Biden Troubles Deepen: Bribe To Stop Probe Of Son’s Ukraine Job Intercepted

Posted on June 15, 2020 by LifeZette

Over the weekend Ukrainian government officials announced they have intercepted a $6 million bribe attempt intended to stop a state criminal investigation into the president of energy giant Burisma. The firm is steeped in controversy because Hunter Biden, the son of de facto Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden, once had a seat on the company’s board even though he had no experience whatsoever in the energy field. He joined the Burisma board in 2014, when his father was still vice president and the main figure in U.S. relations with Ukraine. He left the position in 2018.

As the U.S. election cycle heats up over the summer and the national nominating conventions take place, scrutiny over the Biden (both father and son) relationship to Burisma may become an issue used by the Trump campaign to negatively affect the way voters see the former vice president. This is especially true because there is video of Biden bragging of how he got the prosecutor who was leading the probe into his son’s firm fired; the then-vice president said they could possibly lose a billion dollars in U.S. funding.

Former Ukrainian prosecutor-general Viktor Shokin has claimed he was pushed out by Joe Biden’s threat of delaying the $1 billion loan to the country, to prevent him from investigating Hunter Biden’s role at Burisma.

The obvious quid quo pro stands in stark contrast to the unsuccessful charges brought against President Donald Trump in the impeachment trial in the Senate earlier this year. At the outset of that trial, President Trump was acquitted on all charges and exonerated on the issue.

The Ukrainian national anti-corruption prosecutor Nazar Kholodnitsky and the head of the national anti-corruption bureau, Artem Sytnik, said the bribe was intended to encourage their offices to halt a probe of Mykola Zlochevsky, the head of Burisma and a former minister of ecology. Zlochevsky was accused of using his government position for personal gain. Post Soviet states have a recent history of corruption at most levels of government. Russia has also been plagued with criminal oligarchs since the downfall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

To have an American presidential candidate, not to mention a former vice president, mixed up in this kind of foreign corruption would be problematic for U.S.-Ukrainian relations under a possible Biden administration, as Biden would be open for compromise if details of his dealings, or those of his son, on sensitive matters regarding Burisma ever saw the light of day.

Three individuals, including a high-ranking tax service official, have been detained in connection with the attempted bribe, officials said Saturday. As the facts emerge in this bribery attempt they may point to those who have met with or have a connection to Burisma, Hunter Biden, or Joe Biden. If that is the case, the Bursima issue will only grow to be a bigger threat to the Biden candidacy as November approaches.

This piece was written by PoliZette Staff on June 15, 2020. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Rachel Maddow’s Ratings Continue To Tank At MSNBC

Posted on June 5, 2020 by LifeZette

When you think of ultraliberal media stars a lot of names come to mind. But one who has stood out for a while has been Rachel Maddow of MSNBC. However, it seems that even her hard left viewers are growing tired of her, as her ratings are headed to the media equivalent of the Challenger Deep.

Maddow called the month of May quits at the tail end of five Fox News programs in total viewership, including non-primetime shows such as “The Five” and “Special Report with Bret Baier.” And remember, she’s tanking with her own type of viewers. Her May numbers were even sadder with the key adult demo of 25-54. There she caught 455,000 viewers to end up tied for No. 7 in cable news, even behind a show at ratings bottom-feeder CNN.

Speaking of fake news, “Cuomo Prime Time” beat Maddow in the key demo in May. Even the non-by-the-sentient-watched “Anderson Cooper 360” almost beat Maddow among the vital viewer group last month.

Cornell Law School professor and media critic William A. Jacobson told Fox News, “Rachel Maddow’s success was a one-trick pony. That trick was Trump-Russia conspiracy theories on an Alex Jones level of crazy. After the Mueller report, Maddow’s decline was inevitable. She got a respite due to impeachment hysteria, but now that that too has passed, there’s no reason for anyone except the hardcore left to watch her. Her decline could be permanent unless some other political paranoid delusion draws people back to her.”

Media Research Center Vice President Dan Gainor also told Fox News, “I think this is a battle of extreme idiocy and that favors CNN. Maddow has two strikes against her — she tends to be wonky and she lost a lot of leftist support when she was massively wrong about Russia. Even the left has the standard of wanting their pundits not to make them look bad. And she did. CNN has become a parody of a news network with the unethical faux journalism of anchor Chris Cuomo repeatedly interviewing his brother, the disastrous New York governor. Lucky for CNN, their viewers aren’t tuning into Cuomo or Anderson Cooper for news. They can’t be. They are tuning in for spectacle. And that, CNN will happily supply.”

