FBI Ordered to Turn Over Covenant School Shooter's Manifesto for Judicial Review

Adelle Nazarian

By Adelle Nazarian March 16, 2024

A federal judge mandated on Friday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation must hand over all documents concerning Audrey Elizabeth Hale, the perpetrator of the Covenant School shooting, including her manifesto, for a private examination of the materials.

This ruling stems from a high-profile lawsuit filed by Star News Digital Media Inc. and Michael Patrick Leahy — CEO and editor in chief of Star News Digital Media — against the FBI in May 2023, seeking the disclosure of Hale’s manifesto.

Hale, a 28-year-old woman who identified as a man named Aiden, killed six people — three 9-year-old students and three staff members — at the Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 27. Hale was shot and killed by law enforcement at the scene of the crime.

According to The Tennessee Star’s report, in a filing made in July 2023, the FBI contended that the release of even a single page from Hale’s manifesto could endanger ongoing investigations concerning potential federal offenses.

The official ruling deemed Hale acted alone, but officials have refused to release the manifesto, citing the need to protect an ongoing investigation.

Trauger wrote in a three-page order, “The court finds that the FBI’s assertions cannot be evaluated adequately based on the available materials and that, although the FBI’s position may ultimately be well-founded, it has not supported that position with sufficient clarity or detail to permit the court to recognize the asserted exemptions at this time.”

Trauger continued, “The court also finds that the significant public interest in both the requested materials and the law enforcement objectives asserted by the FBI support in camera review [private review by a judge to determine what is appropriate to be made public] and that no showing has been made that the requested materials will be so voluminous that they would pose a significant danger to judicial economy.”

In response to the ruling, Leahy said, “the court’s order today is a significant victory for the public’s right to know about the motives of Audrey Elizabeth Hale, who murdered six innocent Nashvillians at the Covenant School on March 27, 2023.”

Leahy received an ugly death threat on July 9 in response to his fight for freedom of information.

Should this manifesto be made public?

Conservative pundit and “Louder with Crowder” podcast host Steven Crowder alleged his team had procured three pages of Hale’s purported manifesto and released them on Nov. 4.

On a page headlined, “DEATH DAY,” Hale allegedly wrote, “Today is the day… The day has finally come!” and “I can’t beleive its here. Don’t know how I was able to get this far, but here I am.”

The manifesto reportedly also included the phrase, “Kill those kids!!! those crackers going to fancy private schools,” among other disturbing words about the same school she had attended as a young girl.

According to Fox News, Hale kept more than 20 journals, so the three purportedly leaked pages represent only a glimpse of the killer’s writings.

Leahy said he was encouraged by the latest development in the case regarding the documents.

“I believe the court’s order for an in camerareview of all the relevant documents is the right course of action, and I am confident that subsequent to that review the court will order the release of all these documents, because it is in the public interest to do so,” he told the Tennessee Star.

https://www.westernjournal.com/fbi-ordered-turn-covenant-school-shooters-manifesto-judicial-review/

China Turns on the Charm for Foreigners but Its Allure Has Faded

Story by Liza Lin •

China’s government is rolling out a charm offensive to lure back foreigners, part of an effort to shed years of pandemic-induced isolation that is sapping the world’s second-largest economy.

It’s a tougher sell than it used to be.

In recent months, China has made it simpler and cheaper for business travelers and tourists to get visas, and scrapped visa requirements for some entirely. It has extended tax incentives to make life for foreign residents more appealing. Chinese Premier Li Qiang pledged further moves to rebuild the “Invest-in-China” brand at the country’s annual legislative meetings earlier this month.

The campaign marks an effort to restore the global ties that helped power China’s decades of record-breaking growth, which Beijing severed during the pandemic as Chinese leader Xi Jinping elevated security above all else.

Now China is trying to regain its allure for foreigners in a different era, with a slowing economy and tightening social controls. A rising chorus in Washington portrays engagement with China as suspect. And there is lingering distrust in the country’s government stemming from the zero-Covid policies and a nationwide anti-espionage campaign.

One U.S. business executive said he was unsettled in mid-2023 when a group of nine police officers showed up at his door in Beijing one evening, demanding to examine his passportand confirm his employer, as one of the officers recorded the interaction with a smartphone. The officers didn’t give a reason for the visit, he said.

“It’ll take a long time to restore the broken trust over the last couple of years,” the executive said.

China handed out 711,000 residence permits to foreigners last year, down 15% from prepandemic 2019, according to the National Immigration Administration. Short-term visitor numbers, which include business travelers, dropped even more, falling two-thirds over the same period.

The severity of the challenge is apparent in Shanghai, a glimmering financial center that once teemed with foreigners of all stripes. The number of new foreign worker permits fell to 50,000 in 2022 from roughly 70,000 in 2020, according to official data.

