Sabotage derails another train in Russia

Damage to the railroad track in Ukraine-bordering Bryansk Region has caused a train crash

A freight train with some 20 cars and an engine derailed on Tuesday outside the city of Bryansk, in a Russian region near the northern border of Ukraine. Authorities have blamed the incident on “interference by unauthorized persons in the work of railway transport.”

According to local media, an explosion damaged the tracks near the Snezhetskaya station, located southeast of Bryansk city. A freight train was transiting the non-electrified portion of the line at the time. Russian Railways said the incident happened at around 7:47pm local time.

Preliminary reports did not indicate any casualties. First responders have been dispatched to the scene, along with recovery equipment, the railway company said.

This is the second instance of railway sabotage in Bryansk Region this week. On Monday, a portion of the track was blown up near Unecha, closer to the border with Ukraine. A freight train derailed and caught fire as a result. Snezhetskaya, where Tuesday’s incident took place, is about 120 kilometers away from the border.

Ukrainian forces have stepped up artillery attacks and sabotage on Russian territory this week, possibly in connection with the much-heralded offensive prepared with the help of NATO. Four civilians were killed and two wounded in a rocket attack on the border village of Suzemka in Bryansk on Monday. Multiple artillery attacks were also reported in Kherson, Zaporozhye and Donetsk regions.

On Tuesday, the deputy police chief of Melitopol in Zaporozhye was injured when a bomb planted at the gate of his house went off. Later in the day, Russian security services detained three people suspected of killing another police official last week.

https://www.rt.com/russia/575676-bryansk-train-sabotage-derail/

Stew Peters: Tucker Fired For Outing Ray Epps? Gov. Desantis Guts Freedom Of Speech In Israel! Biolab In Sudan!

https://rumble.com/v2lijk0-live-tucker-fired-for-outing-ray-epps-desantis-guts-freedom-of-speech-in-is.html

Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre Who Was Asked by Former Arizona Attorney General to Investigate and Prosecute Katie Hobbs on Felony Charges Pled Guilty to EXTREME DUI Earlier This Year

Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre was arrested earlier this year and pled guilty to Extreme DUI with a blood alcohol content of .2, over twice the legal limit, when he was pulled over and arrested.

Remember, in March 2022, The Gateway Pundit reported that former Attorney General Mark Brnovich delegated his powers to Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre to enforce criminal action against former Secretary of State Katie Hobbs for shutting down the online candidate petition portal and intentionally violating the law.

Arizona is a zero-tolerance state for DUIs. He should have known better.

Over one year later, the investigation into Hobbs is still ongoing. As The Gateway Pundit reported yesterday, now-questionably elected Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs is reportedly still under criminal investigation by the illegitimate Arizona Attorney General, Kris Mayes.

This stems from an investigation by former Attorney General Mark Brnovich into Hobbs for illegally shutting down the E-Qual candidate petition portal and disenfranchising Primary Election candidates.

But now, the illegitimate Attorney General, who was fraudulently installed by Katie Hobbs, is allegedly investigating Katie Hobbs’ criminal election interference.

Kris Mayes was installed by 280 votes after a recount of votes in rural Pinal County found hundreds of votes were wrongfully discarded.

However, The Gateway Pundit previously reported that Hobbs’ and her lawyers delayed the recount results, which found hundreds of new votes for Abe Hamadeh, from being presented in court before Abe’s lawsuit against Hobbs and Kris Mayes was dismissed. They knew the recount results were flawed and hid it from the judge.

It is unclear whether County Attorney McIntyre, a so-called Republican, ever took the incomplete investigation seriously, to begin with. Perhaps he was too weak to enforce the law.

But now, Arizona has a sham investigation led by an illegitimate regime, and if McIntyre is still involved, a totally unserious County Attorney.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/05/ready-cochise-county-attorney-brian-mcintyre-who-was-asked-by-former-arizona-attorney-general-to-investigate-and-prosecute-katie-hobbs-on-felony-charges-pled-guilty-to-extreme-dui-earlie/

Border Patrol Readies for MASS INVASION as Joe Biden Opens Southern Border and Lifts Title 42 in 9 More Days – 1,500 Troops Sent to Border

The US Border Patrol is readying for the largest illegal migrant surge at the southern border in US history next week.

Joe Biden is lifting Title 42 – Already, 700,000 to One Million illegals have assembled at the border ready to surge across the US southern border. Joe Biden has opened the borders to millions of illegal invaders.

Title 42 is expected to be lifted on May 10th.

22,000 apprehensions were recorded at the border in the last 72 hours.

Joe Biden is sending 1,500 US troops to the border to process the hundreds of thousands of illegals ready to invade.

The New York Post reported:

President Biden will send 1,500 US soldiers to the US-Mexico border in anticipation of the end of Title 42, the public health policy that has allowed authorities to turn back millions of asylum seekers.

The active-duty Army units will aid Border Patrol agents in stemming the expected tide of tens of thousands of migrants at the US-Mexico border when Title 42 ends May 11. The deployment was first reported by Fox News.

The service members would be armed but only permitted to use their weapons for self-defense.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Over the last week, the Border Patrol has recorded tens of thousands of migrants crossing the southern border illegally as the policy’s enforcement period winds down.

Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz said Monday that in the three days prior, agents had made 22,220 apprehensions, including two sex offenders, one convicted murderer and one gang member.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/05/border-patrol-readies-for-mass-invasion-as-joe-biden-opens-southern-border-and-lifts-title-42-in-9-more-days-1500-troops-sent-to-border/

Runbeck Election Services Refuses to Comply with Legal Public Records Request, Maricopa County Served With Letter Threatening Lawsuit – REQUESTS INCLUDED

Runbeck Election Services has refused to comply with a lawful Public Records Request for “exterior video of all loading dock locations which clearly shows any items) being delivered and/or picked up” and “interior video of all loading dock locations/warehouse space which clearly shows any items) being delivered and/or picked up” after Election Day.

