America First TV

Author: Bogastow Staff

  • Montana Passed the 1st State TikTok Ban

    Montana Passed the 1st State TikTok Ban

    Montana Passed the First State TikTok Ban

    The first-of-its-kind law bans TikTok on devices in Montana and paves the way for copycat legislation in other states.

    – By Mack DeGeurin
    Montana made history on by becoming the first state legislature to approve a wholesale TikTok ban affecting nearly all devices in the state. The first-of-its-kind ban, which goes far beyond previous state efforts banning the app on government devices, could set the precedent for a wave of TikTok bans in other Republican-led states. Widespread TikTok bans, for better or worse, could become a reality.
    The state’s House of Representatives voted in favor of the bill, called SB 419, by a margin of 54-43 on Friday afternoon. Montana’s state senate already approved the bill back in March, meaning the only thing preventing it from becoming law is a signature from governor and known journalist body-slammer Greg Gianforte. Once signed, the ban will take effect in January 2024. However, the bill would become void if Congress enacts its own national TikTok ban. The bill also wouldn’t apply if TikTok divests its US business from Chinese ownership.

    How would the ban work?

    SB 419 prohibits TikTok from operating “within the territorial jurisdiction of Montana,” over fears the app could be manipulated by the Chinese government for espionage purposes. If TikTok or app stores violate the law, Montana’s Department of Justice could slap them with penalties of up to $10,000 per day for the length of the violation. Those fines would apply to entities facilitating TikTok’s download rather than the app’s users.

    “TikTok endangers the safety of Montanans and Americans at large,” Montana state Sen. Shelley Vance, one of the bill’s primary authors said according to KTVH. “We know that beyond a doubt that TikTok’s parent company ByteDance is operating as a surveillance arm of the Chinese Communist Party and gathers information about Americans against their will.”

    The state’s House of Representatives voted in favor of the bill, called SB 419, by a margin of 54-43 on Friday afternoon. Montana’s state senate already approved the bill back in March, meaning the only thing preventing it from becoming law is a signature from governor and known journalist body-slammer Greg Gianforte. Once signed, the ban will take effect in January 2024. However, the bill would become void if Congress enacts its own national TikTok ban. The bill also wouldn’t apply if TikTok divests its US business from Chinese ownership.

    However, that’s not the case in Illinois, Missouri, Michigan and 12 other states.

    The social media platform is a very popular place to find trending videos, how-to instructions and many, many influencers. But TikTok is owned and operated by the Chinese company Byte Dance, and the fear is foreign hackers will steal user information.

    President Joe Biden signed a bill at the tail end of 2022 banning TikTok from federal government-issued devices and according to Performance.gov, “more than 4 million Americans—including more than 2.1 million Federal civilian employees—work for our Federal Government, both at home and overseas.” Previous reporting has shown ByteDance employees in China can and have been able to view US user data.

    In an email to Gizmodo, a TikTok spokesperson said the bill amounted to censorship and would almost certainly be challenged by courts.

    “We will continue to fight for TikTok users and creators in Montana whose livelihoods and First Amendment rights are threatened by this egregious government overreach,” a TikTok spokesperson told Gizmodo.

    Opponents of the Montana bill like the ACLU say it would violate the First Amendment and be a disaster for freedom of expression. In a letter sent to lawmakers earlier this week, the ACLU and five other civil liberties organizations said they had failed to prove TikTok poses any immediate harm to Montana residents.

    “Montana’s TikTok bill is censorship, plain and simple,” ACLU senior policy counsel Jenna Leventoff said in a statement. “Montanans deserve better than to have their representatives violate their free speech rights by cutting them off from a unique platform that allows them to speak their minds, exchange information, and learn new things.”

    Did Montana just pave the way for a nationwide ban?

    By approving the nation’s first TikTok ban, Montana may have just given a green light to Republican lawmakers across the country to push forward with their own copycat bills. If that happens, TikTok may have no choice but to agree to a forced spinoff of its US business currently favored by the Biden Administration.

    A patchwork of state TikTok bans could also encourage lawmakers in Congress to rip the band-aid off and pursue its own federal TikTok ban. While that seemed unlikely just a few months ago, lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle seemed united in their aggressive stance towards TikTok during a combative hearing with the company’s CEO last month. There are currently around half a dozen bills floating around D.C. that, one way or another, would end up with TikTok banned.

     

  • Former Fox News Reporter, Catherine Herridge, Ordered by Judge to Reveal Sources

    Former Fox News Reporter, Catherine Herridge, Ordered by Judge to Reveal Sources

    Catherine Herridge, former Fox Reporter

    A former Fox News reporter was ordered by a federal judge to reveal the identity of a confidential source, a highly unusual case of a plaintiff’s right to legal discovery being placed above the First Amendment protections of a journalist.

    The ruling, issued by Judge Christopher Cooper of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, ordered now-CBS News senior correspondent Catherine Herridge to disclose her source in depositions. The reporting was for a series of 2017 articles about a Chinese-American scientist, who subsequently sued the U.S. government for privacy invasion; Herridge was a staff reporter for Fox News when the stories were published.

