Supreme Court Justices Thomas And Alito Issue Warnings About State Of America

In separate remarks at two different events on Friday, Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito issued warnings about the state of affairs in America today, including support for freedom of speech “declining dangerously” and the nation’s capital becoming a “hideous” place where cancel culture runs rampant.

Justice Thomas spoke at a conference of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Point Clear, Alabama, while Justice Alito delivered a commencement address at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, a Catholic college in Ohio, with both of the conservative-minded judges painting a dark picture—while encouraging action and offering hope.

At the Alabama event, Justice Thomas was asked to comment by the moderator—U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle—about what it’s like to work “in a world that seems meanspirited.”

“I think there’s challenges to that,” Justice Thomas said. “We’re in a world and we—certainly my wife and I the last two or three years it’s been—just the nastiness and the lies, it’s just incredible.”

Justice Thomas has faced heavy fire from Democrats who accuse him of skirting disclosure rules, of corruption in general, and of being too cozy with wealthy Republicans. They have not been able to point to any specific court cases in which the justice has misbehaved. Some activists have even pushed for Justice Thomas’s impeachment.

By contrast, over 100 former Supreme Court clerks signed an open letter last year defending Justice Thomas’s integrity, calling him a man of “unwavering principle” whose independence is “unshakable.” They called various critical stories that have targeted him as “malicious” and “perpetuating the ugly assumption that the Justice cannot think for himself.”

“They are part of a larger attack on the Court and its legitimacy as an institution,” the letter also stated. “The picture they paint of the Court and the man for whom we worked bears no resemblance to reality.”

Public opinion polls suggest public trust in the Supreme Court recently fell to new lows.

Addressing the criticism, Justice Thomas said at the Alabama conference that Washington had become a “hideous” place where “people pride themselves in being awful,” while characterizing America beyond the Beltway as a place where regular people “don’t pride themselves in doing harmful things.”

Justice Thomas also expressed concern that court writings have become inaccessible to the average person, engendering a sense of alienation.

“The regular people I think are being disenfranchised sometimes by the way that we talk about cases,” Justice Thomas said, while expressing hope that this could change.

‘It’s Rough Out There’

Justice Alito warned graduates at the Catholic college in Ohio that freedom of speech and religion were both being assailed in today’s America, while expressing hope that young people would take up the mantle and fight for positive change.

In his address, Justice Alito made a reference to pop culture, namely to a graduation speech delivered by the character Thornton Melon (played by Rodney Dangerfield) in the movie “Back to School.”

He jokingly cited Mr. Melon’s advice to graduates, which was not to go out into the world after graduating because “it’s rough out there” and instead move back in with their parents, let them pay all the bills, and “worry about it.”

“As Mr. Melon said, it is rough out there,” Justice Alito said. “It’s probably rougher out there now than it has been for quite some time. But that is precisely why your contributions will be so important.”

Justice Alito said that, outside the walls of the campus, “troubled waters are slamming against some of our most fundamental principles,” referring to freedom of speech.

“Support for freedom of speech is declining dangerously,” he continued, noting that this problem is especially acute on college campuses, which he said are places where the exchange of ideas should be most protected.

“Very few colleges live up to that ideal. This place is one of them … but things are not that way out there in the broader world,” Justice Alito said.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/supreme-court-justices-thomas-and-alito-issue-warnings-about-state-america

Israeli Tanks Plunge Deeper Into Rafah As 500,000 Palestinians Flee

Israeli tanks have been seen plunging deeper into the southern Gaza city of Rafah amid reports that some 500,000 people have fled amid the escalating ground offensive.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have initially focused their operation on the eastern section of the city, having seized a key roadway that essentially cuts Rafah in half. "The tanks advanced this morning west of Salahuddin Road into the Brzail and Jneina neighborhoods. They are in the streets inside the built-up area and there are clashes," one resident told Reuters via a messaging app. Regional media also reports that "Video on social media showed one tank on George Street in Al-Jneina neighborhood."

