11Cori Bush hit with second FEC complaint over campaign security payments to husband

FIRST ON FOX: Missouri Democratic Rep. Cori Bush is facing a second Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint over her campaign security payments to her husband.

The newest complaint comes from the Committee to Defeat the President, an anti-Biden super PAC, which alleges Bush has “flouted” federal campaign finance laws by paying her new husband, Cortney Merritts, $60,000 for security last year. Merritts does not have a license to perform security functions in the congresswoman’s district.

“If federal officials are willing to take a hard look at ‘AOC,’ they shouldn’t be giving a free pass to other corrupt Squad members,” Ted Harvey, the committee’s chairman, told Fox News Digital.

“In addition to breaking the law to bankroll her now-husband, Cori Bush has repeatedly misled constituents, claiming to be a voice for the voiceless despite primarily focusing on enriching herself and her family.

Rep. Cori Bush's campaign paid her new husband, Cortney Merritts, $60,000 while paying six figures to a private security company. 

Rep. Cori Bush’s campaign paid her new husband, Cortney Merritts, $60,000 while paying six figures to a private security company.  (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

“Bush’s utter disregard for the law — not to mention her blatant left-wing hypocrisy — cannot be allowed to stand, and the committee is going further than any other organization to take action against her.”

The “Squad” member’s campaign paid Merritts, whom she married in February, $60,000 as it also paid $225,281 to the St. Louis-based PEACE Security firm for personal protection throughout 2022. Bush and Merritts have been together since before she entered Congress in 2021, a press release from her office said.

Merritts collected the security checks despite not having a private security license in the city of St. Louis or St. Louis County, which includes Bush’s entire congressional district. A license is required to perform the services in the area, Fox News Digital previously reported.

This is the second FEC complaint against Bush's campaign over the payments.

This is the second FEC complaint against Bush’s campaign over the payments. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

This is the second complaint Bush is facing over her payments to Merritts. In early March, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) filed a complaint to the FEC’s acting general counsel, Lisa Stevenson, asking the commission to investigate whether “Rep. Cori Bush and her campaign committee may have used campaign funds for personal use.”

“Any time a member of Congress puts someone with a close personal relationship on the campaign payroll, increased scrutiny is necessary to ensure the legal standard has been met, which, in this case, are that the payments were for ‘bona fide services at a fair market value,'” Kendra Arnold, FACT’s executive director, told Fox News Digital.

Bush's campaign paid over $500,000 for private security as she called to defund the police.

Bush’s campaign paid over $500,000 for private security as she called to defund the police. (CBSN)

“Both the fact that reportedly Bush’s husband isn’t licensed to provide security services for which he was paid, and that she was simultaneously paying large amounts to another company for the same services raise red flags that warrant an investigation by the FEC.”

Bush’s campaign did not respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment by press time.

11President Biden Unfit, Unprepared to Combat an Aggressive China

China is on the move. President Biden, meanwhile, is failing America to an astonishing degree.

I grew up in Colorado at the foot of Cheyenne Mountain, the original home of the joint U.S.-Canadian North American Air Defense Command (NORAD). NORAD’s primary mission is to protect North American air space. So, in the midst of the Chinese ballon scandal, what exactly went wrong? How was China’s first spy balloon able to fly across Alaska and parts of Canada before being spotted by a private pilot flying above Montana?

What Americans have seen in recent days is an unacceptable failure on the part of the entire U.S. national defense system—and the commander in chief. The American people deserve answers from the man “in charge,” Joe Biden.

How is it that the Biden administration allowed the (first) Chinese ballon to fly across the entire continental United States before shooting it down over the Atlantic Ocean? How much intelligence was our enemy—China’s communist government—able to collect? Americans still don’t know the full story.

This incompetent, irresponsible handling of an unprecedented national security breach is outrageous. President Biden must be held accountable.

As more details are revealed, it’s clear that the Chinese Communist Party is mobilizing heavily. According to the unfit and unprepared Biden administration, China’s ballon surveillance program is “global in scope.” Similar surveillance devices have been spotted in the Middle East, including Afghanistan. And China is now increasing its defense budget by 11 percent, setting its sights on nearby Taiwan.