This video could shed light on a central question from Kari Lake’s lawsuit of why there are over 35,000 ballots unaccounted for. As The Gateway Pundit reported, Maricopa County still refuses to answer this question, as well as other questions about the missing ballot chain of custody documentation. According to a recent filing from Lake’s attorneys, Maricopa County Delivery Receipt forms “on Election Day, should have been (but were not) completed at MCTEC with the precise number of EDDB ballots sent to Runbeck.”

A Public Records Request to Runbeck from We The People AZ Alliance Shelby Busch, dated April 8, states:

Dear Public Records:

Pursuant to the Arizona Public Records Law, A.R.S. § 39-121 et seq., We the People AZ Alliance requests: Any and all video recorded from November 8, 2022 through November 15, 2022 that depicts the following:

Exterior video of all loading dock locations which clearly shows any item(s) being delivered and/or picked up.

Interior video of all loading dock locations/wharehouse space which clearly shows any item(s) being delivered and/or picked up.

Where possible, please provide responsive materials in an electronic format by email. Given the importance of free, fair, and transparent elections and the public’s skepticism regarding the conduct of recent elections, We the People AZ Alliance PAC is seeking production of these documents on an expedited basis.

We the People AZ Alliance PAC is a reportorial organization (as referenced in A.R.S. § 16-168(F)) with a current focus on election integrity. We are requesting this information for the purpose of providing information to the public, they are not sought for commercial purposes. As such, we request a waiver of all fees for this request or at most fees be limited to copying and postage charges. A.R.S. § 39-121.01(D)(1). If such charges are required, We the People AZ Alliance agrees to pay up to $25. If the costs for such fees will exceed $25, please notify us prior to incurring such costs. This request is for noncommercial purposes and additional fees are not applicable to this request. Disclosure of the requested information to us is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and its election process. Please be aware that these documents, whether produced by the Custodian of Records or not, are public documents and they may be relevant to future litigation. Any deletion of said public documents can give rise to a negative inference in a court of law.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/05/exclusive-runbeck-election-services-refuses-to-comply-with-legal-public-records-request-maricopa-county-served-with-letter-threatening-lawsuit-requests-included/

Taiwanese Leader Meets with John Bolton, Calls for Deeper Ties with US

Former American national security adviser John Bolton completed a week-long tour of Taiwan by meeting President Tsai Ing-wen. During the meeting, Tsai claimed Taiwan was on the frontline in the fight for democracy and, as such, Taipei needs stronger ties with like-minded nations.

According to a press release from Tsai’s office she said, “As Taiwan stands on the frontline of the defense of democracy, she said that we are not only determined but also well prepared to protect our homeland.” The statement continued, “…further stating that Taiwan is willing to deepen cooperation with the United States and all other like-minded partners to jointly safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as well as the values of freedom and democracy.”

Taiwan Cybersecurity Resiliency Act, a new bipartisan bill introduced in Congress, would back Tsai’s calls for deeper ties. According to The Hill, “The legislation would require the Pentagon to broaden and strengthen cybersecurity cooperation with Taiwan by conducting cyber training exercises, defending the country’s military networks, infrastructure and systems, and leveraging US cybersecurity technologies to help defend Taiwan against Chinese cyberattacks.”

Tsai praised Bolton for his role in promoting Washington’s military support for Taipei. Bolton, who held several positions in the George W. Bush and Donald Trump administrations, has long called for Washington to take a more aggressive stance against China.

In a 2017 op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal, Bolton called for arming Taiwan and sending troops to the island. He said he wanted to make Taiwan into an unsinkable aircraft carrier. Bolton has additionally called on Washington to revise or revoke the “One China” policy.

Bolton praised President Joe Biden after the WSJ said about 200 American troops would be deployed to Taiwan. However, Bolton demanded the White House do more. “I would homeport a couple of American naval vessels at Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s big harbor,” he said.

The One China policy is an agreement that governs the Washington-Beijing relationship and asserts Taiwan and China are a part of the same country. During his trip to Taiwan, Bolton led a rally calling for Taiwanese independence. “Will Taiwan fight for its independence?” he asked, as people in the audience shouted: “Yes, we will.”

Bolton also called for Washington to recognize Taipei’s independence. “But now dual recognition makes sense from the US perspective, though it could be displeasing to Beijing.” He continued, “But that’s the point [we must make], to show that relations between the US and Taiwan are fixed, and will not go away.”

Bolton is the latest Republican presidential hopeful to make an overseas trip to a major weapons buyer. Mike Pompeo visited Kiev during the period he was exploring running for president. One of the expected GOP frontrunners, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, recently traveled to Israel.

https://libertarianinstitute.org/news/taiwanese-leader-meets-with-john-bolton-calls-for-deeper-ties-with-us/

Speaker McCarthy Says He’ll Invite Netanyahu to DC If Biden Doesn’t

McCarthy made the comments during a visit to Israel

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) offered strong support to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit to Israel, saying he’ll invite the Israeli leader to address Congress if President Biden doesn’t invite him to the White House.

McCarthy told the newspaper Israel Hayom when he arrived in Israel on Sunday that Biden has waited “too long now” to invite Netanyahu to Washington. “If it doesn’t happen, I’ll invite the prime minister to come meet with the House. He’s a dear friend, as a prime minister of a country that we have our closest ties with,” he said.

In March, President Biden said he would not invite Netanyahu in the “near term” and criticized the Israeli leader’s judicial overhaul plans, which would give the Knesset the power to override Israel’s top court with a simple majority. Netanyahu’s plans are currently on pause as he faced major opposition to the policy.

Besides the mild criticism of the judicial overhaul, Biden has not signaled he will make any changes to the US-Israeli relationship and has repeatedly reaffirmed his support for the country.

On Monday, McCarthy delivered a speech to Israel’s Knesset and reaffirmed that there is strong bipartisan support for Israel in Congress. “I choose to come here today to celebrate the bond between our two countries and to reaffirm the bipartisan support for Israel in Congress,” he said.

Reflecting the bipartisan support for Israel, the top Democrat in the House, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), just led a delegation to the country to show support. In comments to Jewish Insider, Jeffries dismissed the notion that the US could leverage aid to Israel due to the judicial overhaul or other policies, calling the idea a “nonstarter.”

