Appeals Court Overturns Jan. 6 Defendant’s Sentence, Potentially Impacting Dozens of Cases

  The Epoch Times

Dozens of Jan. 6 cases might be impacted after the court’s ruling on Friday.

"An appeals court in Washington unanimously ruled that a Jan. 6 defendant’s sentence was improperly enhanced, a move that could impact numerous other Jan. 6 cases.  

"On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that Larry Brock, who was convicted for a range of crimes related to Jan. 6, improperly had additional charges of “interference with the administration of justice.” The judge who wrote the court’s opinion wrote that the charge doesn’t apply to a sentencing enhancement, however, and struck it down.

“ 'Brock challenges both the district court’s interpretation of Section 1512(c)(2)’s elements and the sufficiency of the evidence to support that conviction,” wrote the judge, Patricia Millett.

"The judge, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, concluded that any interference with Congress’ certification of the 2020 electoral votes isn’t tantamount to a sentencing enhancement.

“ 'Because Section 2J1.2’s text, commentary, and context establish that the ‘administration of justice’ does not extend to Congress’s counting and certification of electoral college votes, the district court erred in applying Section 2J1.2(b)(2)’s three-level sentencing enhancement to Brock’s Section 1512(c)(2) conviction,” the judge wrote.

" 'The judges, in siding with Mr. Brock, wrote that Congress’ function on Jan. 6 was not judicial but was only a part of the 2020 presidential election process." . . .

Full article here. | The Epoch Times

Report: Gaza Ceasefire Talks Stalled as Hamas Fails to Provide the List of Hostages Still Alive

 Israeli official: “There is no point in starting another round of talks until we receive the lists of which of the hostages are alive.” (legalinsurrection.com)

"Negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages appears to have been stalled as terrorist group Hamas refuses to hand over the names of captives who are still alive, the news website Axios reported Friday. More than one hundred Israeli hostages, including women and children, are believed to have been in terrorist captivity for nearly five months.

"Israel told Arab negotiators that it “will not hold another round of talks until Hamas presents a list of the hostages who are alive,” the Axios article added. In recent weeks, Israeli negotiators have been holding a fresh round of talks with their counterparts from Qatar and Egypt to secure the release of the hostages. The list of alive hostages in terrorist captivity is vital for any negotiations since Hamas is demanding the release of thousands of terrorists in return.

"Writing for Axios, Israeli journalist Barak Ravid disclosed:

Qatari and Egyptian officials spoke to Israeli officials in the last 24 hours and proposed holding another round of talks in Cairo next week. A senior Israeli official said that Israel refused the offer and clarified that until it receives answers from Hamas, it will be impossible to move forward in the negotiations.

“There is no point in starting another round of talks until we receive the lists of which of the hostages are alive and until Hamas gives its answer regarding the ‘ratio’ that defines how many prisoners will be released for each hostage,” an Israeli official said.

"The revelation comes days after President Joe Biden declared that a ceasefire between Israel and terrorist group Hamas might be reached ‘by Monday.’ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, overseeing the talks, was taken by surprise by Biden’s bold claim, ABC News reported.

"Biden has since changed his tune, claiming that a deal was not yet in sight. He was still “hoping” for a ceasefire in Gaza ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan expected to begin on March 10, media reports on Friday suggest. “I’m hoping so, we’re still working real hard on it. We’re not there yet,” Biden told reporters at the White House." . . .

The Public Disservice Of The Hunter Biden Testimony –

  Issues & Insights (issuesinsights.com)

. . .The GOP erred by not playing hardball. It should have demanded cameras and when Biden’s handlers refused, asked over and over “what is Hunter Biden trying to hide?” . . .

"After initially, and arrogantly, evading an appearance before Congress, President Joe Biden’s son testified Wednesday in a deposition the public was unable to watch. Voters deserve better. The testimony should have been fully open to the media, with microphones hot and cameras rolling.

"Right from the top of Biden’s opening statement, the first son denied that he involved his father in his business.

“ 'Not while I was a practicing lawyer, not in my investments or transactions domestic or international, not as a board member, and not as an artist. Never.”

"In a wholly expected development, the media protected him as if he were one of their own.

"Also entirely expected were his denials, and the contradictions of other witnesses’ statements. Not one person in this country anticipated otherwise, even those who are only superficially keeping up with the story.

"There are limits to what can be gleaned from the black-and-white of a transcript or “readout,” and the favorable-to-the-administration media reports of the six-and-a-half hour testimony. Americans should have been able to see the Biden family unctuousness at work, to judge for themselves how much the word of a Biden means. Hunter’s smug disposition and his telling body language are material to the upcoming election. An open forum would have been informative to on-the-fence voters.

