Cut to the News
Cut through the clutter to today's top news
February 9, 2021
Good morning
Welcome to today's top news.
Leading the News . . .
‘He’s Teflon:' Trumpworld thrilled at his standing heading into impeachment . . . Heading into what could have been an historic bipartisan rebuke, former president Donald Trump and his team are confident both of his acquittal and that he’ll come out of it with his influence over the Republican party all but cemented. “He’s Teflon, right. It’s been a month since the Capitol riot and I would say, for the most part, the GOP has
coalesced back behind him,” said a former Trump campaign official. Already, Trump aides contend, the impeachment process has proved beneficial to the ex-president — exposing disloyalty within the party’s ranks and igniting grassroots backlash against Republicans who have attempted to nudge the GOP base away from Trump. Politico
Trump ‘Pleased’ With Bipartisan Deal on Impeachment Trial Structure . . . Former President Donald Trump and his legal team are pleased with the agreement reached between Senate Republicans and Democrats on the framework for the upcoming impeachment trial, Trump’s office said in a statement. “We appreciate that Senate Republican leadership stood strong for due process and secured a structure that is consistent with past precedent,” the
statement said. “This process will provide us with an opportunity to explain to Senators why it is absurd and unconstitutional to hold an impeachment trial against a private citizen.” This comes after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced that the upper chamber had reached a bipartisan deal on how the impeachment trial will be run a day before the proceedings are scheduled to begin. Epoch Times
Senate prepares for a quick Trump impeachment trial . . . The Senate looks to avoid dragged out impeachment battle for former President Trump, as lawmakers signal little interest in a lengthy proceeding. Under a deal announced Monday between Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the trial could wrap in one week, setting the stage for a vote on conviction as soon as Feb.
16. Though the trial is historic and unprecedented — Trump is the first president to be impeached twice, and the first to face a trial after leaving office — the outcome is all but guaranteed. That’s laying the groundwork for what’s likely to be the fastest presidential impeachment trial in U.S. history after Trump’s first one lasted approximately three weeks. The Hill
New variants threaten to reverse progress against COVID . . . The rise of more contagious variants of the coronavirus are threatening an encouraging trend of falling COVID-19 cases across the country. New U.S. cases of COVID-19 on Sunday dropped below 100,000 for the first time since November, a hopeful sign after a brutal post-Thanksgiving period that saw cases, hospitalizations and deaths spike. In addition, while the trend is
going in a positive direction, the levels of cases, hospitalizations and deaths are still much higher than either of the previous peaks in the spring and summer of last year. The Hill
COVID-19: 'Extremely unlikely' coronavirus came from Wuhan lab . . . The Huanan wet market in Wuhan is still being focused on as a potential source of one of the first clusters of cases. It is "extremely unlikely" the novel coronavirus came from a laboratory incident in China, according to a joint mission investigating the origins of the pandemic. Investigators believe the most likely cause of the initial outbreak was the virus jumping
from an "intermediary host species" to humans. It means future investigations will not focus on a laboratory incident as a potential cause of the outbreak. Sky News
What laboratory?! We are not aware of any laboratory in that area.
