DonnyFerguson.com
“Do right and risk the consequences.” - Sam Houston
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
In this issue:
THE LIBERAL AGENDA
>>> Senators demand Biden drop scheme to have 87,000 new IRS agents surveil the bank account of every American with more than $600
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
>>> IMF rigged data to boost Communist China in global economic report while asking Beijing for funds
>>> Senators warn Biden to drop possibly illegal plan for military cooperation with Putin
COVID NEWS
>>> McConnell gets COVID booster: ‘I followed the advice of experts and my doctors’
GREEN SCHEMES
>>> Radical Biden scheme makes pickups, passenger cars unaffordable for most Americans
JUSTICE
>>> In wake of #FreeBritney senators to hold hearings on toxic conservatorships
>>> Workers file joint Supreme Court petition after government union bosses illegally seize dues
OFF TO THE RACES
>>> Pa. Senate candidate Conor Lamb caught telling liberals he only pretends to be moderate because he represents Trump district
>>> Huffines endorsed by co-founder of Urban Conservatives of America
>>> Huffines condemns Abbott for encouraging early abortions in Texas
>>> Huffines calls for conservative priorities to be added to third special session
THE LIBERAL AGENDA
>>> Senators demand Biden drop scheme to have 87,000 new IRS agents surveil the bank account of every American with more than $600
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.); Mike Crapo (R-Idaho.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Finance; Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; and fellow Senate Republicans, including every Republican member of the Senate Committee on Finance and Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, today urged Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to abandon the Biden administration’s unprecedented proposal to expand the reporting of the private, confidential financial data of law-abiding Americans from financial institutions to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The administration’s proposal would force financial institutions to report customer information such as gross inflow and outflow information and transaction information directly to the IRS.
“This proposal represents a radical departure from existing reporting requirements associated with national security and actual taxable events,” the senators wrote. “Placing more requirements on financial institutions would not only adversely affect these institutions and their customers – who ultimately pay the price for compliance costs – but it would also inundate the IRS with layers of new paperwork and taxpayer data that is either redundant or irrelevant to improving federal tax compliance, as account inflows and outflows are not taxable events. Simply flooding the IRS with more data and burdening taxpayers, financial institutions, and already overwhelmed IRS service centers with more paperwork is of questionable value, especially when the IRS does not effectively use data already in its possession.”
“We appreciate the letter from Senator Thune and his colleagues, and it highlights many of the concerns we are hearing about this misguided proposal from bank customers,” said Rob Nichols, president and CEO of the American Bankers Association. “This plan would force banks to develop a costly new system to provide private financial data on almost every taxpayer to the IRS, not just those suspected of cheating on their taxes. It’s not clear the IRS could even process and protect all that information. Perhaps most troubling of all, it risks driving people away from the banking system and all the economic benefits that come from having a bank account. We urge Congress to reject this bad idea.”
“An ICBA poll conducted by Morning Consult found 67% of voters oppose requiring financial institutions to report customer account information to the IRS, while consumers are speaking with more than 400,000 messages to their members Congress in opposition,” said Rebeca Romero Rainey, president and CEO of the Independent Community Bankers of America. “The IRS reporting proposal is an invasion of consumers’ privacy, a violation of Americans’ due process, a data security risk amid the agency’s ongoing tax return leak investigation, and a threat to bipartisan efforts to reduce the unbanked population by driving more Americans out of the banking system and toward predatory lenders.
“This proposal is deeply concerning for America’s credit unions and their 120 million members,” said Jim Nussle, president and CEO of the Credit Union National Association. “Not only would the regulatory burden create an outsized impact on credit unions serving rural communities, but it raises serious privacy concerns for every consumer in the country. From the massive 2014 data breach at the Office of Personnel Management to this year’s IRS leak of federal tax returns, the federal government’s checkered history of warehousing personal data underscores the dangerous impracticality of this policy proposal.”
The letter was also signed by Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark,), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn), John Hoeven (R- N.D.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Michael Rounds (R-S.D.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).