"The smokey back-room conditions allowed the Democrats to freely put their misleading and rancid spin on the deposition. The ever-puerile Rep. Eric Swalwell of California claimed that “after six-plus hours of Hunter Biden testifying, we learned absolutely nothing,” and therefore “the Biden impeachment investigation is over and we just witnessed its last breath.”

"But Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Republican, said that “when pressure was placed on Hunter Biden he swung back to being, you know, a poor, pitiful addict. And then when he wanted to brag about things he was the smartest and most successful businessman in the room.”

"So which characterization is more accurate? We of course lean toward Greene’s description, because we’ve watched the Big Guy, Joe Biden, lie and lie and lie for decades, to bluster and exult in his own superiority. But who can say for sure without seeing the testimony for themselves?" . . .  

This pressure will cause Hunter to lapse back into his addictions and Democrats will blame Trump and Republicans. Think not? TD

229-Page Hunter Biden Deposition Transcript Released   "Hunter Biden spent 6 hours testifying on Capitol Hill Wednesday and giving obtuse answers to questions from a joint panel from the House Oversight and House Judiciary Committee." . . .

Omar and pals sneak off to Cuba

 Monica Showalter - American Thinker  

The secrecy of the trip is disturbing and merits a congressional inquiry as to what this group was really up to, given that they've been known to promote anti-American interests, which in fact is all they ever do. What was Omar doing in Cuba and why did she not want anyone to know about it? 

'Anti-American members': Nicole Malliotakis slams Reps Ilhan Omar
 and Pramila Jayapal over secret trip to Cuba on 'Fox & Friends'

 "When someone comes to America, land of the free, as a refugee, presumably to escape some awful homeland, does it seem funny that such a person then jumps on a flight to Cuba to advocate for its superior model?

"It does to me.

"According to the Miami Herald:

A delegation of the U.S. Congressional Progressive Caucus traveled to Cuba last week in a trip that has not previously been disclosed by the legislators nor reported in Cuban state media. The group of about a dozen people was led by Democratic U.S. Reps. Pramila Jayapal of the state of Washington and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. It included a congressional staffer from the office of California Rep. Barbara Lee’s office, sources with knowledge of the trip told the Miami Herald. Jayapal and Omar, members of the informal left-wing group of lawmakers known as “the squad,” did not reply to emails and messages seeking comment. Lee’s office also did not reply to a request for comment. . . .

'Anti-American members': Nicole Malliotakis slams Reps Ilhan Omar and Pramila Jayapal over secret trip to Cuba on 'Fox & Friends'    . . ." 'These are anti-American members of Congress, okay? They are communist sympathizers, and they go to Cuba, which is not only a state sponsor of terrorism, but they side with our adversaries," the Congresswoman told co-hosts Ainsley Earhardt and Todd Piro.

" 'They are in bed with Iran, North Korea, communist China, Russia. They allow for them to operate spy bases 90 miles from our shores. They have harbored fugitives. They have harbored terrorists. And it's unconscionable that these members of Congress would go there trying to appease the government of Cuba. And then they go under the guise of wanting to do something about human rights."

"However, she went on to share the plight of the Cuban people, saying, "Do they know that the people in Cuba, including my relatives, earn about $15 a month, $15 a month? So they come here in the United States, they're preaching about fair wages. Everyone should make a living wage. And then they go and support a government that pays its people $15."

" 'And you know why? It's a farce. It's a farce because every single one of these members voted against the resolution standing with the Cuban people in 2021, when they were on the streets, fighting for their lives, fighting for freedom. The Socialist Squad and Jayapal, they all voted no to stand against the people and with the Cuban regime," she added." . . .

Omar is one of the fruits of the Somali refugees living in America. They neither know nor care about America's struggle against Communism; they care not for America's history nor can America's education system build this in them. Hence the Democrats we see in Washington today with their frowns and scowls. TD

Ilhan Omar Caught on Tape Saying Who She Thinks Her ‘Real’ President Is

Now we have only to wait to see what political movements will come from the multitudes entering during the current Democrat administration. TD

Hamas claims seven hostages killed in captivity in Gaza

 Could they have been hostages brutalized by Hamas that they did not want the world to see? TD

The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com)  

"Hamas claims seven hostages killed in captivity in Gaza."

"Hamas claimed on its Telegram channel on Friday that seven hostages had been killed during Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.