Wuhan mission unlikely to settle charged debate on virus origins . . . Chinese authorities insist they are co-operating fully with the WHO study into the origins of the Sars-Cov-2 virus that caused the Covid-19 pandemic. But Beijing’s tight grip on the visit, the time limitations placed on fieldwork and the fact they arrived more than a year after the virus was detected in Wuhan have fed doubts over whether they can answer a politically
charged and scientifically difficult question. Piers Millett, former deputy head of the support unit for the UN Biological Weapons Convention, cautioned against placing high expectations on the WHO investigators, saying that “often the origins of these events are near impossible to determine” and citing the still-unsolved mystery of the origins of Ebola virus. Financial Times
‘How The Hell Am I Going To Drink A Beer’: DeSantis Defends Being Maskless At Super Bowl . . . Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis defended a photo showing him maskless at Sunday’s Super Bowl in Tampa. “Someone said, ‘Hey, you were at the Super Bowl without a mask,'” DeSantis told reporters Monday, according to Politico’s Marc Caputo. “But how the hell am I going to be able to drink a beer with a mask on? Come on. I had to watch the Bucs
win.” Daily Caller
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Biden border surge prompts 'catch-and-release' restart in Texas . . . Border Patrol agents are being overwhelmed with a surge of migrants in parts of Texas and have had to restart “catch-and-release” policies, turning people loose into the U.S. as the first signs of a migrant surge emerge under President Biden. Agents, officials and analysts say a combination of relaxed Biden border policies, coronavirus restrictions on holding people and
deteriorating levels of cooperation from Mexico have left parts of the border in Texas unable to handle the surge. One agent told The Washington Times they fear that what is happening in Texas will soon spread west to New Mexico, Arizona and California. Washington Times
Biden’s CIA Pick Leads Think Tank With Close Ties To China. . . William J. Burns, who is President Joe Biden’s nominee for director of the CIA, is president of a think tank that has received up to $2 million from a Chinese businessman as well as from a think tank with close ties to the Chinese Communist Party. As president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Burns also invited nearly a dozen congressional staffers to
attend a junket to China, where they met with a communist party operative and a president of a Chinese front group. Burns, who was paid $540,580 last year as president of Carnegie, will appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee for a confirmation hearing likely to be held this month. He has been president of Carnegie since March 2015. Daily Caller
Biden's "new" approach to China.
Senate confirms Kathleen Hicks as Biden's deputy defense secretary . . . Kathleen Hicks became the first woman to be Senate-confirmed for the top deputy position in the Defense Department. She was confirmed on Monday by a voice vote after being approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday. Hicks, 50, led the international security program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and served as a deputy
undersecretary of defense for former President Barack Obama. Washington Examiner
DOJ to seek resignations of most Trump-appointed US attorneys: report . . . The Justice Department plans to seek the resignation of most U.S. attorneys appointed by former President Trump, CNN reported Monday. The transition move between administrations is expected to impact 56 U.S. attorneys who were confirmed by the Senate, a senior Justice Department official told CNN. The official said the calls for such resignations may begin as
early as Tuesday.The official said the process is anticipated to take weeks but did not indicate when the resignations would take effect. Department officials reportedly have scheduled a call with U.S. attorneys for the transition. The Hill
US attorney handling Hunter Biden probe asked to stay on, official says . . . The Biden administration will ask U.S. attorneys appointed by President Trump to resign from their posts, but the prosecutor overseeing the tax probe tied to Hunter Biden, the president’s son, will remain in place, a senior Justice Department official told Fox News late Monday. The fate of U.S. Attorney David Weiss, who runs the office in Delaware, has been the
source of some speculation. It is standard procedure for new presidents to ask for the resignation of all U.S. attorneys once they enter the office. John Durham, the U.S. district attorney in Connecticut who was named special counsel to investigate the origins of the FBI probe into the 2016 election, will resign from his position, but he will stay on as special counsel, the source said. Fox News
Biden pushes up against ethics rules by promoting son Hunter’s book . . . The blurring of personal and professional lines continued over the weekend when President Biden was asked about the memoir during his pre-Super Bowl interview with CBS. Former Obama administration U.S. Office of Government Ethics Director Walter Shaub, commented on the ethical dilemma posed by a president ostensibly publicizing his son’s forthcoming tome. “It
