DOD ‘Wiped’ Phones of Senior Trump Officials—Jan. 6 Communications No Longer Accessible

Some senior Trump administration officials had their phones “wiped” by the Department of Defense (DOD) and the U.S. Army after the former president left office, meaning messages that were sent around the time of the Jan. 6 Capitol breach are no longer accessible, court filings show.

The DOD acknowledged that the phones belonging to former Pentagon officials had been wiped as part of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by American Oversight, a non-profit watchdog organization.

American Oversight had sought the communications that those officials had with Trump, former Vice President Pence, Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, or anyone communicating on their behalf on Jan. 6.

The watchdog group submitted the FOIA requests pertaining to the records on Jan. 12, 2021, six days after the breach of the Capitol building.

Specifically, FOIA requests sought communications from former acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller, former chief of staff Kash Patel, and former Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, Paul Ney, the Defense Department’s general counsel; and James E. McPherson, the Army’s general counsel.

However, in a court filing roughly a year after the request, the Army stated that “when an employee separates from DOD or Army he or she turns in the government issued phone, and the phone is wiped” and that “for those custodians no longer with the agency, the text messages were not preserved and therefore could not be searched.”

The court filing noted, however, that “it is possible that particular text messages could have been saved into other records systems such as email.”

Secret Service Swipe

The DOD’s admission in the filings creates further transparency issues regarding the Jan. 6 select committee’s investigation into the events of that day in 2021 and how the government responded.

It also comes shortly after it was revealed that U.S. Secret Service text messages sent on the day the breach had also been deleted.

A number of texts from secret service members from Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, “were erased as part of a device-replacement program,” Joseph Cuffari, the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general, told lawmakers in a July letter.

Last week, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and asked him to take control of the investigation into the missing DHS and Secret Service messages.

“It’s just astounding to believe that the agency did not understand the importance of preserving its records—particularly [with regards] to the top officials that might have captured: what they were doing when they were doing it, why they were doing, it on that day,” Heather Sawyer, executive director of American Oversight, told CNN.

The U.S. Army Public Affairs media relations chief, Col. Cathy Wilkinson, said in a statement to the news outlet: “It is our policy not to comment on ongoing litigation.”

In a statement to the Washington Examiner, the Defense Department also declined to comment “on pending litigation.”

American Oversight is now calling for an investigation into the DOD’s failure to preserve text messages and other communications from Jan. 6.

https://www.ntd.com/dod-wiped-phones-of-senior-trump-officials-jan-6-communications-no-longer-accessible_818801.html

Ukraine SitRep - On The Ground Report - Ukrainian Frontline Collapses

Below is a slightly edited machine translation of a piece which appeared yesterday on the Ukrainian side censor.net. The piece was promoted by Yuri Butusov, a well known Ukrainian military correspondent. It is originally a social media post by someone who was on the frontline in Pisky, immediately northwest of Donetsk city.

Context:

Over the last two to three months the Ukrainian side has used its positions in the vicinity of Donetsk city to more or less randomly shell the civilian population on the Russian affiliated side. After some serious protests the Russian military command agreed to launch a dedicated counter-artillery operation to shut down the deadly Ukrainian harassment.

Its daily 'clobber reports', here is yesterday's, have since included lines like these on nearly each and every day:

As part of counter-battery warfare 2 artillery batteries of Giatsint howitzers near Dzerzhinsk and Novhorodskoye, Donetsk People's Republic have been hit.

4 platoons of Grad MLRS and 9 artillery platoons at firing positions near Seversk, Kirovo, Artemovsk, Avdeevka, Peski, Orlovka, Shakhterskoye, Velikaya Novoselka in Donetsk People's Republic, Dobropolie in Zaporozhye Region, Shirokoye, Bereznevatoye in Nikolaev Region, Russkaya Lozovaya and Nortsovka in Kharkov Region.

The systematic counter-artillery campaign has seriously deteriorated the already rare Ukrainian fire power.

The Russian side has also changed the primary direction of its thrust from the northern front of the Sievierdonetsk-Lysichansk-Siversk direction to a push further south. The current offensive operation is concentrated north-west and west of Donetsk city in the direction of Avdivka. There is an envelope operation going on its north and south to surround that extremely heavily fortified town.