"Hamas named three of the hostages that had been allegedly killed as Chaim Gershon Peri, 79, Yoram Itak Metzger, 80, and Amiram Israel Cooper, 85. The terrorist group said a later announcement would contain the names of the remaining four.

"All three men were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7.

"The information provided by Hamas is unconfirmed, and Hamas has previously shared false information on the well-being of hostages as part of its use of psychological warfare. Hamas has previously named a hostage as killed only to later release them, as was the case of Hannah Katzir. 

Hamas's latest statement on the seven hostages

“ 'We have previously announced that our contact has been cut off with our mujahideen who are guarding a number of enemy prisoners,” Hamas announced on their Telegram, “and that we believe that a number of the prisoners have been killed as a result of the Zionist bombing.

“ 'After examination and scrutiny during recent weeks, we have confirmed the martyrdom of a number of our mujahideen and the killing of seven enemy prisoners in the Gaza Strip as a result of the Zionist bombing.' ”

. . .

"How Do I Balance Looking Left-Wing While Pro-Israel?"

Douglas Murray

"Nothing to say apart from what Douglas Murray says: Just tell the truth; act according to the truth. Thank you, Louisa. Thank you, Douglas - you are a treasure to us. Many of us would be in the depths of depression if not for Douglas and a few others such as Mosab Hassan Yousef and Yoseph Haddad."

Mr. Murray mentions Neturei Karta - Orthodox Jews United Against Zionism

Rashida Thaib, Michigan member of Congress: 

Full List of Democrats Who Voted to Censure Rashida Tlaib (newsweek.com)

Rashida Tlaib, Who Backed ‘Uncommitted’ Primary Vote, Is ‘Incredibly Scared’ Of A Second Trump Term (msn.com)

  

Rashida Tlaib’s Inflammatory Language - The Atlantic  . . ."But Tlaib is not helping anyone’s cause by amplifying activist rhetoric that, to many ears, casually deploys the language of annihilation."

Chicago cop sues city for right to change his race after department allows officers to change genders

 Yusuf said he first joined the force in 2004 and, at the time, the department only offered three race selections: Caucasian, Black and Hispanic. He chose “Caucasian” and it was put on his official record, he said.

NY Post  "A Chicago police officer is suing the city to change his race on his official records after the department said it would allow officers to freely change their gender to match their identity.

"Mohammad Yusuf, 43, said in a federal civil rights lawsuit filed last week that he is looking to change from “Caucasian” as he “currently identifies as Egyptian and African American.” However, the Chicago Police Department is not allowing him to change his race

"The lawsuit comes as the department allows an officer’s “gender identity [to be] corrected to match their lived experience,” Yusuf’s lawsuit alleges.

"And, the decision is impacting Yusuf’s professional advancement, he claims.

"Fox News Digital reached out to the Chicago Police Department for a statement, and it said: “We do not comment on pending litigation.”

"According to the lawsuit, Yusuf alleges that he has been repeatedly overlooked for promotions due to his “Caucasian” race. These promotions, he claims, have been given to other minority applicants with only very few going to Caucasian applicants.

"The 20-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department points in his lawsuit to CPD’s promotion system that “particularly” benefits “minority candidates,” even if they did not score well on promotional exams." . . .

The Blood on Biden’s Hands

 Townhall (townhall.com)

"President Joe Biden has blood on his hands. It’s actually not “on” his hands, it’s through them, marinated all the way to the bone. It’s the blood of Laken Hope Riley, but it’s also so much more. It’s the blood of every American murdered by an illegal alien – of 2-year-old Jeremy Poou Caceres, of three wounded police officers in Washington, DC, of the 14-year-old girl raped and stabbed in Louisiana, and so many more I can’t fit in here. The blood of Americans who, had the President and his fellow Democrats not seen political advantage to allowing a flood of illegal aliens into the country, would not have been spilled at all. Every last drop of it is their [responsibilty], and they simply do not give a damn.

"The murder of Laken Riley is thought to be an unintended consequence of the President’s open border policies, but it really is not. It’s not unintended at all. 

"You’ve likely heard some version of a story about an auto company that knew they had a defect in their car, something they could fix for a very small price on an individual car basis, but would cost a fortune to address on every car they’d sold. Fixing it on all cars would save dozens of lives, but the cost of doing so was too great to justify it – settling wrongful death lawsuits would be more affordable – so they let their defective product stand. 

