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  • 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.

     

  • 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.

     

  • 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.’

  • 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.

  • The highest office! White House guessing game begins after cocaine found in library forced Hazmat evacuation – two days after recovering drug addict Hunter Biden was on the property

    The highest office! White House guessing game begins after cocaine found in library forced Hazmat evacuation – two days after recovering drug addict Hunter Biden was on the property

    Secret Service found a suspicious white powder during a routine round at the White House on Sunday that tested positive for cocaine
    Substance was found in the library, which is open to public White House tours
    Biden was not there at the time of discovery, but he and son Hunter were at the White House on Friday before departing for a long weekend at Camp David
    By KATELYN CARALLE, U.S. POLITICAL REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

    President Joe Biden, his son Hunter and members of the first family arrived back at a White House mired in controversy on Tuesday after cocaine found by Secret Service agents sparked an evacuation and Hazmat situation.

    A dispatch call reviewed by DailyMail.com reveals a preliminary test found that the white powder discovered on Sunday tested positive for cocaine – and led to emergency services shutting down 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

    The Secret Service has now launched an investigation to track down how the substance got there and who was responsible for the breach.

    The discovery came two days after recovering drug addict Hunter, 52, was last seen at the White House as he headed to Camp David with his father for the long holiday weekend.

    Trolls are speculating that the president’s addict son is the source of the illegal substance.

    However, The White House library is part of the public tour experienced by hundreds daily, meaning there could be multiple suspects. It is also two floors below the first family’s living quarters.

    While the dispatch recording clearly says ‘library,’ a source familiar with the incident told DailyMail.com that the substance was not found inside the executive mansion but was discovered in a ‘work area’ in the west wing of the White House.


    HAZMAT crew gather behind the gates of the White House outside the entrance to the West Wing on Sunday evening. The White House was briefly evacuated Sunday following discovery of the white powder substance that was confirmed to be cocaine

     


    Hunter Biden was at the White House Friday before departing for a long holiday weekend to Camp David with President Joe Biden. Pictured: Hunter arrived back at Fort McNair before heading to the White House for Independence Day celebrations. Hunter’s son Beau Biden, 3, was in tow but was clearly unhappy

     

    A Secret Service statement confirms this.

    ‘On Sunday evening, the White House complex went into a precautionary closure as officers from the Secret Service Uniformed Division investigated an unknown item found inside a work area,’ the statement reads.

    ‘The DC Fire Department was called to evaluate and quickly determined the item to be non-hazardous,’ it continues. ‘The item was sent for further evaluation and an investigation into the cause and manner of how it entered the White House is pending.’

    Hunter arrived back in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday for the annual Independence Day celebration on the South Lawn. In tow was wife Melissa Cohen and their unhappy son Beau, 3, who was crying as his father carried him to the car at Fort McNair to head back to the White House.

    U.S. Secret Service is conducting further testing to confirm if the substance is the illegal drug.

    He also said that President Joe Biden was not in the executive mansion when the substance was discovered.

    Authorities are investigating how the cocaine got into the White House.

    Pro-Trump Republican Rep. Jim Banks tweeted: ‘They never found cocaine in the Trump White House!’

    ‘The Bidens are unfit to live in the White House!’ he wrote in a follow-up tweet with a link to a story on the cocaine found in the mansion.

    Meanwhile, far-right Newsmax host Robb Schmitt said during a report on the cocaine discovery: ‘It wouldn’t be a thumpin’ July 4th weekend without Hunter Biden ripping lines off of a bust of Teddy Roosevelt.’

    ‘Cocaine was found at the White House and Hunter Biden currently lives at the White House. FBI has no clue who it belongs to. Anyone want to help them?’ a Twitter journalist with nearly 200k followers wrote.

    A uniformed member of the USSS found the white powder substance while conducting a routine round through the White House.

    Discovery of the illegal drug led to a brief evacuation of the White House.

    The D.C. fire department team that responded to the call determined the substance did not pose a threat – and the recording of a dispatch from the fire crew confirmed testing found it was cocaine.

    ‘We have a yellow bar saying cocaine hydrochloride,’ a firefighter with the D.C. department of hazardous materials radioed at 8:49 on Sunday, according to the Post.