This is the most aggressive, emboldened version of communist China that we’ve seen in decades.  And it’s no coincidence: China, led by Xi Jinping, has been emboldened by President Biden, whose administration has either inadequately dealt with the Chinese threat or ignored it altogether. There is a reason why China is aligning itself with the likes of Iran and Russia now, aggressively courting America’s adversaries as allies.

The reason is Joe Biden. Lest we forget the State of the Union, where he barely mentioned China as an adversary. The president spent more time lamenting hotel and baggage fees than confronting the Chinese threat with any semblance of resolve, strength, or leadership. Even worse, he reminded Xi that the Biden administration seeks “competition, not conflict” with China.

The only issue with Biden’s faux-diplomacy is that Xi disagrees. As the recent wave of Chinese balloon surveillance reminds all Americans, the Chinese government obviously sees the United States as an enemy. The Biden administration may seek competition, but Xi’s government has made conflict more likely than at any point in recent memory.

The logical question is this: What does the Biden administration do in response? Unfortunately, the “who” suggests the American response will be as passive and weak as can be expected from a president out of his depths. President Biden has yet to even brief the American people on China’s maneuvering or the potential for U.S. retaliation, whatever that may be (or not).

Expecting answers, American citizens have received a combination of mixed messaging from Biden officials and radio silence from their boss. At least we now know that aliens aren’t to blame, courtesy of White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

The current commander in chief is a far, far cry from his predecessors, who regularly addressed Americans during times of crisis. President Biden’s non-response to the Chinese threat is a sobering departure from another Democrat, President John F. Kennedy, whose famous address on the Cuban Missile Crisiscleared the bare-minimum bar of actually informing the public. That historic response—delivered by a man fit for the job—clearly asks too much of President Biden.

The federal government’s top priority is to expose and counter any and all acts of Chinese aggression. For too long, politicians like Biden have appeased or disregarded an expansionist China, intent on dominating global affairs in more ways than one. Now the chickens are coming home to roost.

The rapid expansion of Chinese-controlled TikTok on American soil is not only another example of China’s resurgent power play, but also another blatant failure on the part of Biden Democrats who treat the TikTok menace like it doesn’t exist. Even as Republicans attempt to mitigate TikTok’s surveillance of countless consumers, they are met with ridicule from Democrats and their media allies.

Enough: The time to respond to China is now. For the national disgrace named Joe Biden, the clock is ticking.

11Katie Porter faces complaint over reaping benefits of university ‘subsidized affordable housing’

FIRST ON FOX: Embattled Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., is facing a Federal Elections Commission (FEC) complaint alleging she is continuing “to reap the benefits” of the University of California at Irvine’s “subsidized affordable housing” even though she is not a full-time staff member.

The Committee to Defeat the President — an anti-Biden political action committee (PAC) that started in 2013 as the Stop Hillary PAC — filed its FEC complaint against Porter on Friday.

“Embroiled in scandals, Rep. Porter needs to be held accountable to American voters, and the Committee will stop at nothing to demand accountability,” Ted Harvey, chairman of the Committee to Defeat the President, told Fox News Digital.

The Committee to Defeat the President — an anti-Biden political action committee (PAC) that started in 2013 as the Stop Hillary PAC — filed their FEC complaint against embattled California Democrat Rep. Katie Porter on Friday.

The Committee to Defeat the President — an anti-Biden political action committee (PAC) that started in 2013 as the Stop Hillary PAC — filed their FEC complaint against embattled California Democrat Rep. Katie Porter on Friday. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

“It’s time to drain the Washington swamp for good, and that starts with calling out left-wing hypocrites like Porter,” Harvey said.

“Once again, woke progressives like Rep. Porter are happy to receive government-funded salaries, benefits, and now subsidized housing for themselves, while driving our economy into the gutter and doing everything possible to squelch opposition,” Dan Backer, counsel to the Committee to Defeat the President, told Fox News Digital.

“Porter should pay her fair share like everyone else,” Backer added.

Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the FEC complaint filed by the committee, which alleges Porter continues “to reap the benefits of subsidized affordable housing in a pricey housing market” after taking office in 2019.

