Adam Schiff: President Trump “Doesn’t Give a Sh*t About What’s Good for Our Country”

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) said in an interview published Friday by the New Yorker that President Trump “doesn’t give a shit about what’s good for our country.” Schiff made the comment in a sit down softball interview Thursday with Swamp stenographer Susan Glasser for her Letter from Trump’s Washington column.

Glasser did not challenge Schiff for lying about the whistleblower, making up Trump’s words at a committee hearing or his spying on fellow committee members and reporters. The interview reads like one Party member speaking with a fellow Party member.

Schiff is described by Glasser as a “mild mannered vegan”. Schiff says that like Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) he does not hate Trump. Glasser does not challenge Schiff in the interview at any point–except once where she is concerned Schiff hasn’t pushed for subpoenas to compel testimony from Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani.

Schiff also told Glasser that he is not a “fact witness” in the impeachment and will refuse Republican demands to testify.

Excerpts:

…A few hours later on Thursday, I met Schiff for an interview in the Capitol, and he was not so reticent to embrace the H-word. He had heard about Pelosi’s press-conference moment but had not yet seen it. Do you hate Donald Trump, I asked? “No,” he said, “but I do hate what he is doing to the country.” Schiff is not a name-caller, unlike the President whose wrongdoing he has been pursuing. His committee’s three-hundred-page report is his response to Trump. In it, the committee concludes, “The evidence of the President’s misconduct is overwhelming.”

…if Pelosi is owning the charged politics of impeachment, it’s her partner, Adam Schiff, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, who has been the public face of the impeachment investigation. He has driven and shaped the narrative, interviewing witnesses and then pointedly summing up their testimony in long, ad-libbed speeches. Republicans compare the former federal prosecutor, an otherwise mild-mannered vegan from Southern California, to Inspector Javert, from “Les Misérables,” hunting Trump obsessively.

…I pressed him on why, then, his panel had not subpoenaed some key witnesses, such as Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, to whom the President essentially deputized Ukraine policy; the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, who listened in on the famous July 25th call; or the Vice-President, Mike Pence, who met with Zelensky in Trump’s place in late summer, when Trump was withholding nearly four hundred million dollars in congressionally appropriated military assistance for Ukraine. Schiff said that there was no point in doing so, given that his panel had subpoenaed a dozen Administration officials, including Mulvaney, who had refused to comply.

…There is also, Schiff suggested, an element of “projection” in the attacks on him. “There are members of Congress who may be fact witnesses. I’m not one of them,” he told me. Schiff was referring specifically to the ranking Republican member of his committee, Devin Nunes, of California, who showed himself to be an ardent promoter of conspiracy theories in Trump’s defense during last month’s public hearings. Yet Nunes never revealed that he had been speaking with central figures in the case, including Giuliani, on the same day that Trump was firing his Ambassador to Ukraine at Giuliani’s behest. This information was made public on Tuesday, in Schiff’s report, which cited phone records obtained by the committee.

…As Schiff was being called away from the interview, I asked him what had been the most memorable testimony of the hearings. Had there been a John Dean “cancer on the Presidency” moment that would last in history?…

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/12/adam-schiff-president-trump-doesnt-give-a-sht-about-whats-good-for-our-country/

Leader of a Violent Mexican Drug Trafficking Organization Charged with International Drug Importation Conspiracy and Weapons Use

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/leader-violent-mexican-drug-trafficking-organization-charged-international-drug-importation

Oil Jumps After OPEC Agrees To 500,000 bpd Production Cut

One day after the latest OPEC summit in Vienna ended in chaos and disarray, with the cartel unable to decide whether it will cut output further or instead punish violators of the current quote, leaving oil journalists asking questions and begging for pizza, on Friday Saudi Arabia and Russia surprised markets when they spearheaded a deal in which OPEC and non-OPEC nations committed to some of the deepest oil output cuts this decade aiming to avert oversupply and support prices amid declining global demand.

