Author: Just the News

President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday night announced that former Arizona GOP Senate nominee Kari Lake will be the next director of the U.S. government’s “Voice of America” (VOA) news agency.

Albertsons Sues Kroger After Judge Blocks Merger

Grocery chain Albertsons ended its $25 billion merger with Kroger, first announced in 2022, after a judge blocked it from going through.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) argued that the merger would hurt consumers by limiting competition.

Two Trump Lawyers Charged with 10 Additional Felonies in Connection with 2020 Fake Elector Case

The Wisconsin Department of Justice has filed 10 additional felony charges against two lawyers and an aide to Donald Trump for allegedly alleged involvement in a plan to submit paperwork falsely claiming that Trump, who a president, won the state in the 2020 election.

Trump is now the GOP president elect, after having lost reelection four years ago.

FBI Director Christopher Wray Announces Resignation

FBI Director Christopher Wray said Wednesday he is resigning as the leader of the agency, according to several news reports.

House Judiciary Chair Jordan Says FBI, Others Are Weaponized to Spy on Americans’ Bank Accounts

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said Tuesday that the federal government has been weaponized to spy on Americans’ bank accounts and financial transactions.

Pressure Mounts for Support of Trump’s Cabinet Picks During Honeymoon as Fights Heat Up

December 10, 2024 Just the News

President-elect Donald Trump seems to finally be enjoying the honeymoon period he didn’t get after his 2016 victory, with Democrats publicly expressing willingness to work with him on key initiatives and public polling showing broad approval of his plans.

Rasmussen: Ending Birthright Citizenship ‘Popular with Voters’

December 10, 2024 Just the News

The results of a poll from early 2024 is receiving renewed attention after former President Trump considers ending birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants.

Bombshell Memo from 2021 Warned Unprepared DHS About Surge of Unaccompanied Migrant Children

December 10, 2024 Just the News

Long before Congress became alarmed over as many as 320,000 unaccompanied minor children from the border crisis, the Department of Homeland Security prepared a briefing memo in summer 2021 starkly warning Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that federal authorities were ill-equipped to deal with a surge of young immigrants or reunite them with their parents, according to a copy of the memo reviewed by Just the News.

Luigi Mangione Charged with Murder in Death of UnitedHealthcare CEO

Manhattan prosecutors charged Luigi Mangione with murder on Monday night in the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, along with other charges, according to court documents reported by the Associated Press.

Person of Interest in UnitedHealthcare Killing Luigi Mangione Appears in Court, Faces Five Charges

Luigi Mangione, the person of interest who has been arrested on gun charges and held in connection with the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, appeared in court in Pennsylvania on Monday night for a preliminary arraignment.

Trump Signals Shift from Unnecessary Military Intervention with Reaction to Assad Ouster in Syria

The unexpected fall of the Assad regime in Syria to a ragtag team of Islamist insurgents plunged the Middle East into a new era of uncertainty and opportunity while putting the world on notice that Donald Trump’s return to power was already uprooting decades of interventionist foreign policy in America.

Trump signaled the shift in dramatic fashion, yawning at the Islamist rebels’ final push into Damascus to oust Bashar al-Assad as not a battle America needed to fight and then using its aftermath to urge Russia, long a backer of Assad, to focus instead on seeking a peaceful end to its war against Ukraine.

LA Times Owner Readies ‘Bias Meter’ to Appear on News Articles and Columns

The Los Angeles Times is preparing to unveil a “bias meter” to appear on news articles and columns on the news outlet’s website, according to the news outlet’s owner.

The bias meter, which could launch as early as January, will be operated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

U.S. Economy Added 227K Jobs in November, Annual Jobless Rate Increased Slightly to 4.2 Percent: Feds

December 7, 2024 Just the News

The Labor Department reported Friday the number of new jobs in the U.S. economy increased in November, compared to the previous month, while the unemployment rate increased slightly to the annualize rate of 4.2%

The economy in November added 227,000 new, non-farm jobs, compared to 36,000 in October, according to the department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The November number exceeded Wall Street expectations of 214,000 new jobs.