    ‘Bag it up and take it out,’ the firefighter instructed.


    The library where the cocaine was found is right off the White House visitor entrance and is part of the tour of the mansion, which means the room sees a lot of foot traffic from members of the public. It is also located two levels below the first family’s residential quarters

    Some Republicans on Twitter are questioning whether the cocaine really did come from Hunter – noting possible other sources.

    ‘I am not ruling out possible members of the White House press,’ conservative radio host Mark Levin tweeted in response to the discovery of cocaine.

    Matt Wallace, who has 1.1 million followers asserted: ‘The Cocaine found at the White House is not from Hunter Biden.’

    ‘The real story is actually much worse than that! Many of Joe Biden’s Top Staff regularly use Cocaine and other Hardcore Drugs. The cleaning crews are tasked with hiding all traces but this weekend was especially bad!’

    Hunter Biden, who is known to struggle with substance abuse, was at the White House on Friday before departing with his father to Camp David for the July 4 holiday weekend.

    The president and his son maintain that he has kicked his addiction.

    Most recently, the younger Biden reached a plea deal with Justice Department prosecutors to avoid jail time after lying on a federal form to purchase a firearm. He checked a box claiming that he did not use and was not addicted to illegal substances – a fact that would disqualify him from buying the gun.

    The form contradicting the timelines and claims made in Hunter Biden’s own memoir.

    Biden critics and conservative decried Hunter’s plea deal, claiming that anyone other than the president’s son would receive jail time for the same offense.

    The deal also saw Hunter plead guilty to two tax misdemeanors.

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘This calls into question the integrity of their investigation.’ Sen. Ron Johnson slams Hunter Biden probe as it’s revealed prosecutor who signed off on ‘sweetheart’ tax deal previously worked for First Son’s business partner

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘This calls into question the integrity of their investigation.’ Sen. Ron Johnson slams Hunter Biden probe as it’s revealed prosecutor who signed off on ‘sweetheart’ tax deal previously worked for First Son’s business partner

    Assistant US Attorney Derek Hines, who signed off on charging documents against Hunter Biden, formerly worked as a special counsel to Louis Freeh
    As previously revealed by DailyMail.com, ex-FBI director Freeh and his firm worked closely with Hunter on a $3M job consulting Romanian Gabriel Popoviciu
    GOP Senator Ron Johnson told DailyMail.com the link between the prosecutor and Hunter’s business associate ‘calls into question the integrity’ of their probe
    By JOSH BOSWELL FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

    A prosecutor who signed off on the documents charging Hunter Biden with tax and gun crimes previously worked with one of the First Son’s business partners, DailyMail.com can reveal.

    Delaware US Attorney David Weiss officially filed charges against the president’s son last Tuesday after a near five-year probe into his alleged tax crimes and foreign financial dealings.

    Weiss’s deputy, Assistant United States Attorney Derek Hines, signed off on the charging documents alongside his boss and two other assistant US attorneys – indicating he has a central role in Hunter’s criminal prosecution.

    According to Hines’s LinkedIn account, he previously worked as Special Counsel to ex-FBI director Louis Freeh at his private company, Freeh Group International Solutions, a lobbying and ‘risk management’ consultancy that teamed up with Hunter on overseas business currently under scrutiny by lawmakers.


    Hunter Biden last week reached a deal with prosecutors that would see him plead guilty to tax crimes and dispense with a gun charge but likely avoid jail time

     


    Assistant United States Attorney Derek Hines (left) who was one of the prosecutors to sign off on Hunter’s charges, previously worked under ex-FBI director Louis Freeh, a business partner of Hunter and a close friend of the Bidens

     

    Freeh worked with Hunter on a $3million job consulting for a Romanian criminal, a deal that is allegedly now part of his federal criminal investigation and is being investigated by Congress.

    Republican Senator Ron Johnson told DailyMail.com the link between the prosecutor and Hunter’s business associate ‘calls into question the integrity of their entire investigation’ – after GOP lawmakers slammed the relatively minor charges filed by the Delaware prosecutor this week as a mere ‘slap on the wrist’.

    DailyMail.com has previously revealed that Freeh and his firm worked closely with Hunter Biden trying to get the US State Department to help limit the prosecution of Romanian real estate tycoon Gabriel Popoviciu, who was on the brink of a bribery conviction in 2015.