“Prior to becoming a Congresswoman, Porter was a law professor at the University of California Irvine (‘UC Irvine’),” the complaint said. “As a UC Irvine law professor, she took advantage of a housing benefit for university employees and purchased a home in University Hills, an academic community on the UC Irvine campus developed to provide affordable housing to ‘eligible full-time employees.’”

“The median home values in University Hills are significantly below the median home price in Irvine and there is a waiting list for this significant housing benefit,” it said. “In fact, while Porter was being recruited by UC Irvine in 2009, she joined the University Hills waiting list and delayed joining the faculty until housing became available in 2011.”

The committee wrote that eligibility “for University Hills residency is dependent on UC Irvine employment” and pointed out “Porter was elected to Congress in 2018, took office in 2019, and has been on unpaid leave from UC Irvine since 2019.”

“Thus, although Porter has not been an active ‘full-time’ employee at UC Irvine since 2019, she continues to reap the benefits of subsidized affordable housing in a pricey housing market,” the complaint said.

Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the FEC complaint filed by the committee, which alleges Porter continues "to reap the benefits of subsidized affordable housing in a pricey housing market" after taking office in 2019.

Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the FEC complaint filed by the committee, which alleges Porter continues “to reap the benefits of subsidized affordable housing in a pricey housing market” after taking office in 2019. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Porter’s campaign did not immediately responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment, but UC Irvine did, and said Porter is a “UCI faculty member on an approved leave without pay.”

“Faculty members on approved leaves without pay remain UCI employees, and as such they can maintain their homes in University Hills,” a UCI spokesperson said. “Those who take these leaves without pay generally do so to perform outside work in academia or industry … or in public service, as is the case with Porter.”

The spokesperson also rejected the argument that UCI provided “subsidized” housing. “Home prices there are below market value because of the university maintains ownership of the land and leases it to the homeowners – because of this ground lease, homeowners own their houses but not the land beneath it. As a result, home prices remain below-market.”

Porter’s newly-announced bid for Senate is off to a rocky start as the congresswoman finds herself embroiled in scandal. The congresswoman has found herself taking heat for how she treated a veteran and former staffer in July for allegedly violating “office protocols” by catching COVID-19.

Porter was also accused of making rude and racist comments to staff and “ridiculed people for reporting sexual harassment.”

The congresswoman has found herself taking heat for how she treated a veteran and former staffer in July for allegedly violating "office protocols" by catching COVID-19. Porter was also accused of making rude and racist comments to staff and "ridiculed people for reporting sexual harassment."

The congresswoman has found herself taking heat for how she treated a veteran and former staffer in July for allegedly violating “office protocols” by catching COVID-19. Porter was also accused of making rude and racist comments to staff and “ridiculed people for reporting sexual harassment.” (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The MAKERS Conference)

Porter responded to the allegations by trying to soften her image amid her tumultuous campaign kickoff.

In just her first week in the fray, the California congresswoman responded to the allegations of a toxic work environment during an interview Thursday, where she said she is “willing to expect people to work hard.”

“But let’s be clear, of course I want their best effort. Of course, I want my best effort,” Porter said on the “Pod Save America” podcast. “The American people deserve no less.”

“I regret if this employee feels disgruntled. She finished her term in her fellowship. It was a two-year fellowship. I enjoyed working with her,” the congresswoman continued, referencing the allegations first posted by the Dear White Staffers Instagram account. “And I’m excited to continue to get to work with my staff on this campaign and on the official side.”

“I’m willing to expect people to work hard. I work hard, and I think that’s what the American people should expect,” she added.

Porter also made headlines in October when text messages between her and Irvine, California, Mayor Farrah Khan, were published that showed the Democrat Senate hopeful berated the city mayor and insulted the city police department.

Porter also made headlines in October when text messages between her and Irvine, California, Mayor Farrah Khan were published that showed the Democrat Senate hopeful berated the city mayor and insulted the city police department.

Porter also made headlines in October when text messages between her and Irvine, California, Mayor Farrah Khan were published that showed the Democrat Senate hopeful berated the city mayor and insulted the city police department.(Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS)

The texts followed a fight that broke out at the congresswoman’s July 2021 town hall that saw the man Porter lives with arrested.

