[Karah Rucker]

A Pennsylvania ELECTION official is facing intense backlash after comments she made about ignoring court rulings to GO AHEAD AND count ballots THE COURTS RULED WERE INVALID.

THE BUCKS COUNTY COMMISSIONER APOLOGIZING ON WEDNESDAY –

FOR SAYING QUOTE “PRECEDENT BY A COURT DOESN’T MATTER ANYMORE IN THIS COUNTRY”.

The passion in my heart got the best of me and I apologize again for that. 

We all make mistakes and I made a mistake, and because I am an elected official, I am held to a far higher standard than everybody else.

THE COMMISSIONER’S comments were made during a public meeting, where she and another Democratic commissioner voted to count around 600 ballots that lacked dates or signatures. These ballots had been declared invalid by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court before the election. The commissioners’ decision has drawn strong objections from local Republicans and legal experts, especially as it comes amid a closely watched recount in Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race WHERE REPUBLICAN DAVE MCCORMICK EDGED OUT INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT BOB CASEY BY LESS THAN 20 THOUSAND VOTES. 

WHILE THE COMMISSIONER APOLOGIZED FOR HER COMMENTS DISREGARDING LEGAL PRECEDENT –

SHE JUSTIFIED HER ACTIONS OF STILL COUNTING BALLOTS WITH MISSING DATES OR SIGNATURES – SAYING IT “DISENFRANCHIZES VOTERS” FOR TOSSING BALLOTS OVER WHAT SHE DESCRIBED AS CLERICAL ERRORS.

BUCKS COUNTY ALONG WITH TWO OTHERS INCLUDING PHILADELPHIA –

HAD THEIR ELECTION OFFICIALS VOTE TO STILL COUNT THE INVALID BALLOTS –

DESPITE THE STATE’S HIGH COURT RULING FOR THEM NOT TO.

BUT AFTER A LAWSUIT FROM MCCORMICK’S CAMPAIGN –

THE STATE SUPREME COURT ORDERED ALL OF THE COUNTIES TO “ABIDE BY ITS PAST RULINGS” ABOUT THE UNDATED AND UNSIGNED BALLOTS **NOT BEING COUNTED.

DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR JOSH SHAPIRO EVEN WEIGHED IN THIS WEEK, BACKING THE GOP POSITION AND SAYING “ANY INSINUATION THAT OUR LAWS CAN IGNORED OR DO NOT MATTER IS IRRESPONSIBLE AND DOES DAMAGE TO FAITH IN OUR ELECTORAL PROCESS.”

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Karah Rucker

ENTREPRENEURS ELON MUSK AND VIVEK RAMASWAMY ARE OUTLINING WHAT THEY’RE CALLING THE ‘DOGE PLAN TO REFORM GOVERNMENT,’ IN AN OPINION PIECE FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL… AND IT’S ALREADY STIRRING DEBATE ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM.

UNDER THE PLAN, MUSK AND RAMASWAMY SAY THEY AIM TO CUT THE SIZE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET BY HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS… ROLLING BACK WHAT THEY CALL “ILLICIT REGULATIONS,” AND SAVING TAXPAYERS BILLIONS. THEY’VE TEAMED UP WITH PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP TO LEAD THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY… OR DOGE… A VOLUNTEER-BASED INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO STREAMLINE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. 

Vivek Ramaswamy
“It’s no secret that there is a 4th branch of government… the administrative state that makes most of the rules… creates a federal bureaucracy that’s hampering our economy. So what do we wanna do? We want to go in and slash and burn that bureaucracy… to help Americans. Stimulate the economy… and to restore self governance again-”

THEIR FIRST TARGET? FEDERAL REGULATIONS.

MUSK AND RAMASWAMY SAY MANY OF THESE RULES ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND NOT AUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS. THEY’RE CITING TWO RECENT SUPREME COURT RULINGS:

IN WEST VIRGINIA V. EPA, THE COURT RULED AGENCIES CAN’T IMPOSE MAJOR REGULATIONS WITHOUT EXPLICIT APPROVAL FROM CONGRESS. AND IN LOPER BRIGHT V. RAIMONDO… THE CHEVRON DOCTRINE WAS OVERTURNED, MEANING COURTS NO LONGER DEFER TO AGENCIES’ INTERPRETATIONS OF THE LAW. 