Full text of the letter below:
Senator Charles E. Schumer
Senate Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Leader Schumer:
Congress is currently considering a variety of proposals to address the tax gap and improve federal tax compliance. The tax gap – the difference between taxes owed and paid – has been a stubborn problem for decades. While we should pursue bipartisan measures to reduce the tax gap and better enforce our tax laws, we write to highlight our concern about the Biden administration’s proposal to expand the reporting of private, confidential taxpayer information from financial institutions to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Though the details of the legislation being negotiated by congressional Democrats remain unclear because Republicans continue to be boxed out of the process, one of the misguided proposals embedded within President Biden’s American Families Plan would violate law-abiding taxpayers’ privacy and place onerous new reporting requirements on financial institutions. Specifically, this proposal would require banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions to report financial account information to the IRS for nearly all of their customers – including gross inflow and outflow information, and possibly transaction information.
This troubling proposal would create serious privacy concerns for American taxpayers. In addition, it would be unreasonably burdensome for financial institutions across the nation, particularly those community financial institutions serving families and small businesses across America.
Contrary to claims that this proposal would only provide a “distinct benefit” to already compliant taxpayers, this proposal would compromise the privacy of an inordinate number of law-abiding Americans whose confidential financial information would be sent by their financial institution directly to the IRS. As you know, the IRS faces approximately 1.4 billion attempted cyberattacks each year, and just a few months ago the private returns of thousands of taxpayers were obtained and leaked to the public by ProPublica – a serious information security lapse about which the agency has still not provided any useful information to Congress.
Given the IRS’ troubling record of failing to protect certain confidential taxpayer information and abusing its authority, specifically the targeting of conservative political groups, this proposal would undermine trust in the financial system and, in turn, reduce financial inclusion. The most recent FDIC survey shows that the second most common reason unbanked households lack a bank account is that they do not trust banks. Approximately one quarter of all taxpayers do not trust the IRS to protect their tax account records or to fairly enforce the tax laws. Giving the IRS access to additional confidential financial information would only compound existing mistrust and drive more people out of the financial system and away from access to regulated financial products.
This proposal also represents a radical departure from existing reporting requirements associated with national security and actual taxable events. Placing more requirements on financial institutions would not only adversely affect these institutions and their customers – who ultimately pay the price for compliance costs– but it would also inundate the IRS with layers of new paperwork and taxpayer data that is either redundant or irrelevant to improving federal tax compliance, as account inflows and outflows are not taxable events. Simply flooding the IRS with more data and burdening taxpayers, financial institutions, and already overwhelmed IRS service centers with more paperwork is of questionable value, especially when the IRS does not effectively use data already in its possession.
Furthermore, although the Biden administration has claimed the financial reporting proposal would not lead to increases in audit rates for those with income under $400,000, it has not provided any plausible reason to believe that assertion. On the contrary, past experience indicates the brunt of costs imposed on compliant taxpayers would fall on low- and middle-income households and businesses with incomes well below $400,000, not on “billionaires” and “tax cheats,” as the administration’s political messaging suggests.
For these reasons, we reiterate our strong opposition to the inclusion of these new IRS reporting requirements on financial institutions. It is a misguided and privacy-invasive proposal, and its consideration is nothing more than an attempt to find a way to pay for a fraction of this irresponsible spending bill currently under consideration.
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
>>> IMF rigged data to boost Communist China in global economic report while asking Beijing for funds
U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today sent a letter to President Joe Biden expressing concerns regarding the recent findings by an independent investigation that Kristalina Georgieva, former World Bank CEO and current Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), pressured staff to distort data to increase China’s 2018 ranking in the World Bank’s annual “Doing Business” report. The report, produced by the law firm Wilmer Hale, found that Georgieva directed staff to artificially inflate the ranking while the World Bank was actively courting Beijing to raise funds for its General Capital Increase.
“Given how critical it is that this data be and be seen as unimpeachable, these allegations are deeply disturbing,” the senators wrote. “At face value, the seriousness of the allegations that Ms. Georgieva would risk the integrity of both the data and the Bank to cater to the Chinese Government is hard to overstate. The impact these allegations could have on the strength and reputation of our international financial institutions and the Bretton Woods system are still unknown – but surely they will not be good.”