The group of more than 20 producers agreed to an extra 500,000 barrels per day in cuts for the first quarter of 2020, taking the total to 1.7 million bpd, or 1.7% of global demand, in hopes of boosting sagging oil prices in an environment where Saudi Arabia has been increasingly vocal in accusing cartel members and other producers of not sticking to pre-agreed quota levels.

Under the new deal, OPEC will agree to 372,000 bpd in fresh cuts and non-OPEC producers - mostly Russia - an extra 131,000 bpd.

Brent jumped more than 2%, rising above $64 a barrel after Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said effective cuts could be as much as 2.1 million bpd as Saudi would carry on cutting more than its quota.

https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/oil-jumps-after-opec-agrees-500kbpd-production-cut

REVEALED: Ukraine was the Origin of the Trump-Russia Collusion Hoax and It Ran Right Through the Office of Eric Ciaramella

December 2015 was a pivotal month in many respects.

During the first week of December 2015, Donald Trump began to establish a substantial lead over his Republican primary opponents.

Vice President Joseph Biden traveled to Ukraine to announce, on December 7th, a $190 million program to “fight corruption in law enforcement and reform the justice sector,” but behind the scenes explicitly linked a $1 billion loan guarantee to the firing of Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin, who had been investigating the energy company Burisma, which employed Biden’s son Hunter.

On December 9, 2015, the reported whistleblower Eric Ciaramella held a meeting in Room 236 of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building with Daria Kaleniuk, executive director of the Ukrainian Anti-Corruption Action Center, which was 59%-funded by Barack Obama’s State Department and the International Renaissance Foundation, a George Soros organization.

Also attending that meeting was Catherine Newcombe, attorney in the Criminal Division, Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, with the U.S. Department of Justice, where, among other duties, she oversaw the Department’s legal assistance programs to Ukraine.

By December 2015, Paul Manafort was undoubtedly considering approaching the Trump campaign to rejuvenate his U.S. political bona fides and mitigate the legal and financial difficulties he was experiencing at the time.

From the beginning of his association with the Trump campaign, Roger Stone, a long-time Manafort partner, made a strong case to Trump to bring in Manafort, who would officially connect to the campaign immediately after the February 1, 2016 Iowa caucuses.

Based on events occurring during the same period, were Obama Deep State operatives aware of Manafort’s intent and already intending to use his past questionable practices and links to Russia against Trump?

Such awareness of Manafort’s plans could have been obtained either through FBI surveillance, which began in 2014 and ended in early 2016, or through information provided by Manafort associates, for example, Ukrainian businessman Konstantin Kilimnik, who worked for Manafort and was a FBI and Department of State asset, not a Russian agent as later painted by the Mueller investigation.

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According to White House visitor logs, on January 19, 2016, Eric Ciaramella chaired a meeting of FBI, Department of Justice and Department of State personnel, which had two main objectives:

To coerce the Ukrainians to drop the Burisma probe, which involved Vice President Joseph Biden’s son Hunter, and allow the FBI to take it over the investigation.

To reopen a closed 2014 FBI investigation that focused heavily on GOP lobbyist Paul Manafort, whose firm long had been tied to Trump through his partner and Trump pal, Roger Stone.

That is, contain the investigation of Biden’s son and ramp up the investigation of Paul Manafort.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/12/revealed-ukraine-was-the-origin-of-the-trump-russia-collusion-hoax-and-it-ran-right-through-the-office-of-eric-ciaramella/

Both Nancy Pelosi And Adam Schiff Violated The Law: ‘Under This Violation, They Shall Be Imprisoned Not More Than 10 Years’

Apparently House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) figured out how to get AT&T and Verizon to collaborate with a Congressional subpoena to give telephone records of President Donald Trump’s own lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jay Sekulow, U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), the ranking individual from the committee for Republicans, and columnist John Solomon.