MUSK AND RAMASWAMY ARGUE THESE CASES SUGGEST MANY CURRENT FEDERAL REGULATIONS EXCEED THE AUTHORITY CONGRESS HAS GRANTED.

DOGE PLANS TO IDENTIFY THOUSANDS OF REGULATIONS THEY BELIEVE OVERSTEP AGENCY AUTHORITY. THE IDEA IS TO HAVE PRESIDENT TRUMP PAUSE ENFORCEMENT AND BEGIN RESCINDING THEM THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDERS.

BUT IT DOESN’T STOP THERE. MUSK AND RAMASWAMY ALSO WANT TO TACKLE THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE.

THEY MAINTAIN FEWER REGULATIONS MEAN FEWER EMPLOYEES ARE NEEDED. DOGE IS PROPOSING LARGE-SCALE REDUCTIONS IN FEDERAL STAFF, USING EARLY RETIREMENT AND SEVERANCE PACKAGES TO EASE TRANSITIONS.

THEY’RE ALSO PLANNING TO REQUIRE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES TO RETURN TO THE OFFICE FIVE DAYS A WEEK… A MOVE THEY SAY WILL PROMPT VOLUNTARY RESIGNATIONS… ADDING, “IF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES DON’T WANT TO SHOW UP, AMERICAN TAXPAYERS SHOULDN’T PAY THEM FOR THE COVID-ERA PRIVILEGE OF STAYING HOME.”

AS FOR TAXPAYER SAVINGS, DOGE IS TARGETING OVER $500 BILLION IN ANNUAL SPENDING THEY CLAIM IS UNAUTHORIZED OR MISUSED. 

THIS INCLUDES 535 MILLION A YEAR FOR THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING… 1 AND A HALF BILLION FOR INTERNATIONAL GRANTS… AND NEARLY 300 MILLION TO PROGRESSIVE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE PLANNED PARENTHOOD.

THE LARGEST CHUNK OF MONEY IN THE FEDERAL BUDGET IS IN SOCIAL SECURITY… AT NEARLY 1 AND A HALF TRILLION. INTEREST ON THE NATIONAL DEBT CLOCKS IN AT NEARLY 900 BILLION. MEDICARE, DEFENSE AND VETERANS BENEFITS COMBINE TO MORE THAN 2 TRILLION. ALL THESE PROGRAMS ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 65-PERCENT OF ALL FEDERAL SPENDING.

WHILE TRUMP PUBLICLY VOWED NOT TO TOUCH ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS… HE DID PROPOSE MAKING CUTS IN 2020

MUSK AND RAMASWAMY ALSO POINT TO THE PENTAGON, WHICH HAS FAILED ITS SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE AUDIT, AS AN AREA RIPE FOR REFORM. WITH AN $800 BILLION ANNUAL BUDGET, THEY SAY TIGHTENING PROCUREMENT PROCESSES COULD SAVE BILLIONS.

NOW, NOT EVERYONE’S ON BOARD. FEDERAL EMPLOYEE UNIONS HAVE CRITICIZED THE PLAN, CALLING IT OUT OF TOUCH WITH HOW THE GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY OPERATES. AND CRITICS WORRY THE SWEEPING USE OF EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY COULD LEAD TO MORE OVERREACH, NOT LESS.

MUSK AND RAMASWAMY INSIST THEIR GOAL IS SIMPLE: A LEANER, MORE EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT THAT STILL OPERATES WITHIN CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS. THEY’VE SET A DEADLINE TO WRAP UP THEIR WORK BY JULY 4TH, 2026… AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M KARAH RUCKER.

[Ray Bogan]

Former Congressman Matt Gaetz is out as attorney general nominee and out of a job because he resigned from the House of Representatives when he was nominated. Despite that, Gaetz could still be back in Congress this January. 

Gaetz resigned on November 14 with the following letter to Speaker Mike Johnson – “Sir, I hereby resign as a United States representative for Florida’s first congressional district, effective immediately. And I do not intend to take the oath of office for the same office in the 119th congress to pursue the position of Attorney General in the Trump administration.” 