    The order corresponded to a lawsuit filed by Yanping Chen against the FBI and other federal investigative agencies, alleging that Chen’s privacy was violated when Herridge reported that the scientist was the subject of a federal counterintelligence investigation. Chen says the information was improperly leaked by federal authorities.

  • YouTuber Kai Cenat is Released Back Onto Streets of NYC just hours after ‘inciting’ Union Square Riot Which Saw 65 Arrested

    YouTuber Kai Cenat is Released Back Onto Streets of NYC just hours after ‘inciting’ Union Square Riot Which Saw 65 Arrested

    • NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey said in a press conference Friday that Cenat faces ‘at least two counts of inciting a riot, unlawful assembly and a few other charges’ 
    • Shocking photos and videos show thousands of people gathered, with some fighting and others throwing fire extinguishers at each other in downtown Manhattan 
    • Hours later, Cenat was seem walking free into a black van to take him away, without answering any questions from reporters assembled 

    YouTube and Twitch personality Kai Cenat was freed from police custody just hours after a riot he started broke out in New York City’s Union Square during an unlicensed scheduled giveaway of Playstation 5s.

    Cenat was seen walking from the precinct with security in tow, but didn’t make a comment to reporters standing by. He’s also yet to make comment on his social media platforms following the riot.

    The NYPD arrested 65 people, 30 of whom were juveniles, during the Friday afternoon chaos in Manhattan.

    NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey said in a press conference that Cenat faces ‘at least two counts of inciting a riot, unlawful assembly and a few other charges.’

    ‘People were suffering out here, alot of young people got hurt,’ Maddrey added.

    ‘We’re not against young people having a good time… but it can’t be to this level.’

    Shocking photos and videos show thousands of people gathered, with some fighting and others throwing fire extinguishers at each other in downtown Manhattan.

    Others showed Cenat being lifted over a fence and out of the crowd and then placed in a police vehicle.

    One video shows a fan hyperventilating upon meeting the viral star, with Cenat, who is one of the most popular streamers on Twitch and boasts 5.5 million followers on Instagram, embracing them.

    ‘I just wanted to see you!’ the female admirer cries out, with Cenat doing his best to calm her down.

    ‘I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe, Kai!’ she continued.

    Another showed fans senselessly pounding away at cars that were parked on the street, one fan went as far as to jump onto a car and dance as others smashed its windscreen.

    Maddrey, who said the NYPD declared the gathering an ‘unlawful assembly’ had his officers set off a smoke bomb to get rid of the crowd. He said he’d never seen anything like it.

    ‘We have encountered things like this before, but never to this level of dangerousness where young people would not listen to our commands, they were fighting each other, they were hurting each other,’ he said.

    Maddrey said Cenat was removed ‘for his safety’ and police were in contact with him.

    Hours later, Cenat was seem walking free into a black van to take him away, without answering any questions from reporters that had assembled at the scene.

    At least 12 people were injured, police told DailyMail.com although those numbers could rise in the morning. Multiple NYPD officers were on the scene trying to disperse the crowd at about 5pm.

    The NYPD has warned of mass transit disruptions and traffic delays, they estimated about 2,000 people showed up for the giveaway and Mayor Eric Adams condemned the violence, warning his own son to stay clear.

    Cenat had announced a giveaway on the platform with fellow streamer Fanum scheduled to be there at 4pm.

    Shortly before the riot erupted, Cenat, 21, posted an image saying, ‘on the way.’

    The city’s official notification system said to avoid the area, and that trains would not stop at the busy Union Street station – as the huge throng of crowds heaved in the streets.

    Police made a total of 65 arrests coming out of the incident, including Cenat.

    Numerous people could be seen in hand restraints, sitting on the sidewalks as responding officers lined the street in a bid to direct the crowd, which periodically broke away darting across the square.

    The NYPD echoed the statement, tweeting: ‘Due to police activity, avoid the area surrounding Union Square Park & use alternate routes. Expect a police presence in the area and residual traffic delays.’

    People were seen throwing objects and tearing at construction barricades.

    Some young adults were seen climbing on top of the roof covering the entrance to the Union Square subway station.

    One woman climbed up a traffic light and stood on a sign twerking above the crowds.

    A group let off firecrackers in one section of Union Square Park as arrests were being made, which prompted panic and false rumors that a shooting had occurred.

    Others pounded on the side of a city bus. People could be seen climbing on top of another bus and jumping up and down.

    At least one person was seen setting off a fire extinguisher, and a car was smashed by rioters jumping on the roof and kicking in the windows.

    Cenat could be seen emerging from a SUV worming his way through the crowd and directing his followers to a nearby truck with a see-through back that contained boxes labeled PS5.

    Half of the crowd followed the truck, the other half continued to follow the social media star. When the car got to 17th street, it picked up speed and drove away from the scene.

    Adams tweeted: ‘Thank you to the NYPD for their quick work getting the situation at Union Square under control today. I want our streets to be alive and full of joy. But they must be safe. That’s the most important thing.’

