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Listen "Daily News Brief for Friday, December 22nd, 2023"
Episode Synopsis
This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday , December 22nd, 2023.
Quick shout out to Andrea & Jonah Briggs!
Samaritan Ministries: November
This is the time of year many of us are thinking about how we’re going to pay our medical bills
next year. Before making a final decision, take a look at health care sharing with Samaritan
Ministries. As a Samaritan member, you’re connected to 80,000 Christan households across the nation who stand ready to care for one another spiritually and financially when a medical need arises. Samaritan Ministries is affordable, and with no network restrictions you’re in control of your health care, choosing the doctors, hospitals, and treatments that are right for you.
And with direct member-to-member sharing, you’ll always know who your money is helping,
and that you’re not supporting medical procedures that go against your values.
Get started today at samaritan ministries dot org slash cross politic.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/19/us/politics/trump-colorado-ballot-14th-amendment.html
Trump Is Disqualified From 2024 Ballot, Colorado Court Says in Explosive Ruling
Colorado’s top court ruled on Tuesday that President Donald J. Trump is disqualified from holding office again because he engaged in insurrection with his actions leading up to the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol, an explosive ruling that is likely to put the basic contours of the 2024 election in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Colorado Supreme Court was the first in the nation to find that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment — which disqualifies people who engage in insurrection against the Constitution after taking an oath to support it — applies to Mr. Trump, an argument that his opponents have been making around the country.
The ruling directs the Colorado secretary of state to exclude Mr. Trump’s name from the state’s Republican primary ballot. It does not address the general election.
“We do not reach these conclusions lightly,” a four-justice majority wrote, with three justices dissenting. “We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us. We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach.”
Mr. Trump’s campaign said immediately that it would appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Colorado justices anticipated that likelihood by putting their ruling on hold at least until Jan. 4; if Mr. Trump appeals before then, the hold will continue until the Supreme Court rules. And while Tuesday’s ruling applies only to one state, it could all but force the nation’s highest court to decide the question for all 50.
“It’s hard for me to see how they don’t take this one, because this certainly seems to be one of those questions that requires some national resolution,” said Anthony Michael Kreis, an assistant professor of law at Georgia State University who has closely followed the Colorado case and related lawsuits around the country.
If the justices take up the case, it will join a pile of other Trump-related matters they have agreed or are likely to decide, including whether he is immune from criminal prosecution for actions he took in office and the scope of an obstruction charge that is central to his federal Jan. 6 case.
The U.S. Supreme Court has a 6-to-3 conservative majority, with three justices appointed by Mr. Trump himself, and it is already under extraordinary political pressure and scrutiny both for its rulings and its justices’ ethics.
“Once again, the Supreme Court is being thrust into the center of a U.S. presidential election,” said Richard L. Hasen, an election law expert at the University of California, Los Angeles, who compared the stakes to Bush v. Gore. “But, unlike in 2000, the general political instability in the United States makes the situation now much more precarious.”
In the Colorado court’s lengthy ruling on Tuesday, the justices there reversed a Denver district judge’s finding last month that Section 3 did not apply to the presidency. They affirmed the district judge’s other key conclusions: that Mr. Trump’s actions before and on Jan. 6, 2021, constituted engaging in insurrection, and that courts had the authority to enforce Section 3 against a person whom Congress had not specifically designated.
“A majority of the court holds that President Trump is disqualified from holding the office of president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution,” the justices wrote. “Because he is disqualified, it would be a wrongful act under the Election Code for the Colorado secretary of state to list him as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot.”
Mr. Trump’s campaign denounced the ruling, which is likely to inflame a Republican base that he has primed to see the array of civil and criminal cases against him as a witch hunt. Politically, his standing among Republican primary voters has only risen in the wake of the dozens of criminal charges against him.