    Freeh proposed setting up a private consultancy with Hunter and Joe Biden when he ended his vice presidential term, offering ‘lucrative future work options’ including working for overseas clients such as corrupt former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

    He also sent $100,000 to a private trust for Joe’s grandchildren – though he wrote an email to Hunter saying it was intended for a charity instead.

    Hines’s LinkedIn says he worked as ‘Special Counsel’ for the ex-FBI director at his company Freeh Group in New Orleans, Louisiana, between August 2013 and February 2015. It is unclear what projects he counseled Freeh on.

    It wasn’t until 2016 that Hunter started working with Freeh consulting for Popoviciu.

    But emails on his laptop show the Biden family had a close relationship with Freeh – – who headed the FBI from 1993-2001 – dating back to when Hines worked for him.


    Romanian real estate tycoon Gabriel Popoviciu was on the brink of a bribery conviction in 2015 when Freeh and his firm, working closely with Hunter, got a $3million job consulting for him

     


    DailyMail.com previously published emails that showed Hunter brought in political heavyweight and family friend Louis Freeh to use his U.S. law enforcement contacts for Popoviciu’s advantage, and was offered a referral fee as a result

     

    In a 2014 press release, Freeh described Joe Biden and his son Beau as ‘dear friends’, and in a May 2010 email to a colleague Hunter said Freeh was ‘a close friend.’

    In December 2014, Freeh was described with others as a ‘strong contact for possible referral/collaboration’ with Hunter and his brother Beau in an email laying out their plans for a ‘Biden Law Group’, written by Beau’s former Delaware Attorney General deputy Ian McConnel.

    After Beau’s death in May 2015, Freeh became a board member of the Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children.

    In August that year a charity executive thanked Freeh for donating to Joe Biden’s potential 2016 presidential run.

    The link between Hines, one of four top prosecutors in Hunter’s criminal case, and his former employer Freeh, could create a conflict for the Department of Justice attorney.

    Title 28, Section 45.2 of the Code of Federal Regulations says: ‘no employee shall participate in a criminal investigation if he has a personal or political relationship with […] any person or organization substantially involved in the conduct that is the subject of the investigation’.

    Hunter’s $3million from Popoviciu was part of a total $17.3million income investigated by the IRS in their Hunter Biden tax crime probe, which formed the basis for this week’s criminal charges, according to Congressional testimony by an IRS whistleblower who led the investigation.

    The IRS special agent’s claims suggest Hunter’s work with Freeh in Romania were likely part of the Delaware probe.

    The House Oversight Committee documented the same $3million flowing from Popoviciu’s accounts to the Biden family, via intermediaries, using bank records lawmakers obtained with subpoenas.


    Weiss asked a judge to schedule hearing for Hunter Biden for two tax offenses and a gun charge, following a years-long investigation into the president’s son

     

    Hunter connected political heavyweight Freeh with Popoviciu in May 2016 to use his US law enforcement contacts for the Romanian businessman’s advantage.

    In May 2021 DailyMail.com published emails in which Freeh promised to contact FBI legal attaches in Romania as well as State Department officials to help smooth over the Romanian tycoon’s clash with the country’s prosecutors.

    Wisconsin Sen. Johnson, who spent four years investigating the Bidens with his colleague Chuck Grassley, said Hines’s relationship with Freeh ‘calls into question the integrity of their entire investigation’.

    ‘These types of connections to the Biden family pose significant conflicts that must not be ignored,’ he told DailyMail.com.

    The Oversight Committee is also investigating another of Freeh’s connections to allegations of corruption by the Biden family.

    Whistleblower and alleged Israeli arms dealer, Dr. Gal Luft, claims around 2017 Hunter used a current or former senior FBI official dubbed ‘One-Eye’ to get sensitive bureau information and pass it to his Chinese business partners at oil giant CEFC, which was under federal investigation at the time.

    The Committee is investigating Luft’s claims, and believes that Freeh may have information to help with its probe, though they have not yet subpoenaed or requested an interview with the ex-FBI chief.