Piling on, media critic Jeff McCall comments, “Maddow’s credibility likely took a hit in the eyes of the less loyal viewers once the Russian collusion story dissipated. The strategy of focusing so much of her program around one issue looked good at the time and her ratings jumped, but sustaining that momentum was a challenge once the news agenda changed. She will need to find another enticing anti-Trump storyline to lure back the more casual viewers.”

This was inevitable. The rarely drooling members of the left who can still summon up the brain-hand coordination to push a button on a remote are leaving Maddow because she just is never right. Even they have standards for accuracy. They’re very low, but they’re there. And as she begins to slide into permanent orbit decay and burns up in the pundit atmosphere she will blame it on the president, as she always does. If only he had that much power.

This piece was written by PoliZette Staff on June 5, 2020. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Biden Rape Charges Hurting Democrats In U.S. Senate Races

Posted on May 7, 2020 by LifeZette

All across the country Democrats are turning on Joe Biden and backing a probe into Tara Reade’s rape charges, much to the consternation of the Biden campaign. Though some are sticking with Biden and some are trying to cut the baby in half.

Because Democrat Senate hopefuls are all over the road on their party’s de facto nominee, it is hurting their party unity and thus their races all over the nation. Here are some examples of how the Reade charges are playing out. We lead off with Mitch McConnell setting the stage.

Kentucky: “Well, at the very least it’s pretty obvious that the same people who were outraged about allegations — unproven allegations against Justice Kavanaugh when he was in high school — seemed to have little or no interest, or certainly not as much interest, in suggestions of improper behavior by an adult who was in the Senate,” said GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

“I was asked earlier today about Judge Brett Kavanaugh and I answered (that she would have voted to confirm) based upon his qualifications to be on the Supreme Court,” Amy McGrath said. She is the Democrat up against McConnell. First she was for Kavanaugh, knowing that would play in red state Kentucky. Then she turned tail after leftist pressure and said this, “But upon further reflection and further understanding of his record, I would have voted no.” Ducked the issue on Reade altogether.

I was asked earlier today about Judge Brett Kavanaugh and I answered based upon his qualifications to be on the Supreme Court. But upon further reflection and further understanding of his record, I would have voted no.

— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) July 10, 2019

Maine: “At the time of his confirmation, there was plenty of evidence that put into question Brett Kavanaugh’s fitness for the Supreme Court,” Democrat Sara Gideon said.

One year ago today. Thank you Dr. Ford for your bravery. #BelieveWomen pic.twitter.com/NrWEsuBTeV

— Sara Gideon (@SaraGideon) September 27, 2019

Gideon is challenging GOP incumbent Senator Susan Collins. “Senators Collins cast a critical vote to confirm him anyway, and she said she doesn’t regret it.” Gideon has dodged all comment on the Reade story.

“Principles like the presumption of innocence, fairness, and due process always bear on my thinking in evaluating such an allegation,” Collins said. “Ms. Reade should be treated with respect and have a chance to tell her story. I served with Joe Biden in the Senate, and I have respect for his service to our country.” Cautious and down the middle. Very Susan Collins.

Georgia: “The law actually has a system for this that can be used in the political and civic world as well, and that is when a woman makes an allegation she makes a prima facie statement and it is to be believed, and then it is to be rebutted by the accused and then the burden’s on the woman to state her case,” Teresa Tomlinson said. She is in the Democrat primary to take on GOP Senator David Perdue (R-GA) this fall. She tries to go down the middle. Her legal mumbo jumbo fails.

“Any allegation of sexual assault needs to be taken seriously. In a supercharged political environment, we need to look carefully. And only Vice President Biden and the accuser really know what happened,” Jon Ossoff said. He is also in that primary. A little bit better than Tomlinson. But still not good enough to escape charges of Democrat hypocrisy.

“These accusations deserve to be heard in full and the voters deserve a full investigation of what happened,” Sarah Riggs Amico said. “And at the same time Joe Biden does deserve due process.” Still better and smarter, this time. But that wasn’t her attitude on Brett Kavanaugh.

“I will never be silent when it comes to fighting for what’s right. That’s why I’m offering my unwavering support to those who are coming forward and joining others calling for Kavanaugh’s impeachment because this is no time for half measures, especially when it comes to our values. It is clear that Senate Republicans, including Senator David Perdue, put partisan politics ahead of good judgment by confirming Kavanaugh without a thorough investigation,” said Amico during the Kavanaugh hearings. Even later, she wasn’t so evenhanded about Kavanaugh.