Full copy of the letter:
Dear Mr. President,
I write today concerning the recent findings of an independent investigation that then-World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva, who currently serves as Managing Director of the IMF, pressured staff to distort data to increase China’s 2018 ranking in the World Bank’s annual “Doing Business” report. Given how critical it is that this data be and be seen as unimpeachable, these allegations are deeply disturbing.
The report, produced by the law firm Wilmer-Hale, found that Ms. Georgieva directed staff to alter established report methodology to artificially inflate China’s ranking at the same time the World Bank was actively courting China to raise funds for their General Capital Increase. The report implies that Ms. Georgieva pressured staff to ensure an improved “Doing Business” score to secure China’s support for a positive outcome in the capital increase talks.
At face value, the seriousness of the allegations that Ms. Georgieva would risk the integrity of both the data and the Bank to cater to the Chinese Government is hard to overstate. The impact these allegations could have on the strength and reputation of our international financial institutions and the Bretton Woods system are still unknown—but surely they will not be good. An immediate casualty appears to be the “Doing Business” report itself. The World Bank has told our staff that is has suspended the report indefinitely. As you know, certain U.S. aid programs reference the “Doing Business” report, such as the Millennium Challenge Corporation as part of its compact development methodology.
While Ms. Georgieva has stated that she “fundamentally disagrees with the findings and interpretations,” she has not provided any evidence to dispute them. Given the nature of the allegations it is imperative that there is immediate and full transparency and cooperation from the World Bank, the IMF, and most importantly, Ms. Georgieva.
I urge you to direct the Treasury Department to do their due diligence with all due haste and, as necessary, ensure full accountability.
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>>> Senators warn Biden to drop possibly illegal plan for military cooperation with Putin
U.S. Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin regarding reports that the Biden Administration is in discussions with the Russian Federation to secure access to regional military installations in Central Asian countries.
“We are deeply troubled to learn from press reports that your administration is in discussions with the Russian Federation to secure access to Russian military installations in Central Asian countries and potentially engage in some form of military cooperation on counterterrorism with the Russians,” wrote the members. “Inviting Russia into discussions will not further vital U.S. counterterrorism goals, nor is it the path to the ‘stable and predictable’ relationship with Russia the Biden Administration claims it wants.”
“Any attempt to coordinate military basing access or operations with the Russian Federation risks violating the legal prohibition on U.S.-Russian military cooperation,” the members continued. “As the United States and our NATO Allies have repeatedly asserted since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014, until Russia demonstrates compliance with international law and its international obligations and responsibilities, there can be no return to ‘business as usual.’”
Full text of the letter:
Dear Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin,
We are deeply troubled to learn from press reports that your administration is in discussions with the Russian Federation to secure access to Russian military installations in Central Asian countries and potentially engage in some form of military cooperation on counterterrorism with the Russians. Inviting Russia into discussions will not further vital U.S. counterterrorism goals, nor is it the path to the “stable and predictable” relationship with Russia the Biden Administration claims it wants.
To the contrary, as we learned from the Obama Administration’s efforts to work with Russia on counterterrorism issues as part of its failed “reset” policy, Russia is more concerned with collecting intelligence on the U.S. and our allies than it is sharing information on terrorist threats. In Syria, Russia is not, as it claims, waging a war on ISIS and international terrorism, but rather propping up the brutal Assad regime in partnership with Iran and its terrorist proxies. Prior to our chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, Russia had long provided support, including weapons, to enable the Taliban in their campaign against the United States and our NATO allies and partners. At home, the Kremlin has pointed to counterterrorism cooperation with the West to legitimize its scorched-earth operations in Chechnya. Moreover, as the Putin regime continues to misuse its domestic laws on “extremist organizations” to crackdown on its opponents, a U.S. policy to work with Moscow on combatting terrorism would send an unfortunate signal to the brave Russian activists fighting for democratic values and human rights at home.
Any attempt to coordinate military basing access or operations with the Russian Federation risks violating the legal prohibition on U.S.-Russian military cooperation. Specifically, Section 1232 of the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 114-328), as amended by Section 1231 of the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 116-283), prohibits the use of funds to support U.S.-Russian military-to-military cooperation unless Russia has ended its aggression and occupation of Ukrainian territory and is abiding by the terms of the Minsk Protocols regarding the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine. Given Russia has clearly not met these conditions, our efforts should remain focused on effective de-confliction, and not extend to military-to-military cooperation on counterterrorism.