“Unsurprisingly, the all-Democrat appointed Colorado Supreme Court has ruled against President Trump, supporting a Soros-funded, left-wing group’s scheme to interfere in an election on behalf of Crooked Joe Biden by removing President Trump’s name from the ballot and eliminating the rights of Colorado voters to vote for the candidate of their choice,” a campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, said. “We have full confidence that the U.S. Supreme Court will quickly rule in our favor and finally put an end to these un-American lawsuits.”
Similar lawsuits in Minnesota and New Hampshire were dismissed on procedural grounds. A judge in Michigan ruled last month that the issue was political and not for him to decide, and an appeals court affirmed the decision not to disqualify Mr. Trump there. The plaintiffs have appealed to the Michigan Supreme Court.
Tuesday’s ruling “is not only historic and justified, but is necessary to protect the future of democracy in our country,” Noah Bookbinder, the president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said in a statement. His organization represented the voters seeking to disqualify Mr. Trump in Colorado.
Mr. Trump himself, who has routinely railed against unfavorable rulings, did not explicitly mention the Colorado Supreme Court decision in a speech Tuesday evening in Waterloo, Iowa — but his campaign was already fund-raising off it. An email to his supporters accused Democrats of trying to “nullify” Trump votes and asked for contributions to help defend his place on ballots.
Republican elected officials quickly circled the wagons around Mr. Trump, and a super PAC supporting him blasted out some of their comments to supporters.
In one more illustration of the unusual nature of the 2024 Republican primary race — in which even the candidates seeking to defeat Mr. Trump for the party’s nomination have largely shied away from condemning him — his main rivals, Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, both suggested that the ruling was an abuse of judicial power.
The case hinged on several questions: Was it an insurrection when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, trying to stop the certification of the 2020 election? If so, did Mr. Trump engage in that insurrection through his messages to his supporters beforehand, his speech that morning and his Twitter posts during the attack? Do courts have the authority to enforce Section 3 of the 14th Amendment without congressional action? And does Section 3 apply to the presidency?
Again, an explosive ruling that is likely to put the basic contours of the 2024 election in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court.
https://thenationalpulse.com/2023/12/21/at-least-11-dead-in-prague-shooting/
At Least 15 Dead in Prague Shooting.
At least 15 people have been reported dead and injured in a shooting incident at Charles University’s Faculty of Arts located near the Old Town, a major tourist hub within the city, as per the official statement from Prague police. The horrific event unraveled at this educational facility in the capital city of the Czech Republic, erupting fear and panic among students and faculty present at the scene. Local authorities confirmed the shooter’s elimination shortly after the attack, while refraining from revealing exactly how many victims were impacted.
Eyewitness reports and visual evidence posted on social media depicted the terrifying scene on the university campus, with sirens blaring and police vehicles flooding the streets around the building. Videos on social media platforms showed bystanders looking visibly panicked and attempting to escape the premises. Prague police issued a plea, urging residents to stay away from the area and to remain indoors for safety reasons.
Jakob Weizman, a journalist sheltering inside a darkened classroom, shared his experience on social media: “Currently stuck inside my classroom in Prague. Shooter is dead, but we’re waiting to be evacuated. Praying to make it out alive,” he wrote. He later added, “Locked the door before the shooter tried to open it. F—ing hell.” Yet another social media user furnished the world with a chilling image of what appeared to be students desperately huddled on the university building’s scaffolding, emphasizing the level of fear and panic induced by the tragic event.
https://www.eurasiantimes.com/game-on-with-china-us-to-restore-tinian-airfield-once-home/
Game-On With China! US To Restore Tinian Airfield Once Home To Largest B-29 Bomber Fleet During WWII
US Air Force General Kenneth Wilsbach shared this development in a discussion with Asia Nikkei, revealing that the military branch is increasing construction efforts at Tinian North Airfield and Tinian International Airfield.
This effort is a crucial component of a broader initiative to disperse aircraft strategically across the Indo-Pacific region, responding to the escalating missile threat posed by China.
