Plea Deal Rejected For Couple Accused Of Selling Nuclear Submarine Secrets

A federal judge on Aug. 16 rejected a plea deal for a U.S. Navy nuclear engineer and his wife who are accused of attempting to sell U.S. submarine secrets to a foreign government.

Jonathan, 42, and Diana Toebbe, 45, from Annapolis, Maryland were arrested by the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) in October 2021 during a string operation and charged with one count of “conspiracy to communicate restricted data” and two counts of the “communication of restricted data.”

Prosecutors alleged that the couple had sold “restricted data” for nearly a year to an individual they believed was a representative of a foreign government. The data concerned the design of nuclear-powered warships.

However, the individual they were attempting to sell the information to was actually an undercover FBI agent.

The couple pleaded guilty in February in federal court in Martinsburg, West Virginia, to one count each of conspiracy to communicate restricted data as part of plea deals that saw two counts of communication of restricted data dropped.

Under the plea agreement, Diana Toebbe would serve no more than three years in federal prison while Jonathan Toebbe would spend between roughly 12 years and 17 years behind bars.

However, on Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Gina Groh of the Northern District of West Virginia rejected those plea deals, stating that they were “not in the best interest” of the country.

The judge said the couples’ actions were done “for selfish and greedy reasons” but could have caused great harm to the Navy and others.

“Counsel, it’s not in the best interest of this community or, in fact, this country to accept these plea agreements,” Groh said. “Therefore, I’m rejecting them. I don’t find any justifiable reasons for accepting either one of these plea agreements.”

As a result of Groh’s decision, the Toebbe’s separately withdrew their guilty pleas and Groh set a new trial date for Jan. 17.

Unrestricted Access to Nuclear Data

Jonathan Toebbe, a nuclear Navy engineer who was assigned to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, also known as Naval Reactors, held an active national security clearance through the U.S. Department of Defense, meaning he was able to access restricted data regarding reactors for nuclear-powered warships.

According to prosecutors, the FBI became involved in the couple’s scheme after an agent obtained a package intended for a foreign entity that contained a sample of restricted data along with instructions on how to establish a way to purchase further restricted data.

Prosecutors said the package contained U.S. Navy documents, a letter with instructions, and an SD card containing specific instructions on how the recipient should communicate with the Toebbes via an encrypted communication platform.

“I apologize for this poor translation into your language. Please forward this letter to your military intelligence agency,” the letter with instructions stated, according to prosecutors. “I believe this information will be of great value to your nation,” it added.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/plea-deal-rejected-couple-accused-selling-nuclear-submarine-secrets

Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act "Secretly" Brought To You By Bill Gates

"Gates looks back at the new law with satisfaction. He achieved what he set out to do…"

The Democrats' "Inflation Reduction Act" - which according to the Congressional Budget Office will raise taxes on the middle class to the tune of $20 billion - not to mention unleash an army of IRS agents on working class Americans over the next decade, was made possible by Bill Gates and (in smaller part) Larry Summers, who have been known to hang out together.

The bill, of course, was signed yesterday.

In a Tuesday Bloomberg article that reads more like a newsletter for the Gates fan club, the billionaire Microsoft co-founder recalls how earlier this year, as moderate Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema continued to block the tax-and-spend legislation over concerns that it would raise taxes on the middle class (it will), Gates says he tapped into a relationship with Manchin that he'd been cultivating since at least 2019.

Gates was banking on more than just his trademark optimism about addressing climate change and other seemingly intractable problems that have been his focus since stepping down as Microsoft’s chief executive two decades ago. As he revealed to Bloomberg Green, he has quietly lobbied Manchin and other senators, starting before President Joe Biden had won the White House, in anticipation of a rare moment in which heavy federal spending might be secured for the clean-energy transition.

Those discussions gave him reason to believe the senator from West Virginia would come through for the climate — and he was willing to continue pressing the case himself until the very end. “The last month people felt like, OK, we tried, we're done, it failed,” Gates said. “I believed it was a unique opportunity.” So he tapped into a relationship with Manchin that he’d cultivated for at least three years. “We were able to talk even at a time when he felt people weren’t listening.” -Bloomberg

We know, gag us with a spoon.