The newest allegations against Brett Kavanaugh are deeply troubling. He should never have been confirmed to the Supreme Court w/out a thorough investigation. @sendavidperdue put partisan politics ahead of good judgement in supporting him.

Brett Kavanaugh should be impeached.

— Sarah Riggs Amico (@SarahRiggsAmico) September 16, 2019

All over the road. It will cost them, and Biden, in the fall.

This piece was written by PoliZette Staff on May 7, 2020. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Schiff And Pelosi Launch ‘Impeachment 2.0’

Posted on April 29, 2020 by LifeZette

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on Wednesday that a group of vicious partisans and political thugs will make up a Dem-led House committee investigation into the president’s response to the coronavirus. The probe will no doubt be timed to coincide with the fall elections. One can almost already hear the press sharpening their hatchets

Fox News reports these cretins and sinecurists will serve on the committee: “House Financial Service Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters, D-Calif., House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., and Reps. Bill Foster, D-Ill., Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Andy Kim, D-N.J.”

Fox News reports these geniuses will serve on another committee Pelosi and Adam Schiff have hatched up to try and cripple the nation’s legitimate virus response: “House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Sens. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., also announced their intention to create a 9/11-style commission, set to launch in February 2021 ‘hopefully after the pandemic has been overcome and after the presidential election.’ ” The 2021 date is likely a feint or a promise to keep a knife at the country’s throat if the president is reelected.

Said Pelosi, “We must be sure that the money we put forth goes to those who need it most, in a way that addresses disparities in access to health care and credit. We also owe it to the American people to prevent waste, fraud and abuse and to protect against price-gouging and profiteering.”

She concluded: “As we respond to this unprecedented pandemic, there will be other opportunities for Member participation which have been suggested for inclusion in legislation.”

Oh good, “other opportunities.” And who are the sober objective fact-finders who will populate such “opportunities”?

Members of Congress like Democrat Maxine Waters of California. Here is Waters in 2019, being objective, “impeachment is not good enough for Trump. He needs to be imprisoned & placed in solitary confinement. But for now, impeachment is the imperative.”

The GOP wasted no time in returning fire. A spokesman for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California struck back hard, “Instead of looking for innovative ways to help the American people, Speaker Pelosi has chosen to pursue ‘impeachment 2.0’ with a partisan and unnecessary oversight committee,” the staffer said to Fox News.

He added: “The roster the Speaker has chosen makes clear that this is not an honest effort at transparency and accountability, but rather another attempt to politically damage the Trump administration. During a time of unprecedented crisis, Congress must come together to speak with one voice – the Speaker’s so-called coronavirus oversight task force is simply another partisan pursuit.”

This piece was written by PoliZette Staff on April 29, 2020. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Trump And RNC Fundraising Far Outpaces Biden And Democrats

Posted on April 14, 2020 by LifeZette

Amid the impeachment battle and the virus, the American people have still continued to express their confidence in President Trump in a very personal and significant way, with their wallets.

The president’s reelection campaign and the Republican National Committee brought in $212 million in the first quarter of 2020. That includes $63 million in March alone as the virus raged. The $63 million is Trump’s second best month ever, only surpassed by the previous month at $86 million raised for the reelection effort.

This contrasts starkly with the Democrats, who have only $20 million in the bank as of the last reporting period. By comparison, the GOP reports having $240 million in the bank at the end of March. This cycle the GOP and Trump have raised more than $677 million. That is $270 million more than Barack Obama had at this point in his successful 2012 campaign. This GOP cash was raised despite the economic calamities befalling many voters. Some may even be out of work right now. But they still gave their money to the president’s campaign and the GOP.

Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale commented Monday, “Americans can see President Trump leading this nation through a serious crisis and they are responding with their continued enthusiastic support for his reelection. Joe Biden, Democrats, and the media continue to oppose his every action, but the people know that President Trump is fighting for them so they are fighting for him as well.”

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel also said Monday, “President Trump’s unyielding commitment to the American people has shown time and again that he is the President we need to lead our country through the crisis and it’s clear that voters are responding to his bold leadership. The enthusiasm for President Trump and our Party remains strong, and we continue to be all systems go toward November.”

Money is ammo in politics and without it a campaign cannot buy media or pay staff. Fundraising is also an indicator of how much enthusiasm a campaign is generating and how much commitment a political effort has produced among their base and the politically-involved public. These current Republican fundraising numbers highlight a very strong GOP and Trump campaign showing going into the summer, even in the middle of a national public health crisis and economic uncertainty.