The city is still struggling to recover its cosmopolitan flair nearly two years after a Covid lockdown persuaded many expatriates to flee.

“When we go out to restaurants and malls on the weekends, I’m usually the only white guy,” said Graeme Allen, an Irish national who runs an Irish-themed bistro in the city. The number of expats had been dwindling even before the pandemic as companies shifted hiring to local talent, but the Covid lockdowns were the last straw for many, he said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/china-turns-on-the-charm-for-foreigners-but-its-allure-has-faded/ar-BB1k4axe

THEY ALL SAY IT!!! Bloodbath

0:24

https://rumble.com/embed/v4h8dq9/?pub=4

'It's Just Unacceptable': Former Vice President Mike Pence Criticizes Donald Trump for Calling Jan. 6 Rioters 'Hostages'

Joshua Wilburn Mar. 17 2024

Former Vice President Mike Pence criticized Donald Trump's characterization of imprisoned January 6 rioters as "hostages" during a rally held in Ohio on Saturday, March 16, RadarOnline.com has learned.

During the event, Trump praised the rioters and condemned their imprisonment, telling a crowd of his supporters, "You see this spirit from the hostages? And that’s what they are, as hostages. They’ve been treated terribly and very unfairly, and you know that, and everybody knows that."

Trump further pledged to address their situation promptly upon entering office, emphasizing his support for them as "unbelievable patriots."

In an interview on Face the Nation with CBS' Margaret Brennan on Sunday, Pence voiced his disapproval of Trump's remarks, particularly highlighting the inappropriateness of referring to individuals involved in legal proceedings as "hostages."

“I think it’s very unfortunate at a time that there are American hostages being held in Gaza. That the president or any other leaders would refer to people that are moving through our justice system as hostages," the former vice president told the host. "It’s just unacceptable!”

“The assaults on police officers, ultimately an environment that claimed lives, is something that I think was tragic. And I’ll never diminish it.," the former vice president added.

(Pence was always a bummer and traitor)

https://radaronline.com/p/mike-pence-criticizes-donald-trump-calling-jan-6-rioters-hostages/

March 16, 2024

The Moment You Started to Like Donald Trump

By Stephan Helgesen.1/2

Let’s be honest. You know you like Trump, even if you hate him. And I know the reason why. You were brought up to avoid all people who exaggerated or stretched the truth or who portrayed themselves to be winners by denigrating the opposition. Your parents taught you to be humble and not brag about yourself, even in those instances when it was warranted. In school, your teachers routinely took you down a peg if you thought you were better than the guy who sat next to you. If you felt you knew more than your teacher and showed it, you got detention and a letter about your behavior was sent home with you to your father.

In Boy Scouts, the Scoutmaster encouraged teamwork, and so did your high school football coach. Individual sports such as gymnastics were also “team-driven” sports, and any wins that accrued were shared accomplishments with other team members. After graduation, when you entered the world of business or academia, the same sentiments applied, except in business, especially if your job was to bring the bacon home to your company. Salesmen were judged on their merits, and bonuses were given on performance.

This confused you. Where was the team approach? You didn’t complain, because you liked the extra money and the attention and the promotional possibilities, so you made a mental note about the duality of life lived in the real lane. You read all the books on How to Win Friends and Influence People, The Peter Principle, and then The Art of the Deal. While you liked them all, you were torn about following that seemingly larger-than-life example of typical American drive, Donald Trump. He shocked you from time to time by his outlandish pronouncements and his mega-investments, but you soon realized that he had a formula that worked for him. While you weren’t ready to roll the dice, take out a second mortgage to your home, and emulate him, you admired him in secret (because your friends were berating anyone who liked him).

But the unvarnished truth is that he was better than most people — at least among his competitors.And why did you like him? Because deep down, you know in your heart of hearts that Donald Trump is the personification of what America and Americans have been all about for a couple hundred years: bold, brash, full of bravado, fearless, driven, confident, risk-takers, and unapologetic for their triumphs.

That appealed to you on a primitive and historically-accurate and now grown-up level. However, you couldn’t sign on to it just yet because you weren’t brought up that way (especially if you lived in the Midwest, like me) by your parents, your teachers, your coaches, and your pastor. But while you remained confused about it, Trump kept on winning and he finally parlayed his success in business to the White House. You voted for him, or maybe you didn’t, but you at least admired his pluck. Then your peer group took over, and the shaming machine went into high gear. Everyone who supported him was on the good and decent people’s hit list. And because you wanted to stay out of the fight and not risk losing friends or family members to a political disagreement, you kept your mouth shut.