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), who joined Jeffries in Israel, said the delegation emphasized that “regardless of any issues in Israel, the relationship transcends [domestic Israeli politics] and remains special and ironclad.”

The congressional visits to Israel come amid a spike in violence against Palestinians as Netanyahu’s government has stepped up raids in the West Bank. The governing coalition includes extremist settlers who want to significantly expand settlements with the ultimate goal of annexing the West Bank. The plans have not impacted US support for Israel.

https://news.antiwar.com/2023/05/01/speaker-mccarthy-says-hell-invite-netanyahu-to-dc-if-biden-doesnt/

Could $100 Million Loan from Chinese State Bank to Rupert Murdoch Explain Tucker’s Ouster?

Tucker Carlson’s ouster from Fox News has raised questions about the network’s ties to Communist China.

Could the Chinese Communist Party and its global influence network be responsible for Tucker Carlson’s ouster from Fox News? Just last year, Rupert Murdoch, the international media mogul who founded Fox News, took a whopping $100 million loan from the CCP-run Bank of China, to fund his continued media ventures. The loan coincided with a much-observed turn in Fox’s coverage, towards a model that’s been called “CNN-lite.”

On March 29th, 2022, Rupert Murdoch, under the banner of his News Corp conglomerate, entered into a massive credit agreement that features mega-loans from multiple banks, including the CCP-run Bank of China. Also involved in the deal are a number of American banks that have been longtime sponsors of anti-American activities. In all, the loan is worth $1.25 billion, with $100,000,000 of it coming from the CCP.

Though the loan deal was made under News Corp, which is separate from Fox Corp, Murdoch’s dealings with the Chinese Communist Party and Fox’s gradual move to the left cannot be ignored, especially when it’s taken into account that in 2022, Murdoch floated the idea of merging Fox Corp and News Corp into one super-conglomerate, a plan that was later aborted when it was determined that it’d be bad for shareholders.

Before his ouster from Fox News, Tucker Carlson, whose audience dwarfed that of all the other shows on the network, took a hardline stance against Communist China and was one of the few cable news hosts willing to broach the subject of COVID-19 and its ties to the Chinese regime, as well as America’s own government, which operates biolabs inside of Communist China.

As a Fox News host, Carlson also covered the Communist Chinese takeover of Brazil, in which the hotly-contested 2022 Brazilian Presidential Election was directly meddled in by the Chinese Communist Party and its vast network of foreign influence operations, a saga that was also closely covered by National File.

https://nationalfile.com/could-100-million-loan-from-chinese-state-bank-to-rupert-murdoch-explain-tuckers-ouster/

Rep. Matt Gaetz Assaulted at Florida Festival by Occult-Inspired Biden Donor.

Congressman Matt Gaetz (FL) recounted on Tuesday how a “resistance” activist and Joe Biden donor assaulted him and his wife while the couple attended a wine and food festival in Walton, Florida.

“This past Saturday my wife Ginger and I attended the South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival,” said Rep. Gaetz in a statement, explaining: “…we were enjoying catching up with new friends and old, and folks recognized me, and so we were taking pictures and having polite conversations. And as I was chatting with one gentleman, a lady threw a drink on the both of us. She was promptly arrested. I want to thank the folks at the Walton County Sheriff’s office who ensured that this did not escalate and that everyone is kept safe.”

The assailant is believed to be Selena Jo Chambers, 41 years old, who has since locked all her social media accounts.

Rep. Gaetz’s video on the incident, below, asserts that Chambers is a “resistance” writer, Joe Biden donor, and even potentially an occultist.

https://thenationalpulse.com/2023/05/02/rep-matt-gaetz-assaulted-at-florida-festival-by-occult-inspired-biden-donor/

Sens. Johnson, Grassley Demand Antony Blinken Produce All Records Related to Hunter Biden After Lying to Congress

Sens. Ron Johnson (R-IW) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) on Tuesday demanded Secretary of State Antony Blinken produce all records related to Hunter Biden following his false testimony to Congress that he never spoke to the president’s son, a letter obtained by Breitbart News shows.

During an interview on December 22, 2020, Blinken told Senate investigators he had not texted or emailed Hunter Biden. But emails contained on Hunter Biden’s laptop and from recent reports revealed Blinken did in fact email Hunter Biden on at least two occasions.

On May 22, 2015, Hunter Biden emailed Blinken’s personal email address requesting to meet and get “advice on a couple of things.” “Absolutely,” he replied.

On July 15, 2015, the second email shows Blinken emailed Hunter about following up on a meeting:

Absolutely. I’m just about to land in Tokyo en route back DC from Burma. I’ll be in office from Tuesday on. Copying Linda in my office to find a good time. Look forward to seeing you. Tony

Johnson and Grassley, coauthors of the Hunter Biden 2020 report, released the transcript of Blinken’s false statement to Congress in 2020:

Question: Did you ever talk with [Hunter Biden] on the phone?

Blinken: Not that I recall.

Question: Did you have any other means of correspondence with him—emails, texts?

Blinken: No.

Blinken’s false statement has raised red flags for the senators and caused them to question the “veracity” of his entire December 22, 2020 testimony in which he also denied any knowledge of Hunter Biden’s Burisma Holdings board membership:

Question: [Y]ou were not aware that Hunter Biden served on Burisma’s board?

Blinken: To the best of my recollection, I was not.

Johnson and Grassley said they have doubts about Blinken’s statement because emails unearthed show his wife, Evan Ryan, communicating with Hunter Biden from her personal email address. Ryan is a current White House executive secretary and former assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs (ECA) in the Obama administration (2013–2017).

The senators told Blinken the emails between the two show “an apparent attempt to connect you with representatives of Burisma’s U.S. lobbying firm, Blue Star Strategies.”

“It seems highly unlikely that you had no idea of Hunter Biden’s association with Burisma while your wife was apparently coordinating with Hunter Biden to potentially connect you with Burisma’s U.S. representatives,” the Republicans wrote.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/05/02/sens-johnson-grassley-demand-antony-blinken-produce-all-records-related-to-hunter-biden-after-lying-to-congress/

Israeli Airstrikes Again Target Syria’s Aleppo Airport

Syrian media says one Syrian soldier was killed, and five soldiers and two civilians were wounded

Israeli airstrikes put Syria’s Aleppo airport out of service and hit other targets on the outskirts of the city on Monday night, Syria’s SANA news agency reported.

