Month: April 2024

Governor Cox of Utah has recently come under fire for his actions towards reporter Tayler Hansen. While some may dismiss it as a mere clash between a politician and a journalist, for conservatives, it sheds light on a bigger issue at hand.

The incident raises questions about the growing divide between the media and the conservative community, and the impact it has on the public’s perception of politics. As a conservative myself, I believe it’s important to analyze this situation from our point of view and delve deeper into the underlying implications.

Utah Governor, Spencer Cox, was received with mixed reactions before calling many delegates “fake republicans. What happened to “disagreeing better” @GovCox ? pic.twitter.com/s8TAtuPxlQ

— Dave Sanchez (@davesanch) April 27, 2024

To begin with, let’s take a step back and examine the encounter itself. According to reports, Governor Cox abruptly ended an interview with Hansen, citing his biased and unfair questioning. This sparked outrage from the journalist and his supporters, accusing Cox of silencing free speech and displaying intolerance. However, as conservatives, we know that the media has a history of twisting facts and pushing their own agenda. So it’s not surprising that Governor Cox would be cautious when faced with such a biased reporter.

But the issue goes beyond just one incident. It’s no secret that the majority of the media leans towards the liberal side, often painting conservatives in a negative light. This creates a biased and one-sided narrative that alienates and misrepresents the conservative viewpoint. As a result, the public is left with a skewed perception of politics, leading to division and polarization within society. And Governor Cox’s actions can be seen as a pushback against this media bias, a stance that many conservatives can relate to.

Governor Cox has always hated you @realDonaldTrump. You have a chance to end his career for good and replace him with @phil_lyman. pic.twitter.com/9D6cTK6Egx

— Chris Hardman – Sauna King. (@chhardman) April 28, 2024

Furthermore, let’s not forget that Governor Cox is a Republican in a predominantly red state. As such, he has a responsibility to represent and protect the values and beliefs of his constituents. In today’s political climate, where conservatives are constantly vilified and attacked, it’s crucial for our leaders to take a stand and defend our principles. And while some may view Cox’s actions as aggressive, to conservatives, it’s a refreshing display of standing up for what is right.

On a larger scale, this incident highlights the ongoing struggle for conservative voices to be heard in the media. It’s become a common occurrence for our opinions to be dismissed or silenced, and for our values to be ridiculed. This creates a hostile environment for conservatives and further perpetuates the notion that our opinions are not valid. Governor Cox’s encounter with Hansen serves as a reminder that we must continue to fight for our right to speak out and be heard.

But beyond the media’s bias and the struggle for representation, there is a deeper issue at play. It’s no secret that there is a growing divide between liberals and conservatives, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find common ground. Governor Cox’s actions may have been seen as controversial, but they were also a display of the frustration and anger that many conservatives feel towards the media and the constant attacks on their beliefs.

In conclusion, the encounter between Governor Cox and reporter Tayler Hansen is just one small incident that sheds light on the bigger issues at hand. As conservatives, we must not dismiss it as a mere clash between a politician and a journalist, but rather see it as a reflection of the challenges we face in today’s political climate. It’s time for us to continue standing up for our values, fighting against biased media narratives, and bridging the divide between conservatives and liberals. Only then can we truly have a fair and open discussion about the issues that matter.

What are YOUR thoughts on this RINO?

We want to hear from you! Please comment below to join the discussion.

The post Exploring the Truth Behind Governor Cox’s Controversial Encounter appeared first on The Conservative Brief.

Guest post by Joe Hoft at JoeHoft.com – repubished with permission

Evidence Shows that Rep. Adam Schiff, who is running for US Senate in California, has committed election fraud, has ineligibly voted, and/or committed mortgage fraud. 

One year ago, in April 2023, we reported that an ethics complaint was filed against corrupt US Rep. Adam Schiff. Today, we can report that Schiff’s corrupt and even criminal acts involve much more.

In April 2023 we reported at The Gateway Pundit that an ethics complaint had been filed against US Rep. Adam Schiff.

EXCLUSIVE: Congressman Adam Schiff Is in Deep Schiff – Ethics Complaint Filed Alleging Several Violations of Law in California and Maryland

TGP reported:

US Congressman Adam Schiff from California is in deep trouble. An ethics complaint has been filed against Schiff by a concerned citizen alleging that Schiff has committed election and voter fraud claiming he was both a citizen of California and Maryland.

A concerned citizen from the state of California uncovered what is believed to be crimes committed by Adam Schiff.

In 2000 Schiff was elected to Congress and has served as a US House member from the state of California ever since. Schiff reportedly purchased a home in Maryland with his wife in 2003 stating they would occupy this home for 12 consecutive months as their “primary residence”. Despite this claim, Schiff continued to vote in California.

The Charlotte cop killer was identified as 39-year-old Terry Hughes, Jr.