    Garrett Ziegler, a former Trump White House staffer and founder of right-wing nonprofit Marco Polo investigating the Bidens, claimed in a report last year that Freeh and Hunter had committed Foreign Agents Registration Act violations by lobbying US officials for Popoviciu without notifying the Department of Justice.


    A photo of a firearm application triggered an investigation after it showed Hunter lied on the form when he attested that he did not abuse drugs

     


    Hunter has admitted owning a gun while a drug user and pictures found on the laptop he abandoned at a repair shop show him holding it

     

    ‘The charges filed against Hunter Biden are a limited hangout in the superlative,’ Ziegler told DailyMail.com, referring to an intelligence community technique to use a minor admission to cover a greater wrongdoing.

    ‘In fact, those charges are filed by somebody who was a special counsel to Louis Freeh, who himself is implicated in crimes in the Biden Laptop. It is a full court suppression campaign, even today.’

    Hines is not the only DoJ official to investigate Hunter while having links to his business associates.

    Senators Grassley and Johnson, who ran a four-year investigation into Hunter’s shady overseas dealings, wrote to the DoJ in 2021 asking that criminal division chief Nicholas McQuaid recuse himself over links to Hunter.

    Prior to working as acting head of the Justice Department’s criminal division, McQuaid worked directly with Hunter’s criminal defense attorney Chris Clark at law firm Latham and Watkins.

    ‘Since Feb. 2021, Sen. Grassley and I sent multiple letters to DOJ demanding assurances that Nicholas McQuaid, the former head of DOJ’s criminal division, who had a Hunter Biden connection, had recused himself from the Hunter Biden investigation.

    ‘The DOJ refused to provide a clear answer,’ Johnson told DailyMail.com.

    ‘DOJ’s apparent unwillingness to remove any doubt about conflicts in the Hunter Biden case calls into question the integrity of their entire investigation.’

    The Delaware federal prosecutor’s office declined to comment.

  • First black woman socialist elected to Boston City Council is accused of totaling her car with her seven-year-old son inside – while driving on suspended license and without insurance

    First black woman socialist elected to Boston City Council is accused of totaling her car with her seven-year-old son inside – while driving on suspended license and without insurance

    Kendra Lara, 33, crashed her car in Boston on Friday while her license was revoked, and with her seven-year-old son inside, not using a booster seat
    Lara’s vehicle was unregistered and uninsured: it was totaled, and her son needed stitches at the Boston Children’s Hospital
    She is charged with operation of a motor vehicle after suspension, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle
    By HARRIET ALEXANDER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

    The first black socialist woman elected to Boston City Council crashed her car while driving through the city in an unregistered, uninsured car, while her license was revoked.

    Kendra Lara, 33, totaled the gray 2019 Honda Civic when it crashed through a metal fence, ran over bushes, and slammed into the left side of a home in the Jamaica Plains district.

    Her seven-year-old son Zaire was in the car, but was not in a booster seat.

    He was taken to Boston Children’s Hospital where he received ‘several stitches’ and is expected to make a full recovery.

    According to the police report, obtained by The New York Post, Lara could be reported for child abuse or neglect for failing to secure a child under eight.


    Kendra Lara, 33, is pictured with her seven-year-old son Zaire. The pair were both injured when Lara crashed her unlicensed car on Friday afternoon, driving on a revoked license

     


    Lara’s car crashed through a fence and hit a house in the Jamaica Plains district of Boston

    A 51A report which must be submitted to the Department of Children and Families when ‘child abuse or neglect’ is suspected could be filed ‘due to neglect and failure to use a proper car seat for the child’s safety.’

    Lee Nave, Lara’s chief of staff, said the city councilor suffered ‘some cuts and will probably require some stitches.’

    He added: ‘She braced for the airbag and then climbed in the back to get him out.’

    Nave said Lara was driving when she swerved to avoid an accident and crashed through a fence and yard before striking a house.

    ‘It was a very scary situation for everyone involved but thankfully Councilor Lara and Zaire are expected to make a full recovery,’ he added.

    The driver of the other vehicle said that Lara was driving at high speed.

    He told officers he was ‘barely in motion’ when he noticed Lara’s Civic rapidly approaching at around 4:25pm on Friday.

    He said that her Civic sped past him and ‘suddenly turned left, crashing into the home.’

    Boston police are still investigating, and assessing damage to the house, The Boston Globe reported.