The strikes killed one Syrian soldier and wounded five more soldiers and two civilians.

“At around 11:35 this evening, the Israeli enemy carried out an air attack with barrages of missiles from the direction southeast of Aleppo, targeting Aleppo International Airport and a number of points in the vicinity of Aleppo,” a military source told SANA.

The incident marked the third time since March that Israeli airstrikes put the Aleppo International Airport out of service. The city of Aleppo was devastated by the earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey in February, and the airport has been a vital channel for aid.

Israeli airstrikes on Syria have ramped up in recent months as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been facing a political crisis over his planned judicial overhaul. On Saturday, Israel bombed the Syrian city of Homs, wounding three civilians.

https://news.antiwar.com/2023/05/01/israeli-airstrikes-again-target-syrias-aleppo-airport/

German Chancellor Warns Ukraine Not to Attack Russian Territory with NATO Weapons

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday that Ukraine must not use weapons supplied by Germany to attack Russian territory, so that a war between NATO and Moscow can be avoided.

“Everything must be done to prevent a war between Russia and NATO,” was the message to Ukraine from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as he appeared at a town hall meeting with the public in the town of Bendorf on Monday.

Scholz said that as such, Ukraine is not permitted to shell Russian territory with weapons supplied by Germany and added that he believed other Western powers supplying arms would have made similar demands of Kyiv. The German leader did not stipulate, however, if this rule would apply to Crimea, which both Ukraine and Russia claim rights to but has been under control of Moscow since Vladimir Putin illegally annexed the territory in 2014.

The warnings from Scholz came as he confirmed that Ukraine can expect to receive ammunition for the German-made Gepard anti-aircraft gun starting from August of this year. He said that the production lines are currently being set up, but that it may take some time before shipments are able to be made.

Germany has previously supplied Ukraine with 34 Gepard anti-aircraft guns with with six thousand rounds of ammunition, however, it now plans on sending at least three more guns alongside 300,000 rounds of ammo.

In the wake of the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Armed Forces last February, Germany reveresed its decades-long policy of not sending military arms into conflict zones. The decision also impacted other European nations, as German had previously supplied them with weapons on the condition that German-made hardware would not be sent into warzones.

The threat of Ukraine using NATO weapons against Russian territory has perhaps become of increasing worry following two major attacks suspected to have been perpetrated by Kyiv.

Over the weekend, a Russian oil resevoir in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol was set on fire as a result of a drone attack, acording to the Moscow-installed governor Mikhail Razvozhayev. This was preceded by an apparent drone attack in the Russian mainland itself, with German media claiming that the strike was an attempt by Ukraine to assasinate Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The decision to send tanks and other weapons from Germany’s already depleted military stock — with the country consistently failing to meet its NATO spending commitments despite being the largest economy of Europe — has left a “huge gap” in the country’s defences.

The current state of the German military is so poor, according to commander-in-chief of the Bundeswehr Boris Pistorius, that if called upon the German Armed Forces would be unable to defend their nation from an agressor such as Russia.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2023/05/02/german-chancellor-warns-ukraine-not-to-attack-russian-territory-with-nato-weapons/

$3 million fentanyl shipment to Maine restaurant prompts arrest

Employees of a Maine restaurant got a surprise when they opened a large wooden crate they thought was a shipment of mugs they'd recently ordered.

Instead, they found a plastic tote that contained what law enforcement suspect is 31 pounds of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl with an estimated street value of $3 million, Auburn police Deputy Chief Timothy Cougle said in a statement Saturday.

The tote had a shipping label with the restaurant's address but the name of someone who did not work there. Employees who opened it saw what they thought looked like drugs, so they contacted police, Cougle said.

The crate from Arizona that arrived in the Maine town about 30 miles north of Portland was taken to the police department, where a chemical field examination confirmed it contained fentanyl.

About an hour later, the man whose name was on the shipment showed up looking for the crate and was arrested, police said.

Jeremy Mercier, 41, of Auburn, was charged with drug offenses and for violating bail conditions. He was being held in a county jail without bail. It couldn't be determined if he had an attorney.

Mercier previously spent time behind bars on a 2007 federal drug conviction, Cougle said.

The investigation is ongoing, and Cougle said he anticipates state and federal law enforcement getting involved.

Mike Peters, the co-owner of Mac's Grill, told WMTW-TV in an email that he is glad the drugs didn't make it to the streets.

"The instances of overdose in our, and surrounding, communities is awful, and fentanyl seems to be front and center when it comes to fatalities," he said. "It is very sad."

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fentanyl-3-million-shipment-main-restaurant-arrest/?ftag=CNM-00-10aac3a

Gen. Christopher Cavoli, US European Command head. Sounds like Col Doug Macgregor/ Scott Ritter

https://youtu.be/fKAkxdTnIzo

Attorney General Merrick Garland Says He Has Not Received Durham’s Report on Origins of Trump Investigation, Yet..

The Attorney General, Merrick Garland, announced on Tuesday that he has yet to receive the report from the years-long investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe led by Special Counsel John Durham.

The investigation, also known as “Crossfire Hurricane,” has been ongoing since April 2019, following the conclusion of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, which found no evidence of criminal conspiracy or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia to influence the 2016 election.

Garland stated that he has not yet received the report, and directed any further questions to Mr. Durham. Despite Fox News Digital’s request for comment, Durham has yet to respond. During a testimony in March before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, Garland indicated that the report would be finished “soon.”

The origins of the FBI’s original investigation were examined by Durham after then-Attorney General Bill Barr selected him for the task while serving as U.S. attorney for Connecticut in the spring of 2019. In October 2020, Barr formally appointed Durham as special counsel to ensure that he could continue his investigative work regardless of the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Durham’s investigation led to the indictment of three people, including former Clinton attorney Michael Sussmann in September 2021, Igor Danchenko in November 2021, and Kevin Clinesmith in August 2020. While Sussmann and Danchenko were found not guilty, Clinesmith pleaded guilty and served community service time.