The House book of precedents states resignations cannot ordinarily be withdrawn, so it’s final for the 118th Congress. But the 119th will begin January 3 and Gaetz won reelection for his district in the Florida panhandle by 30 points. 

Fox’s Chad Pergram reports ifGaetz wants to be sworn in he would have to withdraw the portion of the resignation letter that states, “I do not intend to take the oath of office for the same office in the 119th Congress.” 

The House of Representatives may not be Gaetz’s only option to get himself back on Capitol Hill. 

Florida Senator Marco Rubio is nominated to be President Elect Trump’s Secretary of STate, and as a respected member of the chamber, he’s on a glide path to confirmation. Governor Ron DeSantis is responsible for appointing a replacement. 

There are a number of names being floated – the president elect’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, Florida’s Attorney General Ashley Moody and former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner. 

Gaetz could put his name up for consideration. 

Governor Ron DeSantis said he will conduct vetting and interviews over the next several weeks and make a selection by the beginning of January. 

[JACK AYLMER]

NEW DATA RELEASED FROM THE U-S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY REVEALS WATER SUPPLIES ARE BEING THREATENED ACROSS THE U-S NORTHEAST DUE TO SEVERE DROUGHT… LEAVING RIVERS, CHANNELS AND RESERVOIRS THROUGHOUT THE REGION AT HISTORICALLY LOW LEVELS.

HYDROLOGISTS ARE ESPECIALLY CONCERNED BECAUSE FALL IS TYPICALLY WHEN YOU SEE BODIES OF WATER AT THEIR HIGHEST LEVELS AS THEY REPLENISH FROM HEAVY USE DURING THE SUMMER.

ONE ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERT NOTED, THE MASSIVE DRY UP IS SOMETHING WE’D “EXPECT TO SEE ONCE EVERY 100 YEARS.”

ONE EXAMPLE IS THE CAMBRIDGE RESERVOIR IN MASSACHUSETTS, WHICH CAN HOLD UP TO ONE-POINT-FIVE BILLION GALLONS… BUT CURRENTLY SITS AT 50 PERCENT CAPACITY.

OFFICIALS WARN SMALL COMMUNITIES MANAGING THEIR OWN WATER ARE AT THE BIGGEST RISK…. AS WATER LEVELS IN SMALLER RESERVOIRS DRY UP AT MUCH FASTER RATES.

THE CONDITIONS PROMPTED NEW JERSEY TO ISSUE ITS FIRST DROUGHT WARNING IN NEARLY A DECADE. NEW YORK CITY IS ALSO FOLLOWING SUIT, ISSUING ITS FIRST DROUGHT WARNING IN MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS.

EARLIER THIS WEEK, NEW YORK CITY PAUSED A TWO-BILLION DOLLAR PROJECT TO REPAIR AN AQUEDUCT SUPPLYING WATER TO HALF ITS RESIDENTS AND OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE HUDSON VALLEY.

CITING THE EXTREMELY DRY WEATHER.

EVEN WITH MORE RAIN IN THE FORECAST IN THE COMING DAYS, OFFICIALS CAUTION IT MAY TAKE MONTHS TO RECOVER, AND IF CONDITIONS WORSEN… HAVEN’T RULED OUT MANDATORY WATER USAGE RESTRICTIONS.

HIGH WINDS COMBINED WITH LITTLE TO NO RAIN HAVE ALSO FUELED WILDFIRES IN NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK– LEADING TO AT LEAST ONE DEATH– IN A REGION TYPICALLY KNOWN TO BE “WATER RICH.”

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M JACK AYLMER.

[Lauren Taylor]

MIGRANTS IN NEW YORK CITY WILL SOON BE ABLE TO BYPASS IN-PERSON CHECK-INS AT THEIR LOCAL IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT OFFICE, HOMELAND SECURITY SOURCES REPORTEDLY TOLD THE NEW YORK POST.

CURRENTLY, ASYLUM SEEKERS AWAITING A COURT HEARING MUST REGULARLY REPORT IN PERSON AT THEIR LOCAL ICE OFFICE.

THE DATABASE FOR THE CURRENT SYSTEM FLAGS ARREST WARRANTS FOR MIGRANTS TO ICE OFFICIALS.

