White House Dossier's

White House Accused of Preparing for Another ‘Basement Campaign’ by Restricting Press . . . Press have long struggled to gain access to Joe Biden, a president who largely steers clear of sit-down interviews and unexpected press time. But new rules from the administration will further hamper access by enacting stricter regulations for reporters to obtain White House “hard passes.” And if reporters don’t act in a manner that the White House considers “professional,” they could be shown the door.

Compared to a temporary day pass, a hard pass is generally issued for one year and is subject to annual renewal. It allows journalists more regular access to White House grounds.

Reporters who want a White House hard pass must obtain “accreditation by a press gallery in either the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, or Supreme Court,” the White House said in May. Congressional accreditation is a process that conservative media outlets have found tedious and fraught with roadblocks. The congressional galleries are governed by boards comprised of legacy media reporters. And the Supreme Court has a limited number of hard-pass holders (only 25 in the past term). Daily Signal

Biden ‘extremely well known’ to feds investigating Hunter, showed up to FBI office during probe: IRS whistleblower . . . President Biden was “extremely well known” to federal authorities investigating his son, Hunter Biden, and even showed up at an FBI office during the probe, an IRS agent tasked with the case told Congress on Wednesday. “There were definitely potential issues I saw with working this case in Delaware,” IRS special agent Joseph Ziegler said in prepared remarks before the House Oversight Committee. “We were working with a small [US Attorney’s Office] who might not have ever worked a case of this caliber. Delaware was the state in which the subject’s father lived in, and the family was extremely well known throughout the state, including [by] people on the team.” NY Post

Hunter Biden investigation: Comer says IRS whistleblowers willing to hand over foreign transactions paperwork . . . House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) indicated that the IRS whistleblowers testifying in the investigation into Hunter Biden and alleged political obstruction by the Justice Department are willing to hand over foreign transactions paperwork that could prove President Joe Biden was involved in a criminal bribery scheme. Comer made the point to Fox News's Sean Hannity Wednesday night as part of his summary of the House Oversight hearing, which took place earlier in the day and revealed the identity of one of the whistleblowers for the first time. Comer said of the evidence his committee has compiled, "All roads lead to Joe Biden." Washington Examiner

Elite IRS whistleblowers are bravely standing up to the Bidens, DOJ . . . By Miranda Devine. In an age of sleazy political corruption that seems insurmountable, there is enormous power in the integrity of two ordinary men willing to stand up, show their faces and tell the truth under oath. Two elite IRS agents, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, put their reputations on the line to testify yesterday about egregious wrongdoing at the highest levels of the Department of Justice, which they say obstructed and ultimately destroyed their five-year criminal investigation into Hunter Biden.

Their integrity is as rare as a unicorn in Washington, DC, and they put to shame all the cowards in the IRS and DOJ and FBI who have stayed silent about this Watergate-level coverup. NY Post

Video | IRS whistleblower says Biden political operation tipped off to Hunter interview

LARRY KUDLOW: This is why President Biden is going to lose in 2024 . . . Joe Biden may want to throw Donald Trump in jail for the next 750 years, but even in that unlikely event, Joe Biden still has to run against his own record.   Call it Joe Biden vs. Joe Biden and Joe Biden is going to lose.  A new Monmouth poll out today shows only 34% approve of President Biden’s handling of inflation, despite his trying to sell Bidenomics on the campaign trail.  By the way, that poll also shows only 3 in 10 Americans feel the country is doing a better job recovering economically than the rest of the world since the pandemic. A Reuters poll has Biden at 33% approval for the overall economy and at 28% for inflation. Not good, Joe. Fox Business

‘It makes them all look silly': Dems prepare to scorch RFK Jr. testimony . . . House Republicans are openly goading their Democratic colleagues by handing a megaphone to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Democrats are determined to make sure it backfires.

GOP leaders invited Kennedy to testify at a Thursday hearing on alleged social media censorship, sticking by the plan even after the long-shot presidential contender’s recent false claims that the coronavirus pandemic was designed to spare Jews and Chinese people. Politico

GOP senators say Manchin bid would boost Trump, hurt Biden . . . Republican senators say a third-party presidential bid by centrist Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) likely would pull votes away from President Biden and help former President Trump win election to a second term if he wins the GOP presidential nomination.  Many Democratic senators agree and are stepping up their criticism of No Labels, a bipartisan political advocacy group that is planning to raise $70 million to put a third-party candidate on the ballot in all 50 states.  Manchin, a conservative Democrat who has repeatedly clashed with Biden, fueled speculation of a third-party run by appearing at a Monday town hall sponsored by No Labels in New Hampshire.  The Hill

The New Spy Wars: How China and Russia Use Intelligence Agencies to Undermine America . . . The Cold War never ended. That, at least, is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s view. The clearest indication that the Kremlin continued its titanic struggle against the West even after the Soviet Union collapsed can be seen in the activities of Russia’s security and intelligence services. In their operations and in the vast power they wield in Russian society, they have picked up where Soviet intelligence left off. Since 1991, these agencies have been driven by a revanchist strategy to make Russia great again and to overturn the post–Cold War U.S.-led international order. Putin’s war in Ukraine is the bloody conclusion of that strategy.