    He went on to add: ‘When I saw what was playing out in Union Square today, I texted my son and asked him if he was there. He replied no. I told him to stay out of the area until we resolved the matter.

    ‘I thought to myself, I hope all parents or caregivers are able to check in and hear back from their children during the moments like this.’

    Cops were forced to hold up pieces of plywood and take cover behind cars as people threw objects at them, according to Eyewitness News.

    It’s unclear when and why the crowd turned violent.

    ‘One cluster of people would let out a yell and start cheering, then another group would do the same, people were swarming over to the group that yelled the loudest just to try and see this influencer. People had little kids with them,’ a witness told DailyMail.com.

    Cenat and his friends reacted to the wild scene on a live stream that seemed to show them reveling in the crowd.

    Look at this!’ Cenat said, as he showed a picture of the crowd to the camera.

    ‘They standing like in f*****g unity, bro.’

    He added: ‘Everybody for themselves, it’s a war out there man.’

    A video posted online showed about a dozen people jumping on top of Cenat’s car, before one fell off.

    Cenat had said items such as Gaming PCs, gift cards, Gaming Chairs and other gaming essentials would be given out for free.
    Messages sent to his publicist, management company and an email address for business inquiries were not immediately returned.

     

  • Elon Musk’s X Corp sues Center for Countering Digital Hate for ‘Actively Working to Assert False and Misleading Claims’ to Scare Away Twitter Advertisers

    Elon Musk’s X Corp sues Center for Countering Digital Hate for ‘Actively Working to Assert False and Misleading Claims’ to Scare Away Twitter Advertisers

    Elon Musk (right) vs. Imran Ahmed (left). Center for Countering Digital Hate CEO Imran Ahmed said ‘Elon Musk’s actions represent a brazen attempt to silence honest criticism and independent research’
    • Lawyers for Twitter’s parent company said the CCDH has ’embarked on a scare campaign to drive away advertisers from the platform’
    • A lawsuit said the CCDH ‘unlawfully accessed data’ from X and presented it ‘out of context… to make it appear as if X is overwhelmed by harmful content’
    • X Corp took issue with a recent study by the nonprofit which claimed Twitter ‘fails to act on 99 percent of Twitter Blue accounts tweeting hate’

    Twitter‘s parent company X. Corp has sued the Center for Countering Digital Hate alleging it ’embarked on a scare campaign to drive away advertisers from the platform.’

    Lawyers for Elon Musk‘s company claimed the nonprofit, which counters online hate speech, gained data from the platform ‘unlawfully’ then used it ‘out of context… to make it appear as if X is overwhelmed by harmful content.’

    The lawsuit came after X sent a letter to the CCDH on July 20, 2023 which alleged the nonprofit was 'supported by funding from X Corp.'s commercial competitors, as well as government entities and their affiliates'
    The lawsuit came after X sent a letter to the CCDH on July 20, 2023 which alleged the nonprofit was ‘supported by funding from X Corp.’s commercial competitors, as well as government entities and their affiliates’

    A New York Times article in May also said advertising had tumbled 59 percent and Twitter staffers feared advertisers were ‘spooked’ by changes at the platform.

    The study by the CCDH uncovered 100 tweets from subscribers to Twitter Blue’s service that ‘clearly violate the platform’s policies against hateful conduct’.

    Tweets highlighted in the report included racism, antisemitism, praise for Adolf Hitler and the suggestion LGBT campaigners should be shot.

    The study alleged that four days after it reported the tweets, only one had been removed and that all of the accounts remained active.

    X claimed the study was a ‘cursory review of random tweets’, provided ‘no methodology’ and ‘no explanation as to why the 100 chosen tweets represent an appropriate sample of the nearly 500 million tweets sent per day from which to generalize about the platform’s content moderation practices’.

    The letter further alleged that the CCDH was ‘supported by funding from X Corp.’s commercial competitors, as well as government entities and their affiliates’.

    The CCDH said it does not ‘accept any funding from tech companies, governments or their affiliates’.

    Its response said it is ‘fully prepared to defend itself’ if X Corp. brings legal action.

     

     

  • Threads (Meta) Struggles to Retain Active Users with Daily user Count Down 81% & just 8 Million Signing on daily

    Threads (Meta) Struggles to Retain Active Users with Daily user Count Down 81% & just 8 Million Signing on daily

    The number of people regularly logging on to Meta’s “Threads” (rival to Twitter) has plunged 81%

    • Around eight million log on to Threads daily compared with 44 million at its peak
    • Threads was the fastest-growing app ever after its July launch, but has struggled to keep momentum and lags way behind Twitter’s 100 million daily users
    Mark Zuckerberg’s (LEFT) new “Threads” app vs. Elon Musk’s (RIGHT) Twitter/X

    Daily users of Threads, the ‘Twitter killer’ app launched by Meta, have tanked since its record-breaking launch on July 5 – from a peak of 44 million to just eight million.

    The time people are spending on the app has also fallen sharply, according to an analysis by Sensor Tower and Similarweb.

    The app initially drew 100 million users in its first five days – the fastest growth of any app in history. Users opened the app 14 times per day after its initial launch and spent an average of 19 minutes on it.