Schiff validately took the records of Nunes in a press explanation on Dec. 3, blaming the ranking individual of the committee of “complicity” in the President’s bad behavior, saying:

“It is, I think, deeply concerning, that at a time when the President of the United States was using the power of his office to dig up dirt on a political rival, that there may be evidence that there were members of Congress complicit in that activity.”

This is an extraordinary abuse of power to subpoena the telephone records of a fellow committeeman, a columnist and the President’s lawyers, and afterward for the telephone organizations to simply turn over the data without the clients’ permission when nothing in law permits it.

18 U.S.C. Area 1039(b)(1) explains unmistakably that telephone carriers can just turn over records with a client’s consent: “Except as otherwise permitted by applicable law, whoever, in interstate or foreign commerce, knowingly and intentionally sells or transfers, or attempts to sell or transfer, confidential phone records information of a covered entity, without prior authorization from the customer to whom such confidential phone records information relates, or knowing or having reason to know such information was obtained fraudulently, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.”

There is a special case to that, under 18 U.S.C. Segment 1039(g), however it applies just to the official branch and the states: “This section does not prohibit any lawfully authorized investigative, protective, or intelligence activity of a law enforcement agency of the United States, a State, or political subdivision of a State, or of an intelligence agency of the United States.”

The subpoena was aimed at the telephone carriers, who have commitments under government law not to turn over the records without a clients’ permission or a court request from an entity allowed under law to get the records.

https://theredpillednews.com/both-nancy-pelosi-and-adam-schiff-violated-the-law-under-this-violation-they-shall-be-imprisoned-not-more-than-10-years/

The Faux Generosity of the Super-Wealthy: Why Bill Gates is a Menace to Society

If Gates represents a net negative force in world politics, why does he receive such good press? For starters, he makes sizeable donations to a host of mainstream corporate media outlets.

Last month Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates surpassed Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to once again become the world’s richest individual, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Buoyed by an enormous 48 percent increase in Microsoft’s share price this year, Gates has retaken the title he last held in 2017.

That outcome is partially owed to the whims of Donald J. Trump. Microsoft recently surprisingly defeated Amazon’s bid for an extremely lucrative $10 billion Pentagon cloud computing contract that sees the company instantly become one of the world’s most important military and security contractors. This decision, Amazon alleges, was due to interference from the president who holds a personal grudge against Bezos, whose Washington Post has maintained a campaign of “resistance” against him.

Gates was also recently in the news attacking the wealth tax that Democratic presidential nomination candidates Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have proposed. “I’m all for super-progressive tax systems but when you say I should pay $100 billion, then I’m starting to do a little math about what I have left over,” the Seattle native said. (For the record, he would still have over $6 billion).

https://www.mintpressnews.com/faux-generosity-how-bill-gates-bought-his-power-and-influence/263208/

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>>7440562

Buying power and influence

If Gates represents a net negative force in world politics, why does he receive such good press? One reason may be his sizeable donations to a host of mainstream corporate media outlets. For example, the Gates Foundation underwrites the entire Global Development section of the Guardian, and has given the British newspaper over $9 million. Studying its donation database, it transpires it has also contributed over $3 million to NBC Universal, over $4 million to the influential French newspaper, Le Monde, over $4.5 million to NPR, $1 million to Al-Jazeera, and an astonishing $49 million to the BBC’s Media Action program, to name only a few. He who pays the piper, it is said, calls the tune. McGoey claims that the motive of billionaires giving to media organizations is primarily “to help legitimate the spurious idea that large corporate actors can rectify the economic harms and economic inequality that their practices have often compounded.”

Gates himself is the head of a gigantic media empire. We already rely on Microsoft for social media (LinkedIn), entertainment (Xbox), hardware and software like the Windows Phone and Windows OS. The company also owns stakes in media giants like Comcast and AT&T. And the “MS” in “MSNBC” stands for “Microsoft.”

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Pelosi’s Latest Babblings About Impeachment Are Bizarre, Prompt Questions About Her Mental Health (VIDEO)

Whoa. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is acting really bizarre.