Apparently Gates and Manchin's bromance began when the billionaire wooed the West Virgina Senator at a 2019 meal in Seattle, in an effort to garner support for clean-energy policy. Manchin at the time was the senior-most Democrat on the energy committee.

"My dialogue with Joe has been going on for quite a while," said Gates.

After Manchin walked (again) on the bill last December over concerns that it would exacerbate the national debt, inflation, the pandemic, and amid geopolitical uncertainty with Russia, Gates jumped into action. A few weeks later, he met with Manchin and his wife, Gayle Conelly Manchin, at a DC restaurant, where they talked about what West Virginia needed. Manchin understandably wanted to preserve jobs at the center of the US coal industry, while Gates suggested that coal plant workers could simply swap over to nuclear plants - such as those from Gates' TerraPower.

Manchin apparently wasn't convinced, announcing on Feb. 1 that "Build Back Better" (the Inflation Reduction Act's previous iteration) was "dead."

"I don’t want to take credit for what went on," says Gates - in the article about how he gets credit for what went on.

https://thefreethoughtproject.com/the-state/joe-bidens-inflation-reduction-act-secretly-brought-to-you-by-bill-gates

Top Senator: New Whistleblower Information Reveals ‘Political Infection’ Within the FBI

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said allegations from FBI whistleblowers show there is a “political infection” within the bureau following the agency’s unprecedented raid on former President Donald Trump’s Florida home.

In a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Grassley demanded information about alleged bias among high-ranking officials.

“Starting on May 31, 2022, I’ve written three letters to you regarding political bias that has infected the FBI’s Washington Field Office,” Grassley wrote in the letter this week.

“Two of those letters provided specific and credible allegations based on numerous whistleblowers that have approached my office with information that one can only conclude is indicative of a deeply rooted political infection that has spread to investigative activity into former President Trump and Hunter Biden,” he added, referring to President Joe Biden’s son.

The letter said that the FBI approved an investigation into Trump’s campaign but simultaneously “shut down investigative activity and sources, which included verified and verifiable information, relating to Hunter Biden,” as reported by Fox News.

Later, the senator wrote he wants to see an organizational breakdown of the Washington Field Office to see who is staffed and responsible for the investigations.

“As you are aware, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Thibault is not the only politically biased FBI agent at the Washington Field Office,” Grassley wrote.

Previously, Thibault was flagged by Grassley for sharing a Twitter post calling Trump “a psychologically broken, embittered, and deeply unhappy man.”

Earlier this month and in previous letters, Grassley singled out Thibault, accusing him of potentially violating federal laws and rules established by the FBI. He alleged there is evidence Thibault had partisan bias when handling investigations into the Trump campaign and Hunter Biden.

“Whistleblowers have reported to me, that although the FBI and Justice Department maintain policies dictating specific standards requiring substantial factual predication to initiate an investigation, Thibault and other Justice Department and FBI employees failed to comply with these requirements,” he wrote, adding that the agent has “since been referred to the Office of Special Counsel for potential Hatch Act violations.”

https://www.ntd.com/top-senator-new-whistleblower-information-reveals-political-infection-within-the-fbi_826930.html

Facebook bans ‘Libs of TikTok’ after Boston children’s hospital gets threats

The right-leaning social media account “Libs of TikTok” said it has been suspended by Facebook after staffers at Boston Children’s Hospital reportedly got threats following a post that alleged the hospital was providing hysterectomies to minors.

“Facebook just suspended our account. No reason given,” Libs of TikTok tweeted on Wednesday, sharing a screenshot indicating that the account “didn’t follow our Community Standards.”

The Post has reached out to Libs of TikTok, Facebook’s parent company, Meta, and Boston Children’s Hospital seeking comment.

On Aug. 11, Libs of TikTok shared a video showing Dr. Frances Grimstad, a gynecologist and obstetrician at Boston Children’s Hospital, speaking about “gender-affirming hysterectomies.”

In the promotional half-minute video, Grimstad describes the procedure, which is “the removal of the uterus, cervix, and fallopian tubes” as well as, in some cases, the removal of ovaries.