    Today, the average time users spend on Threads has fallen to 2.9 minutes per day and they’re only opening it between two and three times.

    The latest figures continue a downward trend in the app’s use and will be a concern for Zuckerberg, the ninth richest person in the world with a $114 billion fortune, who hoped to capitalize on the ongoing turmoil at Twitter.

    Twitter – which has more than 100 million daily active users – is currently being rebranded as X by billionaire rival Elon Musk, the world’s richest man with a $236.1 billion fortune, according to Forbes.

    Twitter threatened to launch a lawsuit against Meta over claims it hired Musk’s former employees who ‘had and continue to have access to Twitter’s trade secrets and other highly confidential information’.

    The billionaires’ rivalry now runs so deep they are even planning to have a physical fight to settle their differences.

    Zuckerberg, 39, addressed the decline in Threads users in mid-July when separate figures also revealed it hadn’t maintained its initial popularity. He said he remained ‘optimistic’ about the future of Threads and that the figures were still ‘way ahead of what we expected’.

    ‘The focus for the rest of the year is improving the basics and retention,’ Zuckerberg said in a post to Threads.

    In a Threads post in mid-July Zuckerberg acknowledged falling user numbers since Threads record-breaking launch and said a focus for the remainder of 2023 was 'improving retention'

    ‘It’ll take time to stabilize, but once we nail that then we’ll focus on growing the community. We’ve run this playbook many times (FB, IG, Stories, Reels, etc) and I’m confident Threads is on a good path too.’

    Daily users are a key metric for social media platforms to secure advertisers.

    Twitter has lost around 50 percent of its advertising revenue since Musk, 52, bought the company for $44 billion in October 2022. X Corp., its parent company, recently filed a lawsuit against the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a non-profit, over claims it ‘embarked on a scare campaign to drive away advertisers from the platform.’

    In the first two full days that Threads was available, traffic to twitter.com was down five percent compared with the same days the week prior, an analysis revealed.
    Traffic eventually bounced back, but was down around 11 percent on last year across an analysis of a week in mid-July.

     

  • Montana Passed the 1st State TikTok Ban

    Montana Passed the 1st State TikTok Ban

    Montana Passed the First State TikTok Ban

    The first-of-its-kind law bans TikTok on devices in Montana and paves the way for copycat legislation in other states.

    – By Mack DeGeurin
    Montana made history on Friday by becoming the first state legislature to approve a wholesale TikTok ban affecting nearly all devices in the state. The first-of-its-kind ban, which goes far beyond previous state efforts banning the app on government devices, could set the precedent for a wave of TikTok bans in other Republican-led states. Widespread TikTok bans, for better or worse, could become a reality.
    The state’s House of Representatives voted in favor of the bill, called SB 419, by a margin of 54-43 on Friday afternoon. Montana’s state senate already approved the bill back in March, meaning the only thing preventing it from becoming law is a signature from governor and known journalist body-slammer Greg Gianforte. Once signed, the ban will take effect in January 2024. However, the bill would become void if Congress enacts its own national TikTok ban. The bill also wouldn’t apply if TikTok divests its US business from Chinese ownership.

    How would the ban work?

    SB 419 prohibits TikTok from operating “within the territorial jurisdiction of Montana,” over fears the app could be manipulated by the Chinese government for espionage purposes. If TikTok or app stores violate the law, Montana’s Department of Justice could slap them with penalties of up to $10,000 per day for the length of the violation. Those fines would apply to entities facilitating TikTok’s download rather than the app’s users.

    “TikTok endangers the safety of Montanans and Americans at large,” Montana state Sen. Shelley Vance, one of the bill’s primary authors said according to KTVH. “We know that beyond a doubt that TikTok’s parent company ByteDance is operating as a surveillance arm of the Chinese Communist Party and gathers information about Americans against their will.”

     

    0:32 / 4:37

    The state’s House of Representatives voted in favor of the bill, called SB 419, by a margin of 54-43 on Friday afternoon. Montana’s state senate already approved the bill back in March, meaning the only thing preventing it from becoming law is a signature from governor and known journalist body-slammer Greg Gianforte. Once signed, the ban will take effect in January 2024. However, the bill would become void if Congress enacts its own national TikTok ban. The bill also wouldn’t apply if TikTok divests its US business from Chinese ownership.

    Related Content

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    How would the ban work?

    SB 419 prohibits TikTok from operating “within the territorial jurisdiction of Montana,” over fears the app could be manipulated by the Chinese government for espionage purposes. If TikTok or app stores violate the law, Montana’s Department of Justice could slap them with penalties of up to $10,000 per day for the length of the violation. Those fines would apply to entities facilitating TikTok’s download rather than the app’s users.

    “TikTok endangers the safety of Montanans and Americans at large,” Montana state Sen. Shelley Vance, one of the bill’s primary authors said according to KTVH. “We know that beyond a doubt that TikTok’s parent company ByteDance is operating as a surveillance arm of the Chinese Communist Party and gathers information about Americans against their will.”