“Sadly, but with confidence and humility, with allegiance to our founders and our heart full of love for America, today, I am asking our chairmen to proceed with articles of impeachment,” Pelosi said in a brief televised statement from the Capitol.

“Heart full of love”? “Humility”? What is she talking about?! It’s a partisan hack job to undo the will of 63 million Americans!

The impeachment inquiry has rushed toward an inevitable vote in the House to approve articles of impeachment and move the case to the Senate. In the process, Democrats have prevented Republicans from calling their own witnesses and have taken only party-line votes to proceed. There hasn’t been a hint of “love” or “humility” along the way.

After her really weird address to the nation (Fox News contributor Charlie Hurt said it looked like a “hostage video”), she held court for the media in the House.

“All I hear from the press is that I’m moving so swiftly that, like a blur, going by. This has been a couple of years, two and a half, since the initial investigation of the U.S. — Russian involvement which started much of this,” she said.

Wait, did she just say the impeachment movement has been going on since the probe into alleged collusion BEGAN? That investigation ended up clearing President Trump of all charges.

http://www.stationgossip.com/2019/12/pelosis-latest-babblings-about.html

Former Navy SEAL John McGuire Announces Candidacy For Congress in Virginia’s 7th District – And He’s Pro-Trump!

Goochland County, VA – Republican John McGuire, a former Navy SEAL, local small business owner and Delegate for Virginia’s 56th district, announced his candidacy for Congress in VA-07.

“From overcoming challenges in the foster care system to becoming a Navy SEAL, to starting a small business, I’ve had the opportunity to pursue the American Dream and serve this nation. But today, our way of life is under attack by those who seek to reshape and redefine our country.

I served our country for 10 years as a Navy SEAL, engaging in missions all over the world, and I’ve continued to serve this community as a member of the General Assembly because I know that service doesn’t stop when you retire your uniform,” McGuire continued. “Unlike our current member of Congress, I’ll put results for Virginia families over resistance, and I won’t be afraid to stand with President Trump to fight against those that threaten our way of life.”

http://www.hideoutnow.com/2019/12/former-navy-seal-john-mcguire-announces.html

Sen. Chris Murphy Says There’s ‘A Small List’ Of GOP Senators Considering Impeachment

On MSNBC’s Morning Joe Friday, host Willie Geist asked Democrat Senator Chris Murphy if he had heard of a Republican in the Senate who’s considering voting for the impeachment of President Donald Trump.

Sen. Murphy confirmed that “yes” there’s a “small list on one hand.”

What he didn’t say was who exactly was considering the vote, however, he did acknowledge that there’s ‘about five’ Republicans in that camp.

“I don’t buy this secret ballot thing. If there was a secret ballot, there’d still be only a handful that would vote to impeach this guy,” Sen. Murphy told Geist.

On Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked the House to formalize articles of impeachment against the President. Citing corruption, Pelosi justified the action saying Trump left her “no choice but to act.”

https://saraacarter.com/sen-chris-murphy-says-theres-a-small-list-of-gop-senators-considering-impeachment/

Europeans will not invoke trigger JCPOA dispute mechanism: China envoy

European parties to the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), did not invoke a mechanism that could lead to the re-imposition of United Nations sanctions against Tehran, a Chinese envoy says.

Fu Cong, director general of the Department of Arms Control of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, made the remarks while speaking to reporters after a three-hour-long meeting of the Joint Commission on the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal in Vienna on Friday.

"All countries need to refrain from taking actions that further complicate the situation," he said.

"In our view there is an element of automaticity into this and we can't be sure that countries can keep this process under control. It could aggravate tensions," he added.

However, the Chinese diplomat noted that all parties called on Iran to remain in full compliance of the JCPOA.

Representatives from Iran and the five remaining signatories to the landmark nuclear deal – Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China – as well as the European Union attended the Friday meeting to discuss ways to save the accord.

