Warnock admits to signing email with false information about Georgia voting law

Georgia senator claims provisions were still under consideration when email was approved

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., admitted to signing off on false information in a third-party advocacy group's email that went out about the Georgia voting law after it passed.

The Washington Post flagged an email Warnock signed from the liberal nonprofit 3.14 Action as an example of Democratic misinformation about the sweeping Georgia voting reforms, as it claimed the new law restricted weekend early voting and ended no-excuse mail voting.

"Sen. Raphael G. Warnock, one of two new Democratic senators representing Georgia, signed an email sent out by the advocacy group 3.14 Action after the law passed, which claimed it ended no-excuse mail voting and restricted early voting on the weekends — also early proposals that did not become law," the Post reported.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/warnock-admits-email-false-information-georgia-voting

HOUTHI DRONES ATTACKED ARAMCO REFINERIES, ‘SENSITIVE MILITARY SITES’ IN SAUDI ARABIA

On April 12, the Houthis (as Ansar Allah is also known) claimed that they had launched 17 drones and two ballistic missiles on the territory of Saudi Arabia.

According to the Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari, their explosive-laden drones successfully targeted Saudi Aramco sites in the eastern oil terminal of Jubail and the western city of Jeddah late on April 11.

Saudi officials, nor Aramco have not commented on the attack, yet.

The Houthis also claimed that they targeted military sites near the Saudi southwestern towns of Jazan and Khamis Mushait.

In its turn, Saudi Ekhbariya TV the Kingdom military intercepted several armed drones and at least one ballistic missile launched toward the Jazan area.

A day before, the Houthis announced that two Qasef-2K drones had been launched at Jizan Regional Airport in the province of Jizan and King Khalid Air Base in the province of ‘Asir. The drones targeted warplanes shelters.

Since the beginning of April, the Yemeni group has significantly stepped up their drone attacks on Saudi Arabia. They are targeting important Saudi military facilities, as well as Aramco installations on a regular basis. They also use suicide drones to disturb the aerial operations of the Saudi-led coalition over Yemen.

Saudi Arabia has no means to protect strategically important military sites in its territory, nor to gain any success on the ground in Yemen.

https://southfront.org/houthi-drones-attacked-aramco-refineries-sensitive-military-sites-in-saudi-arabia/

Appeals Court Hearing: Pelosi/Schiff Argue Congress Can Secretly Subpoena Phone Records of Citizens

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch today released a transcript of the March 24 oral argument before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit challenging a lower court ruling upholding the secrecy of controversial secretly-issued congressional subpoenas for phone records by Rep. Adam Schiff, Chairman of the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, relating to the impeachment of President Trump. The appeals court hearing came after a lower court ruling in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, Judicial Watch v. v Adam Schiff and U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (No. 1:19-03790)), requesting subpoenas issued by the Committee on or about September 30, 2019.

The Judicial Watch lawsuit sought the controversial impeachment-related subpoenas for phone records, including those of Rudy Giuliani, President Trump’s lawyer. Schiff and the Committee are being represented by the Office of General Counsel for the House of Representatives.

The phone records led to the publication of the private phone records of Giuliani, Congressman Devin Nunes, journalist John Solomon, Trump attorney Jay Sekulow, attorney Victoria Toensing, and other American citizens.

Schiff and the Committee claim “sovereign immunity;” “Speech or Debate Clause” privilege; immunity from FOIA and transparency law; that the records are secret; and that Judicial Watch and public do not need to see them. Judicial Watch is appealing a lower court decision suggested that Schiff and the House have “absolute” immunity from inquiries about the subpoenas.

Judicial Watch senior attorney James Peterson argued to the three-judge panel:

This case is about shedding light on unprecedented and illegitimate congressional subpoenas. The extraordinary subpoenas at issue represent a supposedly unlimited government surveillance power and an unlimited ability by Congress to, at their whim, to invade the privacy of any American.

https://www.judicialwatch.org/press-releases/congress-subpoena-phone-records/

Zuckerberg group gave Detroit $7.4 million to 'dramatically' expand vote in city key to Biden win

The Center for Tech and Civic Life's donations to blue strongholds are attracting increased attention, controversy.

The Center for Tech and Civil Life (CTCL), a voter advocacy group funded by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, donated $7.4 million last year to Detroit to, among other things, "dramatically expand strategic voter education and outreach" in a blue city key to Joe Biden's 2020 election win, according to memos obtained by Just the News under an open records request.

Detroit received three grants in 2020 from CTCL for $200,000, $3,512,000, and $3,724,450, according to the records released under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

The amount augmented by more than half the city's $13 million election budget, and dwarfed it the $6.3 million in grants that CTCL gave five Wisconsin cities, a series of donations that has generated accusations that private money was wrongly used to influence state and local election judges and administrators.