    It’s worth noting here that while numerous lawmakers and intelligence agencies have justified banning TikTok out of national security concerns, there’s still no concrete evidence the Chinese government has even used TikTok to surveil American users. But previous reporting has shown ByteDance employees in China can and have been able to view US user data.

    In an email to Gizmodo, a TikTok spokesperson said the bill amounted to censorship and would almost certainly be challenged by courts.

    “We will continue to fight for TikTok users and creators in Montana whose livelihoods and First Amendment rights are threatened by this egregious government overreach,” a TikTok spokesperson told Gizmodo.

    Opponents of the Montana bill like the ACLU say it would violate the First Amendment and be a disaster for freedom of expression. In a letter sent to lawmakers earlier this week, the ACLU and five other civil liberties organizations said they had failed to prove TikTok poses any immediate harm to Montana residents.

    “Montana’s TikTok bill is censorship, plain and simple,” ACLU senior policy counsel Jenna Leventoff said in a statement. “Montanans deserve better than to have their representatives violate their free speech rights by cutting them off from a unique platform that allows them to speak their minds, exchange information, and learn new things.”

    Did Montana just pave the way for a nationwide ban?

    By approving the nation’s first TikTok ban, Montana may have just given a green light to Republican lawmakers across the country to push forward with their own copycat bills. If that happens, TikTok may have no choice but to agree to a forced spinoff of its US business currently favored by the Biden Administration.

    A patchwork of state TikTok bans could also encourage lawmakers in Congress to rip the band-aid off and pursue its own federal TikTok ban. While that seemed unlikely just a few months ago, lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle seemed united in their aggressive stance towards TikTok during a combative hearing with the company’s CEO last month. There are currently around half a dozen bills floating around D.C. that, one way or another, would end up with TikTok banned.

     

  • Some Russian defences in Bakhmut Scatter as Ukraine Penetrates Deeper

    Some Russian defences in Bakhmut Scatter as Ukraine Penetrates Deeper

    Ukraine has entered the village of Andriivka south of Bakhmut amid heavy fighting as Kyiv’s forces try to take advantage of their momentum as they attempt to surround the war-torn city.

    BAKHMUT, UKRAINE – JANUARY 24: A view of the damaged houses due to a Russian shelling through a broken window in Bakhmut, Ukraine as Russian-Ukrainian war continues, on January 24, 2023. (Photo by Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

    Ukraine has made a huge breakthrough south of Bakhmut with reports that Russian forces in the area have been sent fleeing in retreat. The news comes as Russian sources claim a massive Ukrainian offensive on the country’s southern front.

    Kyiv’s troops entered the destroyed village of Andriivka south of Bakhmut yesterday, according to Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko, but heavy fighting continued.

    “The advance and liberation of the settlement took place, but now the fighting continues both within and outside the settlement,” he said.

    Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces reported that Russian soldiers in the area were retreating but Kyrylenko warned that the village had become “scorched earth” making it impossible for civilians to return.

    President Zelensky also commented on reports after being updated on the situation by the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi.

    “We believe in our guys. We continue to work,” he posted on Telegram.

    Reports have emerged that Ukrainian forces have also seized the town of Klishchiivka south of Bakhmut. With both villages captured Kyiv’s forces would be in a position to cut Russia’s southern supply lines to the city.

    There have also been reports of a massive Ukrainian offensive in the southern Zaporizhzhia region where the fighting has been in a deadlock for some time.

    To the south of the city of Orikhiv, Ukrainian forces appeared to building on their gains. Russian sources claimed Kyiv was launching a massive offensive in the area.

    “Zaporizhzhia front – the second wave of the Ukraine’s counteroffensive has begun,” a member of the Russian-installed Zaporizhzhia military-civilian administration Vladimir Rogov wrote on Telegram Wednesday.

    He continued: “The enemy has sent maximum forces to break through our defences in the Orikhiv direction.

    “Early this morning after massive artillery preparation and air strikes the Ukrainians went to storm our positions near Robotyne.”

    At this point, it was unclear whether the Ukrainian offensive near Orikhiv had succeeded in breaking Russian defences.

    Kyiv aims to make a breakthrough on the southern front and make a drive to the Black Sea likely via Melitopol.

    The move would effectively split Russian forces in two cutting off the military in Crimea and southern Ukrain.

  • Hunter Biden plea deal Falls Apart: tax and gun charges stunning twist after prosecutors said president’s son could be charged with other crimes

    Hunter Biden plea deal Falls Apart: tax and gun charges stunning twist after prosecutors said president’s son could be charged with other crimes

    • Hunter’s court appearance spiraled into chaos after his plea deal fell apart 
    •  U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika questioned the terms of the agreement 
    • President’s son walked into Delaware court with his ‘sugar brother’ Kevin Morris 

    Hunter Biden’s plea deal has appeared to collapse in a stunning twist during his appearance in front of a judge in a federal court in Delaware.

    The president’s scandal-hit son said ‘yes, your honor’ when asked by the judge if he was going to plead guilty to two tax misdemeanors, and admitted he’s been to rehab six times in 20 years for addiction to drinking and drugs.