National Police Association ‘Strongly Endorses’ Kash Patel for FBI Director

The National Police Association on Friday “strongly” endorsed Kash Patel, President-elect Trump’s nominee for FBI director, and urged the Senate to confirm him.

“We firmly believe that Kash Patel’s appointment as FBI Director will mark a pivotal moment for law enforcement and public safety across the United States. His leadership will bring a renewed focus on collaboration, ethical standards, and the relentless pursuit of justice,” the organization said in a statement.

Jurors in Daniel Penny Case Deadlock Twice, Judge Dismisses Manslaughter Charge

The judge in the Daniel Penny chokehold trial granted a motion to dismiss a manslaughter charge after the jury said twice on Friday they cannot agree on the charge.

Trump Continues to Back Hegseth as Defense Secretary Nominee: ‘He Will Be a fantastic, High Energy’

President-elect Donald Trump on Friday expresses his continued support of Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth in trying to win Senate confirmation, amid allegations of sexual assault, alcohol abuse and financial mismanagement.

“Pete Hegseth is doing very well,” Trump posted on social media, as his nominee, also a military veteran, meets with Republican senators on Capitol Hill to try to convince them he’s fit and qualified to lead the U.S. military.

U.S. Senate Releases Legislative Calendar, Will Spend More Days in Session Than the House in 2025

The Senate is scheduled to spend more time on Capitol Hill than the House of Representatives next year, according to the new legislative calendar it released on Thursday.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise released the lower chamber’s legislative calendar for next year on Wednesday, which schedules lawmakers to be in the nation’s capital for 34 weeks. The regular work-week will last four days, primarily from Monday through Thursday.

Democrats Pressed Capitol Police to Show Favoritism to Officer Who Killed J6 Protestor, Memos Show

House Democrats pressured U.S. Capitol Police to provide special financial assistance and even a promotion to the officer who fatally shot unarmed protester Ashli Babbitt during the Jan. 6 riot, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer and charitable assistance not provided to other officers, according to internal emails reviewed by Just the News.

Sen. John Fetterman: Trump Should Be Pardoned in New York Case Because It Was Politically Motivated

Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman on Thursday said that he believes President-elect Donald Trump should be pardoned in his criminal case in New York because it was politically motivated.

Trump Tells DOD Nominee Pete Hegseth to ‘Keep Fighting’, But Readies Alternatives

President-elect Donald Trump has told Pete Hegseth, his nominee to lead the Pentagon, to continue pursuing support for his nomination, but is also reportedly planning other options should Hegseth fail to secure the votes to claim the job.

Rep. Jim Jordan Demands Documents Related to DOJ Investigation of Jack Smith Amid Misconduct Allegations

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan on Wednesday sent a letter to the Justice Department (DOJ) requesting information about the department’s alleged misconduct investigation into special counsel Jack Smith.

Trump Taps Paul Atkins to Lead SEC

December 4, 2024 Just the News

President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that he had chosen Patomak Global Partners CEO Paul Atkins to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

“Paul is a proven leader for common sense regulations. He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World,” Trump posted. “He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before.”

Donald Trump Nominates Billionaire Jared Isaacman for Head of NASA

December 4, 2024 Just the News

President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday nominated billionaire Jared Isaacman to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during his second administration.

ESG Firms Invested in Coal Industry They Tried to Reduce, While Reaping Big Profits, Lawsuit Alleges

December 3, 2024 Just the News

The State of Texas has been a leader in the pushback against environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies, passing some of the first anti-ESG laws in the country. Last week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton moved to protect the coal industry from what Paxton says is an effort on the part of large investment firms to not only shrink coal companies — but also unfairly profit from them.

Censorship Empire Strikes Back with UN Disinformation Declaration, German Charges for Memes

December 3, 2024 Just the News

The second Trump administration may presage the significant retrenchment, if not collapse, of what critics call the censorship-industrial complex, a symbiotic and sometimes coercive relationship among the U.S. government, private researchers and Big Tech to suppress disfavored narratives and political movements such as populism.