In the texts, Porter criticized Khan by saying she would not call the mayor after Julian Willis was arrested after he allegedly punched a pro-Trump protester, giving the protester a bloody nose.

“You can lecture me on professionalism. And see what happens,” Porter wrote after she famously wore a Batgirl Halloween costume to the House of Representatives on the same day Democrats voted for a resolution on ground rules for the impeachment inquiry surrounding then-President Donald Trump.

Porter also trashed the Irvine police department after the arrest, calling the force a “disgrace” and that she “will never trust them again.”

11Anti-Biden super PAC to launch six-figure ad campaign supporting Herschel Walker next week

EXCLUSIVE — A leading anti-Biden super PAC is throwing its support behind Herschel Walker in the Georgia runoff election with a six-figure ad buy set to air next week.

The Committee to Defeat the President is launching an over $300,000 campaign seeking to draw voters away from Sen. Raphael Warnock, who will face Walker in the runoff election on Dec. 6 after neither received 50% of the vote in the midterm elections.

Committee Chairman Ted Harvey said in an exclusive interview with the Washington Examiner that the ad is unique and uses reworked footage of Walker that the PAC used in ads for the 2020 Georgia runoff. The committee was not allowed to coordinate with the campaign to create new footage per election rules.

“Herschel Walker is a Georgia hero,” Harvey said, describing the Georgia football player and Heisman Trophy winner. “I think that there is no better candidate for Republicans in Georgia than Herschel Walker.”

The ad will originally air in Atlanta markets beginning over the Thanksgiving holiday and continue to run up until the election, Harvey said. The ad will also be featured digitally on the PAC’s website and cable TV.

Harvey said $250,000 will be spent on both TV and digital ad buys, as well as an additional $80,000 on telephone calls, emails, and text messages that are set to go out this weekend.

The ad will open with pump-up music and the line, “It all comes down to this,” with several clips using football phrases and Walker himself holding a football on the field.

“Herschel Walker here. This election is in overtime and too important to fumble,” Walker says in the ad.

The Committee to Defeat the President is the latest PAC to enter the runoff arena. The Senate Leadership Fund, backed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, announced on Tuesday that it has already funneled $39 million into Walker’s campaign.

Harvey said the committee’s campaign will target Georgians who voted for former President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020 because they tend not to show up to vote in off-year elections.

The digital media ads will go directly to their homes to mobilize voters to be at the polls on Dec. 6, he said.

“This entire election will come down to voter turnout,” he said. “So, our goal is to get out Republican voters and make sure that Herschel gets across that finish line.”

Warnock is voting with Biden and the Democratic Party “way more than the citizens of Georgia,” Harvey said, which is why he needs to be removed and replaced by Walker.

Harvey added that Walker is a “household name” who will help Republicans place a check on Biden and the “radical Left that is the Democratic Party.” He related Walker to the likes of Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), who tend to vote against liberal measures brought by their own party.

While the Democrats secured their majority in the Senate with wins in Nevada and Arizona, Republicans have a chance to bring the split to an even 50-50 with Walker’s win. Vice President Kamala Harris, as the tiebreaking vote, would cement Democratic control.

Republicans gained the House majority on Tuesday as the final races begin to be called, bringing an end to the midterm election since it started over a week ago.

Harvey emphasized that this ad should implore voters to recognize that this election is important for not just Georgians, but the entire country.

“We are one seat down right now. With a special election, we can tie it up,” he said. “I think it’s important for the Republicans to go into the next session with a tie.”

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/anti-biden-super-pac-launch-six-figure-ad-herschel-walker

11Election in Overtime

By going to vote on December 6, 2022, republicans and conservatives alike can end the left’s one-party rule in Washington, D.C. But in order to do so, Georgians must get to the polls and vote for republican candidate Herschel Walker.

Herschel is endorsed by President Trump and is the ONLY candidate in this run-off election that is looking to drive down inflation, stop crime, and end indoctrination in our school systems. By voting for Herschel Walker, you will help break Biden’s defensive line, and begin restoring America back to greatness.