But it’s now become impossible for you to keep quiet.You’ve seen how petty jealousy, envy, and the power-crazed political elites have targeted him for destruction, and if they succeed, you figure, they could come after you, too. So you’re now taking a different tack. You’ve decided that being proud of America, proud of her accomplishments and the principles that made those accomplishments possible, is nothing to apologize for. You’re now willing to risk personal loss to achieve a more profound and lasting gain. You’re okay with losing a few friends due to political and philosophical differences. You’ve manned up and vowed not to cower in fear every time somebody says, “Didn’t you vote for Trump?”

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/03/the_moment_you_started_to_like_donald_trump.html

>>20585524

2/2

It’s not been easy, making peace with your past, or realizing that what you were taught was the only way to live a full and satisfying life. You now are more confident that the only way to solve problems is to confront them, openly and honestly.

You still think Trump should be more circumspect and choose his words more carefully, but you are also aware that in between his bouts of boastfulness and repetition, he is asking all of us to see what is right in front of our eyes and not be fooled by special interests, professional politicians, or even himself! That is what you like about Trump.He’s fearless, especially when he’s convinced about what he’s saying. On the one hand, he’d like you to believe him without question, but on the other, he’s not afraid if you disagree with him and search the record for yourself.

Is Donald Trump the perfect leader, or was he the perfect president? Absolutely not,but no one can claim that his leadership is a radical departure from the essential American character. For proof, take a short journey back in time to the American industrial icons who built our companies and the giants of our research institutions who found cures for debilitating diseases. Look at our pioneers and our presidents who risked everything, even their lives, to change our history. Were some of them outlandish for their times? Did some of their decisions create controversies that dogged them throughout their careers? The answer is “yes.”

We are all products of our environments, our schooling, and our experiences. That goes for the poorest and the richest among us. But over time, many of us find the courage to follow the truth about ourselves and our leaders. America is like a giant corporation that needs good management, good products, and good people to make them. It also needs good salesmen to sell them and consumers willing to buy them.And when it comes to the quintessential American product, we can argue all day about how it’s marketed, but we should never argue with the man who’s selling it, particularly when he believes in it himself.

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/03/the_moment_you_started_to_like_donald_trump.html

March 17, 2024

Schadenfreude: Biden is flying into rages now against his staff

By Monica Showalter

Joe Biden is not happy about his polling numbers.

According to NBC News, citing 20 anonymous staffers and allies:

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden was seething.

In a private meeting at the White House in January, allies of the president had just told him that his poll numbers in Michigan and Georgia had dropped over his handling of the war between Israel and Hamas.

Both are battleground states he narrowly won four years ago, and he can’t afford any backsliding if he is to once again defeat Donald Trump. He began to shout and swear, a lawmaker familiar with the meeting said.

He believed he had been doing what was right, despite the political fallout, he told the group, according to the lawmaker.

…

For months, Democrats have watched the 2024 campaign unfold with rising alarm as the sitting president struggles to gain ground against his defeated predecessor. Frustrations rippling through the party have reached the top, with Biden at times second-guessing travel decisions and communications strategies that have left much of the electorate clueless about his record, interviews with nearly 20 lawmakers, present and past administration officials and Biden allies show.

That's got to be miserable stuff for staffers on the receiving end, particularly since, as NBC reports,they're taking the brunt of his out-of-control anger.

He's blaming his staff for many things, not just his bad poll numbers, which hover around 38% public approval at last reading, according to the NBC report, a number so low no president running for re-election in modern times has overcome them.

Past presidents, such as Jimmy Carter and George Bush, Sr. were defeated on higher public approval ratings than Joe has. Nobody's as low as Joe.

Biden claims that his staff is "cocooning" him away from the public as if his many gaffes and physical stumbles weren't reason enough to do so.

Here's an icky quote from a staffer, which has public relations written all over it.

“The president and his advisers have all been eager for him to be out there more and planned for that to take place at the start of the election year, as has been the norm for past incumbents seeking re-election,” the second person familiar with the matter said.

Some of staff have complained that Biden is playing defense, trying to shore up his base, not trying to persuade new voters, which sounds about par, particularly since recent reports say he's hemorrhaging working class black and Latino voters who are moving to President Trump.

Others say he should be let out more often and walk faster, even though others still say he's falling flat on his face when he does.

Still others say he needs an army of surrogates to carry his message since he can't do it alone.

You can tell from the report that the staff don't know what to do, but there Biden is, raging at them for his miserable polling numbers.

NBC unquestioningly insists that Biden has a good economy to brag about and voters just don't get it.

That's where the real problem is. No, the economy is not good, and voters know it. Grocery and gas and heating prices are sharply higher while salaries are lower and housing is out of the question for many.

Illegals have taken many of the "jobs created" and if not illegals, legal immigrants, which sounds like replacement theory.

It's wretched stuff based on the world's most wretched presidential record. It frankly stinks.