is not acceptable for the President of the United States to be part of the book promotion tour. No,” Shaub wrote in a now-deleted tweet. White House Dossier
Emboldened Bernie Sanders shepherds big spending, far-left wishlist through Senate . . . Avowed socialist Sen. Bernard Sanders has ascended to the chamber’s top ranks and is now leading the charge in implementing President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package and other big-spending plans, including a proposal for a $3,600-per-child benefit. The newfound influence is delighting Mr. Sanders’ fans and outraging his critics, who say
the Vermont independent is empowered by a Democratic-controlled Washington to push a far-left agenda. Pete D’Alessandro, an adviser to Mr. Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns said “If he wasn’t going to be president, it’s hard to see many other places that would be better for both what he believes in, the movement, and then actually getting real things done for people.” Washington Times
GOP flips 15 House seats, Wins Last Remaining 2020 House Race As Dem Finally Concedes . . . New York Democratic congressman Anthony Brindisi conceded his razor-tight contest against Republican Claudia Tenney, handing the last remaining House race of the 2020 cycle to the GOP. Tenney ultimately defeated Brindisi by just 109 votes. With Tenney’s long-delayed victory now confirmed, the GOP ends the 2020 election
cycle having flipped 15 Democratic House seats. House Republicans will soon hold 211 seats to Democrats' 221, the smallest Democratic House majority in nearly a century. Washington Free Beacon
Don Trump Jr. planning revenge against Liz Cheney . . . “It appears Donald Trump Jr. is already making plans to travel to Wyoming next year to target Rep. Liz Cheney in the Republican primaries as she runs for re-election," Fox News reported. “Teasing a potential trip, former President Trump’s eldest son on Sunday told Politico’s Playbook that when it comes to Wyoming, “I hear it’s lovely during primary season. “Cheney, the No. 3 ranking
House Republican in leadership, is high on the Trump world’s most wanted list for her vote last month to impeach the then-president on a charge of inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by right-wing extremists and other Trump supporters." White House Dossier
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Capitol Riot Warnings Weren’t Acted On as System Failed . . . The elaborate national security network set up after the 9/11 terrorist attacks to identify and thwart threats failed ahead of last month’s Capitol riot, as law enforcement didn’t act on intelligence about potential violence and prevent the assault. Offices spread across the country that share intelligence among federal, state and local law enforcement pointed out alarming
online discussions about weapons in the days before the Jan. 6 rally in Washington. A FBI field office reported a rallying call for war and the sharing of maps of the Capitol. DHS warned about the heightened potential for violence in the rally’s run-up, though mentioned no specific threat for Jan. 6. While the information was shared, this multipoint warning system broke down, failing to generate sufficient follow-up, as officials spotted and dismissed these signals while
missing others entirely. Wall Street Journal
Hackers breach, attempt to poison Florida city's water supply . . . Officials said Monday that a hacker had breached and attempted to poison the water supply for the city of Oldsmar, Fla., last week, but had been unsuccessful. Pinellas County, Fla., Sheriff Bob Gualtieri announced at a press conference Monday that the hacker had gained control of the operating system at the city’s water treatment facility and had attempted to increase
the amount of sodium hydroxide in the water from 100 parts per million to 11,100 parts per million. “This is obviously a significant and potentially dangerous increase,” Gualtieri told reporters. “Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye, is the main ingredient in liquid drain cleaners. It is used to control water acidity and remove metals from drinking water in water treatment plants.” The Hill
Some of America's major foreign adversaries are also exploring the targeting of US critical infrastructure as part of their war fighting strategy against the US.
Pentagon: Extremist groups recruit from military . . . Extremist groups “very aggressively recruit” military service members to leave the ranks, the Defense Department’s top spokesman said Monday. “Some of these groups are very organized. They very aggressively recruit soon-to-be veterans,” spokesman John Kirby told reporters at the Pentagon. Veterans are a major recruitment pool for far-right militia movements due to their
experience with weapons, organization and leadership skills. Pentagon leaders have long struggled with rooting out such thinking in the military and preventing service members from entering extremist groups. The Hill
Two US carrier groups conduct military exercises in South China Sea . . . Two U.S. carrier groups conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea on Tuesday, days after a U.S. warship sailed near Chinese-controlled islands in the disputed waters, as China denounced the United States for damaging peace and stability.