    Lara will be summonsed to West Roxbury Court for charges including operation of a motor vehicle after suspension, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

    A second person will be summonsed for allowing unlicensed operation and allowing operation of the unregistered motor vehicle, the police report said.


    Lara was elected in November 2021 as the first black female socialist on Boston City Council

    Lara has multiple driving offenses on her record, obtained by The Boston Herald.

    In 2014 she was accused of not wearing a seatbelt and not obeying a traffic sign. She failed to appear in court in Connecticut, and her license was revoked.

    The record also shows a violation in the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester in August 2010, for not possessing a vehicle registration.

    Lara, born in the Bronx to Dominican immigrants, grew up in Boston and worked as the Director of Radical Philanthropy at the Boston-based organization Resist, founded 50 years ago by Noam Chomsky.

    The group is designed to be ‘a leading force for racial and economic justice’, according to Lara’s official biography.

    She was elected in November 2021 and took up her seat in January 2022, insisting that the word socialism should not scare people.

    ‘When I’m in conversation with people who are apprehensive about Socialism, I ask them to consider who stands to benefit from maintaining the status quo. Who wins when workers are exploited? Who profits if we can’t afford healthcare? Who benefits when housing is unaffordable?’ she told Jamaica Plains News in January 2022.

    ‘Socialism benefits the vast majority of us.

    ‘There are a few – those who benefit from the oppression and exploitation of others – that, in a narrow view, stand to lose something in a fair and equal society.

    ‘Unsurprisingly, these are the folks who often get to shape the public narrative.

    ‘Whether through decades-long propaganda campaigns from the US government or political mailers like the ones sent out by my opponent, they’ve managed to convince our neighbors and us that socialism is a threat. But a threat to what? And to whom?’

  • This is what voters REALLY think about SCOTUS striking down Biden’s student debt forgiveness plan

    This is what voters REALLY think about SCOTUS striking down Biden’s student debt forgiveness plan

    On Friday, SCOTUS ended President Biden’s landmark student debt relief plan
    The decision was met with both praise and fury from both sides of the aisle
    DailyMail.com scoured New York to find out what people REALLY think
    READ MORE: What does the Supreme Court ruling on loans mean for YOU?
    By WILL POTTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

    The Supreme Court delivered another bombshell decision Friday to strike down President Joe Biden’s student debt forgiveness plan.

    While the move saw the nation’s highest court finally settle the hot button issue, Americans remain sharply divided over whether or not they should foot the bill.

    In New York, many students grumbled after feeling they missed out on a free degree, while Wall Street workers were relieved that their efforts to pay back their loans weren’t in vain.

    ‘I think student loan forgiveness is a double-sided coin,’ said Matthew Polo, 19. ‘For everyone receiving (the money), there will be another person who worked that much harder to paying off their loans.’

    The landmark SCOTUS decision dashed Biden’s $400 billion plan to forgive $10,000 in debt for borrowers earning less than $125,000, and up to $20,00 for those with Pell Grants.


    Matthew Polo, 19, described the issue of student loans as ‘a double sided coin’

     

    From the iconic Washington Square Park down to the Financial District, DailyMail.com took to the streets of Manhattan to gauge reactions to the historic Supreme Court ruling.

    For many New Yorkers, the judgement marked the end of their hopes to go debt free with the stroke of a pen.

    However, others maintained it was the system that plunged students into insurmountable debt that should have been replaced, rather than the government paying off existing bills.

    ‘You have the taxpayers to consider in this,’ continued Matthew, a student speaking at the foot of the World Trade Center.

    ‘It’s difficult for those (who paid off their debts), because they spent so much time and energy doing that.

    There is obviously a societal benefit to enabling people who would otherwise have been unable to get an education – I think it’s a matter of scale.

    ‘I don’t think there is a definitive answer, but as a student I have to continue to contemplate.’


    Puja Mondal, 19, said she hopes a new plan will be introduced to help other struggling students

     

    Thanks to a COVID pandemic freeze, millions of Americans haven’t had to repay their loans for over three-and-a-half-years.

    But with borrowers restarting their payments in October, and interest starting in September, students feel they just missed out.