This piece was written by PoliZette Staff on April 14, 2020. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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CNN’s Jake Tapper Retweets George Conway Calling The President ‘100% Insane’

Posted on April 9, 2020 by LifeZette

CNN anchor Jake Tapper recently retweeted a line, from frequent Trump critic George Conway, that called President Trump “100% insane. Conway is the husband of White House senior aide Kellyanne Conway.

However, Tapper deleted the tweet when he took heat from fellow journalists on the over the top message. But a conservative analyst caught a screenshot of the tweet and shared it with the public. Tapper was then forced to respond to the controversy, “I RTed Conway, a conservative attorney and Trump critic, because he wrote that no one in the administration has the courage to stand up to the president which seems newsworthy given how many people in the administration he knows. RTs do not nec. = agreement.”

Tapper says “no one” has the guts to stand up to Trump, eh Conway? Including your own wife? Trouble in paradise?

Notice Tapper’s cowardly backtracking in the response. The awkward shame of being caught in the act. Not to mention the complete lack of any kind of journalistic integrity, objectivity, or logic to his argument. Sure, retweeting that a person is “100% insane” is completely down the middle and does not mean “agreement.” Yeah, uh huh. Sure.

Liberal, but fair-minded, George Washington University Law Professor Jonathan Turley said Tapper’s sad pathetic argument “further undermines the media by reaffirming for many that the media is campaigning against Trump rather than covering him.”

As he was during the impeachment hearings, Turley is correct.

The mainstream media has now, as they see the president heading for reelection and the public supporting his work on the virus, become an open arm of the Democratic National Committee.

They must figure, why not? Their unbiased press maiden act is long gone and they are regarded by any fair analyst left or right as a media slattern trolling the street of sources, ready to be suborned by any passerby with a leftist view and an anti-Trump obsession.

Their entire programming lineup should be regarded as a direct donation to the Democrat Party and registered as such with the Federal Election Commission. Should that inhibit them from saying whatever they want to say at any time? No. But it would give the public a real view of their true mission.

This piece was written by David Kamioner on April 9, 2020. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Schiff Begins Another Witch Hunt Against President Trump

Posted on April 8, 2020 by LifeZette

Not satisfied by being beaten and humiliated on impeachment, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) wants another trip to the woodshed. This time over a minor presidential appointment. Last time it was over one phone call.

President Trump recently fired Intel Inspector General Michael Atkinson. Atkinson was the man who gave the absurd green light to the phone call informer that led to the impeachment hoax. Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell did the firing.

This was Schiff’s response to the firing of his buddy, “The (House Intel) Committee is reviewing the circumstances of Mr. Atkinson’s dismissal, including whether his termination was intended to curb any ongoing investigations or reviews being undertaken by his office… Trump’s dead of night decision to fire ICIG Michael Atkinson is another blatant attempt to gut the independence of the Intelligence Community and retaliate against those who dare to expose presidential wrongdoing,” he tweeted. “It puts our country and national security at even greater risk.”

He sent a letter to Grenell on the issue: “President Trump did not nominate you for confirmation as permanent DNI, and it would be inappropriate for you to pursue any additional leadership, organizational, or staffing changes to ODNI during your temporary tenure. Any effort, moreover, to remove or otherwise initiate personnel actions against apolitical career officers based on their perceived loyalty to the President would contravene civil service protections.”

Schiff’s letter said Grenell was “pursuing organizational and personnel changes without consulting and seeking authorization from Congress and in a manner that undermines critical intelligence functions.” Schiff is blatantly trying to decide executive branch personnel decisions. He also wants no one in the way of his upcoming committee investigation, yet again, of the president.

Though that was a letter to Grenell, Schiff leaked it first. Grenell called him on it, “His letter was sent to the press before it was sent to me. These press leaks politicizing the intelligence community must stop.” But they won’t.

This piece was written by PoliZette Staff on April 8, 2020. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Pelosi And Schiff Plan Another Witch Hunt Against The President

Posted on April 6, 2020 by LifeZette

As the nation fights for its life against a deadly pandemic and the economy is in serious trouble, what do the Democrats think is their greatest duty?

To launch another unfair partisan hoax against President Trump, this time on his handling of the response to the virus. Pelosi and Schiff have proposed, and Pelosi will be going ahead with, a House investigative committee much like the impeachment committees.

Comments Pelosi, “The committee will be empowered to examine all aspects of the federal response to coronavirus, and to assure that the taxpayers’ dollars are being wisely and efficiently spent to save lives, deliver relief and benefit our economy.”