The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group “conducted a multitude of exercises aimed at increasing interoperability between assets as well as command and control capabilities”, the U.S. Navy said, marking the first dual carrier operations in the busy waterway since July 2020. Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the frequent moves by U.S. warships and aircraft into the South China Sea in a “show of force” was not conducive to regional peace and
stability. Reuters
Taiwan wishes China happy new year, but says won't yield to pressure . . . Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen wished China a happy Lunar New Year on Tuesday, but said she will not yield to Chinese pressure and reiterated a call for dialogue to resume with Beijing. China, which claims democratic Taiwan as its own territory, has increased its military activity around the island in recent months, responding to what Beijing calls “collusion”
between Taipei and Washington, Taiwan’s most important international backer. Chinese military aircraft and warships operating around Taiwan are not conducive to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Tsai said. Reuters
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Number of registered newborns in China drops 15% in 2020 . . . Births in China fell sharply last year as the coronavirus pandemic intensified the scale of the demographic challenge facing the world’s most populous nation. They dropped 15 per cent from 2019, according to data from the country’s Ministry of Public Security, with 10.04m births in the country last year compared with 11.79m a year earlier based on
household registrations. The steep decline is the latest evidence of the demographic challenges facing China, where urbanisation and the historic one-child policy has resulted in a rapidly ageing population that will put pressure on public finances over coming decades. Financial Times
Uh-oh, who is going to make our iPhones in about 5 years?!
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Amazon’s swampy lobbying for $15 minimum wage proves the little guy loses . . . If liberals were right that a federal $15 minimum wage would empower workers at the expense of Big Business’s profit margins, giant corporations such as Amazon probably wouldn’t be on their side, but they are. A top Amazon executive, Jay Carney, recently wrote a letter on the company’s behalf endorsing the Democratic push to more than double the minimum
wage nationwide. And Amazon is actively lobbying for the change by running digital ads. "We believe $15 an hour is the minimum anyone in the U.S. should be paid for an hour of labor . . . it's good business," Carney wrote. This should be a giant red flag. Amazon has already paid its hourly workers $15 or more since 2018. What it’s really doing is lobbying the federal government to hike its competitors’ costs and help it replace more small businesses. Washington Examiner
Tesla buys $1.5 billion in bitcoin, sending it to all-time high . . . Bitcoin surged to an all-time high Monday after Tesla said it bought $1.5 billion worth of the cryptocurrency. The digital coin climbed 16 percent from a day earlier to a record of $44,801.87 after Elon Musk’s electric-car maker revealed the hefty investment in a regulatory filing. Tesla also said it expects to start taking bitcoin as payment for its products “in
the near future,” adding that it could liquidate any crypto payments it receives. Musk himself endorsed bitcoin last week, saying it’s “on the verge of getting broad acceptance by conventional finance people. New York Post
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Facebook Will Take Down Posts With Claims About Vaccines It Deems False . . . Facebook announced on Feb. 8 that it will take down posts with claims about vaccines that health organizations or its fact-checkers deem false.
“Today, we are expanding our efforts to remove false claims on Facebook and Instagram about COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccines, and vaccines in general during the pandemic,” said a post from the social media giant. “Since December, we’ve removed false claims about COVID-19 vaccines that have been debunked by public health experts.” Epoch Times
Should we start going Facebook analysts for second opinion prior to surgery?
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Fox News Analysts Declare Tampa Bay Super Bowl Winners 4 Minutes Into First Quarter . . . Fox News has projected the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be the winners of Super Bowl LV, despite it being only 4 minutes into the first quarter. "Our expert analysts are now calling the game for Tampa Bay," said anchor Chris Wallace. "This game is over. May as well pack it in and go home now because we already declared the
winner, but we'll continue to cover the remaining portion of this game that the Chiefs have absolutely no chance of winning."
According to sources on the sidelines, Kansas City Head Coach Andy Reid is furious and has called for fans to protest the "rigged Super Bowl." Fans have responded by charging the press box where Fox News analysts are hiding. Twitter banned Reid soon after for inciting violence. Babylon
Bee
This is satire.
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Rebekah Koffler
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