Former Tennessee Official and Spouse Plead Guilty to Illegally Producing and Selling ‘Hundreds’ of Driver’s Licenses to Illegal Immigrants

A Knoxville couple admitted to conspiring to create illegal identification documents.

Cheryl Huff, 49, and Mario Paz-Mejia, 50, entered guilty pleas in the federal court on Thursday for their roles in a scheme to produce hundreds of Tennessee driver’s licenses and identification cards.

In the Eastern District of Tennessee’s U.S. District Court, Cheryl Huff and Mario Paz-Mejia faced legal repercussions under Judge Katherine A. Crytzer.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 24, 2024, where each individual could receive up to 15 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.

Cheryl Huff served as the District Manager for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDSHS). In her position, she was responsible for the issuance of legitimate driver’s licenses and identification cards in the Greater Knoxville area, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ) news release.

Mario Paz-Mejia played the intermediary role by soliciting individuals, primarily non-citizens and non-Tennessee residents, offering them illegal access to Tennessee documentation for a hefty sum of $2,500.

More from the DOJ:

Using his association with Huff, Paz-Mejia represented to his customers that, in return for $2,500, Paz-Mejia could obtain for them a Tennessee driver’s license or identification card.

Paz-Mejia also assisted his customers in obtaining false citizenship and residency documents—two requirements to obtain a Tennessee driver’s license—including fraudulent lease agreements to establish proof of Tennessee residency, and false birth certificates, Social Security cards, and driver’s licenses from other states and U.S. territories to establish proof of citizenship or legal residency in the United States.

Huff knew, or deliberately ignored a high probability, that Paz-Mejia was helping his customers obtain false citizenship and residency documents and that Paz-Mejia charged his customers money to obtain a Tennessee driver’s license or identification card.

Huff used her access to TDSHS’s internal software to confirm that the names and information on the false citizenship and residency documents used by Paz-Mejia’s customers could be used to obtain a Tennessee driver’s license or identification card.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/12/former-tennessee-official-spouse-plead-guilty-illegally-producing/

Israel Routinely Dropping US-Supplied 2,000-lb Bombs In Dense Civilian Areas

As civilian casualties in the Israel-Hamas war continue to mount surpassing 20,000 from a population of just 2 million alarm is growing over Israel's all-too-eager use of a particularly devastating weapon: the 2,000-pound MK-84 bomb.

Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas on Earth. For most other militaries, that would be cause for restraint, particularly where the MK-84 is concerned, given its 3,280-foot hazardous blast radius. However, as the IDF presses its campaign against the militant group Hamas and its elaborate tunnel system, it's exhibiting an unusually high tolerance for civilian harm.

Proportionally, the rate of damage to civilian buildings in Gaza is already triple what Nazi Germany suffered from Allied bombs in World War II. On Friday alone, Israel reportedly killed more than 90 Palestinians, including women in children, when it leveled two houses in two different areas of Gaza.

One particularly vivid display of the MK-84's sheer power and Israel's lack of restraint came with the IDF's Oct. 31 strike on Jabalya, in northern Gaza, which obliterated a large residential area. “[That strike is] something we would never see the US doing," Larry Lewis, research director at the Center for Naval Analyses, tells CNN. “It certainly appears that (Israel’s) tolerance for civilian harm compared to expected operational benefits is significantly different than what we would accept."

For perspective, consider that the US military used only one MK-84 bomb during its entire fight with ISIS. However, it's poured an astounding 5,400 of them into Israel's arsenal since the Oct. 7 Hamas invasion of southern Israel.

Defying IDF assurances that it seeks to minimize civilian casualties, a New York Times analysis of satellite imagery suggests that Israel has even dropped more than 200 MK-84 bombs in the area of South Gaza where it told Palestinians to flee for safety.

The IDF has brushed aside inquiries about its use of the extraordinarily destructive bombs. "Questions of this kind will be looked into at a later stage," a spokesman told the Times, adding that the IDF “takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm.”