The red territory to the left of the red line marks parts of recent progress.

https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/08/ukraine-sitrep-on-the-ground-report-ukrainian-frontline-collapses.html

Reporting Issues Identified in the Middle of the Night in GOP Governor’s Race in Arizona

Another election another reporting issue – this time in the results of Arizona’s GOP Governor’s race.

After finding herself behind, despite being way ahead in polling leading up to the election, GOP Governor candidate Kari Lake finally burst into the lead late after midnight.

But something funny happened in the middle of the night in this race. At 2:40 am central time, NBC News was reporting that Candidate Karrin Robson was in the lead with 46.4% of the vote and 258,924 votes to Kari Lake’s 43.5% of the vote and 242,301 votes. This would have been 12:40 am in Phoenix.

You can see below the total votes per county in Arizona in the GOP Governor’s race at this time. Note it is 2:41 am central time.

The next minute, at 2:42 am central time, the vote changes and Kari Lake jumps into the lead with 45.2% of the vote and 274,337 votes to Robson’s 45.1% and 273,304 votes. Note also that NBC News is reporting that 99% of the expected vote is in. ‘Percent of total votes in’ didn’t change but the overall votes changed.

Another oddity is that the county votes did not change at this time. The county totals agree with the totals from moments earlier. For the total votes to change, the county votes would have to change as well but they didn’t. Only the total votes changed – the county totals stayed the same.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/08/exclusive-reporting-issues-identified-middle-night-gop-governors-race-arizona/

Biden Tests Positive For Covid AGAIN… Will Continue to Isolate

Why won’t the White House doctor answer questions from the press?

Joe Biden on Wednesday tested positive for the China Coronavirus AGAIN and will continue to isolate.

The White House doctor claimed Joe Biden, 79, is feeling well and actually ‘worked out’ this morning.

Right.

“This morning’s exam was conducted after the President finished a light workout, which he enjoyed,” Dr. O’Connor wrote. “He is still experiencing an occasional cough, but less frequently than yesterday. He remains fever-free and in good spirits.”

“His temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation remain entirely normal,” O’Connor added. “His lungs remain clear.”

“Given his rebound positivity which we reported Saturday, we continued daily monitoring. This morning, his SARS-CoV-2 antigen testing remained positive,” Dr. O’Connor also wrote.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/08/biden-tests-positive-covid-will-continue-isolate/

Leaked FBI doc labels ‘extremist’ Betsy Ross flag, 2nd Amendment, Gadsden Flag and more: report

An apparent internal FBI document that leaked Tuesday lists the Betsy Ross American flag, the Gadsden “Don’t Tread on Me” flag, symbols of the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, and other imagery as symbols of “Militia Violent Extremists” or MVEs.

The purported FBI documents were published by the undercover journalism organization Project Veritas, which said it obtained the document from a whistleblower in the FBI.

The document is labeled “Unclassified/Law Enforcement Sensitive” and contains the “FBI Internal Use Only” disclaimer. The document states “the following symbols are used by Anti-Government or Anti-Authority Violent Extremists, specifically Militia Violent Extremists.”

The document then lists the symbols:

Boogaloo: an American flag with an igloo replacing the 50 stars and a single Hawaiian-shirt patterned line. The term Boogaloo is a reference to the film Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo and appears to describe the possibility of a second American civil war.

Punisher Skulls

2A: the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms

Electrical Resistance Symbol

Anarcho-Capitalism

various symbols of “Warrior Culture”

Molon Labe: a phrase meaning “Come and take them,” which was popularized the Spartan King Leonidas at the Battle of Thermopylae, challenging the Persians to take away the weapons of his opposing army.

A black and white or all-black American flag

The document also lists “commonly referenced historical imagery or quotes” of MVEs, including:

The Gadsden Flag

American Revolutionary War Imagery

The Liberty Tree: referencing a famous elm tree in Boston where colonists organized in 1765 for one of the first major acts of defiance against British rule before the American Revolution.

The Betsy Ross Flag: an early variant of the American flag

“Widespread use of symbols and quotes from American history, especially the Revolutionary War, exists within MVE networks,” the document states/ “Historic and contemporary military themes are common for MVE symbols.”