It was the first meeting by the remaining parties to the JCPOA since July. In May 2018, US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled his country out of the international deal, in defiance of global criticism, and later re-imposed the sanctions that had been lifted against Tehran as part of the agreement.

In response to the move, Tehran has so far rowed back on its nuclear commitments four times in compliance with Articles 26 and 36, but stressed that its retaliatory measures will be reversible as soon as Europe finds practical ways to shield the mutual trade from the sanctions.

However, European members since last month have begun raising the possibility of triggering the JCPOA’s “dispute resolution mechanism,” which is also known as the trigger mechanism, and whose activation can lead to the return of the UN sanctions on Iran.

Ahead of the Vienna meeting, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif referred to a statement issued by Washington to refute allegations made by European signatories of the JCPOA claiming that Iran's missile activities have violated the deal.

"Brian Hook (US Special Representative for Iran) has given our E3 JCPOA partners a timely reminder, openly admitting that missile testing is NOT prohibited in Security Council Resolution 2231," the foreign minister said in a tweet.

Iran to continue JCPOA commitment cuts until it enjoys economic benefits: Araqchi

Meanwhile, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi said Tehran will continue to scale back its commitments under the nuclear deal until it can receive the accord’s economic benefits.

https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2019/12/06/613000/JCPOA-Iran-Europe-China-Russia-Fu-Cong-Mikhail-Ulyanov

Netanyahu, Putin speak ahead of visit by Rusian leader to Israel next month

Talks focus on Iran and Syria; officials say PM also reiterates Israel’s request to free an Israeli-American woman imprisoned in Russia on drug charges

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke Friday with Russian leader Vladimir Putin about security issues in the Middle East and also about an Israeli-American woman imprisoned in Russia on drug charges.

Russian officials said the two confirmed that Putin would visit Israel next month.

Putin had been expected to join French President Emmanuel Macron in January at events to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Jerusalem, in what is expected to be the largest-ever gathering focused on combating anti-Semitism.

According to Netanyahu’s office, the talks Friday focused on Iran, Syria, Israel’s security needs and the continued need for the deconfliction mechanisms in place to prevent military engagement between Israel and Russia in Syria.

Russia backs the government of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad and has criticized previous Israeli airstrikes aimed at preventing an Iranian entrenchment near Israel’s northern border.

The IDF had said it coordinated its aerial campaign with Moscow through the deconfliction mechanism the two countries established in light of Russia’s significant military presence in Syria.

Israel has repeatedly said that it will not accept Iranian military entrenchment in Syria and that it will retaliate for any attack on the Jewish state from there.

Netanyahu spoke earlier in the week with US President Donald Trump and met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in talks that also focused on Iran.

An Israeli official also said that Netanyahu and Putin discussed Israel’s request for Russia to release Naama Issachar, 26, who was sentenced to seven-and-a-half-years in prison earlier this year for alleged drug smuggling.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-phone-call-netanyahu-putin-discuss-iran-and-syria/

Court Denies FBI Effort to Block Release of Secret Records About FBI-Clinton Lawyer Meeting on Russia

Judicial Watch strikes again!

Conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch on Friday announced that US District Judge James E. Boasberg, an Obama appointee, denied FBI efforts to keep secret records about a Clinton lawyer’s meeting with FBI lawyer James Baker related to ‘Trump Russia.’

In October of 2018, former FBI lawyer James Baker testified that he received a packet of information from Michael Sussmann, a Perkins Coie law partner (and former DOJ lawyer) targeting Trump during the 2016 presidential election.

Perkins Coie was the same law firm that represented the DNC and Hillary Clinton’s campaign — Hillary funneled money through Perkins Coie to pay for the phony Russia dossier.

“It was like — my recollection was it was a stack of material I don’t know maybe a quarter inch half inch thick something like that clipped together, and then I believe there was some type of electronic media, as well, a disk or something,” James Baker said to the House Judiciary and Oversight committees.

Baker also told lawmakers that Sussmann had shared some of the damaging information on Trump to the media.