“If you pay attention in the next few months, you will see significant progress, especially at Tinian North,” Wilsbach said. During World War II, the Tinian North Airfield served as the operational base for the largest B-29 bomber fleet.
Describing the airfield as having extensive pavement hidden beneath an overgrown jungle, he revealed plans to clear the jungle between now and summertime. The goal is to transform the site into a comprehensive facility upon completion.
Tinian, positioned approximately 200 kilometers north of Guam within the Northern Mariana Islands, is undergoing a revitalization in line with the US Air Force’s operational strategy, Agile Combat Employment.
This strategic approach, a departure from post-Cold War era tactics, involves deliberately relocating aircraft to various sites across the western Pacific. The primary goal is to mitigate vulnerability to potential enemy missile strikes during periods of crisis.
As documents released in March revealed, as part of the Air Force’s 2024 budget request, several projects are outlined for Tinian, seeking a budget allocation of US$78 million for the fiscal year.
Among these projects is an airfield development initiative encompassing the demolition of World War II-era airfield pavements, clearing and leveling surfaces, and installing drainage, utilities, and secure fencing.
Another project focuses on establishing a fuel-pipeline system involving the installation of storage tanks, pipes, and safety equipment to facilitate fuel unloading from ships for transport to the airfield via pipeline and truck.
Additionally, a parking-apron project is detailed, which aims to pave areas designated for aircraft parking and taxiways. The taxiways must adhere to the Pentagon’s standards for ground control operations for large-frame aircraft, as specified in the documents.
The proposed apron size would accommodate up to 12 KC-135 and KC-46 tanker aircraft and the necessary fueling equipment.
Tinian currently houses one international airfield, while Tinian North Airfield, once the most extensive B-29 base during World War II, lies largely concealed by jungle growth. However, the runways and taxiways remain intact.
Tinian was captured from Japanese control by US forces in the summer of 1944, toward the end of World War II. The northern expanse of the island hosted a substantial and historically momentous airfield, famously recognized as North Field.
This airfield played a crucial role in Operation Silverplate, serving as the departure point for two specially modified B-29 bombers on separate sorties, marking the sole operational use of nuclear weapons to date.
Beyond these historic missions, North Field was instrumental as the launch site for many bomber and reconnaissance flights conducted over Japan and across the Western Pacific during the latter phases of the war.
In the aftermath of World War II, the airfield witnessed a substantial deterioration in maintenance, resulting in the decline of its expansive parallel runways, aprons, and supporting infrastructure.
The US Air Force is now intensifying its endeavors to enhance the airfield’s capabilities to accommodate fighter jets, bombers, and significant support aircraft. These expanded capabilities align with the standards commonly met by the nearby Andersen Air Force Base on Guam.
However, the US believes that if Andersen Air Force Base faces disruption due to enemy actions, notably those from China, or natural disasters, this facility on Tinian would be crucial in ensuring continuity and resilience in US military operations in the Pacific region.
https://pagesix.com/2023/12/20/celebrity-news/hulk-hogan-70-gets-baptized-surrenders-to-jesus-greatest-day-of-my-life/
Hulk Hogan, 70, gets baptized, ‘surrenders’ to Jesus: ‘Greatest day of my life’
WWE icon Hulk Hogan has been baptized.
His ceremony took place at Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Florida, as noted by the social media slideshow he shared Wednesday night.
“Total surrender and dedication to Jesus is the greatest day of my life,” the 70-year-old star captioned the post.
“No worries, no hate, no judgment… only love!”
Hogan’s slideshow included a video of him and his wife, Sky Daily Hogan, submerging themselves in a pool of water and resurfacing with huge grins on their faces.
They were both garbed with white clothing, with the former pro wrestler rocking his signature bandana and a gold cross necklace.
A photo included at the end of the post appeared to show Hulk and Sky, plus others, bowing their heads in prayer.
The Indian Rocks Baptist Church took to its Instagram Story to celebrate the “Hogan Knows Best” alum’s special moment.
