ABC News: Christians Who Believe In The First Amendment Are A ‘Hate Group"

Mollie Hemingway at The Federalist   "ABC News’ Pete Madden and Erin Galloway smeared Christians who believe the Bill of Rights secures religious liberty as a “hate group,” in an article this week headlined, “Jeff Sessions addresses ‘anti-LGBT hate group,’ but DOJ won’t release his remarks.” The lede of the story made it clear this was not just the work of a rogue headline writer but the failure of the reporters themselves:

Attorney General Jeff Sessions delivered a speech to an alleged hate group at an event closed to reporters on Tuesday night, but the Department of Justice is refusing to reveal what he said.

"First, a note that you can — and should — read the prepared remarks of the Attorney General here at The Federalist.

"Who is this “hate group”? Alliance Defending Freedom is not a hate group at all, but a civil liberties organization that battles for religious liberty. And they’re not a fringe group either. They just weeks ago won their most recent Supreme Court victory — Trinity Lutheran v. Comer — 7-2. It was their fifth Supreme Court victory in seven years, during which time they’ve had no losses at the high court.

"And the group is ranked among the top law firms in the country for its successes at the Supreme Court.

"Most recently the non-profit law firm found out that the Supreme Court agreed to hear another one of their cases dealing with artistic freedom and religious liberty.

"To characterize such an accomplished civil rights group as a ‘hate group’ is unacceptable and inexcusable. It boggles the mind why ABC News, in the midst of cratering credibility, would disparage Christian efforts in favor of religious liberty in such a mendacious way." . . .

Argus Hamilton perpetuates an urban legend

Comedian Argus Hamilton makes an egregious error but recovers nicely:

"Sarah Palin sued the New York Times for defamation for connecting her to the shooting of Gabby Giffords. She’s finally enjoying the last laugh. Sarah Palin became every Democrat’s punch line after she said she can see Russia from her house, now Democrats are seeing Russia from everywhere."

But listen to her reply to Charles Gibson ... closely. What does she say?

Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin did not say 'I can see Russia from my house.' That line originated with an SNL spoof. "Two days later, on the 2008 season premiere of Saturday Night Live, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler appeared in a sketch portraying Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton, during which Fey spoofed Governor Palin’s remark of a few days earlier with the following exchange:

FEY AS PALIN: “You know, Hillary and I don’t agree on everything …”POEHLER AS CLINTON: (OVERLAPPING) “Anything. I believe that diplomacy should be the cornerstone of any foreign policy.”FEY AS PALIN: “And I can see Russia from my house.”

. . .  "In the middle of the Bering Strait are two small, sparsely populated islands: Big Diomede, which sits in Russian territory, and Little Diomede, which is part of the United States. At their closest, these two islands are a little less than two and a half miles apart, which means that, on a clear day, you can definitely see one from the other."

Dems' rising star Kamala Harris meets with Clinton inner circle in Hamptons

Rich Terrell

Page Six  . . . "Harris, a 52-year-old former prosecutor and San Francisco district attorney who went on to become California’s attorney general, was a star of the Senate intelligence committee hearing into President Trump’s ties to Russia, grilling US Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Harris has also opposed 18 of Trump’s 22 administration nominees.

"Plus, in 2013, former President Obama had to apologize after telling a group that, in addition to being “brilliant,” “dedicated” and “tough,” Harris “also happens to be, by far, the best-looking attorney general in the country.”

"Despite being less than seven months into her new job as senator, Harris is already said to be the Democrats’ top fund-raiser and is being talked about as a 2020 presidential hopeful.

"Harris has denied having “national aspirations,” but this Hamptons trip proves it isn’t far from her mind.

"A Democratic insider said, ­“Kamala is the big Democratic star right now, at a time when they badly need a star. She’s coming to the Hamptons to meet key people as she takes a national stage, and expands her influence and ambitions.' ” . . .

Remembered her declared support for Black Lives Matter.

Haiti Official Who Exposed The Clinton Foundation Is Found Dead

Zero Hedge

"Eberwein was a former Haitian government official who was expected to expose the extent of Clinton Foundation corruption and malpractice next week.

He has been found dead in Miami at the age of 50.

"The circumstances surrounding Eberwein’s death are also nothing less than unpalatable. According to Miami-Dade’s medical examiner records supervisor, the official cause of death is “gunshot to the head.“ Eberwein’s death has been registered as “suicide” by the government. But not long before his death, he acknowledged that his life was in danger because he was outspoken on the criminal activities of the Clinton Foundation. 