    But then the judge called for a recess when an agreement between prosecutors and attorneys for the president’s son appeared to fall apart.

    Hunter’s attorney Chris Clark said the deal was ‘null and void’ after top prosecutor Leo Wise said the president’s son could still be charged with other crimes – including violations related to representing foreign governments.

    U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika demanded a discussion with both legal teams after expressing concerns about the terms of the ‘sweetheart deal’ that would have likely seen him avoid jail.

    The attorneys then engaged in negotiations to see if they could try and save the deal that was widely panned as a slap on the wrist.

    At the start of a dramatic hearing, Hunter said he was first treated for alcohol abuse in 2003 and was last in an in-patient facility in 2018.

    He then insisted he’s been sober since 2019 when warned he faces random drug testing under the conditions of his release.

    Prosecutors recommended probation for Hunter for not paying between $1.1 million and $1.5 million in federal taxes in 2017 and 2018, despite his substantial income from Ukrainian and Chinese energy companies.

    They also scolded him for continuing to ‘spend wildly’ on his lavish lifestyle while he had the funds to pay back what he owed.

    Hunter could have faced up to 12 months in prison for the tax crimes, and ten years for lying about his crack cocaine addiction on a federal form when buying a gun.

    But the agreement that will likely see him spend no time behind bars has sparked fury from Republicans who have demanded the judge block it.

    Hunter walked into the federal court in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, alongside his ‘sugar brother’ and lawyer Kevin Morris – who was seen smoking a bong during a visit from the president’s son last week.

    He stepped out of a motorcade in silence with a police escort and walked across the sidewalk alongside his legal team and surrounded by Secret Service agents.

    Judge Noreika was expected to accept the plea deal less than 24 hours after she threatened Hunter’s attorneys with sanctions over allegations they lied to a clerk in her office to try and get stunning whistleblower allegations pulled from the case.

    A member of Hunter’s legal team allegedly called the court to try and get information on testimony from IRS whistleblowers who claimed the president’s son got preferential treatment in the criminal probe removed from the docket.

    His lawyers claimed it was a simple mistake.

    The deal has also been under intense scrutiny over bombshell testimony from the whistleblowers claiming he got preferential treatment during the five-year investigation from U.S. Attorney David Weiss.

    Former IRS and FBI agents have come forward to claim the were blocked from conducting a proper investigation into Hunter.

    They also alleged that senior officials tipped off Secret Service agents that they wanted to interview the president’s son.

    The misdemeanor charges stem from the unpaid taxes, and he is expected to avoid prosecution for lying about his drug use when he bought a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver in October 2018.

    On Tuesday night, he flew alongside Morris in a private jet from Los Angeles to Philadelphia.

    Judge Noreika was at the center of drama on Tuesday night after she threatened Hunter’s lawyers with sanctions.

    It was alleged that Hunter’s lawyers sought to remove testimony from IRS whistleblowers about the Justice Department’s lackluster criminal investigation into his tax offenses from the court docket.

    But Hunter’s lawyers blamed allegations they conspired to a lie simply to an ‘unfortunate misunderstanding’.

    Hunter Biden’s plea deal has appeared to collapse in a stunning twist during his appearance in front of a judge in a federal court in Delaware.

    The president’s scandal-hit son said ‘yes, your honor’ when asked by the judge if he was going to plead guilty to two tax misdemeanors, and admitted he’s been to rehab six times in 20 years for addiction to drinking and drugs.

    But then the judge called for a recess when an agreement between prosecutors and attorneys for the president’s son appeared to fall apart.

    Hunter’s attorney Chris Clark said the deal was ‘null and void’ after top prosecutor Leo Wise said the president’s son could still be charged with other crimes – including violations related to representing foreign governments.

    U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika demanded a discussion with both legal teams after expressing concerns about the terms of the ‘sweetheart deal’ that would have likely seen him avoid jail.

    The attorneys then engaged in negotiations to see if they could try and save the deal that was widely panned as a slap on the wrist.

    At the start of a dramatic hearing, Hunter said he was first treated for alcohol abuse in 2003 and was last in an in-patient facility in 2018.

    He then insisted he’s been sober since 2019 when warned he faces random drug testing under the conditions of his release.

    Prosecutors recommended probation for Hunter for not paying between $1.1 million and $1.5 million in federal taxes in 2017 and 2018, despite his substantial income from Ukrainian and Chinese energy companies.

    They also scolded him for continuing to ‘spend wildly’ on his lavish lifestyle while he had the funds to pay back what he owed.

    President Joe Biden's scandal-hit son Hunter has arrived in federal court to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges as part of 'sweetheart deal' to likely avoid jail

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    President Joe Biden’s scandal-hit son Hunter has arrived in federal court to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges as part of ‘sweetheart deal’ to likely avoid jail

    Hunter walked into the federal court in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, alongside his 'sugar brother' and lawyer Kevin Morris (left) - who was seen smoking a bong during a visit from the president's son last week

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    Hunter walked into the federal court in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, alongside his ‘sugar brother’ and lawyer Kevin Morris (left) – who was seen smoking a bong during a visit from the president’s son last week
    Democratic donor who bought Hunter art visited White House 13 TIMES
    6.2k viewing now

    Hunter could have faced up to 12 months in prison for the tax crimes, and ten years for lying about his crack cocaine addiction on a federal form when buying a gun.