Georgia, we’re counting on you to make a plan to get out and vote for republican Herschel Walker for U.S. Senate on December 6th or during early voting which starts Monday, November 28th.

This advertisement was paid for by the Committee to Defeat the President who is responsible for the content of this advertisement. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. www.StopJoe.com

11America, Brace for a Red Wave on Tuesday. It’s Real.

For months, Americans have been hearing about a “red wave.” Joe Rogan’s predicting one, the liberal media agrees, and actual American voters are venting their frustrations on a daily basis.

In President Biden’s America, the frustration is well-deserved. The U.S. economy is on the brink of recession (if it’s not recessionary already), American pocketbooks are being decimated by inflation and stock market downturns, and then there’s the lack of response from Biden Democrats who have no real solutions to America’s problems.

Not surprisingly, Biden’s approval rating remains in the gutter. Breaking news: Only 10 percent of voters under 40—once a reliable Democrat voting bloc—still support the Biden presidency, expressing deep concerns about the inflationary economy. That doesn’t bode well for Democrats on Election Day, no matter how often they change the subject to abortion and similar issues. Nor does historical precedent bode well either, with the incumbent party in the White House generally losing congressional seats two years into power.

On the Left, the general excitement just isn’t there. From crime and illegal immigration to the economy, there are so many problems in Biden’s America that it’s virtually impossible for even liberals to rally around a stale Democratic Party. The leader of that party inspires no hope, optimism, or passion, with Barack Obama recently being dragged out of retirement to help lessen the blow.

Trump rallies and Biden “rallies” are night and day. Even Obama can’t compete with the enthusiasm of the Trump years, and many Republicans are building on that momentum en route to victory. Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC), a staunchly “America First” candidate, now has the upper hand on Cheri Beasley—a radical supporter of the “Black Lives Matter” and “Defund the Police” movements—in North Carolina’s Senate race. When polls should be tightening up, Republicans like Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Dr. Mehmet Oz (Pennsylvania) are surging against their opponents.

Look at New Hampshire, which Biden won by roughly eight points in 2020 and Democrats have won consistently since 2000. Races in the Granite State are now leaning Republican, and they’ll lean even further right on Election Day. Because the state does not have early voting, public sentiment is poised to become even more anti-Biden in the coming days.

The 2022 electoral shift is driven in large part by a demographic shift, with minority groups embracing the Republican platform of law and order in unprecedented ways. Many Asian, Black, and Hispanic voters are seriously questioning their allegiances to the Democratic Party, which seems to care more about transgender issues than pocketbook policy priorities like economic growth, business expansion, and job creation. Now more than ever before, there is a real competition for minority votes, with Democrats losing ground and Republicans taking advantage.

When it’s all said and done, most Americans just want to live the American Dream and support the candidates who make their lives easier. They want to support the political party in favor of economic prosperity—one that isn’t distracted by ridiculous social issues of the day. And, when it’s all said and done, the 2022 midterms will prove that Republicans like Rep. Mayra Flores (R-TX) aren’t “one-off” success stories. Election Day will punish Democrats who shun people like Flores just because they happen to believe in traditional American values rather than liberal talking points.

My organization, the Committee to Defeat the President, has been mobilizing unprecedented support for pro-Trump Republicans in recent months. The energy on the ground is incredibly high. Based on the Committee’s interactions at the grassroots level, Republican excitement and enthusiasm are palpable. We’re investing in states like New Hampshire and North Carolina because voters are giving the “America First” platform a popular mandate once again.

The red wave is real because no amount of liberal demagoguery or left-wing political spending can overcome America’s popular mandate. And the Biden agenda is historically unpopular.

Believe what you’ve heard about Republican gains in 2022. They are real, and they will wipe out countless Democrats on Election Day.

11Conservative PAC invests $1M to help Budd in final days keep NC Senate seat, defeat Biden agenda

A top anti-Biden super PAC announced Tuesday that it will invest over $1 million in North Carolina to help GOP Senate nominee Ted Budd in the final days of his campaign keep the seat for Republicans and defeat Democrat President Joe Biden’s agenda.

The group, the Committee to Defeat the President, will file for over $1 million in independent expenditures in its effort to help Budd, backed by former President Trump, defeat Democrat rival Cheri Beasley.