The American people have been eagerly waiting for the report from Durham’s investigation, hoping for transparency and accountability. The investigation has been a contentious issue for years, and it remains to be seen what the report will uncover. Many are hopeful that the report will provide clarity and insight into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe.

As the investigation continues, it is crucial that those involved in the probe are held accountable for any wrongdoing. The report from Durham’s investigation could potentially shed light on the actions of those involved and restore confidence in the government’s ability to operate with transparency and integrity.

In the meantime, the American people must remain patient and allow the investigation to run its course. It is essential that justice is served and that any wrongdoing is exposed. The report’s release will undoubtedly have significant implications, and the American people must be prepared for any outcome.

https://thedcpatriot.com/attorney-general-merrick-garland-says-he-has-not-received-durhams-report-on-origins-of-trump-investigation-yet/

Israel is trying to legalize pedophilia - Avi Maoz

The age of consent in Israel is 16 for all genders but can be as low as 14 provided both parties consent and have a 3-year age gap or less.

Israeli far-right lawmaker Avi Maoz accused the Justice Ministry of attempting to normalize pedophilia within the country by altering Israel's age of consent laws.

Currently, the age of consent in Israel is 16 for all genders. However, that age of consent can go as low as 14, provided the other sexual partner was no more than three years older and both parties consented.

But according to Maoz, the Justice Ministry is trying to change this to an age gap of five years.

"A 19-year-old man can have consensual sexual relations with a 14-year-old girl and won't face criminal charges," Maoz said.

He vowed to prevent this law from passing.

"Pedophilia is a perversion," Maoz said. "Pedophilia is a disgusting phenomenon and I will do everything in my power to make sure the children of Israel are not abandoned because of one agenda or another."

"Pedophilia is a disgusting phenomenon and I will do everything in my power to make sure the children of Israel are not abandoned because of one agenda or another."

Avi Maoz

Avi Maoz and pedophilia in Israel

This isn't the first time Maoz has brought up pedophilia as a potential problem facing the Jewish state.

In the speech he gave Tuesday, the Noam MK mentioned how he warned a year and a half ago the State of Israel could legalize pedophilia in the near future, citing examples he claimed were of different countries around the world "weakening" their stances on the issue.

He further cited a new report from the United Nations, which he said called to decriminalize certain sex offenses and mentioned that law enforcement should recognize that people under the age of 18 are able to make decisions about consensual sexual behavior.

Maoz slammed this as "abandoning children in favor of the morbid lusts of adults."

The Noam lawmaker was elected to the Knesset on a platform heavily critical of LGBTQ+ policies and has frequently made critical statements against members of the LGBTQ+ community. This includes saying that he is "filled with shame" over the fact that current Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana is gay.

According to a December 2022 report by Ynet, the Noam Party has been keeping track of LGBTQ+ people working in the Israeli media and keeping a blacklist for several years.

Maoz has also referred to members of the LGBTQ+ community as "perverts and pedophiles."

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-741881

2011 emails reveal Hunter Biden helped business associates get access to VP Biden, top aide: 'I'll do the mtg'

'This is the guy with the magic paper that you had me meet with,' VP Biden's deputy chief of staff said in a 2012 email to Hunter Biden

President Biden and his deputy chief of staff held a meeting with three of Hunter Biden’s business associates, at least one of whom was a foreign national, at the White House in the summer of 2011 when he was vice president, according to emails and White House visitor logs reviewed by Fox News Digital.

At the time of the meeting, Hunter was trying to secure a deal with those associates in bonds worth billions of dollars.

In June 2011, Hunter Biden and his business partner, Rosemont Seneca Partners (RSP) co-founder Devon Archer, were in talks with Sean Conlon, the future CNBC "The Deed" co-host and founder of Conlon & Co., about a potentially lucrative business opportunity if Hunter would be able to secure a meeting between his father and two of Conlon's associates, Andre Lasserre and "Wang," who is identified as Xi Wang in the visitor logs.

Earlier, energy executive David Gamperl had emailed Conlon a contract that was sent to him by Nagi Ghawi, chairman/president of since-dissolved Mercantile Investment Group in the West Indies, which Gamperl said had "a real business model here" and would help them make a "substantial profit."

"Here is the current contract," Gamperl told Conlon on June 22, 2011. "Proof of funds are in place and we may close this week. It has been a challenge in the management of procedures but I think we have it now. We will make substantial profit on this deal but market is between $230 to $380 million. I'm trying to close this bond immediately, as it opens up the flood gates on 29 other bonds that have less hair and much more value. I will also forward you copy of bond and verification from the perito (who is a government official who inspects the authenticity of the bond). Good stuff and I think we have a real business model here."

Despite forwarding this email to Hunter Biden and Devon Archer, Conlon said, "I know Absolutely nothing about that" in a Monday email to Fox News Digital. He did not respond to any of Fox News Digital's other questions.

Conlon then forwarded Gamperl’s email to Hunter and Archer, writing, "This is why I am putting up with this carnival! We need to put our heads together on this."

Later that morning, Ghawi emailed Conlon an "RSP - Mercantile Oil & Gas Corporation Proposal," and appeared to suggest that a meeting with the vice president or his chief of staff would have to occur "ASAP" in order to access additional bonds worth billions of dollars through their "Andre Lasserre connection."

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011-emails-reveal-hunter-biden-helped-business-associates-get-access-vp-biden-top-aide-ill-do-mtg

Green Energy Industry Admits It Needs Cheap Chinese Goods To Survive

Industry leaders in panic as Congress pushes to impose tariffs on Chinese solar panels

The green energy industry is scrambling as Congress pushes forward with legislation that would impose costly tariffs on Chinese solar panels, a move that industry leaders say would cripple their business given their overwhelming reliance on cheap Chinese suppliers.

The House on Friday passed a bipartisan bill to restore tariffs on Chinese solar panels sold out of Southeast Asia, tariffs that President Joe Biden suspended last year in an attempt to "satisfy the demand for reliable and clean energy." The legislation has already garnered support among some Senate Democrats, reflecting s significant possibility that the bill will become law.