The document also lists several common phrases and references to events or individuals shared by MVEs. Among those references is the death of Ashli Babbitt, a supporter of President Donald Trump who was shot and killed by a U.S. Capitol Police officer after she entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

https://americanmilitarynews.com/2022/08/leaked-fbi-doc-labels-extremist-betsy-ross-flag-2nd-amendment-gadsden-flag-and-more-report/

Russia Says Cooperation on HIMARS Strikes Means US Is ‘Directly Involved’ in Ukraine War

A Ukrainian official said there was consultation between US and Ukrainian officials before launching strikes

The Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday said Washington was “directly involved” in the war in Ukraine after a Ukrainian official detailed Kyiv’s cooperation with the US before launching strikes with US-provided HIMARS rockets.

Vadym Skibitsky, the deputy head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, told The Telegraph that Ukrainian officials consulted with US officials before launching HIMARS strikes and that the US has veto power over the attacks.

Skibitsky insisted that the US wasn’t providing “direct targeting information,” but suggested Ukraine was using satellite imagery provided by the US and Britain. “I can’t tell you whether [we are directly tasking] British and American satellites, but we have very good satellite imagery,” Skibitsky said.

Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, said that this cooperation “proves that contrary to the assurances by the White House and the Pentagon, Washington is directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine.”

The comments from the Russian Defense Ministry highlight the danger of the US’s deep involvement in the war, which risks provoking a response from Moscow. Russian officials have cited US military aid as a reason to push further into Ukrainian territory.

After Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, the US expanded intelligence sharing with Ukraine’s forces, and US officials have bragged to the media that this cooperation helped kill Russian generals and sink a Russian warship. Although the claims were not verified, the comments themselves were major provocations toward Moscow.

https://news.antiwar.com/2022/08/02/russia-says-cooperation-on-himars-strikes-means-us-is-directly-involved-in-ukraine-war/

Paul Pelosi pleads not guilty to DUI charges months after crashing Porsche in California

Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, faces two DUI charges for the May 28 crash

A lawyer for Paul Pelosi, the multimillionaire husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, appeared on his behalf in a Napa County, California, court for his arraignment on DUI charges Wednesday morning.

The attorney, Amanda Bevins, entered a plea of not guilty to both counts on her client’s behalf before Napa County Superior Court Judge Monique Langhorne.

Pelosi's 2021 Porsche and the other driver's 2014 Jeep sustained "major collision damage" in a crash around 10:17 p.m. on May 28, and responding officers found Pelosi in his driver’s seat in his damaged car near the intersection of California Route 29 and Oakville Cross Road.

He faces two misdemeanor charges, DUI causing injury and driving with a blood alcohol level of .08% causing injury.

Aimee McLeod, a deputy district attorney in Napa County, appeared for the prosecution.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/paul-pelosi-pleads-not-guilty-dui-charge-months-crashing-porsche-california

Canadian Vax Mandate Wasn't Based on Science, Court Says

According to court documents obtained by Common Sense, the Canadian mandate which prevented people from traveling in or out of the country unless they were vaccinated was not based on any particular scientific study.

Taken with the recent revelations from Dr. Deborah Birx that health officials knew the vaccine would not prevent infection, the picture being painted of public health agencies is not pretty.

The documents, under seal by court order, have been released thanks to the efforts of two Canadians who refused the vaccine and were unable to travel to Britain to visit loved ones. The documents reveal a decision-making process regarding the travel mandate that only wacko, left-wing, woke radicals could invent.

No one in the COVID Recovery unit, including Jennifer Little, the director-general, had any formal education in epidemiology, medicine or public health.

Little, who has an undergraduate degree in literature from the University of Toronto, testified that there were 20 people in the unit. When Presvelos asked her whether anyone in the unit had any professional experience in public health, she said there was one person, Monique St.-Laurent. According to St.-Laurent’s LinkedIn profile, she appears to be a civil servant who briefly worked for the Public Health Agency of Canada. St.-Laurent is not a doctor, Little said.

An email exchange between the Public Health Agency of Canada and Transport Canada shows the scramble to come up with any kind of a justification to impose the travel mandate.