Roughly $900,000 will be allocated to strategic digital production, targeted placement and social media advertising – in addition to roughly $250,000 in get-out-the-vote phone calls and text messages.

 

“The people of North Carolina need to recognize that the status quo simply isn’t good enough for America – neither in their state nor the country more broadly,” said committee chairman Ted Harvey. “Americans shouldn’t have to deal with rising prices, higher crime rates, and left-wing radicalism, but that is unfortunately a reality in Biden and Beasley’s America.”

The group says the investment plays to its strengths of turning out historically low-propensity registered Republican voters who have strongly supported Donald Trump, citing recent successes in Tennessee.

“Ted Budd is the man to help get America back on track, and we are proud to support his candidacy for U.S. Senate,” Harvey also says.

11Open-Border Democrats Get What They Deserve, America-First Republicans Get Even

Illegal immigrants in New York! Washington, D.C. too! Martha’s Vineyard even!

Suddenly, the U.S.-Mexico border crisis is real. Because the people affected are now left-wing Democrats in East Coast “sanctuary cities,” rather than those retreads in Florida and Texas, the liberal media has seen the light. Democrats and their media allies have found their common sense, complaining about the “border crisis” (yes, they use those words now)—you know, calling a spade a spade.

In recent weeks, liberal hypocrisy has rightly been exposed by voices across the political spectrum. But this story isn’t just about liberal Democrats getting what they deserve. Establishment Republicans like Mitt Romney, Marco Rubio, and the entire Bush clan have long sold “immigration reform” as the solution to America’s border problem, proposing policies like a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

The issues on display today stem, at least in part, from the “immigration reformers” who regularly refused to uphold the rule of law and looked down on border security. The current chaos on our southern border falls on their shoulders. And, while Democrats are clearly singular in their hypocrisy, the border crisis is a bipartisan boondoggle.

For decades, there has been an unholy alliance between open-border Democrats and establishment Republicans—working with national organizations like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—to undermine law and order. They helped create the crisis by selling a lie that Republicans must appease the Left on immigration to avoid alienating the Hispanic vote.

It was a lie then and it’s a lie now. Along came Donald Trump in 2015, running on the rule of law and border security to defeat his establishment opponents and snag the Republican nomination for president. In 2016, he rode an “America First” platform that included closing the border en route to the White House.

And guess what? Did Hispanic voters abandon the Republican Party in droves? Did they call Republicans xenophobes and racists for simply opposing illegal immigration?

Not quite. To the contrary, Latinos are now more open to voting Republican than ever before, understanding that beliefs like economic growth and limited government benefit them too. Across the political spectrum, Hispanic voters also recognize the fact that illegal immigration only ends up hurting American citizens and immigrants who came here legally. According to The Hill congressional reporter Mychael Schnell, “Some Latino Democrats are frustrated with Democratic efforts to attain legal status for undocumented immigrants.”

Nearly a decade since the “Gang of Eight” proclaimed “immigration reform” as the only path forward for Republicans, Hispanic voters are now siding with Republicans on hot-button issues like inflation. Cue the recent Wall Street Journal headline: “Latino Voters, Once Solidly Democratic, Split Along Economic Lines.”

In 2022, Americans are witnessing an unprecedented demographic shift, with Hispanics rejecting the identity politics of the Left and truly voting their conscience. That is the secret behind Rep. Mayra Flores’ (R-TX) historic election earlier this year.

For Democrats, it’s karma. It’s been a long time coming. Even now, Democrats don’t really have a solution to the immigration problem, choosing to scapegoat red-state governors instead of actually addressing the border crisis. And their ineptitude is borne out in the polling data: Nearly 60 percent of Americans disapprove of President Biden’s immigration policy.

The Hispanic shift—personified by Flores—rejects the liberal hypothesis that opening the southern border would reward Democrats with millions of new votes. There’s a reason why Biden and other Democrats believe in amnesty for illegal immigrants: They see those people as new cogs in the Democratic machine (at least, until the mass migrant move north). This was never about compassion; Democrats have always looked at illegal immigrants as voters to exploit. In the Left’s eyes, the “pathway to citizenship” has always been a pathway to electoral victory.