For the green energy industry, that possibility marks a full-blown disaster.

China controls more than 80 percent of the world's solar panel production, a figure that hasn't waned as Biden spends hundreds of billions of dollars on green energy subsidies intended to give the United States the ability to "compete with China." Instead, U.S. solar companies have been flooded with increased demand and have turned to China to satisfy it. A reimposition of Chinese solar tariffs would cost U.S. developers at least $1 billion in retroactive fees, prompting solar executives and trade groups to publicly stress their need to maintain a free flow of cheap Chinese goods.

The Solar Energy Industries Association, for example, admitted in a Friday statement that the United States "cannot produce enough solar panels and cells to meet demand." The American Council on Renewable Energy similarly said Chinese tariffs "would have a devastating impact on U.S. solar deployment." Solar energy contractor George Hershman, meanwhile, said tariffs would prompt him to lay off "thousands of people," given the hundreds of millions of dollars in projects that his company, SOLV Energy, has fulfilled using Chinese goods. "I don't know why anyone would support this," Hershman told the Washington Post.

But for many congressional Democrats and Republicans, the reasoning for renewed tariffs is clear. China has for years provided illegal subsidies to its solar energy companies, allowing them to undercut U.S. competitors. When the United States imposed tariffs on Chinese solar companies to combat those illegal practices, China got around the tariffs by shipping its products through a handful of nations in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Tariffs on Chinese goods sold out of those countries, then, allow U.S. solar manufacturers to compete with "cheap, unfairly subsidized imports," an argument that both Missouri Republican congressman Jason Smith and Ohio Democratic senator Sherrod Brown have made in recent days.

https://freebeacon.com/energy/green-energy-industry-admits-it-needs-cheap-chinese-goods-to-survive/

Member of Parliament confirms the UK will sign up to WHO’s Pandemic Treaty

Last week, Mark Fletcher, Member of Parliament for Bolsover, responded to a constituent’s email:

“Then Prime Minister Boris Johnson, alongside other world leaders, called for the creation of a pandemic treaty … the current target date for agreeing on the text of the new instrument is May 2024, at the World Health Assembly (WHA) … Over the next year, the UK will continue to work towards building a consensus on how the global community can better prevent, prepare for, and respond to future pandemics,” he wrote.

Fletcher’s reply implies that it is not only a fait accompli but that the UK is very much one of the significant, if not the major, driving forces behind the Treaty.

Many things can be said about Fletcher’s response, not least of all his questionable statement: “A pandemic treaty [ ] would help … prevent a global pandemic, if this were to happen again.” However, in this article, we want to draw your attention, again, to the fact that the Pandemic Treaty is not the only route WHO is pursuing in its quest to impose a global health dictatorship. And, at this time, the Pandemic Treaty is the less urgent of the evils.

We have included a copy of Fletcher’s response at the end of this article.

Two weeks ago, in response to a petition, a debate was held in Westminster Hall on the World Health Organisation’s (“WHO’s”) proposed Pandemic Treaty. As the petition and the parliamentary debate had done, many are focusing on the ratification of the ‘Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Accord’, the so-called “Pandemic Treaty.” However, there are two routes through which WHO is attempting to impose a global health dictatorship. One is the Pandemic Treaty and the other is the amendments to the International Health Regulations (“IHR”).

The two proposals aim to expand an international bureaucracy for health emergencies with an additional annual budget estimated by the World Bank at three times WHO’s current budget. This program is heavily backed by WHO’s major individual and corporate sponsors – entities that will directly benefit through the commodity-centred responses that are proposed.

Why is WHO following two routes and not just one? Because if power and authority over much of the world cannot be gained through amendments to the IHR then WHO will rely on its Pandemic Treaty.

The proposed amendments to the IHR are a completely different set of proposals to the Pandemic Treaty that will not need to be signed into being by any government. For the amendments to be adopted all that is required is a simple majority of the World Health Assembly (“WHA”). WHA can adopt regulations that are legally binding on WHO Member States unless they expressly reject them or “opt out.” The participation of national legislatures or other governmental bodies is not necessary. The Pandemic Treaty, on the other hand, will require a two-thirds majority of the Member States present and voting in the Assembly for it to be adopted.

https://expose-news.com/2023/05/02/mp-confirms-uk-will-sign-pandemic-treaty/

Satanism & Child Trafficking - Lara Logan

https://www.bitchute.com/video/hpQA8XiGbmRv/

U.S. Marine Veteran Killed While 'Volunteering' for Foreign Legion in Ukraine

A "former" US marine described by friends as a "lifelong leftist organizer" was reportedly killed last week in Bakhmut while fighting for Ukraine's Foreign Legion.

The media is not calling Cooper "Harris" Andrews, 26, a fighter (or US proxy warrior) but is instead referring to him as a "volunteer" and a "veteran" who died not in combat with Russia on behalf of the US but "evacuating civilians" from Bakhmut.

From Fox News, "US Marine veteran killed in Ukraine, officials say":

A U.S. Marine veteran was killed in Ukraine last week, according to an activist group in the country.

Cooper "Harris" Andrews, 26, was hit by a mortar April 19, during a battle for a crucial road to Bakmut, the Resistance Committee said in a statement posted on social media.

He died while defending evacuees alongside others who were killed, the group said.

Andrews joined the Foreign Legion, a group of foreign fighters assisting Ukrainian forces since being invaded by Russia, according to social media posts.

Andrews' service in the Marines just so happened to have allegedly ended one month before the war began.

He served in the Marines from January 2017 to Jan. 16, 2022, a U.S. official told Fox News. He was stationed in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, before being discharged as a ground electronics transmission systems maintainer and traveling to Ukraine.

"We can confirm the death of a U.S. citizen in Ukraine. We are in touch with the family and providing all possible consular assistance," the U.S. State Department said in a statement. "Out of respect for the family's privacy during this difficult time, we have nothing further to add."

We know from the Pentagon leaks that the US has special forces on the ground in Ukraine.

How many other US veterans are "volunteering" in Ukraine?