    ‘For me as a student who does receive loans, I can understand the people that are low-income minority, and who needs this additional support for education,’ added Matthew’s friend Puja Mondal, 19.

    ‘The student loan forgiveness program should exist, it helps a lot of students like me and my family and friends who are going through college to give them a great opportunity for their career.

    ‘I think if you’re going to end this program, you should have a replacement for those who still go to college and need the help.

    ‘But I definitely think that refunds should exist,’ she added. ‘But it is a double-sided coin, there are pros and cons, and it’s something that has to be talked out to become better.’


    One recent graduate and teacher admitted she was ‘looking forward’ to the loan forgiveness, but felt refunds were appropriate for repayments

    One recent graduate, who did not give her name but said she recently became a teacher with her degree, admitted she had been ‘looking forward to getting some sort of forgiveness’ on her loans.

    ‘The extra money would have helped,’ she said, adding that she works through a plan to pay off her loans bit by bit. After personally trying to pay her debts, watching others get them wiped for free would make her ‘upset’.

    ‘I would understand why other people would be upset,’ she continued. ‘I think some form of refund, some sort of reimbursement, would be nice.’

    Her fellow graduate, who said he got by on scholarships, added that student loan forgiveness may be necessary at this moment because of America’s floundering economy.

    He added: ‘People need help right now, schooling is really expensive and its something they should look into – both lowering student debt in general, and helping people out.’


    Shane Morgan, 41, said he would ‘deep down feel resentment’ if he paid his loans before others had them wiped clean for free

     

    Shane Morgan, 41, speaking from Manhattan’s Financial District, said if he paid off his debts when others had them wiped for free, he would ‘deep down feel resentment’.

    However, despite saying he would feel some bitterness if he paid his loans while others didn’t, Shane felt approving the plan would have some upsides.

    ‘It would help the greater economy as a whole,’ he said. ‘It will keep people out of debt, which will result in more spending and a better economy for everybody.’

    As a Canadian, Shane admitted he ‘doesn’t have skin in the game’, but argued that the slate of decisions to come out of the Supreme Court since it turned to a 6-3 conservative supermajority meant it had ‘lost legitimacy’.

    ‘The Supreme Court used to be the gold standard of judgement, but now I feel it is too partisan and political’ he added.


    Bruce Harrow hit out at the for-profit college system, feeling that ‘we just shouldn’t have students coming out of school with thousands and thousands of dollars in debt’

    One University of Pittsburgh graduate slammed the Supreme Court for its decisions since it became a conservative supermajority.

    He added that even if he had committed thousands to repayments, he wouldn’t feel any spite, as ‘just because you didn’t benefit from something good, doesn’t mean that other people can’t.’

    Speaking from New York’s Washington Square Park, Bruce Harrow slammed the system that leaves students in massive debt, which in turn threatens taxpayers with having to foot the bill instead.

    ‘We just shouldn’t have students coming out of school with thousands and thousands of dollars in debt, it’s just ridiculous,’ he added.

    He said he personally knows people shackled with $100,000 in debt, but felt repayments shouldn’t be reimbursed because ‘it’s water under the bridge’.


    The Supreme Court has struck down President Joe Biden’s $400 billion student loans forgiveness plan in another bombshell decision. The justices ruled 6-3 against Biden’s controversial plan to wipe out debts for around 20 million Americans


    Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness scheme had been held up in a legal battle since November

    The opinions came as the Supreme Court made a series of decisive conservative-favored decisions as it entered the final day of its term.

    Alongside student loan forgiveness, the justices, which are slanted 6-3 in favor of conservative judges, also struck down historic affirmative action policies.

    The decision effectively ended college’s being able to use race as a consideration in admissions, in a case that sparked backlash from Biden.

    For student loan forgiveness, Biden’s plan would have eradicated $10,000 in debt for borrowers earning less than $125,000 and up to $20,000 for those with Pell Grants.

    His plan would have cost taxpayers $400 billion, but it has spent months weaving through the legal system after being initially halted in November.

    The move was challenged by six Republican states and two borrowers, who argued Biden should have sought approval from Congress for a plan using substantial taxpayer funds.

    In his majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts agreed and said the action ‘requires that Congress speak clearly before a Department (of Education) Secretary can unilaterally alter large sections of the American economy.’