The White House criticism that not enough has been done to evacuate civilians to safety has persisted. "One of the officials also warned that Israel has not come anywhere close to making adequate preparations – including building infrastructure related to food, hygiene and shelter – ahead of potentially evacuating more than one million Gazans are who currently reside in Rafah," the report continues.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan has clarified in a fresh statement that "The president was clear that he would not supply certain offensive weapons for such an operation were to occur." He underscored in a Monday briefing, "It has not yet occurred."

The words came after a dire prediction by Secretary of State Antony Blinken about the near-future fight if Israel goes 'all in' on Rafah. "Israel’s on the trajectory, potentially, to inherit an insurgency with many armed Hamas left, or, if it leaves, a vacuum filled by chaos, filled by anarchy and probably refilled by Hamas," he said Sunday on NBC’s "Meet the Press." Already the IDF has been forced to return to wage battle in some parts of northern Gaza after Hamas reappeared there, though these regions had already been pacified earlier in the conflict.

But on the whole the US now assesses Hamas capabilities have been "significantly degraded". State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said days ago, "You have seen their ability to launch the kind of attacks that they did on October 7 significantly degraded, if not completely eliminated."

"They couldn’t launch an attack of that scale today," Miller claimed. "Their weapons production factories underground have been eliminated. Most of their battalion leadership in the north and in central Gaza has been eliminated. So Israel has achieved a great number of its military objectives."

The US CENTCOM commander has been on the ground coordinating with IDF leadership, despite President Biden signaling to the public and angry progressives he's getting tough on Israel…

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/israeli-tanks-plunge-deeper-rafah-500000-palestinians-flee

>>20866327

Relentless IDF bombing of Gaza's south has continued, also amid stepped up Hamas operations attacking IDF convoys and positions:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1782807873703256374

Witness Tampering?… Biden Ally Rep. Goldman Admits Meeting with Michael Cohen “Many Times” to “Prepare Him” for Testimony in Biden/Bragg Trial

During an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Rep. Goldman made the candid admission that he met with Michael Cohen a number of times to prepare him.

“I have deposed Michael Cohen. I have met with him a number of times to prepare him,” Goldman said.

However, Rep. Goldman’s involvement with Cohen is now under intense scrutiny. Despite acknowledging Cohen’s dubious credibility and being a convicted perjurer, stating that he “is an admitted perjurer…an admitted liar,” Goldman’s interactions with Cohen are being suspected by some as a deliberate attempt to shape his narrative against Trump.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1790389657458397192

https://twitter.com/i/status/1790389657458397192

Australian Government’s Overreach Slammed: Conservative Social Media ‘Gab’ Defies Censorship Demands, Faces $500,000 Fine for Upholding Free Speech

The conservative social media platform Gab has openly defied the Australian government’s demand to remove or censor a video depicting a tragic attack at the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church in western Sydney.

While tech giants like Meta acquiesced to similar requests, Gab has told the Australian government to pound sand, potentially incurring a hefty fine of $500,000 USD.

The controversial video, which includes a poignant message from Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, who was wounded during the assault, became a flashpoint for a clash between censorship and the right to free speech.

Two days after six people were killed in a Sydney shopping mall last month by a serial stabber, who was ultimately shot dead by a female police officer, Bishop Mari Emmanuel of Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley was the target of a violent stabbing while preaching during an evening service.

After a 16-year-old Muslim terrorist stabbed the bishop during a live-streamed sermon, the video of the attack quickly spread online.

The platform, which prides itself as a bastion of unfettered expression, especially for conservative voices often silenced by mainstream social media, is now being threatened with a significant financial penalty.

The notice from Down Under warns of enforcement action that could lead to civil penalties amounting to $782,500 AUD for non-compliance—around half a million in US dollars.

Gab’s CEO, Andrew Torba, issued a fiery response:

We refuse to succumb to the pressure of the Australian government and will not censor the video posted by our user. We stand by our commitment to free speech and support the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church in their time of need. We encourage our users to share their thoughts, prayers, and support for Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and the entire congregation affected by this tragedy.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/05/australian-governments-overreach-slammed-conservative-social-media-gab/

New York Appeals Court Upholds Merchan’s Gag Order – Claims Crooked Judge “Properly Weighed” Trump’s First Amendment Rights

A New York Appeals court on Tuesday rejected President Trump’s request to lift crooked Judge Juan Merchan’s gag order.