FBI Director Wray is still covering for Hillary Clinton, but a federal judge on Friday blocked the FBI/DOJ from keeping these communications under wraps.

Via Judicial Watch:

Judicial Watch announced today that U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg denied a Justice Department effort to block the release of any communications between former FBI General Counsel James Baker and Michael Sussmann, a Perkins Coie law partner and former DOJ attorney, who reportedly met with Baker to share information targeting Donald J. Trump during the presidential campaign. While at Perkins Coie, Sussmann represented the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Hillary Clinton’s campaign during the time Perkins Coie secretly paid for the development of the anti-Trump dossier the DOJ used to obtain FISA warrants to spy on the Trump campaign. The court specifically rejected the FBI’s argument that it needed to protect the “privacy” of Hillary Clinton’s lawyer.

Judge Boasberg ruled: “[A]ny risk of invasion [of privacy] evaporated once Baker publicly testified that he had received documents from Sussmann, as well as met with and spoken to him on multiple occasions in 2016.”

“The FBI is corruptly trying to keep secret documents to protect those behind the Russiagate smears of President Trump,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Two federal courts have now rejected the FBI’s desperate attempts to hide the details of its anti-Trump conspiracy with Hillary Clinton’s Fusion GPS-FBI spy operation. Why is Director Wray allowing the corrupt cover up the FBI’s Russiagate collusions with the Clinton gang?”

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/12/court-denies-fbi-effort-to-block-release-of-secret-records-about-fbi-clinton-lawyer-meeting-on-russia/

Pelosi’s Folly: Another Freshman Democrat Underwater by 12 Points — 52% of District Will Vote Against Her If She Supports Sham Impeachment

Two House Democrats who represent Trump districts voted against formalizing the House impeachment probe back in October.

Jeff Van Drew, 66, a freshman who represents New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District, and Collin Peterson of Minnesota, 75, a conservative Democrat who represents Minnesota’s 7th District, were the only two lawmakers from either party to cross the aisle.

President Trump carried Rep. Collin Peterson’s district by nearly 31 points in 2016.

On Thursday Michigan Democrat Dan Kildee signaled he may abandon Pelosi’s sinking ship. Kildee said his constituents would prefer Congress to focus on “kitchen-table” issues rather than impeaching President Donald Trump.

There are 31 Democrats who will lose their election in November if they support Pelosi’s sham impeachment.

And now this…

Freshman Democrat Kendra Horn from Oklahoma is already 7-12 points underwater in her district.

And only 45% of voters in her district support the sham impeachment.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/12/pelosis-folly-another-freshman-democrat-underwater-by-12-points-52-of-district-will-vote-against-her-if-she-supports-sham-impeachment/

>>7440793

Judge Drops Six Charges Against David Daleiden for Exposing Planned Parenthood Baby Part Sales

A biased California judge dropped six of the 15 bogus charges filed against David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt related to their undercover investigation of Planned Parenthood, which resulted in shocking videos that alarmed Americans nationwide. The videos revealed how Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry actively sell the body parts of aborted babies for dubious research.

The bad news for the pro-life undercover journalists is that their case will proceed to criminal trial in San Francisco Superior Court.

The judge dropped six counts against Daleiden and Merritt, but ruled that there is sufficient evidence to support nine counts of breaking California’s anti-eavesdropping law during their undercover investigations of Planned Parenthood’s trafficking of aborted baby body parts.

Attorneys from the Thomas More Society, including Vice President and Senior Counsel Peter Breen, were by their side as the news of the dropped charges were announced. They are defending Daleiden from persecution by the California attorney general.

“Daleiden’s videos exposed the underbelly of the abortion industry fetal tissue trade. As a result of his investigation into alleged criminal acts by Planned Parenthood and its partners, Daleiden is being charged with 15 felony counts by the California attorney general, in a prosecution started by former Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris,” the pro-life legal group said. “Daleiden’s undercover research into illegal baby body parts trafficking has spawned multiple lawsuits by the abortion industry. In the case of the California criminal charges, Daleiden’s exposé resulted in prosecution by Harris and her successor, Xavier Becerra, both of whom have been closely allied with, and supported by, Planned Parenthood.”