The president is not happy and let it be known last Thursday.

“We have seen Americans unite with incredible selflessness and compassion. I want to remind everyone here in our nation’s capital, especially in Congress, that this is not the time for politics, endless partisan investigations. Here we go again. They’ve already done extraordinary damage to our country in recent years.”

He continued.

“It’s witch hunt after witch hunt after witch hunt. And in the end it’s people doing the witch hunt who are losing — and they’ve been losing by a lot. And it’s not any time for witch hunts.”

What were the Democrats doing to prepare for the virus?

Politico reports, “…that the Trump administration held a briefing on the coronavirus for senators, but it was ‘sparsely attended’ in part because it “was held on the same day as a deadline for senators to submit their impeachment questions.’ ”

So as the Democrats investigate the president again, timing it no doubt to coincide with the fall election, the question should be asked: what were they doing? After all, the legislative branch is coequal with the executive branch in our system. Just what did the Democrats not do to warn of the virus and for how long did they dawdle?

This piece was written by PoliZette Staff on April 6, 2020. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Schiff, Pelosi Trash President Trump On Intel IG Firing

Posted on April 5, 2020 by LifeZette

President Trump on Friday fired Intel community Inspector General Michael Atkinson. Atkinson had been long under fire for forwarding the corrupt and illegitimate report on the Ukrainian phone call that led to the impeachment hoax. The firing is long overdue.

At Saturday’s coronavirus briefing the president said of Atkinson, “He did a terrible job. Absolutely terrible… A total disgrace.” But the Democrats do not agree.

“Trump’s dead of night decision to fire ICIG Michael Atkinson is another blatant attempt to gut the independence of the Intelligence Community and retaliate against those who dare to expose presidential wrongdoing,” said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

“This latest act of reprisal against the Intelligence Community threatens to have a chilling effect against all willing to speak truth to power. The President must immediately cease his attacks on those who sacrifice to keep America safe, particularly during this time of national emergency,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said.

“Michael Atkinson is a man of integrity who has served our nation for almost two decades. Being fired for having the courage to speak truth to power makes him a patriot,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said in a statement.

The president responded, “As is the case with regard to other positions where I, as President, have power of appointment, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, it is vital that I have the fullest confidence in the appointees serving as Inspectors General,” the president said in the letter announcing the firing. “That is no longer the case with regard to this Inspector General.”

The Democrats are going back to their losing impeachment script because that is all they have during this national crisis that has seen the president’s popularity soar.

They will try other tired, worn gambits. The American public isn’t listening to their propaganda. They have other things on their minds.

This piece was written by David Kamioner on April 5, 2020. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Democrats Diverted Nation When Coronavirus Was Beginning

Posted on March 31, 2020 by LifeZette

When Democrats whine about an alleged late response of the Trump administration to the coronavirus, they should first look in the mirror.

For when the virus was germinating in Wuhan and the U.S. could have possibly gotten quicker wind of it, the nation was diverted by the unsuccessful Democrat impeachment effort against the president.

If anyone is this responsible for a delayed response, it is the Democrats. GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) made the point Tuesday on a radio show: “He was first, and I think Tom [GOP Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas] was right on the mark. And it came up while we were tied down on the impeachment trial,” he said on The Hugh Hewitt Show. “And I think it diverted the attention of the government, because everything every day was all about impeachment. But Tom figured this out early, and he was absolutely right.”

Former GOP Senate aide John Ashbrook also said Tuesday that the pandemic probably arrived in the U.S. the same day Democrats sent articles of impeachment to the Senate. The same day.

Democrats were playing political games while a silent threat was getting ready to kill thousands of Americans. Not only do they not acknowledge their share of the blame, they try and switch it to the president. Shame is a concept foreign to them, as are logic and natural fabrics.

McConnell mentions Tom Cotton. If two GOP senators have made a name for themselves recently, it is Cotton and Senator John Thune (R-SD). You may hear from them in 2024.

McConnell concluded: “The way I thought it [the economic rescue bill] would work best would be for those of us in the Senate to try to get started on a bipartisan basis, and we were doing really quite well, as you may recall, until the speaker of the House decided to insert herself into the process, which created a couple of days of unnecessary partisan sniping. But we got past that. And in the end, I think the best evidence is that there was not a single vote against it.”

Whether it’s unnecessary sniping or diverting the nation away from a mortal threat, you can always count on Democrats to be, well, Democrats.

This piece was written by PoliZette Staff on March 31, 2020. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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