“To the extent that updated data exist or that there is clearer evidence of the safety benefit of vaccination on the users or other stakeholders of the transportation system, it would be helpful to assist Transport Canada supporting its measures,” McCrorie wrote.

Four days later, on October 22, McCrorie emailed Lumley-Myllari again: “Our requirements come in on October 30”—in just over a week—”so need something fairly soon.”

On October 28, Lumley-Myllari replied to McCrorie with a series of bullet points outlining the benefits, generally speaking, of the Covid vaccine. She did not address McCrorie’s question about the transportation system, noting that the Public Health Agency of Canada was updating its “Public health considerations” with regard to vaccine mandates.

Two days later, on October 30, the travel mandate took effect.

It should be noted that the lack of scientific basis for imposing the mandate does not mean there isn’t evidence that vaccines offer some protection against serious disease. They do, as the evidence is overwhelming that, for those in vulnerable populations, the vaccines are effective at keeping people out of hospitals and saving lives.

But Transport Canada was justifying its mandate based on the idea that vaccines would reduce the number of infections — something that obviously hasn’t happened.

The next COVID wave is upon us, and masks have become all the rage again. And people will continue to get sick, vaccine or no vaccine, mask or not. It’s a silly dance in which the government is just noticing that they’re the only ones moving.

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/rick-moran/2022/08/03/canadian-vax-mandate-wasnt-based-on-science-court-says-n1618018

Corporations' profits soaring as inflation skyrockets and real wages fall, report reveals

There are fresh calls for big business to rein in their big or "supernormal" profits in order to provide low wage earners some desperately needed household budget relief.

Key points:

Big oil and gas companies almost doubled their profits in six months

An interim report shows the productivity growth that drives real wages is at a 60-year low

Some experts say the lack of wage growth is symptomatic of a broken industrial relations system

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) wants businesses to share a great portion of their profits with their workforce.

The latest national accounts show Australian companies are taking a record share of company earnings in the form of profits.

The latest profit results from Shell, Chevron, Exxon Mobil and BP show record half-yearly earnings.

Half-yearly profits for all companies together had almost doubled to $US55.2 billion ($79.6 billion), up from $US28.7 billion for the same period last year, the ACTU noted.

"These energy giants are posting staggering profits while fuelling our cost-of-living crisis," ACTU president Michele O'Neil says.

"Their shareholders are pocketing billions while working people are wondering how on Earth they can afford to fill up their car or heat their homes.

"The big oil and gas companies booked super windfall profits while Australian taxpayers have subsidised the bowser price of petrol.

"It's time that big businesses do their part to address the cost-of-living crisis gripping Australians right now.

"If the bargaining system was working the way it is supposed to, workers' standard of living wouldn't be hit as hard by big increases in power, gas and petrol prices."

Productivity first, according to businesses

Business groups argue that for real wages to lift, worker productivity needs to lift.

The Productivity Commission's interim report confirms that the productivity growth that drives real wages is languishing at 60-year lows, Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott says.

"This challenge is monumental because it is productivity that has overwhelmingly driven better living standards and higher wages for Australians since Federation.

But labour market economists say there should be less focus on the trend in the rate of productivity growth and more attention given to the difference between wage growth and productivity.

Figures from the Centre for Future Work, part of progressive the think tank The Australia Institute, show productivity growth has beaten wages growth for over a decade.

That should, in theory, mean a higher rate of pay growth for workers.

A line char shows productivity rising far above wages

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-03/skyrocketing-inflation-falling-wages-profits-grow/101297376

As Taiwan Warns Chinese "Maritime & Aerial Blockade" Ensuing, Pelosi Says Real Issue Is 'I'm A Woman'

Update(1545ET): During Nancy Pelosi's brief visit to the self-ruled island of Taiwan, China's government issued an alert telling commercial airlines to avoid airspace near Taiwan as it kicked off live military drills that essentially choked off maritime areas surrounding the island - drills coming even within 12 nautical miles of the Taiwan coast (conventionally considered "terrotorial waters"). State-run Xinhua also reported that China is conducing joint Navy, Air Force and rocket drills just off Taiwan. And more ominously Global Times said the PLA is preparing to send rockets over the island of Taiwan. As also Axios recapped:

The alert describing six areas in the region as "danger zones" notifies airlines of flight restrictions due to the military exercises from Thursday at 12 noon until 12 noon Sunday Hong Kong time, per Bloomberg, as officials in Japan also expressed alarm at Beijing's plans.