The reach of Zuckerburg's money has created a backlash in some GOP states like Georgia and Arizona, where lawmakers have moved since November to ban private money from being donated to election administrators.

Phill Kline, head of the nonprofit Amistad Project, which has contested private financing of election administration in several states, said the Detroit memos show another instance in which Zuckerberg money was allowed to influence a key battleground during the 2020 election.

"The records obtained in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan show the Zuckerberg monies were used to buy off government officials dictating the manner in which the election was conducted and using government to target Democrat strongholds to turn out the vote for Mr. Biden," Kline said. "Such action is wrong, unlawful and dramatically undermined the integrity of the 2020 election. We must not let a shadow government run our elections to the benefit of favored candidates and political parties."

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/zuckerbergs-group-gave-whopping-74-million-detroit-expand-voting-city-key

Hammer-Wielding Intruders Attack Hong Kong Epoch Times Printing Press

Four intruders barged into the printing plant of the Hong Kong edition of The Epoch Times in the early hours of April 12, damaging computers and printing equipment. The attack is believed to be the latest effort by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to silence The Epoch Times.

In an attack on the same facility in November 2019, four masked men set fire to two printing presses. The perpetrators behind the arson attack have remained at large.

Cheryl Ng, a spokeswoman for the Hong Kong edition, said the intrusion was characteristic of the CCP and had the aim of silencing an independent outlet from reporting on topics that are taboo to the communist regime.

Ng condemned the attack and said it was a crime against Hong Kong’s freedom of speech.

The Epoch Times, one of the few independent media outlets in Hong Kong, is known for its uncensored coverage of China, including political infighting within the CCP, the regime’s human rights violations against ethnic minorities and religious groups, and Beijing’s propaganda and influence operations abroad.

The Hong Kong edition has also provided extensive independent coverage of the city’s pro-democracy movement, which started in June 2019 but subsided in July last year when Beijing imposed a draconian national security law on the China-ruled city. The law has further stripped away Hong Kong’s dwindling autonomy, in particular the city’s press freedom.

https://www.ntd.com/hammer-wielding-intruders-damage-hong-kong-epoch-times-printing-press_595780.html

Biden Administration Officials Sued by Arizona AG Over Immigration Executive Orders

The office of Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich is filing a lawsuit against White House and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials over allegedly harmful immigration orders, and is now asking a court to void President Joe Biden’s executive actions to halt the construction of the border wall and reversing the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy.

Brnovich is arguing in court (pdf) that those orders have violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires federal agencies like the DHS to weigh environmental considerations before taking any significant federal action.

The DHS and federal officials, however, did not provide environmental impact statements or environmental assessments after the agency stopped construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall and started permitting entry to illegal immigrants after ending the Migrant Protection Protocols, the Remain in Mexico policy that was started under the Trump administration, according to Brnovich’s office.

“It’s the pinnacle of hypocrisy for the Biden Administration to claim it wants to protect our environment, while not enforcing federal statutes that are specifically designed for that purpose,” the Republican attorney general said in a statement Monday. “We’re not going to sit idly by as the Biden Administration ignores real harms to our state resulting from its heavy-handed executive orders.”

https://www.ntd.com/biden-administration-officials-sued-by-arizona-ag-over-immigration-executive-orders_595873.html

New Hampshire Governor SIGNS SB 43 INTO LAW! – Mandates Audit of Windham’s Fraudulent 2020 Election Results!

UPDATE— This is breaking news — via activist and reporter Ken Eyring at Granite Grok —

The Windham Act SB 43 was SIGNED INTO LAW Today!

Governor Chris Sununu signed the bill into law on Monday!

From the Governor’s Desk:

Concord, NH – Today, Governor Chris Sununu issued the following statement after signing SB 43 into law, authorizing an audit of the Rockingham County District 7 state representative race.

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“New Hampshire elections are safe, secure, and reliable,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “Out of the hundreds of thousands of ballots cast this last year, we saw only very minor, isolated issues — which is proof our system works. This bill will help us audit an isolated incident in Windham and keep the integrity of our system intact.”

The New Hampshire Senate voted 24-0 to pass the bill last Friday and sent it to Governor Sununu’s desk for signing.

In a HUGE WIN for We, the People, and for New Hampshire election integrity, the NH Senate voted 24-0 just minutes ago to concur with the House amended version of SB43. This Bill was championed by Senator Bob Giuda and will validate election integrity in our state by mandating a forensic audit on Windham’s 11/3/20 general election ballots and voting machines as configured on November 3, 2020.