How the tides have turned. For the first time ever, Republicans are no longer pandering to Hispanic voters with demeaning, racist assumptions. Trump and his supporters embraced Latinos who came here legally as equals, welcoming them to the melting pot and encouraging them to live the American Dream. Like all Americans, Latino voters believe in old-fashioned American values—from education and law enforcement to economic prosperity. They want what most people want: The chance at a better life.

Republicans can relish the liberal hypocrites eating their words now. But let there be a lesson learned too: Put America first, and a wide range of Americans will support you. The Republican Party is finally one big tent.

11Op-Ed: As Democrats Pat Themselves on the Back Over ‘Climate Wins,’ Red Wave Grows

Faced with historically high inflation and a struggling economy, what do Democrats do? Fight climate change, of course! Expand the IRS, of course!

After signing the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” into law, President Joe Biden celebrated “the biggest step forward on climate ever.” Other Democrats welcomed the new army of IRS agents ready to make American taxpayers miserable.

Then there’s House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who commented that the “Democrats’ economic agenda is driving a steady and robust recovery.”

There’s just one problem: Democrats don’t really have an economic agenda, other than taxing people more. Pelosi’s signature climate package does nothing to address sky-high prices or spur an economic recovery. It does nothing to incentivize small business expansion or job creation.

Despite inflation emerging as the top concern for American voters, out-of-touch Democrats are “hearing” them by tackling greenhouse gas emissions instead. It’s a bizarre strategy leading up to the 2022 elections, to say the least.

One recent New York Times headline put it best: “Biden Signs Climate, Health Bill Into Law as Other Economic Goals Remain.” Ah, yes, the economy remains!

None of this bodes well for Democrats come November. They may celebrate hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending and “climate wins” (whatever that means), but Americans aren’t stupid. They see the writing on the wall.

From sky-high gas prices to staffing shortages and supply chain issues, the economic picture actually isn’t so rosy at the moment. There is still credible talk of recession. Real wages are down nearly 4 percent over the last year (a 40-year record), while inflation exceeds 9 percent (another 40-year record).

In other words, Americans are losing money, while the federal government is content spending hundreds of billions of dollars more. Recent research shows that inflation will cost U.S. families more than $4,000 in 2022 alone,

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American families are indeed blaming Biden for their economic woes. His approval rating has dropped to 36 percent — the worst of his presidency. A record 52 percent of Americans expect the economy to get worse over the next 12 months. And there is little to no faith in Bidenomics to steady the ship: Only 25 percent of Americans believe in Biden’s handling of pocketbook issues like inflation. (The fact that 25 percent still believe in Biden is shocking in itself. Who are these people?)

Electoral signs also shed light on Biden’s historic failures. In recent days, pro-Trump conservatives have run away with primary victory after primary victory in states like Arizona and Michigan. Dozens of Trump-endorsed candidates are well-positioned to secure subsequent victories in their respective states, showing that the “America First” movement of 2016 is still alive and well. Not only that, but Trump voters and their preferred candidates are more energetic than they were even in 2016 and 2020, determined to stop the bleeding in Biden’s America.

I’m on the ground in key battleground states, and the energy is palpable. Early polling in states like Ohio is promising. Americans want to make their country great again. And Trump supporters aren’t the only ones fed up with the status quo. After all, most independents disapprove of the Biden presidency and the failure it breeds.

It’s not enough to voice disapproval. Americans need to vote in 2022. On both sides of the political spectrum, American voters must undo the damage being done by Biden Democrats and bring true leadership back to our nation — from Arizona and Michigan to Washington, D.C.

There is no stronger platform than putting America first. Growing the economy, reducing inflation and expressing patriotism are all winning platforms. Donald Trump proved it in 2016 and his successors are proving it in 2022.

Momentum is on the side of leaders who take pocketbook issues seriously. Economic solutions are the first, second and third priorities — and Republicans have them. The red wave will happen because of the economy, stupid.

In the meantime, Democrats can keep putting out a positive spin. They can keep patting themselves on the back for a job not done. The red wave will only grow larger, sweeping away America’s reality deniers.