Quick shout out to Andrea & Jonah Briggs!
Samaritan Ministries: November
This is the time of year many of us are thinking about how we’re going to pay our medical bills
next year. Before making a final decision, take a look at health care sharing with Samaritan
Ministries. As a Samaritan member, you’re connected to 80,000 Christan households across the nation who stand ready to care for one another spiritually and financially when a medical need arises. Samaritan Ministries is affordable, and with no network restrictions you’re in control of your health care, choosing the doctors, hospitals, and treatments that are right for you.
And with direct member-to-member sharing, you’ll always know who your money is helping,
and that you’re not supporting medical procedures that go against your values.
Get started today at samaritan ministries dot org slash cross politic.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/19/us/politics/trump-colorado-ballot-14th-amendment.html
Trump Is Disqualified From 2024 Ballot, Colorado Court Says in Explosive Ruling
Colorado’s top court ruled on Tuesday that President Donald J. Trump is disqualified from holding office again because he engaged in insurrection with his actions leading up to the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol, an explosive ruling that is likely to put the basic contours of the 2024 election in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Colorado Supreme Court was the first in the nation to find that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment — which disqualifies people who engage in insurrection against the Constitution after taking an oath to support it — applies to Mr. Trump, an argument that his opponents have been making around the country.
The ruling directs the Colorado secretary of state to exclude Mr. Trump’s name from the state’s Republican primary ballot. It does not address the general election.
“We do not reach these conclusions lightly,” a four-justice majority wrote, with three justices dissenting. “We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us. We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach.”
Mr. Trump’s campaign said immediately that it would appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Colorado justices anticipated that likelihood by putting their ruling on hold at least until Jan. 4; if Mr. Trump appeals before then, the hold will continue until the Supreme Court rules. And while Tuesday’s ruling applies only to one state, it could all but force the nation’s highest court to decide the question for all 50.
“It’s hard for me to see how they don’t take this one, because this certainly seems to be one of those questions that requires some national resolution,” said Anthony Michael Kreis, an assistant professor of law at Georgia State University who has closely followed the Colorado case and related lawsuits around the country.
If the justices take up the case, it will join a pile of other Trump-related matters they have agreed or are likely to decide, including whether he is immune from criminal prosecution for actions he took in office and the scope of an obstruction charge that is central to his federal Jan. 6 case.
The U.S. Supreme Court has a 6-to-3 conservative majority, with three justices appointed by Mr. Trump himself, and it is already under extraordinary political pressure and scrutiny both for its rulings and its justices’ ethics.
“Once again, the Supreme Court is being thrust into the center of a U.S. presidential election,” said Richard L. Hasen, an election law expert at the University of California, Los Angeles, who compared the stakes to Bush v. Gore. “But, unlike in 2000, the general political instability in the United States makes the situation now much more precarious.”
In the Colorado court’s lengthy ruling on Tuesday, the justices there reversed a Denver district judge’s finding last month that Section 3 did not apply to the presidency. They affirmed the district judge’s other key conclusions: that Mr. Trump’s actions before and on Jan. 6, 2021, constituted engaging in insurrection, and that courts had the authority to enforce Section 3 against a person whom Congress had not specifically designated.
“A majority of the court holds that President Trump is disqualified from holding the office of president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution,” the justices wrote. “Because he is disqualified, it would be a wrongful act under the Election Code for the Colorado secretary of state to list him as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot.”
Mr. Trump’s campaign denounced the ruling, which is likely to inflame a Republican base that he has primed to see the array of civil and criminal cases against him as a witch hunt. Politically, his standing among Republican primary voters has only risen in the wake of the dozens of criminal charges against him.