    But the agreement that will likely see him spend no time behind bars has sparked fury from Republicans who have demanded the judge block it.

    Hunter walked into the federal court in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, alongside his ‘sugar brother’ and lawyer Kevin Morris – who was seen smoking a bong during a visit from the president’s son last week.

    He stepped out of a motorcade in silence with a police escort and walked across the sidewalk alongside his legal team and surrounded by Secret Service agents.

    Judge Noreika was expected to accept the plea deal less than 24 hours after she threatened Hunter’s attorneys with sanctions over allegations they lied to a clerk in her office to try and get stunning whistleblower allegations pulled from the case.

    A member of Hunter’s legal team allegedly called the court to try and get information on testimony from IRS whistleblowers who claimed the president’s son got preferential treatment in the criminal probe removed from the docket.

    His lawyers claimed it was a simple mistake.

    The deal has also been under intense scrutiny over bombshell testimony from the whistleblowers claiming he got preferential treatment during the five-year investigation from U.S. Attorney David Weiss.

    Former IRS and FBI agents have come forward to claim the were blocked from conducting a proper investigation into Hunter.

    They also alleged that senior officials tipped off Secret Service agents that they wanted to interview the president’s son.

    Hunter Biden arrives at court over tax & gun charges in Delaware

    A Secret Service agent stands by as Hunter Biden makes his way into court to face the judge

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    A Secret Service agent stands by as Hunter Biden makes his way into court to face the judge

    Kevin Morris, the lawyer who helped Hunter pay off $2million in delinquent taxes, walks behind the president's son on the way into the courthouse

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    Kevin Morris, the lawyer who helped Hunter pay off $2million in delinquent taxes, walks behind the president’s son on the way into the courthouse

    Law enforcement secure the area outside the federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, ahead of Hunter Biden's court appearance on Wednesday

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    Law enforcement secure the area outside the federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, ahead of Hunter Biden’s court appearance on Wednesday

    Hunter allegedly lied on a firearm report (above) required for his gun transaction. A photo of the form shows he answered 'no' when asked if he was an 'unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance

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    Hunter allegedly lied on a firearm report (above) required for his gun transaction. A photo of the form shows he answered ‘no’ when asked if he was an ‘unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance

    Last Thursday, Hunter's attorney Kevin Morris was seen smoking from a bong in public view. He has been revealed as one of the buyers of Hunter's artwork

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    Last Thursday, Hunter’s attorney Kevin Morris was seen smoking from a bong in public view. He has been revealed as one of the buyers of Hunter’s artwork

    The misdemeanor charges stem from the unpaid taxes, and he is expected to avoid prosecution for lying about his drug use when he bought a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver in October 2018.

    On Tuesday night, he flew alongside Morris in a private jet from Los Angeles to Philadelphia.

    Judge Noreika was at the center of drama on Tuesday night after she threatened Hunter’s lawyers with sanctions.

    It was alleged that Hunter’s lawyers sought to remove testimony from IRS whistleblowers about the Justice Department’s lackluster criminal investigation into his tax offenses from the court docket.

    But Hunter’s lawyers blamed allegations they conspired to a lie simply to an ‘unfortunate misunderstanding’.

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    A picture from Hunter Biden’s leaked hard drive shows him posing naked while holding a semi-automatic handgun by his side

    ‘The matter under consideration appears to stem from an unfortunate and unintentional miscommunication between a staff member at our firm and employees of the Court. We have no idea how the misunderstanding occurred, but our understanding is there was no misrepresentation,’ Matthew Salerno wrote to Judge Noreika on Tuesday evening.

    He claimed that Jessica Bengels, the Latham staffer accused of pretending to be from another law firm, has a phone number which should show up as ‘LATHAM’ on the clerk’s caller ID, indicating she was calling from the legal firm Latham & Watkins.

    The White House has avoided discussing Hunter’s legal troubles by claiming he is a private citizen or referring questions to the Department of Justice.

    Salerno attached an affidavit from Bengels, in which she claimed she initially called a different court clerk called ‘Julia’, from her Latham phone, identified herself truthfully, but was later called back by a different clerk, Samantha.

    ‘At around 11.54am, another Court employee called my Latham & Watkins phone number (which I believe she knew through caller ID) to let me know she would be removing the material from the docket,’ Bengels wrote. ‘She did not ask which law firm I was affiliated with, and at no time during this call did I mention anything about my law firm affiliation.

    ‘I believe there may have been some confusion when Julia passed the information on to the other Court employee, resulting in a mistaken understanding that I had called from Mr. Kittila’s firm.

    ‘I am completely confident that I never indicated that I was calling from Mr. Kittila’s firm or that I worked with him in any way.’

    When Hunter was charged, the president and first lady said they were ‘proud’ of him.

    His lawyer Christopher Clark said last month: ‘I know Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life.