The more Biden and Pelosi congratulate themselves, the more out-of-touch they become. And the more their party will lose in November.

11Republicans Must Impeach Merrick Garland, Christopher Wray

Over a week since the Mar-a-Lago raid, accountability is still nowhere to be found. As the liberal media celebrates government overreach, the raid’s legality is a question not asked by those seeking to vilify Donald Trump at every turn.

The Biden administration is clearly desperate to change the subject, while the president ducks media questions on vacation.

But Americans cannot normalize what happened in Florida. By raiding Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, the Washington, D.C. establishment yet again revealed its utter disdain for the man, his agenda, and the tens of millions of Americans who support him to this day. (He’s a more popular president than his successor, by the way.) The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) once again showed that federal law enforcement will take a backseat to petty partisan politics, with Trump being treated and disrespected like some villain from a Bond movie.

But just because the FBI’s misconduct is unsurprising does not justify it. To the contrary, the FBI’s “assault” on Mar-a-Lago (to quote Trump) is a stunning abuse of power, and one that sets a dangerous precedent for Republicans to come. President Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ), the most partisan since the Obama years, has similarly overstepped its authority by leaps and bounds, choosing to vilify a former president long after his years of public service ended.

And for what reason, exactly? No one knows. But the overarching mission is clear: To stop Trump from running in 2024. Based on recent federal enforcement actions, the endgame is to bar Trump from the 2024 ballot for political reasons.

For years, federal law enforcement agencies have hounded the Trump family, calling the president a Russian pawn and accusing him of betraying his nation, without credible evidence of course. After nearly 700 days of investigation featuring nearly 500 witnesses, the infamous Mueller report on “Russian collision” found nothing. Despite spending more than $30 million to drag Trump’s name through the mud, esteemed bureaucrat Robert Mueller found no credible evidence of said collusion—nothing, nada, zilch.

Yet the Washington swamp grows ever larger, threatening to swallow up those who speak the truth by speaking out against the establishment. Picking up the mantle now is Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Obama-era Supreme Court nominee whose mission is to punish Republicans for daring to do him wrong years ago. Inspired by Mueller, Garland is determined to turn the DOJ into a political weapon wielded against Americans who refuse to toe the leftist line. This is the same man who undermines today’s Supreme Court, accusing conservative judges of eliminating freedom and liberty.

Then there’s FBI Director Christopher Wray, who routinely ducks questions from members of Congress and the mainstream media—while gallivanting on his private jet. Under Wray’s leadership, FBI agents are reportedly stopping investigations into Hunter Biden (e.g. the son of a sitting president) and the Clinton Foundation, scapegoating Trump instead.

Why investigate the family member of the current president, or his shady business dealings in China and Ukraine?

Wray’s FBI also refuses to take the Afghan security threat or U.S.-Mexico border crisis seriously—because that would require doing one’s actual job. When faced with pressing problems at home and abroad, the FBI’s solution is to instead criminalize the Trump family.

Let’s be clear: For all intents and purposes, the FBI and the DOJ are no longer law enforcement purposes; they are effectively tools of the Democratic Party. They are weapons to be used against Donald Trump leading up the 2024 election. You see, Republicans are the true enemies, not Afghan evacuees who pose a security risk to the United States or the millions of illegal immigrants flooding our southern border. No, Republicans are the supervillains in this Bond flick.

In good faith, Americans cannot stand for such unabashed abuses of power. The federal government is crossing a dangerous line, and none more so than the Mar-a-Lago raid. Those responsible must be held accountable for spitting on the rule of law. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is right to introduce articles of impeachment against Garland, and Wray should be added to the list.

As House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy put it, federal agencies have “reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization.” Come November, it’s time for serious, long-overdue accountability.

When Republicans win back Congress, they should conduct immediate oversight of the DOJ and FBI. They need to investigate and ultimately impeach both Garland and Wray. Expose their corrupt, illegal behavior for what it is: Blind political obsession with destroying Trump before he can be re-elected in 2024. Their attempts to remove Trump from American politics are nothing short of criminal.

Enough is enough. America, it’s time to fight back against the true enemy of the state—the state itself.