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/israel-routinely-dropping-us-supplied-2000-lb-bombs-dense-civilian-areas

Israel's Military Strikes Hezbollah Command Center In Serious Escalation

This weekend has witnessed a significant escalation between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hezbollah along the southern Lebanese border.

Israeli media reported that a Hezbollah command center has been attacked. "The IDF says fighter jets have hit a Hezbollah military headquarters in Lebanon in response to attacks on northern Israel today, including one that left a soldier moderately wounded," TOI reports.

This came following Hezbollah attacks on multiple Israeli military and civilian positions. The IDF then expanded its artillery shelling. While since Oct.7 exchanges of fire have been daily, the weekend saw an expansion of the frequency of these strikes.

Northern Israel's Kibbutz Menara was attacked in the Saturday flare-up in violence. The northern Israel community said: "The harsh reality is that from the beginning of the war, dozens of missiles were fired towards the kibbutz, most of them anti-tank missiles. As a result, at least 86 out of 155 apartments were affected with various degrees of damage," according to an official statement issued by the Kibbutz.

On Friday some 20 rockets were fired on Israel from Lebanon within only a 24-period. Early in the Gaza conflict, some days might have witnessed a handful of rockets and mortars fired in what has remained a "limited" front. But it's a deeply worrying sign that the 'norm' has now become dozens of projectiles exchanged on any given day.

Soon after Oct.7, Israel began evacuating dozens of towns and settlements near the border, to within 2km of it, after Hezbollah rockets began raining down. At this point Israel says at least 80,000 of its citizens are still forced to stay away from their residences amid the Hezbollah threat. They have effectively become temporary refugees.

In Gaza, the IDF issued a new casualty count over the weekend, as follows:

The Israel Defense Forces announced Sunday the names of nine soldiers killed in fighting in the Gaza Strip throughout the previous day, bringing the number of troops killed over the entire weekend to 14, as the military deepened its offensive against the Hamas terror group.

Five soldiers of the Combat Engineering Corps and a paramedic were killed by an anti-tank guided missile that hit a Namer armored engineering vehicle they were in, in southern Gaza. Another four were killed by bombs in two separate incidents during battles with gunmen in central Gaza.

The deaths bring the number of troops killed since the start of the ground operation in late October to 153.

Watch: Hezbollah has published a series of clips showing the continued degrading of Israeli defense communications facilities along the border…

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/israels-military-strikes-hezbollah-command-center-serious-escalation

Serbia thanks Russia for ‘color revolution’ warning

Moscow shared vital intelligence with Belgrade, according to Prime Minister Ana Brnabiс

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabiс has expressed gratitude to the Russian security services, which alerted Belgrade to plans for riots in the capital.

Pro-Western demonstrators attempted to break into government buildings in Belgrade on Sunday evening, in what Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic called an attempted color revolution. While Vucic initially thanked unnamed “foreign services” for letting his security services “know exactly what the thugs were preparing,” Brnabiс later revealed that Belgrade was tipped off by Moscow.

“I feel that it is important, especially tonight, to stand up for Serbia and to thank the Russian security services who had that information and who shared it with us,” Brnabic told TV Pink on Sunday night.

“I can only say thank you, and it probably won’t be popular with those from the West,” the prime minister said, adding, “When we shared that information with everyone else, they said: ‘Well, that’s Russian disinformation, that’s spreading fake news.’”

Anti-government protests erupted in Serbia on Monday, with the opposition accusing the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of “vote theft” during last week’s parliamentary elections, in which the party defeated the pro-EU Serbia Against Violence (SPN) coalition.

Vucic dismissed the allegations as “lies,” claiming that the protests were sponsored by the West, which wants him removed due to his relations with Russia and refusal to abandon Serbia’s claim to Kosovo.

