Category: Media

Columns, Media, Politics

Daddy Dearest: Hunter Forced to Appear in Arkansas in Fight Over His Child’s Name and Support

On Monday, Hunter Biden will finally make it to Arkansas. The Natural State is not a Biden family favorite but there is one thing that would ordinarily be an attraction: Biden’s daughter Navy Joan. In the Biden family, the four-year-old girl remains “she who must not be named” literally. Not only has President Biden refused to refer to her as a grandchild or even include a Christmas stocking with the other children, her father Hunter is fighting to prevent her from using the Biden name. Indeed, the only reason that Hunter is coming to the same state with his daughter is to seek to limit his child support. Continue reading “Daddy Dearest: Hunter Forced to Appear in Arkansas in Fight Over His Child’s Name and Support” →

Courts, Media, Politics, Supreme Court

Alito: I Know Who Likely Leaked the Dobbs Decision

In a surprising statement to The Wall Street Journal today, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito says he has a “pretty good idea” who leaked a draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. He strongly suggested that it was someone who opposed the opinion and wanted to pressure the justices not to go forward with the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

 

Continue reading “Alito: I Know Who Likely Leaked the Dobbs Decision” →

Congress, Media, Politics

Biden Praises Tennessee Legislators For “Standing Up” for Democracy . . . By Stopping the Legislative Process

President Joe Biden held a curious meeting in the Oval Office where he honored Tennessee legislators for “standing up” for democracy by preventing a legislature from continuing its work. He then magnified that mixed message by refusing again to answer questions from the media and dismissing them with a joke. Continue reading “Biden Praises Tennessee Legislators For “Standing Up” for Democracy . . . By Stopping the Legislative Process” →

Columns, Congress, Criminal law, Free Speech, Media

Lock Him Up! Ranking Democrat Suggests Possible Criminal Charges Against Journalist Matt Taibbi

Below is my column in the New York Post on the recent call for a criminal investigation of journalist Matt Taibbi for perjury by the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. It all comes down to Taibbi’s mistake in adding an “A” to “CIS” – a group involved in the expanding censorship system.  The allegation is completely meritless but Rep. Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) did show that you cannot spell authoritarianism without “A.”

Here is the column:

Continue reading “Lock Him Up! Ranking Democrat Suggests Possible Criminal Charges Against Journalist Matt Taibbi” →

Constitutional Law, Media, Torts

Fox Reportedly Agrees to $787 Million Settlement in Dominion Defamation Lawsuit

Fox News has reached a settlement with Dominion Voting Systems for a reported $787 million. That was roughly half of the $1.6 billion originally sought in the defamation case, but represents a massive payout to the company which claimed to have been defamed by the network. Continue reading “Fox Reportedly Agrees to $787 Million Settlement in Dominion Defamation Lawsuit” →

Academia, Free Speech, Media, Politics

Is Free Speech Killing Us? FDA Commissioner Declares “Misinformation” a Medical Risk

Last year, we discussed the declaration of WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that censorship was needed to combat what he called the “infodemic.” It was a jarring position given the censorship of experts and scientists who have now been vindicated in raising questions over mask protection to natural immunities to school closings to the origins of Covid 19. Nevertheless, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf added his own voice to call for censorship. Califf declared that life expectancy rates are being suppressed due to “misinformation.” His call for action against ill-defined “disinformation” or “misinformation” is being echoed throughout the Biden Administration. Continue reading “Is Free Speech Killing Us? FDA Commissioner Declares “Misinformation” a Medical Risk” →

Media, Politics

“Civility is a Weapon Wielded by the Powerful”: NPR Employees Object to “Tone Policing”

NPR recently had to carry through on a long-announced series of layoffs due to a significant drop in revenue. The result was apparently a tense meeting with executives, according to Bloomberg, including accusations that the liberal outlet was racist and anti-trans in its selection of employees for termination. What was most interesting about the account were objections to “tone policing” and the claim that “civility is a weapon wielded by the powerful.” We have strived since the formation of this blog to encourage civility as a core value for our community. We have not been entirely successful, though I appreciate that the blog is better than most in the tenor of its commentary. It was, therefore interesting to see people in the media objecting to civility as a form of control by the powerful. Continue reading ““Civility is a Weapon Wielded by the Powerful”: NPR Employees Object to “Tone Policing”” →

Free Speech, Media, Politics

New Documents Expose Government Censorship Efforts at Facebook and WhatsApp

New emails uncovered in the ongoing Missouri v. Biden litigation reportedly show that the Biden Administration’s censorship efforts extended to Facebook to censor private communications on its WhatsApp messaging service. In recent months, the Twitter Files revealed an extensive and secret effort by the FBI and other agencies to censor citizens on social media. I testified on that effort. Democratic members oppose efforts to investigate the full scope of this effort and even denounced those calling for greater transparency as “Putin lovers” and apologists for insurrectionists and racists. Yet, the evidence of an extensive censorship and blacklisting effort by the Administration continues to mount.