“Unsurprisingly, the all-Democrat appointed Colorado Supreme Court has ruled against President Trump, supporting a Soros-funded, left-wing group’s scheme to interfere in an election on behalf of Crooked Joe Biden by removing President Trump’s name from the ballot and eliminating the rights of Colorado voters to vote for the candidate of their choice,” a campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, said. “We have full confidence that the U.S. Supreme Court will quickly rule in our favor and finally put an end to these un-American lawsuits.”
Similar lawsuits in Minnesota and New Hampshire were dismissed on procedural grounds. A judge in Michigan ruled last month that the issue was political and not for him to decide, and an appeals court affirmed the decision not to disqualify Mr. Trump there. The plaintiffs have appealed to the Michigan Supreme Court.
Tuesday’s ruling “is not only historic and justified, but is necessary to protect the future of democracy in our country,” Noah Bookbinder, the president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said in a statement. His organization represented the voters seeking to disqualify Mr. Trump in Colorado.
Mr. Trump himself, who has routinely railed against unfavorable rulings, did not explicitly mention the Colorado Supreme Court decision in a speech Tuesday evening in Waterloo, Iowa — but his campaign was already fund-raising off it. An email to his supporters accused Democrats of trying to “nullify” Trump votes and asked for contributions to help defend his place on ballots.
Republican elected officials quickly circled the wagons around Mr. Trump, and a super PAC supporting him blasted out some of their comments to supporters.
In one more illustration of the unusual nature of the 2024 Republican primary race — in which even the candidates seeking to defeat Mr. Trump for the party’s nomination have largely shied away from condemning him — his main rivals, Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, both suggested that the ruling was an abuse of judicial power.
The case hinged on several questions: Was it an insurrection when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, trying to stop the certification of the 2020 election? If so, did Mr. Trump engage in that insurrection through his messages to his supporters beforehand, his speech that morning and his Twitter posts during the attack? Do courts have the authority to enforce Section 3 of the 14th Amendment without congressional action? And does Section 3 apply to the presidency?
Again, an explosive ruling that is likely to put the basic contours of the 2024 election in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court.
https://thenationalpulse.com/2023/12/21/at-least-11-dead-in-prague-shooting/
At Least 15 Dead in Prague Shooting.
At least 15 people have been reported dead and injured in a shooting incident at Charles University’s Faculty of Arts located near the Old Town, a major tourist hub within the city, as per the official statement from Prague police. The horrific event unraveled at this educational facility in the capital city of the Czech Republic, erupting fear and panic among students and faculty present at the scene. Local authorities confirmed the shooter’s elimination shortly after the attack, while refraining from revealing exactly how many victims were impacted.
Eyewitness reports and visual evidence posted on social media depicted the terrifying scene on the university campus, with sirens blaring and police vehicles flooding the streets around the building. Videos on social media platforms showed bystanders looking visibly panicked and attempting to escape the premises. Prague police issued a plea, urging residents to stay away from the area and to remain indoors for safety reasons.
Jakob Weizman, a journalist sheltering inside a darkened classroom, shared his experience on social media: “Currently stuck inside my classroom in Prague. Shooter is dead, but we’re waiting to be evacuated. Praying to make it out alive,” he wrote. He later added, “Locked the door before the shooter tried to open it. F—ing hell.” Yet another social media user furnished the world with a chilling image of what appeared to be students desperately huddled on the university building’s scaffolding, emphasizing the level of fear and panic induced by the tragic event.
https://www.eurasiantimes.com/game-on-with-china-us-to-restore-tinian-airfield-once-home/
Game-On With China! US To Restore Tinian Airfield Once Home To Largest B-29 Bomber Fleet During WWII
US Air Force General Kenneth Wilsbach shared this development in a discussion with Asia Nikkei, revealing that the military branch is increasing construction efforts at Tinian North Airfield and Tinian International Airfield.
This effort is a crucial component of a broader initiative to disperse aircraft strategically across the Indo-Pacific region, responding to the escalating missile threat posed by China.