China's government also moved to block imports of citrus fruits and frozen mackerel from Taiwan in retaliation for Pelosi's trip, AP reports.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry described the latest PLA actions as essentially a "maritime and aerial blockade." Meanwhile, Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson observes that "48 Chinese military aircraft, mostly fighter jets, have now buzzed Taiwan over the past two days." A little less than half of these were reported by Taiwan's defense ministry as having crossed the "median line" - which it should be recalled Chinese state mouthpiece Global Times said has now ceased to exist.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/pelosi-departs-taiwan-after-president-tsai-bestowed-highest-medal-china-preps-largest

Biden Signs Executive Order Targeting Abortion

President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order that he says will allow for more abortion access, coming weeks after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

“Today’s Executive Order builds on the first Executive Order that I signed last month to safeguard access to … abortion care,” he wrote on Twitter. “I told you I wouldn’t back down. That hasn’t changed.”

Biden’s executive order directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to “consider action to advance access” to abortion services, including via Medicaid for women who travel out of state to obtain one, according to the White Hose.

The order also asks HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to consider “all appropriate actions” to ensure that health providers follow federal laws so people can “receive medically necessary care without delay,” referring to abortions.

“These actions could include providing technical assistance for health care providers who may be confused or unsure of their obligations in the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs; convening providers to convey information on their obligations and the potential consequences of non-compliance; and issuing additional guidance or taking other appropriate action in response to any complaints or reports of non-compliance with federal non-discrimination laws,” the White House statement said.

The president signed the executive order while in isolation after his doctor said Wednesday that he again tested positive for COVID-19 in the morning.

Wednesday’s executive order comes just a day after the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit targeting an Idaho law that bans most abortions. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a press briefing that the Idaho law violates the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act that he says allows providers to give medically stabilizing treatment during an emergency.

“If a patient comes into the emergency room with a medical emergency jeopardizing the patient’s life or health, hospitals must provide the treatment necessary to stabilize that patient,” Garland said. “This includes abortion, and that is the necessary treatment.”

The lawsuit appears to be the first of many targeting states that have laws restricting abortions.

“That is what we are doing, and that is what we will continue to do,” the attorney general added on Tuesday. “We will use every tool at our disposal to ensure that pregnant women get the emergency medical treatment to which they are entitled under federal law.”

Democrats and the White House have signaled they view abortion as a key issue to promote ahead of the 2022 midterms as Biden faces declining poll numbers. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Biden said in a speech that people who are concerned should vote for candidates who back the procedure, which some religious groups and conservatives say is killing.

In a majority ruling overturning Roe, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito argued the Constitution doesn’t make any reference to abortion. He also argued that it should be up to individual states to decide on whether abortion is legalized or not.

Following the ruling, the Department of Homeland Security warned of increasing violence against government officials and judges. Officials in Maryland arrested a man outside the home of Justice Brett Kavanaugh for plotting to kill the justice days before the decision to overturn Roe was handed down by the high court.

https://www.ntd.com/biden-signs-executive-order-targeting-abortion_819039.html

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/03/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-at-the-first-meeting-of-the-task-force-on-reproductive-healthcare-access-2/

Republican Congresswoman Jackie Walorski Killed in Car Crash in Indiana

Nappanee, Indiana – Republican Congresswoman Jackie Walorski was killed in a car crash on Wednesday.

Four people total were killed in the crash, according to police.

ABC 57 reported:

Four people died in a crash at SR 19 and SR 119 near Nappanee Wednesday afternoon. According to police, one of the victims was US Rep. Jackie Walorski.

The crash happened at 12:32 p.m. Wednesday between two vehicles near the intersection of SR 19 and SR 119.

Three people in an SUV were killed in the crash, including Walorski, Zachery Potts and Emma Thompson.

The sole occupant of the other vehicle involved in the crash was also pronounced dead at the scene.

She has been identified as 56-year old Edith Schmucker of Nappanee.

Walorski has represented District 2 since 2012.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/08/breaking-republican-congresswoman-jackie-walorski-killed-car-crash-indiana/