An associate of Andrews' shared a thread Sunday on Twitter reporting on his death:

https://www.informationliberation.com/?id=63738

Europe ‘eye-to-eye’ with Israel on Iranian terror, FM Cohen says from Brussels

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen says Europe is finally coming around to Israel’s side on Iran, after holding meetings in Brussels with senior European Union officials as Jerusalem seeks to push EU policy against Iran in a more assertive direction.

The Foreign Ministry says Cohen spoke with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola of Malta about Iranian attempts to target Jews and Israelis on European soil.

They also discuss the importance of the EU designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. In January, the EU parliament called on the EU’s European Council and member states to list the IRGC as a terrorist group and to ban all business with them.

“European countries understand today more than ever the danger from Iran, and see eye-to-eye with Israel regarding the need to confront terror that comes from and is funded by the Iranian regime,” says Cohen after the meeting.

Earlier, Cohen met with Oliver Varhelyi of Hungary, commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, to discuss an EU research project into antisemitism in Palestinian Authority textbooks. They also talk about a potential EU-Israel demining project in Ukraine, and EU support for expanding the Abraham Accords.

According to Israel, Varhelyi promises that no EU funding will reach terror groups, even indirectly.

The EU has yet to release information about the meetings.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/europe-eye-to-eye-with-israel-on-iranian-terror-fm-cohen-says-from-brussels/

288 dark web vendors arrested in major marketplace seizure

Law enforcement on three continents seize EUR 50.8 million in cash and virtual currencies, 850 kg of drugs and 117 firearms

In an operation coordinated by Europol and involving nine countries, law enforcement have seized the illegal dark web marketplace “Monopoly Market” and arrested 288 suspects involved in buying or selling drugs on the dark web. More than EUR 50.8 million (USD 53.4 million) in cash and virtual currencies, 850 kg of drugs, and 117 firearms were seized. The seized drugs include over 258 kg of amphetamines, 43 kg of cocaine, 43 kg of MDMA and over 10 kg of LSD and ecstasy pills.

This operation, codenamed SpecTor, was composed of a series of separate complementary actions in Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Brazil, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Switzerland.

Intelligence packages as basis for investigations

Europol has been compiling intelligence packages based on troves of evidence provided by German authorities, who successfully seized the marketplace’s criminal infrastructure in December 2021. These target packages, created by cross-matching and analysing the collected data and evidence, served as the basis for hundreds of national investigations. The vendors arrested as a result of the police action against Monopoly Market were also active on other illicit marketplaces, further impeding the trade of drugs and illicit goods on the dark web. As a result, 288 vendors and buyers who engaged in tens of thousands of sales of illicit goods were arrested across Europe, the United States and Brazil. A number of these suspects were considered high-value targets by Europol.

The arrests took place in the United States (153), the United Kingdom (55), Germany (52), the Netherlands (10), Austria (9), France (5), Switzerland (2), Poland (1) and Brazil (1). A number of investigations to identify additional individuals behind dark web accounts are still ongoing. As law enforcement authorities gained access to the vendors’ extensive buyer lists, thousands of customers across the globe are now at risk of prosecution as well.

Illicit marketplaces on the dark web

In the run-up to this coordinated operation, German and U.S. authorities also shut down ‘Hydra’, which was the highest-grossing dark web market with an estimated revenue of EUR 1.23 billion, in April 2022. The Hydra takedown saw EUR 23 million in cryptocurrencies seized by German authorities.

In terms of arrests, the operation was even more successful than previous operations codenamed DisrupTor (2020) with 179 and Dark HunTor (2021) with 150 arrests. It shows once more that international collaboration between police authorities is key for combatting crime on the Dark Web.

https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/288-dark-web-vendors-arrested-in-major-marketplace-seizure

>>18786634

Largest International Operation Against Darknet Trafficking of Fentanyl and Opioids Results in Record Arrests and Seizures

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/largest-international-operation-against-darknet-trafficking-fentanyl-and-opioids-results

In Major Speech, ADL Chief Says anti-Zionism Is Antisemitism, Overlooks Far Right Threat

Jonathan Greenblatt's speech at the Anti-Defamation League's annual leadership summit was remarkable for barely mentioning threats from America's far right and Trumpism, while doublin

In a major policy speech, Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt doubled down on his argument that anti-Zionism is antisemitism, emphasized the threat to visibly Orthodox Jews and accused The New York Times of an “antisemitic attack” in its coverage of Hasidic movements.

One topic he didn’t discuss: former President Donald Trump and his extremist supporters, a frequent topic of concern for the ADL and Greenblatt in recent years.

The speech Monday morning, at the ADL’s annual leadership summit in Washington, D.C., was remarkable for barely mentioning what has, for years, been the group’s focus: the threat from the far right, spurred in part by Trump’s ascendance. Instead, Greenblatt, in prepared remarks, tacked to the center, remaining focused on a message he sounded at the same summit a year ago — that anti-Zionism is unquestionably antisemitism.

“I know that for bigots — especially those who self-style as “anti-Zionists” — Israel’s Independence Day is a day to redouble their efforts to make sure it is Israel’s last Independence Day,” he said, adding later, “To underscore what I said at this event last year: Anti-Zionism is antisemitism. Full stop.”

His speech last year drew criticism from the left for marginalizing parts of the Jewish community that criticize Israel, and for equating that sector with a stream of extremism on the other end of the political spectrum that has fueled deadly attacks on Jews.

Despite not featuring in Greenblatt’s speech, the threat from the right was nonetheless very much embedded in the conference agenda; one session was dedicated to the surge of the far right on social media and another was dedicated to ties between the extremes of the conservative movement today and the John Birch Society, the seminal extremist movement founded in the anticommunist fervor of the mid-20th century.

https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2023-05-02/ty-article/.premium/adl-chief-focuses-major-speech-on-anti-zionism-and-threats-to-orthodox-education/00000187-dd19-dea8-af97-dfb91cb20000

Suspect In Custody After Shooting At @FOX13Memphis

Building; Shooter Reportedly Streamed To Facebook Live

https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1653482893304385547

NEVER FORGET THOSE WHO WERE EXEMPT FROM BEING GRAPHENATED WITH THE CONVID BIOWEAPON!