But that's not where Biden is. He's bellowing at staff about why voters don't love him.

They will never be able to tell him the truth and he won't look for it. But look forward to staff resigning as he rages at them – and lots of tell-all books.

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2024/03/schadenfreude_biden_is_flying_into_rages_now_against_his_staff.html

>>20585600

His and their problem is they believed his lies, even though they know he and they stole the 2020 election. Obama is enjoying the hell out of this, but he won’t be happy when this is over.

>>20585600

Jul 10, 2023

Old yeller: Biden's private fury. 1/2

Alex Thompson

In public, President Biden likes to whisper to make a point.In private, he's prone to yelling.

Behind closed doors, Biden has such a quick-trigger temper that some aides try to avoid meeting alone with him. Some take a colleague, almost as a shield against a solo blast.

The president's admonitions include:"God dammit, how the fk don't you know this?!," "Don't fking bullsht me!" and "Get the f*k out of here!"— according to current and former Biden aides who have witnessed and been on the receiving end of such outbursts.

Why it matters: The private eruptions paint a more complicated picture of Biden as a manager and president than his carefully cultivated image as a kindly uncle who loves Aviator sunglasses and ice cream.

Some Biden aides think the president would be better off occasionally displaying his temper in public as a way to assuage voter concerns that the 80-year-old president is disengaged and too old for the office.

Zoom in: Senior and lower-level aides alike can be in Biden's line of fire. "No one is safe," said one administration official.

Biden aides still talk about how angry he got at Jeff Zients, then the administration's "COVID czar," in late 2021 when there was a shortage of testing kits as the Omicron variant spread. (The rage was temporary. Zients is now Biden's chief of staff.)

A spokesperson for Zients told Axios: "I'm not going to speak to what internal convos may or may not have happened between Jeff and the president."

The White House declined to comment.

"There's no question that the Biden temper is for real. It may not be as volcanic as Bill Clinton’s, but it's definitely there," said Chris Whipple, author of "The Fight of His Life: Inside Joe Biden’s White House."

Whipple's book quotes former White House press secretary Jen Psaki as saying: "I said to [Biden] multiple times, 'I'll know we have a really good, trusting relationship when you yell at me the first time.'"

Whipple notes: "Psaki wouldn't have to wait long."

Zoom out: Biden's temper comes in the form of angry interrogations rather than erratic tantrums.

He'll grill aides on topics until it's clear they don’t know the answer to a question — a routine that some see as meticulous and others call "stump the chump" or "stump the dummy."

Being yelled at by the president has become an internal initiation ceremony in this White House, aides say — if Biden doesn't yell at you, it could be a sign he doesn't respect you.

Ted Kaufman, Biden's longtime chief of staff when the future president represented Delaware in the Senate, told Axios that Biden's process is policy-driven, and has made him a strong executive.

"If there is something that's not in the brief, he's going to find it," he said. "It's not to embarrass people, it's because he wants to get to the right decision. Most people who have worked for him like the fact that he challenges them and gets them to a better decision."

Some Biden aides argue that the president's rages reflect his high expectations for his staff.

"Speaking Biden" is a particular skill, they said.It can take years to learn to navigate his moodiness, and anticipate what information he's going to ask for in a briefing.

Some administration officials, many of whom went to elite schools, struggle with Biden's demand to ditch wonky, acronym-filled language and brief him as if they were talking to a close family member who isn't in the D.C. bubble.

Biden's defenders acknowledge he can be tough. But they also say he can be more generous and compassionate than many powerful politicians and can make them feel like family. That's partly why so many aides have worked with Biden for decades, and go in and out of his orbit, they say.

https://www.axios.com/2023/07/10/biden-temper-us-president

>>20585700

2/2

The big picture: Biden tries to conceal his temper in public but occasionally has shown flashes of it — and some former aides have written about it.

In January 2022, he was caught on a hot mic calling Fox News' Peter Doocy a "stupid son of a bitch."

Jeff Connaughton, a former Biden campaign and Senate aide who was chief of staff to Kaufman when he filled Biden's seat in the Senate, wrote about Biden's temper in his 2012 book on Washington corruption, "The Payoff: Why Wall Street Wins."

Connaughton wrote that as a senator,Biden was an "egomaniacal autocrat … determined to manage his staff through fear."

He told of a time during the 2008 presidential campaign when a 23-year-old fundraising staffer got into the car with Biden.

"Okay, senator, time to do some fundraising calls," the aide said. Biden responded by looking at him and snapping: "Get the f**k out of the car."

Connaughton told Axios that Biden "hides his sharper edge to promote his folksy Uncle Joe image — which is why, when flashes of anger break through, it seems so out of public character."

https://www.axios.com/2023/07/10/biden-temper-us-president