Boston Children’s Hospital touts itself as the nation’s first pediatric hospital that established an adolescent transgender health program. The medical community has come under fire from conservatives over gender-affirming care provided to young people.

The tweet by Libs of TikTok accused the hospital of offering up these procedures for “young girls” — which many on Twitter assumed to mean minors.

In a post on its Substack blog, Libs of TikTok claimed that the hospital “supports castrating kids and I have evidence,” adding that it “had a full menu of castration and mutilation options for minors to choose from.”

Libs ofTikTok also shared a link to a story from conservative media outlets accusing the hospital of “promoting surgeries to youth on their YouTube page,” including “vaginoplasty on 17 year olds” and possibly younger girls as well.

Libs of TikTok’s Twitter followers responded with outrage.

“This is monstrous,” tweeted Stephen Miller, a former Trump administration adviser.

“How does anyone involved in this still have a medical license?”

Since the post by Libs of TikTok, doctors and staffers at Boston Children’s Hospital have reportedly been deluged with threats, according to the Boston Globe.

The hospital told the Globe that it “has been the target of a large volume of hostile internet activity, phone calls, and harassing emails including threats of violence toward our clinicians and staff.”

“We are deeply concerned by these attacks on our clinicians and staff fueled by misinformation and a lack of understanding and respect for our transgender community,” the hospital said in a statement.

Libs of TikTok was also accused of promoting a false claim — that the hospital was performing hysterectomies on minors.

The hospital said on its website that operations involving the removal of sex organs aren’t done on patients younger than 18 years of age.

https://nypost.com/2022/08/18/facebook-bans-libs-of-tiktok-after-boston-childrens-hospital-gets-threats/

Facebook Tightens Moderation Policies to ‘Safeguard’ 2022 Midterms

Meta invests a huge amount to protect elections online — not just during election periods but at all times. We spent approximately $5 billion on safety and security last year alone, and have hundreds of people dedicated to this work permanently embedded across more than 40 teams. With each major election around the world — including national elections this year in France and the Philippines — we incorporate the lessons we learn to help stay ahead of emerging threats.

https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2022/08/18/facebook-tightens-moderation-policies-to-safeguard-2022-midterms/

https://about.fb.com/news/2022/08/meta-plans-for-2022-us-midterms/

Judge Blocks Texas Restrictions On Using P.O. Boxes For Voter Registration

Some 5,000 Texans who used a P.O. box as a voter registration address will likely be able to cast a ballot in the state’s midterm elections after a federal judge blocked a 2021 state election law.

Senate Bill 1111 attempted to tighten residency guidelines for Texas voters, but was struck down this month by U.S. District Court Judge Lee Yeakel, an appointee under former president George W. Bush.

Yeakel, who presides over the Austin Division for the Western District of Texas, found in a summary judgement that the state used vague language in the election law and parts of it failed constitutional scrutiny.

Texas’ Attorney General Ken Paxton appealed the decision last week to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, according to State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who authored the election bill.

“There is no one that can live inside a P.O. box,” Bettencourt pointed out in a statement earlier this month.

Bettencourt told The Epoch Times he was disappointed in the decision against a “common-sense voter integrity bill.”

The bill required people registering to vote with a P.O. box to show proof of address such as a driver’s license or utility bill.

Some 5,000 people were registered to vote in Harris County alone using a P.O. box in 2020, Bettencourt said.

As of this month, the number is around 4,800 because some of the records were processed before the law was blocked.

The actual number using P.O. boxes to register statewide would make the total higher, he added, saying he expects the number could climb before voter registration ends in October without the law.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/judge-blocks-texas-restrictions-using-po-boxes-voter-registration

COVID vaccine trials document birth defects, lost pregnancies, FOIA requests reveal

Federal inspector general faults National Institutes of Health for not consistently posting clinical trial results.

Moderna trial records FDA FOIA.pdf

https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2022-08/Moderna%20trial%20records%20FDA%20FOIA.pdf

More than a year and a half after Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines received U.S. emergency use authorization (EUA), the public is learning about negative clinical trial results related to pregnancy from Freedom of Information Act requests.