Group One Exempt:

All of the USA Congress plus all the Congressional Staff of the House & Senate and their families!!!!

Group Two Exempt:

The US President, Vice President, Cabinet and their families and the entire 26,000 Whitehouse Employees and their families!!!!

Group Three Exempt:

All officers and directors of Pfizer including 2500 Key Employees around the World and their families!!!!

Group Four Exempt:

All officers and directors of Moderna including 1,500 Key Moderna Employees and their families!!!!

Group Five Exempt:

All officers and directors of Johnson & Johnson including120,000 Employees and their families!!!!!

Group Six Exempt:

All key CDC officers and directors including15,000 Employees and their families!!!!!

Group Seven Exempt:

All officers and directors of the FDA and 14,000 FDA Employees and their families!!!!!

Group Eight Exempt:

Over 8 Million Chinese Students studying abroad!!!!

Group Nine Exempt:

Millions of Illegal Aliens crossing over our borders into the USA!!!!

Group Ten Exempted:

Millions of Homeless & Tent Street People in the USA!!!!

https://www.drrobertyoung.com/post/never-forget-those-who-were-exempted-from-being-graphenated-with-the-convid-bioweapon?

Katie Johnson's full testimony of 2/11/16

The saga of Katie Johnson (alias), the 13 year old girl who was raped by Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, and then threatened into silence by his mob goons.

"Katie's video description was captured before Trump became President and matches perfectly with what's described by 100's of other underage girls.

Given Epstein’s history of secretly taping famous people taking sexual advantage of young women procured by Epstein, if the allegations in the Katie Johnson complaint are true, Trump has every reason to be concerned that tapes might exist which would prove Johnson’s allegations.

Attorney General (and Trump personal lawyer) Bob Barr made the highly unusual decision to un-recuse himself from the Epstein case and actually take direct control over the case, despite having previously announced he had a conflict of interest.

I would never have guessed that a billionaire could run a sex trafficking ring for decades with numerous people as accomplices and co-conspirators. But Epstein is already a convicted sexual predator and he continued the behavior even after his conviction.

These women who were sexually abused as girls deserve the complete truth. They deserve justice and it appears that Bill Barr and Donald Trump have the motivation to go to unimaginable lengths to prevent that from ever happening. "

https://youtu.be/gnib-OORRRo

What do you make of this?

Blinken denies role in infamous Hunter Biden laptop letter — then makes claim that allegedly contradicts sworn testimony

Secretary of State Antony Blinken denies being the "impetus" behind an infamous letter casting the Hunter Biden laptop story as Russian disinformation.

What is the background?

Just weeks before the 2020 election, the New York Post revealed it had obtained a laptop that allegedly belonged to Hunter Biden.

The media and former national security experts immediately rushed to downplay the laptop as yet another attempt by Russian actors to meddle in a presidential election. Days after the laptop story broke, Politico reported the laptop story is "Russian disinfo" based upon a letter that more than 50 national security experts had signed.

The New York Post reported that former acting CIA Director Michael Morrell recently testified under oath that Blinken — who at the time was a foreign affairs adviser to Biden's campaign — was, according to the House Judiciary Committee, "the impetus" behind the letter.

How did Blinken respond?

In an interview with Fox News that aired on Monday, Blinken denied any involvement in the creation of the letter.

"With regard to that letter, I didn't — wasn't my idea, didn't ask for it, didn't solicit it. And I think the testimony that the former deputy director of the CIA, Mike Morell, put forward confirms that," Blinken said.

In reality, his response puts him at direct odds with Morell.

While Morell has not spoken publicly about his testimony, House Republicans allege that Morell testified that Blinken contacted him after the laptop story broke and planted the seed that it was a Russian disinformation campaign. Morell subsequently solicited signatures for the infamous letter.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/blinken-denies-involvement-hunter-biden-laptop-letter

Hunter fucked yo bitch - kek

Oregon Secretary Of State Resigns Amid Ethics Scandal

The month of May. The season of rebirth. The birds are chirping, the leaves are sprouting green, the sun is out, and there’s an election in progress. What a perfect time for Oregon’s Secretary Of State, Shemia Fagan, to get caught up in a shady lobbying scheme and forced to resign in shame.

Barely two years into the job, Fagan announced her resignation Monday morning, effective the following Monday, May 8th, after it was revealed she was moonlighting as a lobbying for an embattled weed shop that was millions behind in tax debt, but somehow had enough money to generously contribute to numerous democrat campaigns, while also stiffing their employees. Somehow they had enough money to pay Fagan $10,000 a month to pull political favors.

The story, first broken by Willamette Week last week, chronicles the scam:

In a remarkable turn of events, Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan confirms in response to questions from WW that she entered into an agreement in February to provide consulting services to an affiliate of the troubled La Mota cannabis dispensary chain.

As WW has previously reported, the owners of La Mota were also major donors to Fagan’s election campaign and have been under the scrutiny of at least two state agencies, the Oregon Department of Revenue and the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission.

La Mota appears to be in financial trouble. In recent years, the Department of Revenue and the federal Internal Revenue Service have filed more than $7 million in liens against La Mota owners Rosa Cazares and Aaron Mitchell, and the companies they control, for failing to pay taxes in full.

The contract included a base payment of $10,000 a month with additional bonuses of $30,000 for each license she helped the affiliate of La Mota obtain outside the states of Oregon and New Mexico.

Fagan has said the amount of time she spent on the contract was “minimal,” but it was far more lucrative than her state salary of $77,000, or about $6,420 a month.

One such example included a scheme with Connecticut’s Lt. Governor to expand La Mota’s franchise out east.

Of course the same media that launched the story quickly published a puff piece, painting Fagan as the innocent single mother who was only trying to get enough money to make ends meet and pay back hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt, since her Secretary Of State job “only” pays $77,000 a year, plug per diem.

Newly minted governor Tina Kotek called for an investigation into the matter, and several other officials called on Fagan to resign.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/05/oregon-secretary-of-state-resigns-amid-ethics-scandal/