret meeting on Friday with former Secretary of State John Kerry, who himself has engaged in shadow diplomacy with Iranian officials since leaving his post.
Environmental Activists Pushed Chinese-Friendly Policies with Obama Administration
State Department email records show that environmental activists, who have denied operating as foreign agents in response to congressional inquiries, partnered with Obama administration officials to advance climate change policies that were beneficial to China and detrimental to the United States, according to energy policy analysts and attorneys who have reviewed the electronic correspondence.
Bill Would Cut Red Tape for Kid Entrepreneurs
A bill that would allow Colorado minors to operate lemonade stands and other small businesses in the state without being required to obtain licenses or permits is being considered by the General Assembly.
Maloney (D) Slams Ocasio-Cortez’s Opposition to Amazon: ‘Now We Are Protesting Jobs?’
Gillibrand on Removing Existing Parts of Border Wall: ‘I Could Support It’
Nigerians Head for the Polls as Religious Freedom Activists Call for U.S. Special Envoy
Nigerians go to the polls on Saturday to choose their next president in an election some Christian observers call a “matter of life and death,” as ongoing violence prompts activists to call for the appointment of a U.S. special envoy to the country.
NYC Mayor De Blasio Rips Ocasio-Cortez’s Opposition to Amazon
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio slammed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., NY) Friday over her opposition to Amazon opening a headquarters in the city.