Following the unrest in Belgrade, Vucic is expected to host Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko at his residence just across the square from the assembly where the protest took place, local media reported, citing the presidential press service. Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has also scheduled a meeting with the Russian envoy.

https://www.rt.com/news/589632-serbia-thanks-russian-spies/

Thousands flee as Sudan’s civil war spreads to crucial aid hub

Fighting spread to a Sudanese city crucial to international aid efforts, forcing about 15,000 people to flee and threatening to deepen a humanitarian disaster caused by the eight-month-old civil war.

Clashes and air-strikes engulfed locations around Wad Madani over the weekend, with the U.S. urging the Rapid Support Forces militia that’s battling Sudan’s army to halt its attack.

The city, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) southeast of the capital, Khartoum, and the broader Al-Jazirah state host nearly half a million people who’ve escaped violence elsewhere in the North African country.

“Wad Madani has become a safe haven for displaced civilians and is an important hub for international humanitarian relief efforts,” U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. “A continued RSF advance risks mass civilian casualties and significant disruption of humanitarian assistance efforts.”

The eruption of a new front in central Sudan also threatens to derail fragile international efforts to broker a new cease-fire in the conflict that’s killed more than 12,000 people and forced 6.7 million from their homes. The United Nations is warning of a humanitarian catastrophe, with 25 million — more than half Sudan’s population — in need of aid.

The U.N. said 14,000 to 15,000 people were seeking refuge west of Wad Madani and elsewhere in the state, which is known as Sudan’s breadbasket due to its rich farmland. Videos on social media showed people hastily loading their belongings onto trucks. The local government announced a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.

Sudan’s war broke out in mid-April when the military and RSF, which jointly overthrew a civilian-led government in 2021, turned on each other in a battle for sole control. African, U.S. and Saudi Arabian officials are trying to arrange a landmark meeting between RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan before year’s end.

https://americanmilitarynews.com/2023/12/thousands-flee-as-sudans-civil-war-spreads-to-crucial-aid-hub/

EU votes to allow open access to private health data without patient consent

The European Union (EU) is struggling to come up with a way to access people's sensitive and private medical records without their consent in such a way that it will still appear to the public that the EU cares about patient privacy.

A recent vote in the European Parliament (EP) saw most members of parliament (MPs) voting to allow government access to private medical records without patient permission.

The plenary vote opposed the creation of a wholesale, mandatory electronic medical records system for every person in the EU. At the same time, an EP majority expressed support for a data repository called the European Health Data Space (EHDS) that would basically constitute a centralized electronic medical records database containing the sensitive health data of every single person living in Europe.

http://www.stationgossip.com/2023/12/eu-votes-to-allow-open-access-to.html

EU to force X to shut down if Musk does not ban independent media from the platform

The European Union (EU) launched "formal infringement proceedings" into X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter owned by Big Tech mogul Elon Musk, accusing it of failing to counter illicit content and disinformation, a lack of transparency about advertising and "deceptive" design practices. The European Commission's executive branch also vowed to permanently shut it down if the platform doesn't immediately ban alternative media.

"The evidence we currently have is enough to formally open a proceeding against X," Margrethe Vestager, the 27-nation bloc's executive vice president overseeing digital policy, said in a statement. "The Commission will carefully investigate X's compliance with the [Digital Services Act] DSA, to ensure European citizens are safeguarded online."

The announcement of the probe comes weeks after the microblogging site was asked to provide assurances that it was complying with the terms of the European bloc's DSA, a regulation to update the Electronic Commerce Directive 2000 regarding illegal content, transparent advertising, and disinformation. It was submitted along with the Digital Markets Act by the European Commission to the European Parliament and the Council in December 2020. Under the law, which came into effect in August, a company can be fined up to six percent of its annual global income or banned from operating in the EU if it is found to have breached the sweeping legislation.

Independent media outlet Infowar's Alex Jones called the public to defend Musk as the "unelected body" has embarked on its plan to silence Americans ahead of the 2024 election. "This amounts to a foreign coup!" Jones commented, appending the hashtag: #DefendElon on his post.

http://www.stationgossip.com/2023/12/eu-to-force-x-to-shut-down-if-musk-does.html

Pope Francis Authorizes WEF To Rewrite 'Fact Checked' Holy Bible

https://rumble.com/v433hnh-pope-francis-authorizes-wef-to-rewrite-fact-checked-holy-bible.html

Mouthwashes contain deadly chemicals linked to HEART problems, CANCER, study finds

New research out of Turkey has found that many consumer mouthwash products currently on the market are loaded with deadly chemicals that are linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and more.