THE OUTGOING BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS ALLEGEDLY LOOSENING THOSE RESTRICTIONS AND PLANNING TO LAUNCH A NEW ICE APP WHERE MIGRANTS CAN CHECK-IN VIRTUALLY.

HOMELAND SECURITY SOURCES TELL THE POST – THE NEW ICE APP IS APPARENTLY “GLITCHY” AND “UNRELIABLE” AND WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR MIGRANTS TO FLEE.

UP TO 100,000 MIGRANTS IN NEW YORK CITY ARE SET TO BE ENROLLED IN THE NEW SYSTEM BEFORE PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP’S INAUGURATION.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS ALSO LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT AN INITIATIVE ALLOWING MIGRANTS TO CHALLENGE ORDERS FOR ELECTRONIC TRACKING WHILE AWAITING THEIR IMMIGRATION HEARINGS, THE POST SAYS.

FORMER ACTING CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION COMMISSIONER MARK MORGAN TOLD THE PAPER THE LAST-MINUTE MOVE IS “THE OPPOSITE OF A PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF POWER” CALLING IT AN “OBSTRUCTIONIST TRANSITION.”

“WHAT THEY’RE TRYING TO DO IN THE LAST FINAL DAY, THEY’RE GOING TO TRY TO PUT UP AS MANY ROADBLOCKS AND OBSTACLES AND THROW AS MANY GRENADES AS THEY CAN ON THEIR WAY OUT,” MORGAN SAID.

ED CUCCIA, A NEW YORK CITY IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY, TOLD THE TELEGRAPH THAT HE HAD CLIENTS USE THE PILOTED APP WHEN IT WAS BEING TESTED EARLIER THIS YEAR AND SAYS HE DOESN’T THINK THE SYSTEM WILL CHANGE MUCH, CALLING IN-PERSON CHECK-INS “A BIT OF A JOKE.”

HE SAYS EITHER WAY THE IMMIGRATION SYSTEM IS BACKLOOGED WITH SOME OF HIS CLIENTS NOT RECEIVING COURT DATES UNTIL 2023.

TRUMP HAS SAID HE’S PLANNING MASS DEPORTATIONS WHEN HE’S BACK IN OFFICE.

[Lauren]

BRAZILIAN AUTHORITIES INDICTED AND ARRESTED THE NATION’S FORMER PRESIDENT ON ACCUSATIONS OF KNOWING ABOUT A PLOT TO KILL THE PRESIDENT-ELECT, WHILE TRYING TO OVERTURN THE COUNTRY’S 20-22 ELECTION. 

FEDERAL POLICE TOOK JAIR (gye-air) BOLSONARO AND 36 OTHERS INTO CUSTODY THURSDAY … AS PART OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE FALLOUT.

OFFICIALS SAY BOLSONARO HAD “FULL KNOWLEDGE” OF A PLAN TO PREVENT LUIZ INACIO (Eh-nah-cee-oh) LULA DA SILVA AND HIS GOVERNMENT FROM TAKING OFFICE.

EARLIER THIS WEEK, POLICE ARRESTED FIVE OTHERS INCLUDING A FORMER ADVISOR TO BOLSONARO OVER THE ALLEGED PLOT. 

THE COUP PLOTTERS ALSO ALLEGEDLY HAD A PLAN TO ASSASSINATE LULA’S VICE PRESIDENT AND SUPREME COURT JUSTICE. 

IN OCTOBER 20-22 LULA NARRLOWLY BEAT BOLSONARO IN THE ELECTION RESULTING IN BOLSONARO’S SUPPORTERS RIOTING AT GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.

BOLSONARO ALLEGEDLY MET WITH OFFICIALS FROM THE MILITARY AND THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE IN DECEMBER 20-22 TO PRESENT A LEGAL PLAN THAT WOULD KEEP HIM IN POWER. 

BOLSONARO HAS DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS OF ATTEMPTING A COUP. 

BRAZIL’S POLITICAL EXPERTS SAY BOLSONARO IS ALREADY BARRED FROM RUNNING IN THE 20-26 ELECTIONS. 

FOR SAN – I’M LAUREN TAYLOR. 

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