In order to ensure the administration is both adequately addressing the threats emanating from Afghanistan that may endanger the homeland in reportedly as little as one year and is compliant with the laws governing U.S.-Russian military cooperation, we respectfully request an immediate briefing on:
1. Any negotiations, agreements, arrangements, proposals or other coordination on counterterrorism in South and Central Asia involving the Biden Administration as well as Russian government and military.
2. Gen. Mark Milley’s meeting with Chief of Russian General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov on September 22, 2021.
3. The Biden Administration’s revised counterterrorism plan, including efforts to secure third country agreements with Afghanistan’s neighbors for basing, ISR and strike capabilities.
4. The Biden Administration’s diplomatic and military engagement with Afghanistan’s neighbors regarding U.S. counterterrorism goals.
As the United States and our NATO Allies have repeatedly asserted since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014, until Russia demonstrates compliance with international law and its international obligations and responsibilities, there can be no return to “business as usual.”
We look forward to your response.
# # # #
COVID NEWS
>>> McConnell gets COVID booster: ‘I followed the advice of experts and my doctors’
U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding COVID:
“I’m glad to share that a few minutes ago, I received a booster vaccination for COVID-19.
“All throughout the pandemic, I’ve followed the best advice from experts and especially from my own healthcare providers. It was an easy decision to receive a booster.
“I am a survivor of childhood polio from before vaccines eradicated that disease here in our country and around the world. So I have been a lifelong champion of vaccinations.
“Mountains of evidence tell us these shots are safe, effective, and dramatically shrink the odds of severe disease or death from COVID.
“Like I’ve been saying for months: These safe and effective vaccines are the way to defend ourselves and our families from this terrible virus. They’re also how we stay on offense against COVID as a country.
“All Americans should speak with their doctors and get vaccinated.”
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GREEN SCHEMES
>>> Radical Biden scheme makes pickups, passenger cars unaffordable for most Americans
Americans for Prosperity (AFP) submitted public comments outlining its opposition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule to revise existing greenhouse gas emissions standards for light-duty vehicles for 2023 and later model years. These new burdensome vehicle regulations would reduce affordability for passenger vehicles, replace consumer preferences with politically preferred technology and fuels, and ultimately harm the least fortunate – while doing little, if anything, to improve the environment. The EPA estimates the cost of the revised rule to be $150 billion through 2050, making this the Biden administration’s most expensive proposed rule to date.
Click Here for AFP Comments on Revised 2023 and Later Model Year Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions
AFP Regulations Policy Analyst Abigale Tardif issued the following statement:
“Increasing the price of a new vehicle by $1,044 at a time when Americans are already facing skyrocketing costs on everything we buy is completely unnecessary and disproportionately harmful for the least fortunate. This new rule would make life more expensive for Americans but do little, if anything, to improve the environment. States that have adopted similar vehicle emission standards have proven less effective in actually reducing emissions compared to states that have embraced a bottom-up approach to energy policy. The path to a healthier environment does not require punishing people with economic pain – it’s the opposite.”
# # # #
JUSTICE
>>> In wake of #FreeBritney senators to hold hearings on toxic conservatorships
U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chairman of the committee, will hold a hearing on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at 2:30 PM titled "Toxic Conservatorships: The Need for Reform."
Upon announcing this hearing, Sen. Cruz said:
"Conservatorship abuse has come to the forefront of a political, pop culture, and civil rights conversation like never before in America. Britney Spears' conservatorship has shown fundamental liberties can be taken away with little opportunity for legal recourse. The threshold for a conservatorship should be incredibly high to protect the civil liberties of Americans while still ensuring the safety and security of individuals who cannot care for themselves. I look forward to shining a light on this issue tomorrow with a bipartisan conversation in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing along with my colleague Sen. Blumenthal."