China is also seeking to reverse the outcome of the Cold War. With the “no limits” alliance proclaimed on the eve of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Putin and China’s leader, Xi Jinping, are attempting to upend the international system—and they are leaning heavily on their intelligence organs to do so. Spy agencies can do what other branches of government cannot: execute non-avowed foreign policy. Both Russian and Chinese intelligence have done so in the furtherance of their revisionist goals, taking advantage of the United States while it was distracted by the “war on terror” to damage U.S. national security, undermine Western democracies, and steal as many scientific and technical secrets as possible. Foreign Affairs

The Avoidable War . . . Reviewing a book by a current or former world leader is a delicate task—they often fall into the flawed-but-worthwhile category, and accurately representing this duality requires a demanding attention to detail. Kevin Rudd, the former foreign minister and prime minister of Australia, has created such a text with The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict Between the US and Xi Jinping’s China. Rudd’s desire to add unique value for the reader is overshadowed on numerous occasions by his writing style. Content-wise, Rudd’s work is absolutely worthwhile, due to his detailed knowledge of key events and Xi Jinping’s personality. It is not perfect, however, and suffers mildly from a misleading introduction, a failure to address Rudd’s stated audience, and a lack of explicit sourcing. In terms of its intent, The Avoidable War serves as a high-quality survey of the state of U.S.-China relations, while missing the mark on its nominal thesis that the two nations should adopt his framework of managed strategic competition to move forward. Analysts and students embarking on a more in-depth study of U.S.-China affairs should invest the time to read this book thoroughly. RealClearDefense

Inconvenient Truths for the Next War . . . You would think that Congress, national security policymakers, and generals and admirals would have learned by now. You would think that after our nation has burned our hands on the national security stove so often and after filling Arlington National Cemetery to near capacity, it would awaken even the most callous or politically zealous to cause and effect. Spoiler alert: It hasn't. This essay is for them. Those who create and govern our national security should be required to take a test. The test is simple, but note that the passing grade is 100%. "Describe the significance of the following events in recent American history: Kasserine Pass, the Doolittle Board, Task Force Smith and Project 100,000." Answers to the test follow. Military.com

Is John Kerry going to be negotiating away US security? . . . 
Here’s the problem. Biden climate envoy John Kerry will stop at nothing, including bankrupting the United States, in order to “save the earth” from global warming. China understands that, and so Xi Jinping is offering “progress” on the climate in exchange for concessions on things like Taiwan. Is Kerry going to have the power to negotiate such deals? What if he just does it without asking his mentally failing boss? According to the Wall Street Journal: While “Sino-U.S. cooperation on climate change has huge potential,” Mr. Wang said, “it cannot be separated from the understanding and support of the people of the two countries, and cannot be separated from the overall environment of Sino-U.S. relations.” White House Dossier

Russia launches 'truly massive attack' on Ukrainian grain facilities after pulling out of sea deal . . . Russia launched a massive strike on Ukrainian grain and export infrastructure after pulling out of an international grain deal that allowed Ukraine to export across the Black Sea. Russian missiles and drones hit targets along Ukraine's Black Sea coast overnight and into Wednesday morning, with an Odesa military spokesperson calling the strikes a "truly massive attack". The strikes were the second consecutive night of attacks on the region and came after Russia pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a wartime deal that had been in place since last summer allowing Ukrainian grain exports to reach countries that face the threat of hunger. The Kremlin claimed that its exports demands under the deal were not being honored and pulled out of the deal just hours before launching the attacks. Fox News

In Europe, Far Right is Gaining Influence. Spain Could Be Next . . . For decades after the death of dictator Francisco Franco, Spain was viewed as largely immune to the appeal of the far right. That is no longer so. After years in opposition, the far-right Vox party has emerged as a likely kingmaker in Spain’s coming parliamentary elections. Across Western Europe, stridently nationalist parties considered fringe just a few years ago are moving to the center stage, promising to banish crime, restore traditional values, increase welfare and disempower what they describe as out-of-touch elites. The groups are gaining popularity over the failure of governments to address the economic woes of the working class and solve a slow-burn refugee crisis. In some countries, they are also benefiting from growing fatigue over Europe’s continued support for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion. Wall Street Journal

Prigozhin appears publicly for first time since mutiny, suggests mercenaries won't fight in Ukraine . . . A low-resolution video has emerged appearing to show Wagner Group mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in public for the first time since his short-lived mutiny. The video was posted to Prigozhin's Telegram account Wednesday, showing the mercenary commander addressing his soldiers as they arrive in Belarus. "Welcome guys. I am happy to greet you all. Welcome to the Belarusian land. We fought with dignity. We have done a lot for Russia," the video captures him telling Wagner Group mercenaries. Fox News

China imports record volumes of Russian oil in first half of 2023 . . . China is importing record volumes of oil despite a weak economy as it takes advantage of cheap Russian crude to build stockpiles and export refined products. The rise in oil imports to record levels this year comes against the backdrop of a faltering recovery in the world’s second-largest economy. It shows how sanctions on Russia are reshaping global oil markets, with China getting a double benefit of cheap crude for itself and the opportunity to boost exports. For the first half of 2023, China imported 11.4mn barrels per day of crude oil, up 11.7 per cent year on year and up 15.3 per cent compared with pre-Covid levels, according to Financial Times calculations based on customs data.