A crowdsourced review project led by deplatformed feminist Naomi Wolf discovered 22 of 50 pregnant women who took Pfizer's vaccine lost their pregnancies, which the company attributed to unnamed "other" causes than vaccination.

Meanwhile trial documents for Moderna's vaccine just obtained by Just the News reveal birth defects in some offspring of female rats given the vaccine.

"mRNA-1273-related variations in skeletal examination included statistically significant increases in the number of F1 rats with 1 or more wavy ribs and 1 or more rib nodules," says the toxicology section near the end of the 699-page FOIA production, provided to Just the News. "Wavy ribs appeared in 6 fetuses and 4 litters with a fetal prevalence of 4.03% and a litter prevalence of 18.2%. Rib nodules appeared in 5 of those 6 fetuses."

While it claimed skeletal variations are "structural changes that do not impact development or function of a developing embryo," Moderna acknowledged the connection to the vaccine. "Maternal toxicity in the form of clinical observations was observed for 5 days following the last dose ([gestation day] 13), correlating with the most sensitive period for rib development in rats (GDs 14 to 17)."

These findings directly contradict the FDA's claim in its Moderna Spikevax approval that the study found "no vaccine-related fetal malformations or variations and no adverse effect on postnatal development," according to a granular review in TrialSiteNews last month by Sasha Latypova.

Her bio says she's a former pharmaceutical executive with 25 years' experience in clinical trials and regulatory approvals who has interacted with the FDA through a consortium on "improving cardiac safety assessments in clinical trials."

The FDA has not responded to Just the News queries about the Pfizer and Moderna trial documents.

Scrutiny of clinical trials is also coming from inside the government. This week the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General faulted the National Institutes of Health for not ensuring requirements were met in federally funded trials.

In more than half of the 72 trials whose results were required to be posted on ClinicalTrials.gov in calendar year 2019 or 2020, the IG found results were either not submitted at all (25) or late (12). Half each were conducted internally and externally, with outside scientists faring worse than NIH scientists on compliance.

The agency not only "took limited enforcement action when there was noncompliance" but kept funding "new research of responsible parties that had not submitted the results of their completed clinical trials," the report said. Failure to timely post trial results deprives healthcare providers, patients and researchers of important information, "including information on adverse events."

Stanford medical professor Jay Bhattacharya, coauthor of the anti-lockdown Great Barrington Declaration, explained the importance of the database to "Just the News Not Noise." Negative trial results don't get published in journals, "so when the NIH doesn't follow the rule, essentially, it's painting an incomplete, biased picture" of what taxpayer money is supporting, he said.

https://justthenews.com/government/federal-agencies/covid-vaccine-trials-document-birth-defects-lost-pregnancies-foia

Secret Service withheld Pelosi threat from Capitol Police until Jan. 6 riot was underway: watchdog

The Secret Service did not inform Capitol Police about a threat made against Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot until after the attack was underway, according to a watchdog group.

https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/3606328-secret-service-withheld-pelosi-threat-from-capitol-police-until-jan-6-riot-was-underway-watchdog/

Kiev using Zaporozhye plant to commit nuclear blackmail, warns diplomat

Maria Zakharova noted that in this way the Ukrainian authorities are not just blackmailing one country or a specific political entity, but the entire European continent

The Kiev regime's preparations to carry out a high-profile provocation at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant during UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ visit to Ukraine is nuclear blackmail, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a Solovyov Live TV broadcast on Thursday.

"This is not just a provocation, this is what we condemned as nuclear blackmail. And what else is it but a long standing provocation around a nuclear facility, a direct threat to nuclear power. This is certainly an act of nuclear blackmail," she stressed.

Zakharova noted that in this way the Ukrainian authorities are not just blackmailing one country or a specific political entity, but the entire European continent. "We are talking about nuclear energy, the whole European continent is being held hostage because this is all in the heart of Europe," she added.

"Today, science has already shown us that consequences of man-made disasters, and different tragedies at nuclear facilities have no boundaries, they only have time limits. Only time can limit the spread of these consequences," the diplomat concluded.

https://tass.com/politics/1495145