Sen. Blumenthal added:
"This hearing will examine harmful, restrictive conservatorships that far too often deny people due process and strip them of their rights to make legal, financial, and even personal decisions. The brave decision by Britney Spears to speak out and fight back has shown the world how harmful these legal arrangements can be. Sadly, her case is far from an isolated incident. I look forward to hearing from experts and a former subject of a conservatorship to explore how we can bring transparency, accountability, and overall reform to a system that is rife with abuse."
Conservatorships, also referred to as guardianships in many states, are legal arrangements that occur when a person is determined to have a diminished capacity to make decisions about personal affairs or property management. The arrangements allow a court to transfer the individual's right to make decisions to a conservator or guardian, with some of the most commonly affected groups including the elder, disability, and youth communities.
Under the current conservatorship system, these legal arrangements often leave individuals deprived of some or all of their legal rights and can lead to social issues such as helplessness and stigmatization. The broad agreements also bring up troubling due process concerns, as ending or amending conservatorship arrangements remain very rare.
Recently, conservatorship concerns have been brought to the forefront with documentaries and reporting focusing on Britney Spears, who was forced into a conservatorship in 2008. Under her conservatorship, there have been reports Spears has been isolated from her family and friends, financially exploited, spied upon, medicated against her will, and even denied access to her own children.
Spears was originally forced into the conservatorship while still in the hospital after being involuntarily hospitalized the day before. Since 2008, there have not been consistent check-ins to reevaluate the conservatorship, the psychiatrist who originally provided the declaration for her lack of mental fitness has said he, "did not know why she still has a conservatorship," and it is clear her father Jamie and other members of her team have a financial incentive to keep Spears in the arrangement.
The hearing will include testimony from:
Nick Clouse, former subject of a conservatorship following a traumatic brain injury
Morgan Whitlatch, Legal Director at Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities;
Zoe Brennan-Krohn, Staff Attorney at the ACLU Disability Rights Project;
Dr. Clarissa Kripke, Professor of Family Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine; and
David Slayton, Vice President of Court Consulting Services at the National Center for State Courts.
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>>> Workers file joint Supreme Court petition after government union bosses illegally seize dues
A petition for certiorari was filed at the United States Supreme Court late last week for workers in four separate lawsuits brought against unions whose officials refuse to return forced union fees seized from the government workers’ paychecks in violation of the First Amendment.
The cases were all filed with free legal representation from National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation staff attorneys, with two filed in partnership with attorneys at the Freedom Foundation.
The lawsuits together could enable thousands of public sector employees to obtain refunds of millions of dollars in union dues seized before the Supreme Court’s 2018 Janus v. AFSCME decision. In Janus, the High Court ruled it a First Amendment violation to collect union dues or fees from public sector workers’ paychecks without their affirmative consent.
The Janus ruling made it clear that public employees must affirmatively consent to union payments. The Court stated in its opinion that union officials had been “on notice” since the National Right to Work Foundation-won Knox v. SEIU case in 2012 that forced union dues in the public sector likely violated the First Amendment.
The petition was filed for public sector workers in California and Oregon. It combines suits filed by William Hough, a worker at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, William D. Brice, a professor at California State University Dominguez Hills, and two suits filed by groups of Oregon state employees. The petitions argue that longstanding precedent allows victims of First Amendment violations to sue for damages or restitution. They argue public sector workers across the country who were forced to pay union dues in violation of the First Amendment deserve to be refunded.
Appellate courts ruled against the workers in each of the four lawsuits. The workers’ attorneys argue in the Supreme Court petition that the lower courts improperly imposed their own views by creating an exception for union bosses in the name of “equality and fairness” that absolved them of their obligation to repay the victims of their First Amendment violations. The petition asks the Court to reject that reasoning:
Lower courts should not be permitted to manipulate constitutional claims to predetermine the outcome of cases based on what they think is good policy or fair to the violators of constitutional rights. The Court should thus reject the proposition that courts can engage in judicial gerrymandering by granting a good faith defense based on “equality and fairness” to the violators of the First Amendment that leave the victims with no remedy.
Another class action National Right to Work Foundation lawsuit filed for government workers in Illinois who seek refunds of union dues seized in violation of Janus is fully briefed and is scheduled for consideration at the Justices’ conference next week.