The Silent Crisis: China's Youth Unemployment Surpasses 20% . . . The Chinese Communist Party rarely broadcasts unfavorable news, much less reveals the grimness of the situation. Therefore, the recent revelations regarding unemployment among Chinese youth point to the gravity of the problem. Beijing reported that unemployment among Chinese youth has risen above 20%. It has been climbing steadily over the past few months. Official reports posted joblessness among those aged 16 to 24 at 20.4 in April and 20.8 percent in May. Around 11.6 million fresh graduates hit China's job market in June, and unemployment rose to 21.3%. Tippingsights

Money

The quiet new way Biden wants to tax you . . . It’s been said that there are two things certain in life: death and taxes. With Joe Biden as president of the United States, you can also be sure that you will be paying more than your fair share of the taxes you owe.

Americans have already been crushed by inflation caused by the Biden administration. But now, they want to add fuel to the fire by giving American taxes to foreign countries, raising costs for Americans, and sticking us with the bill for funding a global socialist agenda. Over the past two years, President Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen have negotiated a global minimum tax through the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). This organization surrenders America’s sovereignty over our tax code and allows foreign countries to take our taxes that were meant for our own essential programs and military. Fox News

Wall Street banks spend more than $1bn on severance costs amid sharp job cuts . . . The biggest US banks spent more than $1bn on severance costs during the first six months of 2023, underscoring the steep price of unwinding Wall Street’s overexpansion during the coronavirus pandemic. Goldman Sachs, which has been hit particularly hard by a slowdown in trading and investment banking, on Wednesday became the latest big bank to take a charge for recent job cuts, telling investors it had spent $260mn in the first half of the year in severance costs. Goldman has laid off about 3,400 employees, or about 7 per cent of its overall staff, this year. Financial Times

The Hiring Boom Is Hiding a Recession Signal . . . The average number of hours worked a week by private-sector employees has dropped below the 2019 average. While some economists are optimistic as hiring booms, employees are actually working fewer hours. Usually, reducing working hours has been a reliable sign of incoming layoffs – and a possible recession. WSJ explains what it may mean moving forward. Wall Street Journal

Culture

Hunter Biden investigation: Six takeaways from the IRS whistleblower hearing . . . A pair of IRS whistleblowers exposed new details about how the Department of Justice slow-walked elements of the Hunter Biden investigation, as well as how the DOJ has continued to avoid transparency about the politically charged investigation. Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, two top IRS agents, faced hours of questioning about their years on the Hunter Biden investigation during a hearing before the House Oversight Committee and members of the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday. 1. WEISS’S CREDIBILITY ON THE LINE Public and private statements by David Weiss, the U.S. attorney in Delaware, came under the microscope throughout the hearing. See other 5 in Washington Examiner

Jason Aldean could see sales boost as song hits No. 1 on iTunes amid controversy . . . The attempt to "canel" country music star Jason Aldean over the recently-released video for his song "Try That In a Small Town" appears to actually be giving him a profitable boost. Billboard Charts reported in a tweet overnight that the song, which was released months ago, "has reached #1 on US iTunes." Fox Business

How Donald Trump Reacted to Seeing 'Sound of Freedom' . . . Former President Donald Trump praised the hit movie Sound of Freedom as "incredible" following a special screening he held at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. After watching the film with guests, including the film's star Jim Caviezel and former Homeland Security agent Tim Ballard, whose life the movie is based on, Trump told the audience he enjoyed the "great movie" and applauded it for becoming a surprise box office smash. The screening at Bedminster arrives as Sound of Freedom approaches revenues of $100 million at the box office. The movie has been praised by conservative figures but has also received a host of negative reviews from critics. Newsweek

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle asked to use Air Force One after Queen’s funeral — but got denied . . . Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tried to hitch a ride back to America on Air Force One after Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral but were quickly rebuffed.

Sources told the Daily Mail Wednesday that it was an immediate no from the White House, adding that the request was a “non-starter.” “It would have caused such a commotion. It would have strained relations with the Palace and the new King,” another source added, referring to King Charles III. The White House and a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not reply for comment. NY Post

Why Did 488 Golden Retrievers Gather in Scotland? . . . What is the sound of 488 golden retrievers barking? Imagine the sense of helplessness you might feel when someone’s baby is crying and you can’t solve the problem. Then multiply by, oh, 488. Then add in drenching rain and an onslaught of midges. Why the cacophony? Around 4 p.m. on July 13, the dogs had been assembled on the broad lawn in front of the ruins of Guisachan House in the Scottish Highlands to take a group photo of the 2023 Guisachan Gathering, a kind of golden retriever convention, commemorating the anniversary of the founding of the breed. For the photo, the owners were instructed to leash their dog to a stake in the ground and then scurry away for approximately 15 seconds so that the photographer, Lynn Kipps, could capture the wagging horde. New York Times