"Eberwein was a fierce critic of the Clinton Foundation’s activities in the Caribbean island, where he served as director general of the government’s economic development agency, Fonds d’assistance économique et social, for three years. “The Clinton Foundation, they are criminals, they are thieves, they are liars, they are a disgrace,” Eberwein said at a protest outside the Clinton Foundation headquarters in Manhattan last year. Eberwein was due to appear on Tuesday before the Haitian Senate Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission where he was widely expected to testify that the Clinton Foundation misappropriated Haiti earthquake donations from international donors. But this “suicide” gets even more disturbing…

"Eberwein was only 50-years-old and reportedly told acquaintances he feared for his life because of his fierce criticism of the Clinton Foundation.  His close friends and business partners were taken aback by the idea he may have committed suicide. “It’s really shocking,” said friend Gilbert Bailly. “We grew up together; he was like family.”

"During and after his government tenure, Eberwein faced allegations of fraud and corruption on how the agency he headed administered funds. Among the issues was FAES’ oversight of the shoddy construction of several schools built after Haiti’s devastating Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake.  But, according to Eberwein, it was the Clinton Foundation who was deeply in the wrong – and he intended to testify and prove it on Tuesday." . . .

Southern Poverty Law Center Belongs On Southern Poverty Law Center’s Hate List

Noisy Room

"Months from now, you’ll be reading a story about Jeff Sessions, and there will be a remark to the effect of “when he’s not off speaking to hate groups.”

"And the phrase “speaking to hate groups” will have a hotlink on it. And that hotlink will take you to any number of stories that have appeared in the last day or so since Sessions gave a speech to a group known as the Alliance Defending Freedom.

"The group was in the news recently because of its work in the case of Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer, in which the Court held the church did not lose its right to apply for a state grant to pay for an updated playground simply because it was a church.

"Alliance Defending Freedom is representing Jack Phillips, the cake baker who declined to create a cake for a gay wedding and whose case the Supreme Court recently agreed to hear.

"It pushed the case that forced public schools to provide equal access to after-school Bible clubs as to other organizations. And it convinced the Supreme Court to affirm an Arizona tuition tax credit program could be used for any schools parents choose, including those run by churches.

"It got the court to affirm the rights of communities to restrict where sexually oriented businesses could locate. And it was the group behind the Supreme Court ruling upholding the ban on partial-birth abortions.

"One can take issue with any or all these positions. But they are the positions of a Christian group, founded by preachers, that makes grants or provides pro bono attorneys to groups and individuals whose religious rights and rights to free association are threatened. They are not the positions of a hate group.

"So how did this group end up in a thousand headlines proclaiming it a “hate group?” Because the Southern Poverty Law Center said so. And for the left and its handmaidens in the media, that’s all it takes." . . .

Obama’s Wish Come Thttps://www.dominos.com/en/pages/order/payment.jsprue: Iran’s a Regional Power, Starting With Iraq

Mary Chastain

Iran spreading its influence in Iraq.

"Two years ago, former President Barack Obama agreed to the Iran Nuclear Deal and told The New York Times that “Iran will be and should be a regional power.” He also said that Iran has “that ability now to take some decisive steps to move toward a more constructive relationship with the world community.”

"Obama encouraged Iranian leaders “to seize that opportunity.”

"Well, Obama, you got your wish. Iran seized that opportunity and has taken over Iraq. Goods from Iran fill up the Iraqi markets. Not to mention that Iranian militias had a hand in dispelling ISIS from Mosul and other areas." . . .

Keep reading...

…the second time as farce

"That’s a big pot of money for Kamala to contemplate. And that bench for 2020 needs someone under 70."

Thomas Lifson  "Hillary Clinton’s plotting to hang on to power and keep her crew gainfully employed through the out-of-power years generates no end of flailing about, some of it comic, as in the grooming of Chelsea, the sole hope for a dynasty. But the quest for someone else to head up to political office arm of the Clinton Outfit while Chelsea remains unpalatable to the masses, no matter how many breaks she is given by the likes of NBC.

"You have to understand that any politician who does a deal with the Clintons in the quest for greater power is going to get an awful lot of offers she can’t refuse. Ideally, the cat’s paw chosen should be good looking, at least presentable when speaking, and of nonwhite heritage if at a possible. And it would be better to find someone not so bright.

"That’s right: Kamala Harris. Emily Smith of Page Six tells us:

Kamala Harris

"The Democrats’ “Great Freshman Hope,” Sen. Kamala Harris, is heading to the Hamptons to meet with Hillary Clinton’s biggest backers.

"The California senator is being fêted in Bridgehampton on Saturday at the home of MWWPR guru Michael Kempner, a staunch Clinton supporter who was one of her national-finance co-chairs and a led fund-raiser for her 2008 bid for the presidency. He was also listed as one of the top “bundlers” for Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign, having raised $3 million.

"Guests there to greet Harris are expected to include Margo Alexander, a member of Clinton’s inner circle; Dennis Mehiel, a Democratic donor who is the chairman of the Battery Park City Authority, even though he lives between a sprawling Westchester estate and an Upper East Side pad; designer Steven Gambrel and Democratic National Committee member Robert Zimmerman.

"Washington lobbyist Liz Robbins is also hosting a separate Hamptons lunch for Harris." . . .

Emphasis added, TD