LiveAction president Lila Rose told LifeNews she was pleased some charges were dropped but disappointed the bogus case is moving forward.

“Today’s ruling in California v. David Daleiden and Sandra Merrit proves how unfounded and outrageous the charges are against Daleiden and Merritt. Not only is it a violation of their First Amendment rights and a gross abuse of power, it demonstrates the politically motivated double standard that exists for journalists in California seeking the truth,” Rose said.

She told LifeNews: “The same year David and Sandra published their recordings of Planned Parenthood employees haggling over the price of aborted baby body parts, videos taken by undercover animal rights activists were praised and led to investigations of abuse in the poultry industry by then-Attorney General Kamala Harris — the same AG who then levied charges against the pro-life reporters. Instead of praise, David and Sandra still have nine charges against them that have nothing to do with violating privacy or video recording laws but everything to do with protecting the powerful and wealthy abortion industry.”

Planned Parenthood also filed a civil lawsuit against Daleiden. The civil trial began in October against Daleiden, Sandra Merritt and others with the Center for Medical Progress who helped to release undercover videos of Planned Parenthood allegedly selling aborted baby body parts for profit.Planned Parenthood accused them of more than a dozen crimes, including trespassing, breach of confidentiality, wiretapping and conspiracy. The trial is separate from the criminal case against Daleiden and Merritt launched by former California Attorney General Kamala Harris.

https://www.lifenews.com/2019/12/06/judge-drops-six-charges-against-david-daleiden-for-exposing-planned-parenthood-baby-part-sales/

China’s Gene-Edited Baby Experiment Created Unintended Mutations

More than a year ago, the world was shocked by Chinese biophysicist He Jiankui’s attempt to use CRISPR technology to modify human embryos and make them resistant to HIV, which led to the birth of twins Lulu and Nana.

Now, crucial details have been revealed in a recent release of excerpts from the study, which have triggered a series of concerns about how Lulu and Nana’s genome was modified.

How CRISPR Works

CRISPR is a technique that allows scientists to make precise edits to any DNA by altering its sequence.

When using CRISPR, you may be trying to “knock out” a gene by rendering it inactive, or trying to achieve specific modifications, such as introducing or removing a desired piece of DNA.

Gene editing with the CRISPR system relies on an association of two proteins. One of the proteins, called Cas9, is responsible for “cutting” the DNA. The other protein is a short RNA (ribonucleic acid) molecule which works as a “guide” that brings Cas9 to the position where it is supposed to cut.

The system also needs help from the cells being edited. DNA damage is frequent, so cells regularly have to repair the DNA lesions. The associated repair mechanisms are what introduce the deletions, insertions or modifications when performing gene editing.

How the Genomes of Lulu and Nana Were Modified

Jiankui and his colleagues were targeting a gene called CCR5, which is necessary for the HIV virus to enter into white blood cells (lymphocytes) and infect our body.

One variant of CCR5, called CCR5 Δ32, is missing a particular string of 32 “letters” of DNA code. This variant naturally occurs in the human population, and results in a high level of resistance to the most common type of HIV virus.

Jankui’s team wanted to recreate this mutation using CRISPR on human embryos, in a bid to render them resistant to HIV infection. But this did not go as planned, and there are several ways they may have failed.

First, despite claiming in the abstract of their unpublished article that they reproduced the human CCR5 mutation, in reality the team tried to modify CCR5 close to the Δ32 mutation.

As a result, they generated different mutations, of which the effects are unknown. It may or may not confer HIV resistance, and may or may not have other consequences.

Worryingly, they did not test any of this, and went ahead with implanting the embryos. This is unjustifiable.

https://www.naturalblaze.com/2019/12/chinas-gene-edited-baby-experiment-created-unintended-mutations.html