    ‘He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward.’

    The gun charges stemmed from a firearms form Hunter had to fill out to buy the revolver.

    Delaware, where the First Son purchased the 0.38 caliber pistol, makes any buyer answer a series of questions before they can lay their hands on a weapon.

    One from the 2018 application asks if the applicant uses or is addicted to drugs. The box is clearly checked ‘no.’

  • Sweden has a ‘heightened threat’ of terror attacks after Koran burning stunt that enraged the Muslim world

    Sweden has a ‘heightened threat’ of terror attacks after Koran burning stunt that enraged the Muslim world

    • Swedish security service SAPO sounded the alarm following Koran burnings
    • A statement said Sweden looked like ‘a country hostile to Islam and Muslims’ 

    Sweden is at a ‘heightened threat’ of terror attacks after recent Koran burnings in the country sparked widespread protests in the Muslim world, its domestic security service said on Wednesday.

    The agency, known by its acronym SAPO, said the burning and desecration of religious books in Sweden, and ongoing disinformation campaigns on social media and elsewhere, have negatively affected the country’s reputation.

    A recent string of public desecrations of the Koran by a handful of anti-Islam activists in Sweden and most recently in neighbouring Denmark has triggered anger in many Muslim countries, and among Muslim communities residing in the Nordic nations.

    There is no law in Sweden specifically prohibiting the burning or desecration of the Koran or other religious texts.

    The image of Sweden has changed ‘from a tolerant country to a country hostile to Islam and Muslims, where attacks on Muslims are sanctioned by the state and where Muslim children can be kidnapped by social services,’ SAPO said in a statement.

    This risks fuelling threats against Sweden ‘from individuals within the violent Islamist milieu’, the agency said, adding that the current risk of terrorism in Sweden remains at an elevated level, at three on a five-point scale.

    It’s a serious situation that we’re in,’ Susanna Trehorning, SAPO’s deputy head of counter-terrorism, told Swedish public broadcaster SVT.

    ‘It’s a heightened threat and an attack can occur within the framework of a heightened threat.’

    Like many Western countries, Sweden does not have any blasphemy laws.

    The right to hold public demonstrations is strong in Sweden and protected by the constitution. Blasphemy laws were abandoned in the 1970s.

    Police generally give permission for public gatherings based on whether they believe an event can be held without major disruptions or risks to public safety.

    Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin said on Wednesday that the Koran desecrations have made Sweden a target of malicious influencing campaigns ‘by states and state-like actors with the aim of damaging Swedish interests and ultimately Swedish citizens’.

    He debunked claims that the Swedish government grants permission for people to burn Islam’s sacred text or other religious books, something that ‘is factually incorrect’.

    ‘No state permits are issued for burning,’ he told reporters at a news conference.

    ‘The state guarantees the right to freedom of expression but does not sanction political messages. Sweden has no tradition of burning holy scriptures.

    ‘On the contrary. Sweden is a secular country where religious freedom is a cornerstone and where there is respect for different beliefs.’

    European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, in a statement on Wednesday, condemned the religious book desecrations in Sweden and Denmark, saying the acts ‘by individual provocateurs only benefit those who want to divide us and our societies’.

    ‘Respect for diversity is a core value of the European Union. This includes respect for other religious communities,’ the EU’s top diplomat said.

    ‘The desecration of the Koran, or of any other book considered holy, is offensive, disrespectful and a clear provocation.

    Expressions of racism, xenophobia and related intolerance have no place in the European Union.’

     

  • US judge restricts Biden officials from contact with social media firms

    US judge restricts Biden officials from contact with social media firms

    By Kanishka Singh

    WASHINGTON, July 4 (Reuters) – A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday restricted some agencies and officials of the administration of President Joe Biden from meeting and communicating with social media companies to moderate their content, according to a court filing.

    The injunction came in response to a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, who alleged that U.S. government officials went too far in efforts to encourage social media companies to address posts they worried could contribute to vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic or upend elections.

    The ruling said government agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services and the FBI could not talk to social media companies for “the purpose of urging, encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech” under the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

    A White House official said the Justice Department was reviewing the order and will evaluate its options.

    The litigation was originally filed by former Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. Schmitt, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in November, used Twitter to welcome the injunction and called it a win for free speech.


    A general view of the White House, where U.S. President Joe Biden cancelled his public schedule Monday after undergoing a root canal dental procedure at the White House in Washington, U.S. June 12, 2023.

    Judge Terry Doughty, in an order filed with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, made some exceptions for communications between government officials and the companies, including to warn about risks to national security and about criminal activity.

    The injunction was first reported by the Washington Post.

    Tuesday’s order marks a win for Republicans who had sued the Biden administration, saying it was using the coronavirus health crisis and the threat of misinformation as an excuse to curb views that disagreed with the government.

    U.S. officials have said they were aiming to tamp down misinformation about COVID vaccines to curb preventable deaths.

    Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms (META.O), Twitter, and Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O) YouTube did not respond to requests for comment.

    Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Additional reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Alistair Bell, Heather Timmons and Bill Berkrot

     

     

    Credit: Reuters.