Continue reading “New Documents Expose Government Censorship Efforts at Facebook and WhatsApp” →

Academia, Free Speech, Media

Stanford’s DEI Dean Doubles Down on Duncan Controversy

We have been following the controversy at Stanford Law School in the aftermath of a disgraceful cancellation of remarks by federal appellate judge Stuart Kyle Duncan. The center of this controversy was Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) dean Tirien Steinbach, who seemingly joined the mob in denouncing the judge for his views. She was later publicly reprimanded by Law School Dean Jenny Martinez, who apologized to Judge Duncan and put Steinbach on leave. Now, Steinbach has publicly responded and appears to be doubling down on her actions in a Wall Street Journal opinion column. Continue reading “Stanford’s DEI Dean Doubles Down on Duncan Controversy” →

Media

“I Know Nothing, Nothing!” : The National Archives Just Torpedoed Biden’s Sgt. Schultz Defense

For years, President Joe Biden has maintained a Sgt. Schultz defense to allegations that his family has profiteered on influence peddling with foreign countries and companies. Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, Biden maintains that he “knows nothing, nothing” about Hunter Biden’s business deals. He recently doubled down on this defense by even denying that family members received money from foreign sources. He repeated his denial even after the release of financial transfer reports from his own administration showing millions transferred from China. Now, emails have emerged that show that Biden personally helped draft responses to the controversial deals in 2015 when he was Vice President. It also appears that Biden officials like former Biden Communications Director Kate Bedingfield knew of his role as the President continued to deny any involvement. Continue reading ““I Know Nothing, Nothing!” : The National Archives Just Torpedoed Biden’s Sgt. Schultz Defense” →

Free Speech, Media, Politics

Combating “Skepticism”: Federal Grant Funds New Effort to Combat “Misinformation”

We have been discussing a comprehensive effort by the Biden Administration to blacklist or censor citizens accused of “disinformation” or “misinformation.” This effort includes dozens of FBI agents and other agency employees who worked with social media companies to bar or suspend accounts.  It also included grants to academic and third party organizations to create blacklists or pressure advertisers to withdrew support for conservative sites. Now, another such grant through the National Science Foundation has been identified, which gave millions to professors to develop a misinformation fact-checking tool called “Course Correct.” The tool will help fight “skepticism” and reinforce “trust” in what the government and the programmers define as true or reliable viewpoints.

Continue reading “Combating “Skepticism”: Federal Grant Funds New Effort to Combat “Misinformation”” →

Criminal law, Lawyering, Media

Cohen v. Costello: Coming Soon to a Cable Show–and Courtroom–Near You
C-Span/YouTube Screenshot

Yesterday, I ran a column in USA Today on the unpalatable prospect of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg putting disbarred attorney Michael Cohen on the stand as his star witness in the case against former president Donald Trump. Given Cohen’s past lies and conduct, it will be a target rich environment for cross examination. As if on cue, Cohen just added another potential item for a withering cross: he denied any memory of a waiver of attorney-client privilege in a public tiff with Robert Costello. Continue reading “Cohen v. Costello: Coming Soon to a Cable Show–and Courtroom–Near You” →

Media, Politics

“That’s Not True”: President Biden Moves Toward the Evil Twin Family Defense

President Joe Biden has repeatedly denied that his family received money from China. He has also denied any knowledge of his son’s foreign dealings despite direct evidence to the contrary, including a recorded message from the President to Hunter referencing the deals. The White House has simply refused to address the recording or photographs contradicting the President. Now, there is confirmation that millions were sent from China and then money from a third-party account was distributed to at least three, and possibly four, Biden family members. However, when confronted with the evidence on the way to Marine One, the President again declared “that’s not true.” Given that these are suspicious activity reports (SARs) from Biden’s own Treasury Department, it is unclear now what the President is suggesting beyond the possibility of an evil twin Biden family that is besmirching his good name. Continue reading ““That’s Not True”: President Biden Moves Toward the Evil Twin Family Defense” →

Columns, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Media, Politics

Banking on Censorship: Sen. Kelly Becomes Latest Democrat to Suggest Censoring Views on Social Media

Below is my column in the New York Post on the suggested censorship of bank critics by Sen. Mark Kelly (D., Ariz.). It was only the latest example of how censorship has become a reflexive response of many Democrats to opposing views. It is now increasingly common for certain views to be declared as simply too dangerous to be tolerated or allowed on social media, including (it seems) questioning the solvency of banks.

Here is the column: Continue reading “Banking on Censorship: Sen. Kelly Becomes Latest Democrat to Suggest Censoring Views on Social Media” →

Free Speech, Media, Politics

Steve Forbes Assaulted at Book Signing Event

This month, we witnessed another assault on a public figure by an increasingly aggressive element of American politics. The book signing event was disrupted and Steve Forbes was assaulted by protesters who did not want others to be able to speak with or hear him. The fact that this was a literary event is particularly fitting given the effort of many to prevent free expression in our society. Ironically, the book is titled “Stolen Youth: How Radicals Are Erasing Innocence and Indoctrinating a Generation.” 

Continue reading “Steve Forbes Assaulted at Book Signing Event” →