The appeals court said Merchan “properly weighed” Trump’s First Amendment Rights.

Unbelievable!

“We find that Justice Merchan properly weighed petitioner’s First Amendment Rights against the court’s historical commitment to ensuring the fair administration of justice in criminal cases, and the right of persons related or tangentially related to the criminal proceedings from being free from threats, intimidation, harassment, and harm,” according to the order.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/05/just-new-york-appeals-court-upholds-merchans-gag/

Let me translate: They have blackmail tapes on us as well

Criminals trying to protect criminals

Merrick Garland and Chris Wray Proudly Announce Government Censorship Apparatus to Target “Cyber-Enabled Campaigns” and Censor Americans in Run-up to 2024 Election

Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and FBI Director Christopher Wray announced on Monday their latest plan to censor Americans under the guise of combatting “election threats.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland who is directly tied to the historic persecution of opposition candidate Donald J. Trump led the discussion today in Washington DC on election threats.

He should have mentioned his name first when he lectured on current election threats.

Merrick Garland today mentioned the DOJ and FBI’s work to protect elections from national security threats. Garland added, “It includes our National Security Division’s and the FBI’s work to protect our elections from national security threats, including malign foreign influence and cyber-enabled campaigns.”

Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) noted theconvenient timingof this announcement by Garland and Wray.

Just last week the Biden regime was forced to dissolve and disband the unlawful DHS Intelligence Experts Group stacked with deep state partisans like James Clapper and John Brennan following a lawsuit by America First Legal and Ambassador Richard Grenell.

Mike Benz: The trick here is all “misinformation narratives” are deemed to have a campaign behind them, & any US civilian who clicks the retweet button to amplify said narrative is deemed to be participating in said “campaign”

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/05/merrick-garland-chris-wray-proudly-announce-latest-censorship/

Russian MPs pass bill banning ‘foreign agents’ from elections

Those considered to be under influence from abroad will also be prohibited from serving as observers

Russian lawmakers on Tuesday passed a bill that bans individuals labeled as ‘foreign agents’ from seeking any political office in the country, according to a press release issued by the Federation Council, the upper chamber of Russia’s parliament.

According to the bill, those deemed foreign agents will no longer be able to stand as candidates in elections at either the municipal or federal level. Such persons will also be prohibited from taking part in elections as proxies of other candidates or observers, which effectively means that anyone working for NGOs or media companies that receive funds from abroad may be excluded from the election process.

The legislation was earlier passed by the State Duma, the lower chamber. It must now be signed by President Vladimir Putin to become law.

The changes essentially constitute a package of amendments to an existing law governing the activities of foreign agents in Russia first adopted in 2012. Under the law, those designated as foreign agents are not banned from operating in the country but are required to disclose their status and are subject to additional restrictions.

The latest amendments oblige anyone who decides to take part in elections to “cease their status as a foreign agent.” If it turns out that an already registered candidate has the status of foreign agent, a court can cancel such a candidate’s election registration. The bill also states that a citizen can be deprived of his or her currently held political position if designated a foreign agent. However, office holders are granted a 180-day period to relinquish this status before being removed.

Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin earlier called the new legislation “humane, democratic and liberal.” He emphasized that those labeled as foreign agents have the option of having the label removed by cutting ties with foreign funding and then reintegrating into the electoral process.

According to Volodin, there are currently ten foreign agents in the legislative bodies of Moscow, St. Petersburg and other Russian regions.

In 2022, Russia already amended the legislation to prohibit foreign agents from holding state office, taking part in electoral campaigns, engaging in educational activities, or receiving state funds. In March of this year, advertising on platforms belonging to foreign agents was banned. Those who fail to comply with the foreign agent legislation can face fines of up to 5 million rubles ($55,000) and up to six years in prison.

https://www.rt.com/russia/597578-russia-law-foreign-agents-elections/

From PropOrNot To New lines: How Washington Is Weaponizing Media

Media outlets such as New Lines Magazine present themselves as unbiased and independent, however an analysis reveals deep connections to the US national security state, peddling disinformation to discredit genuine alternative media.

