Thursday, May 23, 2024

​ May 23, 2024 Good morning, Welcome to the news for independent thinkers ​ Leading the News . . . ​ CIA blocked IRS from calling Hunter Bidens' sugar daddy as a witness . . . The CIA blocked the IRS from calling Hunter Biden's benefactor as a witness in its investigation into the troubled first son, according to documents released Wednesday by House Republicans. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf ordered IRS staff to drop Kevin Morris from its witness list after an August 2021 meeting at CIA headquarters, according to testimony from IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley. It is not clear what the CIA told Wolf about Morris, who has spent at least $6.5 million on Hunter Biden's legal fees, child support, and luxurious living arrangements in California. Washington Free Beacon​ ​ Politics New evidence could implicate Fauci in email scandal . . . . Emails uncovered by House Republicans from the senior adviser to Dr. Anthony Fauci may implicate him in knowledge of the destruction of government documents related to the origins of COVID-19. In a Gmail communication sent to Peter Daszak and Gerald Keusch, David Morens wrote that there is "no worry about [FOIA] requests" on April 21, 2021. "I can either send stuff to Tony on his private gmail, or hand it to him at work or at his house. He is too smart to let colleagues send him stuff that could cause trouble," he added. During the public hearing, Morens said that he and Fauci "usually never talked about" using personal email or phone to communicate with Daszak. Washington Examiner​ ​ ​The ex-Fauci aide said he "learned from our FOIA lady here how to make emails disappear after I am FOIA'd"​ ​ Haley says she will vote for Trump . . . Nikki Haley said Wednesday that she will vote for Donald Trump, despite maintaining he has "not been perfect" on many policies. Haley said her priorities as a voter are supporting a president who would back America's allies and hold its enemies accountable, who would secure the border, support "capitalism and freedom," and who would lower the national debt. "Trump has not been perfect on these policies. I've made that clear many, many times," Haley said. "But Biden has been a catastrophe." Politico​ ​ ​Biden may not make the ballot in Ohio​ ​ Hunter Biden lied to Congress about threatening text message to Chinese biz partner. . . Hunter Biden lied to Congress about invoking his father's name to threaten his Chinese business partners in 2017, say House Republicans, who on Wednesday released a trove of new documents that they say "indisputably" shows the embattled first son committed a federal felony. At issue is a series of encrypted messages that Hunter Biden sent on July 30, 2017, in which he demanded a multimillion-dollar payment from CEFC China Energy, a Chinese conglomerate with which he was doing business. Washington Free Beacon​ ​ ​Trump leads Biden in Ga., Wisc., and Pa., all won in 202o by Biden​ ​ Biden effect on the judiciary to last even if Trump elected . . . President Biden hit a milestone on Wednesday, officially appointing 200 judges to the federal bench and cementing what will be a long-lasting effect on the country's judiciary, according to experts and lawmakers. Biden is currently outpacing former President Trump, who made significant traction in judicial appointments. Trump was able to get nearly as many federal appellate judges confirmed as former President Obama before him, who notably had double the time. Fox News​ ​ Cruz grills Biden nominee over why she ordered male rapist to women's prison . . . Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz referred to a case where Justine Shelby, a biological male who identifies as female, filed a suit to force the Bureau of Prisons to assign him to a women's prison following a federal conviction on child pornography charges. Judge Sarah Netburn ruled that Shelby should be transferred to a women's prison. Cruz then got Netburn to confirm that the transgender inmate had also pled guilty to raping a 17-year-old girl. "This individual, six-foot-two, biologically a man, a minute ago, you said that when this man decided that he was a she, you said this individual was, I wrote it down, 'sober and entirely a female,'" Cruz said. Daily Caller​ Can you help? Please consider a donation to Cut to the News. There's no big backer behind the scenes and no ads. We seek instead to continue entirely through the generosity of our subscribers. Will you help defeat liberal bias by supporting conservative-leaning journalism? Do you value the concise, vital information you receive every morning? Readers who give $50 or more, or who pledge $12 or more a month, will receive a coffee mug as a free gift. But no amount is too small. Please click here to donate. Thank you! ​ ​ National Security Taiwan scrambles jets and puts military on alert over China's military drills . . . Taiwan scrambled jets and put missile, naval and land units on alert Thursday over Chinese military exercises being conducted around the self-governing island democracy where a new president took office this week. China's military said its two-day exercises around Taiwan were punishment for separatist forces seeking independence. Beijing sends navy ships and warplanes into the Taiwan Strait and other areas around the island almost daily to wear down Taiwan's defenses and seek to intimidate its people, who firmly back their de facto independence. Associated Press​ International British PM Rishi Sunak announces snap election . . . Rishi Sunak has vowed to "fight for every vote" as he called an early UK general election for Thursday 4 July. The PM made the announcement in a rain-soaked speech outside 10 Downing Street, as he bids to win a fifth term in office for the Conservatives. The surprise move overturned expectations of an autumn poll, which might have given the Tories a better chance of closing the gap with Labour. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said it was "time for change" away from "Tory chaos". Labour has been posting large leads in national opinion polls. BBC​ Money Immigration surge aggravating housing shortage . . . The surge of illegal immigration under President Joe Biden has exacerbated an already costly housing market for average Americans by worsening a shelter shortage. The U.S. currently has an estimated shortage of 4 million to 7 million homes as developers struggle to keep up with demand amid harsh financial conditions and burdensome regulatory processes, according to Pew Charitable Trusts. Average Americans looking for a home are being squeezed by rising housing costs due to inflation and elevated mortgage rates, but the recent influx of illegal immigrants is putting even more stress on the system. Daily Caller​ Culture Democrat states clamp down on free speech . . . Americans may have heard that democracy is under threat from MAGA Republicans, but what about from one-party progressive states? Witness how Illinois and other Democratic-controlled states are trying to muzzle their political opponents. Democrats in Springfield are racing to pass legislation before their legislative session concludes this week to prohibit employers from discussing "religious or political matters" at mandatory meetings. While Democrats claim to be protecting workers from intimidation, their real goal is to silence employers. The bill defines "political matters" broadly. Its similarly expansive definition of "religious matters" sweeps in support for a "religious organization or association." Wall Street Journal​ ​ The growing move to turn political correctness into laws threatens the foundation of our republic. The culture is changing to accept the idea that offending someone is bigger than free speech. You should also know Mother arrested for trafficking daughter to illegal immigrants . . . Law enforcement in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, have arrested a mother and an illegal immigrant after the escape of a 12-year-old girl from an alleged child trafficking scheme. The incident began at approximately 12:12 a.m. on Sunday when police received a distress call. The caller informed authorities that a young girl showed up at his door asking for assistance. She had just escaped from a vehicle where an adult male had allegedly bound and blindfolded her with the intent to sexually assault her."It is alleged that the suspect paid the victim's mother, who he knew, in exchange for time alone with the victim," the press release reads. Daily Caller​ ​ CNN has worst ratings in more than 30 years . . . CNN suffered its worst ratings among primetime viewers in the most coveted demographic by advertisers — dealing a gut punch to embattled new boss Mark Thompson. The cable channel, which touts itself as "the most trusted name in news," drew just 83,000 viewers aged 25 to 54 during the week of May 13-19 from 8 to 11 p.m. — its lowest-rated week since 1991, according to Nielsen. By contrast, Fox News garnered more than twice the audience in the key demo, with 186,000 viewers, according to Nielsen. Left-leaning MSNBC was a distant second with 111,000, the data showed. New York Post​ ​ Don't get angry about this . . . Anger is bad for your health in more ways than you think. Getting angry doesn't just hurt our mental health, it's also damaging to our hearts, brains and gastrointestinal systems, according to doctors and recent research. Of course, it's a normal emotion that everyone feels—few of us stay serene when a driver cuts us off or a boss makes us stay late. But getting mad too often or for too long can cause problems. Wall Street Journal​ ​ Dammit! I knew it! ​ Daily marijuana use outpaces daily drinking in the US . . . For the first time, the number of Americans who use marijuana just about every day has surpassed the number who drink that often. In 2022, an estimated 17.7 million people reported using marijuana daily or near-daily compared to 14.7 million daily or near-daily drinkers, according an analysis of national survey data. In 1992, when daily pot use hit a low point, less than 1 million people said they used marijuana nearly every day. Alcohol is still more widely used, but 2022 was the first time this intensive level of marijuana use overtook daily and near-daily drinking. Associated Press​ ​ Mom fined $88K after kids collect 72 clams from California beach thinking they were seashells . . . . "My kids they thought they were collecting seashells, but they were actually collecting clams, 72 to be exact," said Fresno resident Charlotte Russ. Her children collected rows of clams, but they learned an expensive lesson: clamming has regulations. She got a ticket on the spot and later received a notice she would have to pay just over $88,000. After explaining the clam confusion to a San Luis Obispo County judge, she got her fine reduced to $500. ABC 7 Los Angeles​ ​ Philadelphia centenarians tie the not . . . Congratulations are in order for newlyweds Marjorie Fiterman, age 102, and Bernie Littman, age 100, of Philadelphia, who just got married on Sunday, May 19, at the senior living facility where they first met. They began dating nearly a decade ago. Rabbi Adam Wohlberg officiated at the wedding, noting the couple was unlike most others that he'd married in the past. Fox News​ Guilty Pleasures Man arrested for attacking neighbor with mangos . . . A Florida man was arrested Sunday after allegedly throwing mangos at his neighbor because he "thought he was gay." Charles Oliver Lovekin allegedly threw two mangos and a rock at his neighbor, according to Local 10 News. The incident reportedly began when the 61-year-old went to speak with his neighbor about a mango that had fallen onto his patio, making a loud noise. Lovekin reportedly owns a mango tree at his residence. Lovekin allegedly became angry with the neighbor and started calling him a "mother***r" and "gay," the outlet reported, citing local police. The man then allegedly grabbed two mangos and chucked them at the victim. One fruit reportedly missed the victim, but another one struck him in the chest, Local 10 reported. 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