California Senator Says State Won’t Cooperate with Trump Mass Deportation Operation

December 2, 2024 Just the News

The state of California won’t cooperate with President-elect Trump’s mass deportation plans, according to Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif.

“There’s an important distinction here. No state’s government, not Texas, not California, not any state in the nation has a constitutional authority to impose federal immigration law. That is the responsibility of the federal government,” Padilla said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.

Wisconsin Judge Enforces Subpoena Against ActBlue, Opening New Front in Democrat Fund-Raising Probe

December 2, 2024 Just the News

For the first time, a Wisconsin court has approved a subpoena to the massive Democrat fund-raising platform ActBlue, saying it owes an explanation to a Republican whose email identity was used to make liberal donations he did not authorize.

“Something is not right,” Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Brad D. Schimel declared as he approved a limited demand for documents and opened a new front into a widening fund-raising probe begun earlier this year by Congress and 19 attorneys general.

President Biden Issues Sweeping Pardon to Son Hunter, Breaking Promise as He Leaves Office

December 1, 2024 Just the News

President Joe Biden on Sunday night pardoned his son Hunter on gun and tax charges, breaking a promise he had made to voters.

Trump Picks Florida Sheriff Chad Chronister as Administrator of the DEA

December 1, 2024 Just the News

President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday picked sheriff Chad Chronister to head up the office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

About 70 Percent of Education Department Enforcements Have Targeted Christian Universities: Report

December 1, 2024 Just the News

A recent report showed 70% of enforcement actions that were put forth by the Biden administration’s Education Department were imposed on religious universities.

The report was published by the American Principles Project.

Kimberly Gardner Was the Prototype for Soros Prosecutors, Then Ethics and Illegality Crashed Her Career

November 30, 2024 Just the News

When she was elected chief prosecutor in St. Louis in 2016 with the backing of far-left megadonor George Soros, Kimberly Gardner was the prototype for a new era of progressive lawfare: unabashedly liberal, the first black female to hold the job and eager to make her mark with headline-grabbing cases.

House Speaker Announces DOGE Leaders Musk and Ramaswamy to Visit Capitol Hill Next Week

November 30, 2024 Just the News

Mike Johnson, Vivek Ramaswamy, Elon Musk

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday announced that Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk, who will lead President-elect Donald Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), will meet with Congress on Capitol Hill next week.

Trump tapped the pair for the roles earlier this month, after promising on the campaign trail to create a taskforce that would rein in government spending and corruption. The department is expected to “dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.”

Amazon Workers Worldwide Strike Black Friday over Issues of Pay, Working Conditions

Workers at Amazon went to strike Black Friday demanding higher pay and better working conditions.

The strike is expected to through so-called Cyber Monday, the end of long holiday weekend in which retailer offer discounts to shopper ahead of the Christmas shopping season.

‘Absolutely Unconvincing’: Courts Uphold State Bans on Transgender Procedures for Kids

In the weeks before the Supreme Court reviews the constitutionality of Tennessee’s ban on puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgical interventions for gender-confused minors, federal and state courts have upheld similar laws against so-called gender affirming care for children as a proper exercise of legislative power over medical practice.

It’s a worrying sign for transgender activists and allies now reconsidering their strategy in light of pending Republican control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, likely affected by the Biden administration’s imposition of gender identity over sex in federal regulations and 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris’s support for taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries for inmates.

Utah, Other Western States Ask Supreme Court to Return Millions of Acres of Land Back to the States

A map of the U.S. showing land under federal control paints large swaths of the West. In August, Utah filed a lawsuit against the federal government, arguing that it’s unconstitutional for the feds to retain unappropriated land in a state indefinitely.

Since the lawsuit was filed, a dozen other states, including Idaho, Alaska and Wyoming, have filed briefs asking the court to hear the case. Additionally, a coalition of counties in Arizona and New Mexico, the Pacific Legal Foundation, the Utah Legislature and the Wyoming Legislature have also filed briefs in support of the lawsuit.

IRS May Lose $20 Billion in Funding Without Congressional Action, Treasury Officials Warn