"Whether it’s true or not, or just partially so, does not matter, the principle does. By refusing to enforce our immigration laws, Biden and the Democrats knew they’d be inviting in a large criminal element from the third world, they just didn’t care. The “cost” of lives was cheaper than what they saw as the benefits to them, so they let it happen." . . .

Reality Of Transgender Policies

 

Americans' Complex Views on Gender Identity and Transgender Issues | Pew Research Center

NCAA leader resigns over transgender policy: It’s ‘massive, essentially authorized, cheating’ | The College Fix  "A NCAA leader resigned this month after saying he grew frustrated with the association’s decision to allow male student athletes who identify as transgender females to compete in women’s sports.

"William Bock III, who has served on the association’s Committee on Infractions since 2016, announced his resignation in a letter Feb. 9 to NCAA President Charlie Baker, the Washington Examiner reports.

A prominent sports attorney from Indiana, Bock said he used to believe the athletics association was dedicated to “competitive fairness and protection of equal opportunities for student-athletes.”

“This conviction has changed as I have watched the NCAA double down on regressive policies which discriminate against female student-athletes,” he wrote.

Bock said he became increasingly concerned after former University of Pennsylvania swimmer William “Lia” Thomas, a male who identifies as female, won an NCAA Division I championship on the women’s team in 2022.. . . 

UC Berkeley law professor John Yoo provides professional analysis of Trump’s ongoing legal battle

"UC Berkeley law professor John Yoo provides professional analysis of Trump’s ongoing legal battle during an appearance on ‘Cavuto: Coast to Coast.’ " #foxbusiness

Such a gift to Hamas! Flour massacre: How Gaza food killings unfolded, and Israel’s story changed

Expect Biden's narrowed eyelids, clenched teeth comments similar to what he gave to the border patrol men on horseback way back when. If true this will be devastating to Israel. Even as Israeli families' bodies were still smoldering, hatred for them was pouring from the mouths of those who hate Jews. TD

Aerial photos released by the IDF purport to show the scene as Palestinians attempted to obtain food from
 aid trucks near Gaza City 

 Al Jazeera Staff

"At least 112 Palestinians have been killed and more than 750 wounded after Israeli troops opened fire on hundreds waiting for food aid southwest of Gaza City.

"Here is what we know:

What happened and when?

"The incident unfolded at about 04:30 local time (02:30 GMT) on Thursday, when people congregated at Harun al-Rashid Street in Gaza, where aid trucks carrying flour were believed to be on the way.

"A convoy of aid trucks passed through the checkpoint, heading north, as people started gathering in large groups. According to the Israeli military, a convoy of 31 trucks entered Gaza but nearly 20 entered the north on Monday and Tuesday. 

"As people gathered in large groups waiting for much-needed aid, they were shot at by all kinds of military equipment, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reported from Rafah. According to a report by the Associated Press, people pulled boxes of flour and canned goods off the trucks.

After the first round of shooting stopped, people returned to the trucks, only for the soldiers to open fire once more.

“ 'After opening fire, Israeli tanks advanced and ran over many of the dead and injured bodies,” Al Jazeera’s Ismail al-Ghoul said, reporting from the scene.

Where did the shooting take place?

"Palestinian authorities said the incident took place on al-Rashid Street at the Nabulsi Roundabout on the southwestern side of Gaza City.

"This is in northern Gaza, where food deliveries have been scarce. The first deliveries in over a month arrived this week." . . .

Biden Behind Closed Doors: Not Without His Notecards!

  RedState

 "No, President Biden's age, in and of itself, isn't the issue; it is his mental and physical deterioration, more and more obvious day by day, that is the issue."

"On Wednesday, former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy revealed something that those who have been paying attention have known for some time: Joe Biden has lost whatever self-possession he ever had. Now, the president can't even manage a behind-closed-doors meeting with members of Congress without his notecards, which are prepared by... who? FoxBusiness's Jeffrey Clark (no relation) has the details.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy revealed for the first time on Wednesday that President Biden uses notecards in private meetings with small groups of people. 

"He still has a teleprompter when you meet behind closed doors," McCarthy told "The Bottom Line" co-hosts on FOX Business. "But the teleprompter are cards. I found when I met with him, it would just be a couple of them. He would read from the card." 

  "McCarthy said that it was difficult to "deviate" from Biden during private negotiations, referencing when he spoke with the president on the debt ceiling.  

"He just sticks to the cards," he said of Biden. "And if you go, if you deviate from the cards, he can't continue onward there." . . .

 Biden Admin Defends Telling Fox News to Change Coverage of Biden (msn.com)  How about the coverage of Trump everywhere else?