Turkish researchers looked at 45 mouthwash formulas used by 17 different commercial mouthwash brands sold at Istanbul's five largest chain stores – many of these brands and formulas are also used in mouthwash products in the United States, by the way.

Depending on the ingredient ratios and concentrations, some of the oral hygiene products with similar-looking labels were found to be more toxic than others, and more likely to cause the potentially life-threatening health conditions outlined in the study.

Side effects of using these toxic mouthwash products were found to range from mild to severe. Some caused minor skin irritation while others caused users to develop headaches. In a worst-case scenario, using a toxic mouthwash product could cause you to get so sick that you die.

The study determined the following concerning the 45 mouthwash formulas tested:

1) Glycerin, associated with kidney and liver deterioration, was found in 31, or more than 68 percent, of tested mouthwashes.

2) Sodium saccharin, an artificial sweetener known to cause cancer, was found in 29, or more than 64 percent, of tested mouthwashes.

3) Propylene glycol, a chemical linked to organ failure when consumed in larger amounts, was found in 28, or about 62 percent, of tested mouthwashes.

(Related: Looking to keep your mouth clean naturally? Check out these medicinal plants that have been scientifically shown to help support optimal oral health.)

https://www.naturalnews.com/2023-09-27-mouthwash-deadly-chemicals-heart-problems-cancer-study.html

Record number of migrants are applying for New York City ID cards, over 112,000 approvals in 2023

People can get access to IDNYC cards regardless of immigration status, whether that be entering the United States legally or illegally.

A historic amount of migrants are applying for ID cards in New York City which is the first step to becoming official residents.

People can get access to IDNYC cards regardless of immigration status, whether that be entering the United States legally or illegally. The municipal cards are used for personal identification and grant migrants access to healthcare, schools, and other basic necessities.

The New York Post obtained data that shows the amount of cards that have been issued increased by nearly 50 percent this past year. Between Jan. 1 and Dec. 15, 2022, there were 82,085 cards issued. In that same time period for this year, there were 112,238 cards issued.

Queens Library President and CEO Dennis Walcott told the outlet that applicants originate from a wide variety of global regions, including Africa, in addition to Latin America. The library is used as a hub to disperse the cards which began in 2015 after former Democrat Mayor Bill de Blasio created the program.

"There've been lines wrapped around the building — I've seen people starting getting here at 3 a.m," he said. "It's an important step in life — having an ID card. We want people to get access to various services."

Queens Library spokeswoman Elizabeth de Bourbon told The Post, "We know from what we have observed that the number of applicants that are seeking IDNYC cards has risen sharply between this year and last year."

City Hall spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak said one of the priorities of Mayor Adams's administration is to ensure that illegal immigrants gain access to IDNYC cards, according to the outlet.

"As a result of our efforts to strengthen and expand accessibility to IDNYC for all New Yorkers, we saw a nearly 50 percent increase in new IDNYC enrollments in 2023, when compared with 2022. This comes on the heels of the city expanding the list of eligible documentation for IDNYC to meet the needs of the most vulnerable, including asylum seekers," said Mamelak.

She explained that elected officials, community-based organizations, and other city agencies collaborated on the strategic plan to issue identification cards to migrants. In addition, the IDNYC Mobile Command Center was deployed and the number of informational events has been increased.

Asylum-seekers receive assistance from the bilingual staff of the Queens Library not only with their IDNYC applications but also with housing inquiries, clothing procurement, school support, food pantries, and employment assistance, which includes resume support.

Elizabeth de Bourbon said that there had been a 35 percent increase in enrollment for English as a Second Language at the library this past year, compared to the year prior.