The forensic audit will determine the huge discrepancy between the election day results and subsequent recount of Windham’s November 3, 2020 State Rep. race where a difference of 1,363 total votes from just 10,006 ballots was uncovered.

New Hampshire lawmakers were scheduled to vote on the Windham Amendment SB43 this week.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/04/breaking-new-hampshire-governor-signs-sb-43-law-mandates-audit-windhams-fraudulent-2020-election-results/

Biden Calls For 'Peaceful Protest' Following Police Shooting Of Black Man In Minneapolis Suburb

Update (1520ET): President Biden weighed in on Monday to the shooting death of a black man in a Minneapolis suburb, after the police chief said he believed the officer involved accidentally used a gun instead of a taser.

"I think we've got to wait and see what the investigation shows. The entire investigation. You've all watched, I assume as I did, the… body cam, which is fairly graphic," said Biden, adding: "The question is: Was it an accident, was it intentional? That remains to be determined by a full blown investigation."

"But in the meantime, I want to make it clear again: There is absolutely no justification, none, for looting. No justification for violence; peaceful protest is understandable," he said.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/graphic-police-say-minnesota-officer-who-shot-black-suspect-accidentally-grabbed-gun

Paul Kelly denies government dropped the ball on Moderna contract as Australians cancel vaccine appointments

Australia’s top doctor has denied the government bungled its vaccine negotiations as a number of Aussies cancel appointments.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/paul-kelly-denies-government-dropped-the-ball-on-moderna-contract/news-story/dc1d165ad8f90430c03aff92f88a41f9

Australian State Media

Former defence minister Christopher Pyne warns of potential war with China in the Indo-Pacific region

The chances of a war in the Indo-Pacific region involving China are rising sharply, according to former defence minister Christopher Pyne, who warned Taiwan was most likely the next flashpoint.

Key points:

Mr Pyne said the likelihood of a "kinetic war" in the Indo-Pacific was now much higher than when he first served as minister for defence industry

He also pointed to Beijing's recent actions, such as taking control of Hong Kong and staring down criticism of its treatment of ethnic Uyghurs, to highlight the growing threat posed by the Chinese military

Earlier this month, a senior American diplomat confirmed Australia and the United States were discussing contingency plans in case a military conflict erupts over Taiwan

In an address to the University of Adelaide, the long-serving Liberal politician told graduating students "the strategic posture of the People's Republic of China is not as benign as it was", and is causing discomfort to the United States and its allies.

"The reality is that China is confident and capable and is not embarrassed to show it," he warned students on Monday.

Mr Pyne, who stepped down as defence minister in 2019, said the likelihood of a "kinetic war" in the Indo-Pacific was now much higher than when he first served as minister for defence industry.

"Five years ago, I would've said that the possibility was very unlikely, now I would have to say that the possibility is more likely than it was then," he said.

"Not a cyber war, but a real one involving loss of life, destruction of military platforms, with aggressors and defenders on different sides.

“This isn’t rhetoric, this is something that you and I may well have to confront in the next 5 to 10 years”

Since leaving politics Mr Pyne has drawn criticism for his work as a lobbyist on behalf of various defence companies in Australia but delivered the graduation oration to the University of Adelaide Law School on Monday, where he outlined China's rapid rise as a military power.

"While the United States still accounts for one in every two dollars spent on the military in the world, a staggering statistic, China's published defence spend will be $US210 billion in 2021," he said.

"China's military is very capable in an asymmetric war against the US and its allies around the island chains of the western Indo-Pacific and South East Asia — Australia is one of those allies."

Avoiding war 'our paramount defence and foreign policy priority'

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-12/christopher-pyne-potential-conflict-china-politics/100064226

Johnson & Johnson's one-dose COVID-19 vaccine won't be coming to Australia

Johnson & Johnson's one-dose vaccine will not be part of Australia's vaccine rollout, at least for now, after the federal government confirmed it would not purchased any doses from the company.

Key points:

The federal government had been in talks with Johnson & Johnson about potentially acquiring its vaccine

The vaccine is similar to the AstraZeneca vaccine

Australia has deals in place with Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Novavax

The vaccine is being widely used in the United States and has the advantage of only requiring one dose, unlike the Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna alternatives which all require two doses.

The federal government had been in talks with the global pharmaceutical giant about potentially acquiring its vaccine, and the company had previously submitted an application to the Therapeutic Goods Administration for provisional registration.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is based on similar technology to the AstraZeneca vaccine.

RECAP: Look back on the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic.

A spokesperson for Health Minister Greg Hunt said those similarities were the reason the federal government had decided against pursuing the option any further.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-13/johnson-johnson-covid-19-vaccine-australia/100064454