“If you pay attention in the next few months, you will see significant progress, especially at Tinian North,” Wilsbach said. During World War II, the Tinian North Airfield served as the operational base for the largest B-29 bomber fleet.
Describing the airfield as having extensive pavement hidden beneath an overgrown jungle, he revealed plans to clear the jungle between now and summertime. The goal is to transform the site into a comprehensive facility upon completion.
Tinian, positioned approximately 200 kilometers north of Guam within the Northern Mariana Islands, is undergoing a revitalization in line with the US Air Force’s operational strategy, Agile Combat Employment.
This strategic approach, a departure from post-Cold War era tactics, involves deliberately relocating aircraft to various sites across the western Pacific. The primary goal is to mitigate vulnerability to potential enemy missile strikes during periods of crisis.
As documents released in March revealed, as part of the Air Force’s 2024 budget request, several projects are outlined for Tinian, seeking a budget allocation of US$78 million for the fiscal year.
Among these projects is an airfield development initiative encompassing the demolition of World War II-era airfield pavements, clearing and leveling surfaces, and installing drainage, utilities, and secure fencing.
Another project focuses on establishing a fuel-pipeline system involving the installation of storage tanks, pipes, and safety equipment to facilitate fuel unloading from ships for transport to the airfield via pipeline and truck.
Additionally, a parking-apron project is detailed, which aims to pave areas designated for aircraft parking and taxiways. The taxiways must adhere to the Pentagon’s standards for ground control operations for large-frame aircraft, as specified in the documents.
The proposed apron size would accommodate up to 12 KC-135 and KC-46 tanker aircraft and the necessary fueling equipment.
Tinian currently houses one international airfield, while Tinian North Airfield, once the most extensive B-29 base during World War II, lies largely concealed by jungle growth. However, the runways and taxiways remain intact.
Tinian was captured from Japanese control by US forces in the summer of 1944, toward the end of World War II. The northern expanse of the island hosted a substantial and historically momentous airfield, famously recognized as North Field.
This airfield played a crucial role in Operation Silverplate, serving as the departure point for two specially modified B-29 bombers on separate sorties, marking the sole operational use of nuclear weapons to date.
Beyond these historic missions, North Field was instrumental as the launch site for many bomber and reconnaissance flights conducted over Japan and across the Western Pacific during the latter phases of the war.
In the aftermath of World War II, the airfield witnessed a substantial deterioration in maintenance, resulting in the decline of its expansive parallel runways, aprons, and supporting infrastructure.
The US Air Force is now intensifying its endeavors to enhance the airfield’s capabilities to accommodate fighter jets, bombers, and significant support aircraft. These expanded capabilities align with the standards commonly met by the nearby Andersen Air Force Base on Guam.
However, the US believes that if Andersen Air Force Base faces disruption due to enemy actions, notably those from China, or natural disasters, this facility on Tinian would be crucial in ensuring continuity and resilience in US military operations in the Pacific region.
https://pagesix.com/2023/12/20/celebrity-news/hulk-hogan-70-gets-baptized-surrenders-to-jesus-greatest-day-of-my-life/
Hulk Hogan, 70, gets baptized, ‘surrenders’ to Jesus: ‘Greatest day of my life’
WWE icon Hulk Hogan has been baptized.
His ceremony took place at Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Florida, as noted by the social media slideshow he shared Wednesday night.
“Total surrender and dedication to Jesus is the greatest day of my life,” the 70-year-old star captioned the post.
“No worries, no hate, no judgment… only love!”
Hogan’s slideshow included a video of him and his wife, Sky Daily Hogan, submerging themselves in a pool of water and resurfacing with huge grins on their faces.
They were both garbed with white clothing, with the former pro wrestler rocking his signature bandana and a gold cross necklace.
A photo included at the end of the post appeared to show Hulk and Sky, plus others, bowing their heads in prayer.
The Indian Rocks Baptist Church took to its Instagram Story to celebrate the “Hogan Knows Best” alum’s special moment.
In God we trust