"Through their interactions with the asylum seekers, our staff has found out that most of the people are from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Haiti," said de Bourbon. "They also are seeing people from Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Bangladesh, India and China. We also have encountered a handful of Russian speakers, potentially from Ukraine."

This comes after data released by Border Patrol last month revealed historic numbers of illegal crossings under the Biden administration at the hands of the president's open border policies. New York City has been significantly impacted due to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott transporting illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities via buses. Mayor Adams has declared a state of emergency and has requested for the city's sanctuary status to be revoked.

The US-Southern border has seen more than 2 million illegal crossings within the past year, with more than 6 million encounters since Joe Biden became president in 2021.

https://thepostmillennial.com/record-number-of-migrants-are-applying-for-new-york-city-id-cards-over-112000-approvals-in-2023

The Crisis Caused by Washington and Israel Is Metastasizing

This is an unhappy message for Christmas Eve. The Biden Regime’s support for Israel’s brutal Genocide of the Palestinian people seems destined, as Mike Whitney points out https://www.unz.com/mwhitney/the-houthis-have-biden-by-the-shorthairs/ , to lead to the expanded conflict that I have feared from the beginning. The outcome of the conflict will be affected by whether the Houthis strike first or under pressure from Iran sit there and give Washington the opportunity to drive them from their strategic position. It is ironic that by restraining the Muslims, thereby denying them the initiative, Putin has protected Israel from defeat.

But either way, the risk in disruption of shipping and oil flows threaten Wall Street’s assumption that inflation is behind us. The US economy risks a serious blow from the Biden Regime’s support of Israel’s criminal actions against Palestine both in Gaza and the West Bank. We have to marvel over Israel’s power over the government of the United States. Clearly, the Biden Regime and its neoconservative operatives are willing to sacrifice America for Greater Israel.

We should be aware that a widening conflict will affect the interests of Russia and China with unknown consequences for the US and Israel.

(Republished from PaulCraigRoberts.org by permission of author or representative)

https://www.unz.com/proberts/the-crisis-caused-by-washington-and-israel-is-metastasizing/

THREAT OF ESCALATION: ISRAELI STRIKES ON DAMASCUS KILLED TOP IRGC ADVISER

On the afternoon of December 25, Israeli warplanes launched air strikes on the Syrian capital of Damascus. As a result of the attack, a senior adviser in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was killed.

Israeli forces reportedly launched three missiles in the Sayyedah Zaynab area.

The death of Sayyed Razi Mousavi, one of the top IRGC commanders in Syria, was confirmed by Iranian state media. He was responsible for the logistical and financial operations of the IRGC in Syria. He was reportedly responsible for coordination of the military alliance between Syria and Iran. The Iranian General also reportedly commanded operations against ISIS. Sayyed Razi Mousavi became the highest-ranking commander of the IRGC killed after the head of the Quds force, Qasem Soleimani.

https://southfront.press/threat-of-escalation-israeli-strikes-on-damascus-killed-top-irgc-adviser/

JOURNALIST WHO EXPOSED ZELENSKY’S LUXURY VILLA IN EGYPT WAS KILLED – REPORT

Mohammed Al-Alawi, reporter who investigated the purchase of a luxury villa by the family of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, was killed in Egypt. The report was published by Clear Story News, citing local sources.

According to the report, Egyptian journalist Mohammed Al-Alawi was found dead near a road in Hurghada. Numerous abrasions, bruises and fractures were found on his body, and death occurred as a result of severe traumatic brain injury.

“Mohammed Al-Alawi, a dedicated independent investigative journalist, was found with numerous abrasions, fractures, and bruises on his body, leading to a fatal cerebral hemorrhage stemming from severe traumatic brain injury, as reported by Elmostaqbal.com. According to an insider from the Hurghada police department, Al-Alawi appears to have been brutally beaten by a group of assailants,” the report reads.

https://southfront.press/journalist-who-exposed-zelenskys-luxury-villa-in-egypt-was-killed-report/