New Lines Magazine purports to be an independent media organization. Yet it constantly attacks genuine alternative media who stray from Washington’s official foreign policy line, all while employing many spooks, spies and other figures at the heart of the national security state.

Worse still, its parent organization, the New Lines Institute, has recently admitted to being directly funded by the U.S. government. MintPress News takes a closer look at this shady organization acting as Washington’s attack dog.

A SLICK, WELL-FUNDED ORGANIZATION

If you read the Wikipedia entries for many alternative media outlets, they are written off as fringe conspiracy websites pushing debunked foreign propaganda. MintPress News, for example, is described as a “far-left news website” which “publishes disinformation and antisemitic conspiracy theories.” The Grayzone is similarly smeared as a “fringe” blog known for its “misleading reporting” and “sympathetic coverage of authoritarian regimes” such as Syria, Venezuela and China.

The evidence for these evidence-light smears comes primarily from the U.S. foreign policy journal, New Lines Magazine, a product of the New Lines Institute. New Lines is a very new organization that was established only in 2020. Despite this, it has already become a key player in setting U.S. agendas worldwide, boasting a staff of more than 50 and working with over 150 contributors. Headquartered on the prestigious Massachusetts Avenue NW (some of the most expensive real estate in the world), it sits between foreign embassies and many of America’s most prestigious think tanks, a stone’s throw – metaphorically and physically – from the White House.

New Lines describes its goal as “seeking to shape U.S. foreign policy” based on a “deep understanding of distinct regional geopolitics and value systems.” It began by focusing solely on the Middle East but quickly expanded to cover Ukraine, China, Venezuela and other political hotspots that most concern hawks in Washington. It certainly shapes public debate, and its research and experts are regularly quoted in influential outlets like The New York Times, Washington Post, and CNN.

A ROGUE’S GALLERY OF US OFFICIALS

New Lines presents itself as an independent organization, claiming that it is “one of the few think tanks in Washington with no foreign or local agendas.” Yet its higher ranks are packed with former state officials.

Chief amongst them is New Lines Institute founder and president Ahmed Alwani. Alwani served on the advisory board of the U.S. military’s Africa Command and influenced Washington’s Middle East positions. His New Lines biography boasts that he “met the commanding generals of Fort Jackson, Fort Hood, Fort Bragg, Naval Station Norfolk and Joint Base Andrews as well as then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and his staff numerous times during the Iraq War to consult on U.S. policy” – something many might not consider a badge of honor.

Alwani also founded Fairfax University, a controversial private educational institution that Virginia state regulators considered shutting down in 2019. Auditors found that “teachers weren’t qualified to teach their assigned courses,” academic quality was “patently deficient,” plagiarism was “rampant,” and students’ English levels were “abysmally poor,” making Fairfax look far more like a degree mill than a legitimate university.

https://thefreethoughtproject.com/information-war/from-propornot-to-new-lines-how-washington-is-weaponizing-media

Utah mom sues AstraZeneca, claiming she was left ‘permanently disabled’ in COVID vaccine trial

A Utah mother who says she was “permanently disabled” after taking part in the US clinical trial of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine is suing the drug manufacturer because it failed to cough up enough cash to cover her medical expenses.

Brianne Dressen, 42, was “the picture of good health” when she started the British-made vaccine’s clinical trial in 2020 — but ended up developing a severe neurological condition, the lawsuit filed Monday alleges.

“I walked into the clinic fine, and walked out the beginning of a nightmare I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy,” Dressen said, per the court papers.

https://nypost.com/2024/05/14/us-news/us-woman-sues-astrazeneca-after-claiming-she-was-left-permanently-disabled-by-covid-vaccine/

New Documents Reveal Training Materials Explaining to Noncitizens and Illegal Aliens How They Can Register to Vote in DC Elections

Excerpt from Judicial Watch:

Judicial Watch announced today that it received 13-pages of records in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from the District of Columbia, explaining to illegal aliens and other noncitizens how they can register to vote in local elections.

