Rep. Summer Lee (D., Pa.) has long been a voice for censorship, attacking those who seek to restore free speech on social media. Lee’s curious view of free speech was on display this week when she attacked witnesses, including Riley Gaines, as hateful and transphobic but then tried to censor Gaines when she responded to Lee’s attack as misogynistic. Lee withdrew the demand to take down the comments, though it captured the essence of how many on the left insist that they have a right to attack others but seek to censor those same individuals when they respond in kind. Continue reading ““Engaging in Personalities”: Rep. Summer Lee’s Curious View of Free Speech”
The parents of Holden Armenta have retained counsel and sent a retraction letter to Deadspin in moves that usually precede the filing of defamation actions. Armenta was the target of a vicious and false attack by Deadspin’s Carron J. Phillips. The writer has long been controversial, but Deadspin retained him. It could now come at a high cost, but the defamation action will face challenges. Continue reading “Deadspin Defamation: Parents of Holden Armenta Move Toward Libel Action Over Blackface Allegation”
Special Counsel David Weiss filed a blistering opposition to Hunter Biden’s request to subpoena former President Trump and other former officials in his ongoing federal trial. On Tuesday, Weiss felt it necessary to remind Hunter that his “father, Joseph R. Biden, is the President of the United States” and his administration brought these charges. This “Father Knows Best” argument suggests that Hunter needs to focus a bit closer to home. Continue reading “Father Knows Best: Special Counsel Slams Hunter Biden’s Subpoena Demand”
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has issued a warning that a story about its staff holding hostages in Gaza is possible “misinformation” and should be removed from the media. The UN has long supported censorship and we previously discussed how figures like World Health Organization (WHO) head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for such action to combat what he called the “infodemic” — a claim made as his own organization came under fire for its actions vis-a-vis China on the pandemic. Now UNRWA is raising possible defamation of the group. Indeed, the latest statement reads like a notice letter in a defamation case, but how serious is it? Continue reading ““Must Stop Immediately”: United Nations Declares UNRWA Terrorism Story “Misinformation””
Below is my column in the Hill on efforts to bar or limit voting in the primary and general presidential elections. What is so striking is how these distinctly anti-democratic actions are being taken in the name of democracy.
Here is the column: Continue reading “The Guardians of Democracy: Democrats Move to Protect Democracy from Itself”
We have been discussing the latest Irish law to crackdown on free speech. Yet, even with the criminalization of speech, there is apparently still the danger of citizens reading or hearing facts from reporters that are best kept from them. Thus, Kitty Holland, a correspondent with the Irish Times, is defending the media’s decision to suppress stories that would “incite hatred” and undermine journalistic viewpoints.
When hired by MSNBC as a legal analyst Andrew Weissmann, host Ari Melber explained that Weissmann is a “legend” while others heralded his insider perspective on cases. While many disagreed, Weissmann now has the inside scoop on a major defamation lawsuit in Washington, D.C. He is also the defendant. The controversial former aide to Special Counsel Robert Mueller (and NYU law professor) is being sued after declaring that attorney Stefan Passantino coached former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson to lie before Congress. Continue reading “The Case Against Andrew Weissmann: MSNBC Analyst and Mueller Aide Faces a Trump-Like Lawsuit”
Below is my column in The Messenger on the recent testimony of bankers in the Trump fraud trial. The testimony put the controversial demands of New York Attorney General James into sharp relief. The issue is not whether it is appropriate to fine businesses for under or over valuing property, but rather the nuclear option pursued by James in seeking effective dissolution of the company and a quarter of a billion dollars in penalities.
Here is the column:
Continue reading “The Curious Fraud Case Against Trump Just Got ‘Curiouser’”
We recently discussed the runaway grade inflation at Harvard where roughly 80 percent of grades were As. Now the Yale Daily News is reporting the same percentage of As. Indeed, the percentage is virtually identical. Harvard is handing out 79 percent agrees where Yale is apparently more rigorous at 78.9.The report is apparently an embarrassment to the university since the dean of Yale College said that professors are not adhering to guidelines for grading. Continue reading “Yale Awards 80 Percent of Grades in the A Range” 
As Stuart Smiley said on SNL’s Daily Affirmation, “De Nile ain’t just a river in Egypt.” Democrat Rep. Dan Goldman, a member of the House Weaponization of Government committee, caused yet another firestorm of controversy in declaring that the Hunter laptop may be a fake. Continue reading “Floating Down De Nile: Goldman Declares Hunter Biden Laptop May Be a Fake”
Over two years later, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas finally held a private meeting with the Border Patrol agents that he threw under the bus after they were falsely accused of whipping Haitain migrants near Del Rio, Texas. Continue reading “Politics is Never Having To Say You’re Sorry: Mayorkas Refuses to Apologize to Del Rio Agents”
We have previously discussed the growing anti-free speech movement in Ireland. As discussed in The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in the Age of Rage, these crackdowns on free speech tend to come with periods of public panic or anger. Anti-free speech advocates use such periods as opportunities to get the public to surrender this core right to government censors or prosecutors. Right on schedule, Ireland is now pushing one of the most chilling crackdowns to date. Continue reading “The Irish Government Moves to Crackdown on Free Speech After Anti-Immigration Riot”
F. Scott Fitzgerald once said that “the truest sign of intelligence is the ability to entertain two contradictory ideas simultaneously.” If so, Capitol Hill this week seems like a Mensa convention. Continue reading “Raskin Denounces Closed-Door Depositions Despite Conducting Closed-Door Depositions”
Below is my column in the New York Post on the confirmation that Hunter Biden will finally appear before Congress on December 13th. After years of delays and denials, Biden will now be faced with questions not from an enabling media but an investigating committee. While he once pledged to do “exactly what the Chairman wants,” he is about to face another chairman in James Comer who wants something that Hunter has previously refused to supply: answers.
Here is the column: Continue reading “Time’s Up: Hunter to Face a Moment of Truth Before the House Oversight Committee”