“For decades, union bosses dipped into the paychecks of many workers who were not union members and used their money to finance activities those workers fiercely opposed,” said National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation President Mark Mix. “They continued seizing dues despite workers’ pleas and warnings from the Supreme Court that their actions were likely unconstitutional. Because of the statute of limitations, a ruling in these workers’ favor would only force union bosses to return a small portion of the billions of dollars nationwide they unlawfully stole from public employees’ paychecks.”
“The Supreme Court must not allow the lower courts to shield union bosses from accountability for years of violations. The Court should promptly take up these cases, and provide relief to the millions of public sector workers whose rights union bosses callously violated for years,” Mix added.
“The Supreme Court did not create a government employee’s First Amendment right not to be forced to fund a union as a condition of employment,” said Eric Stahlfeld, Freedom Foundation’s Chief Litigation Counsel. “Rather, the Court affirmed in Janus v. AFSCME what it had been signaling to unions in three previous cases starting with Knox,that the right had always existed and simply needed to be recognized. The Ninth Circuit claims it has sided with the unions in ‘good faith’, but if ignoring multiple Supreme Court rulings is operating in good faith, we’d hate to see what the Ninth Circuit considers bad faith.”
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OFF TO THE RACES
>>> Pa. Senate candidate Conor Lamb caught telling liberals he only pretends to be moderate because he represents Trump district
Now that Conor Lamb is looking for a promotion and looking to win a primary that is full of extreme progressive liberals, he is talking to extreme progressive liberal groups in Pennsylvania. Yesterday, he spoke at a ‘Meet the Candidate Senate Series’ hosted by the Progressives of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Some members of this group were representing Pennsylvania Indivisible.
When asked directly about his so-called moderate positions, he admitted to being a fake moderate.
Question: “Some people believe that your views and your votes are more conservative than most Democrats… It may not be what’s needed to appeal to the Democrats for the Senate race…Can you discuss how your views have evolved and how your votes in the past will be predictive of future votes?”
Answer: “When I was representing a district that Trump won by 19 points that can’t help but rub off on you a little bit. So, if some of my votes ended up looking different than colleagues of mine who are in D+19 as opposed to R+19 districts. That’s almost inevitable.”
People seem to forget that thus far in 2021, Lamb has voted with a majority of his fellow Democrats 99% of the time and voted with Nancy Pelosi 100% of the time.
Statement from NRSC Spokeswoman Lizzie Litzow: “Conor Lamb says it’s ‘inevitable’ that he had to be a fake moderate. It’s also INEVITABLE that he and other Democrat candidates in Pennsylvania are running as far to the Left as possible in the Senate race. That will hurt their chances in a general election because Pennsylvanians don’t need or want socialists running their state.”
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>>> Huffines endorsed by co-founder of Urban Conservatives of America
Shawn Scott, grassroots leader and co-founder of Urban Conservatives of America, announced her support for Don Huffines for Governor of Texas.
Scott stated:
“Don Huffines has proven to be a leader. He has proven he cares about the rights of Texans. Greg Abbott has proven to be all talk and no action. I believe Don Huffines is the best man for the job. He will lower our property taxes. He will protect our borders. And, he will stand for life.”
Huffines responded:
“It is exciting to see Texans from all walks of life and from all areas of the state getting behind our campaign’s conservative message. Texans understand that government’s rightful role is always to protect our God-given liberties. When we recognize that, we can solve the real challenges we face. My team and I are grateful to have Shawn Scott fighting with us for a more conservative future for Texans.”
Don Huffines is a proud fifth-generation Texan, husband, father, grandfather, and self-made entrepreneur. A committed conservative, Huffines is fighting to safeguard Texans’ elections, phase out property taxes, and secure the border once and for all. Huffines is challenging Gov. Greg Abbott from the right in the Texas Republican primary. Texans deserve leadership. No excuses.
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>>> Huffines condemns Abbott for encouraging early abortions in Texas
At a Monday press conference in Tyler, TX, Greg Abbott encouraged abortion during the first six weeks of pregnancy, making it abundantly clear he feels women still have plenty of time to end the lives of their unborn children under the Texas Heartbeat Act. Conservative Republican candidate for governor Don Huffines condemned Abbott for advocating for abortion.