The PowerPoint presentation explains:

Non-US citizen residents of the District of Columbia can vote in local elections under the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022. Non-US citizen residents can vote in District elections for the offices of Mayor, Attorney General, Chairman or member(s) of the DC Council, member(s) of the State [sic] Board of Education, or Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner(s) Non-US citizen residents cannot vote for Federal Offices

To register to vote in the District of Columbia as a non-citizen, you must: Be at least 17 years old and 18 years old by the next General Election; Maintain residency in the District of Columbia for at least 30 days prior to the election in which you intend to vote; Not claim voting residence or the right to vote in any state, territory, or country; Not been found by a court to be legally incompetent to vote.

**

You must provide proof of your address in the District of Columbia at an Early Vote Center prior to Election Day or at the polling place assigned to your address on Election Day.

https://www.yourdestinationnow.com/2024/05/new-documents-reveal-training-materials.html

UN Clarifies That Death Toll of 35,000 in Gaza Hasn’t Changed

The clarification came after figures published by the UN included numbers of Palestinian bodies that have been fully identified

On Monday, the UN said that the number of Palestinians killed by Israel in Gaza since October 7 hasn’t changed, a figure that has surpassed 35,000.

UN spokesman Farhan Haq made the clarification after the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) published figures from Gaza’s Health Ministry that showed the number of Palestinians killed who have been fully identified, which, as of April 30, was 24,686 out of 34,622 total fatalities.

Out of the 24,686 fully identified Palestinians, there were 7,797 children, 4,959 women, 1,924 elderly, and 10,006 men. The figures were published by the OCHA on May 8. Two days earlier, the OCHA published figures that used estimates from Gaza’s Media Office that said 34,735 Palestinians had been killed, including over 14,500 children and 9,500 women.

The discrepancy led to claims that the UN had “halved” the number of women and children killed in Gaza, but Haq clarified the overall death toll hasn’t changed and that the latest numbers didn’t take into account the roughly 10,000 dead Palestinians who haven’t been fully identified.

“There’s about another 10,000 plus bodies who are still have to be fully identified. And so then the details of those which of those are children, which of those are women that will be reestablished once the full identification process is complete,” Haq said.

According to CNN, Gaza’s Health Ministry said in its latest report that a total of 15,103 children and 9,961 women have been killed in Gaza since October 7.

Haq added that the UN hasn’t been able to verify the figures from Gaza’s Health Ministry but noted their numbers have been historically accurate, something that’s been acknowledged by US and Israeli officials. The Hebrew-language news site Local Call reported in January that the Israeli military determined the figures were reliable and used them to estimate how many civilians they’ve killed.

Two Palestinian Health Ministry officials told CNN that the total number of deaths also does not include another 10,000 people who are missing and presumed dead under the rubble.

https://news.antiwar.com/2024/05/13/un-clarifies-that-death-toll-of-35000-in-gaza-hasnt-changed/

US Army Officer Resigns Over ‘Unqualified’ Support for Israeli Slaughter in Gaza

Maj. Harrison Mann was working at the Defense Intelligence Agency

Maj. Harrison Mann posted his resignation letter on LinkedIn and said it was initially distributed within the DIA on April 16. In the letter, he said the DIA does not only “inform policy” but “facilitates, and at times, directly executes policy,” referring to US support for Israel.

“The policy that has never been far from my mind for the past six months is the nearly unqualified support for the government of Israel, which has enabled and empowered the killing and starvation of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians,” Mann said in the letter. “As we were recently reminded, this unconditional support also encourages reckless escalation that risks wider war.”

He said that his work at the DIA had “unquestionably” contributed to the support for Israel and that the “horrific and heartbreaking” images coming from Gaza caused him great shame. Mann submitted his resignation on November 1, but according to The New York Times, it’s unclear when he will be separated from the Army.

https://news.antiwar.com/2024/05/13/us-army-officer-resigns-over-unqualified-support-for-israeli-slaughter-in-gaza/

Everyone is Hamas