Huffines issued the following statement:
“The pro-life response should always be to acknowledge the human value of all unborn children, and today Greg Abbott fell short of that very clear standard. It is disgusting to watch our governor tout his pro-life credentials while advocating for women to get abortions in the first six weeks of pregnancy.”
Huffines further added:
“Texans are proud of the Texas Heartbeat Act because any action to further protect unborn life moves Texas closer to where we need to be. Life begins at conception and any action taken to terminate the life of an unborn child is murder. Abortion is murder. We must end abortion entirely and prosecute those who participate in it. Texans deserve an actual pro-life governor who is committed to this mission, not a coward who encourages abortion.”
Don Huffines is a proud fifth-generation Texan, husband, father, grandfather, and self-made entrepreneur. A committed conservative, Huffines is fighting to safeguard Texans’ elections, phase out property taxes, and secure the border once and for all. Huffines is challenging Gov. Greg Abbott from the right in the Texas Republican primary. Texans deserve leadership. No excuses.
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>>> Huffines calls for conservative priorities to be added to third special session
After a 140-day regular session and two 30-day special sessions, the Texas Legislature has still failed to pass many of the key conservative reforms Texas voters elected them to pass. Accordingly, conservative candidate for governor Don Huffines is calling for conservative priorities to be added to the third special session.
Huffines issued the following statement:
“Texans elected Republicans to statewide office and sent strong Republican majorities to the Texas Legislature so they could pass Republican policy priorities into law. Sadly, many important issues for our state remain unaddressed. As Greg Abbott reconvenes the Texas Legislature he must task them with passing additional conservative priorities.”
Among the many issues Huffines is calling on the Texas Legislature to address the following issues are:
Abolish Abortion: Pass legislation to abolish abortion entirely in Texas and outlaw the termination of the life of an unborn child.
Property Tax Relief for all Texans: Pass legislation providing lasting serious and substantial property tax relief for all Texas property owners.
Quorum Reform: Pass legislation reforming the quorum requirements of the Texas Legislature and punishing lawmakers who left the state during previous special sessions.
Prohibiting Mask Mandates: Pass legislation prohibiting local governments, including public colleges and universities, from imposing mask mandates or requiring COVID tests.
Prohibiting Vaccine Passports: Pass legislation prohibiting all entities, public and private, from requiring COVID vaccination as a condition of employment or obtaining service. Additionally, pass legislation directing state health authorities to create a state-based COVID-19 safety standard based on scientific data and respect for the rights and liberties of Texans.
Local Government Pre-Emption: Pass legislation pre-empting local governments from imposing regulations relating to the practices of private businesses.
Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying: Pass legislation banning taxpayer-funded lobbying by all governmental entities in Texas.
School Choice for All: Pass legislation to empower parents and guardians to choose from public, private, charter, or homeschool options for their children’s education using tax credits or exemptions without government restraint or intrusion.
End the Automatic Collection of Labor Union Dues: Pass legislation ending the automatic collection of labor union dues by all governmental entities in Texas.
Protecting the Texas Grid: Pass legislation eliminating all state-based subsidies for wind and solar energy. Additionally, pursue necessary reforms to promote the integrity of the state’s electrical grid.
Emergency Powers Reform: Pass legislation reforming the Texas Disaster Act and restricting the power of the executive branch.
End Corporate Welfare: Pass legislation to abolish the Texas Enterprise Fund, Texas Major Events Trust Fund, other funds, and dedicate all savings to property tax relief.
Huffines further added:
“Republican activists have been waiting for the Texas Legislature to pass legislation on these important issues for years only to watch their lawmakers prioritize growing government and listening to lobbyists. It is time for the people’s priorities to take precedence once again. Any legislation the Texas Legislature fails to pass will be an emergency item under my administration.”
Don Huffines is a proud fifth-generation Texan, husband, father, grandfather, and self-made entrepreneur. A committed conservative, Huffines is fighting to safeguard Texans’ elections, phase out property taxes, and secure the border once and for all. Huffines is challenging Gov. Greg Abbott from the right in the Texas Republican primary. Texans deserve leadership. No excuses.
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