Hughes shot eight law enforcement officers on Monday killing four officers and injuring four others.

Here is our previous report.

BREAKING UPDATE: 4 Charlotte Law Enforcement Officers Dead, Eight Shot in Shootout – Suspect is Also Dead

Two female suspects were arrested at the scene including a 17-year-old.

Officer Joshua Eyer passed away on Monday night from his injuries after being shot in the line of duty while assisting other officers with the apprehension of a suspect.

Officer Joshua Eyer

The Charlotte police released a statement last night.

Charlotte, N.C. – (Monday, April 29, 2024) – On Monday, April 29, 2024, an armed suspect opened fire on law enforcement officers in the 5000 block of Galway Drive in the North Tryon Division. Four Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers were shot, one of which succumbed to his injuries. Additionally, four officers from the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force were shot, three of which succumbed to their injuries.

On Monday, April 29, 2024, around 1:30 p.m., the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, comprised of officers from multiple agencies, was conducting an investigation in the North Tryon Division at a home in the 5000 block of Galway Drive. The preliminary investigation indicates officers were attempting to serve active felony warrants on a male subject. As officers approached, the male subject discharged his firearm striking multiple officers. These officers requested immediate response from other officers. As officers responded, the gunfire continued, striking additional officers.

In total, eight officers were struck during the gunfire. The officers were rushed to area hospitals. Three task force officers were pronounced deceased at the hospital. One of the injured CMPD Officers, Joshua Eyer, a 6-year veteran, fought for his life for several hours before succumbing to his injuries.

The male suspect exited the residence on Galway Drive with a firearm. Law enforcement officers perceived an imminent deadly threat and fired their service weapons striking the suspect in the front yard of the residence.

The CMPD’s Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) began negotiations with other occupants in the house. Two females exited the residence and were transported to the Law Enforcement Center (LEC) in Uptown (601 E. Trade St.) to be interviewed by detectives.

Upon securing the scene, the suspect was pronounced deceased at the residence. The deceased suspect has been identified as Terry Clark Hughes, Jr, 39. Mr. Hughes was wanted for Possession of a Firearm by Felon and Felony Flee to Elude (2 counts) out of Lincoln County, North Carolina.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, The U.S. Marshals Office, North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, CMPD’s Crime Scene Investigations, CMPD’s Operations Command, Victim Services, N.C. State Highway Patrol, Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Homicide Prosecution Team, MEDIC and the Charlotte Fire Department all responded to the scene.

The investigation is being conducted by CMPD’s Homicide Unit. This is an active and ongoing investigation. As is standard procedure with any officer involved shooting, the CMPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau will conduct a separate but parallel investigation.

As additional information develops, it will be released by the CMPD’s Public Affairs Office. For additional information in reference to this case, please refer to the report: 20240429-1333-00.

The post Charlotte Shooter Identified as 39-Yr-Old Terry Clark Hughes, Jr. – 4 Law Enforcement Dead, 8 Shot – Two Females Arrested from House Including 17-yr-Old appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Joe Biden has been a disaster for the American economy and you can tell that people know this because it’s being reflected in the polls.

A new CBS News poll finds that half of voters in swing states believe the economy is worse under Biden.

Almost everything Biden has done from day one has hurt the economy and the buying power of working people. From the moment he shut down the Keystone Pipeline, he has repeatedly made decisions that affected the economy in negative ways.

Breitbart News reports:

CBS Poll: Half of Swing State Voters Say Economy Got Worse Under Biden

About half of voters in swing states Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan believe the economy got worse under President Joe Biden’s management, a CBS News poll found Sunday.

With the economy ranked as the top 2024 issue, Biden’s poor marks in the three key swing states are terrible news for the president’s reelection hopes.

Seven states, (Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina) will decide the president, longtime Democrat adviser Doug Sosnik wrote in the New York Times. If Trump wins one or more of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, Biden’s chances of obtaining 270 electoral votes become narrower, he said.

Recent polling shows former President Donald Trump leads in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Below is the share of voters who say the economy became worse under Biden, CBS News reported:

– Wisconsin: 48 percent
– Pennsylvania: 50 percent
– Michigan: 50 percent

Check out this clip from Face the Nation:

CBS POLL: Most swing state voters say their finances have gotten WORSE under Biden — and agree they’ll be “financially better off” if President Trump wins pic.twitter.com/SS9kwIkN80

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 28, 2024

This one too:

CBS POLL:

49% of voters in Pennsylvania say President Trump would do a better job on fracking oil and gas exploration.

Just 33% say Biden would do the better job. pic.twitter.com/LIJODB66cK

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 28, 2024

If people vote with their wallets, and many will, November looks very good for Trump.

The post CBS News Poll: Half of Voters in Swing States Say Economy is Worse Under Joe Biden appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

A deceased newborn baby girl was found wrapped in a towel and dumped in a University of Tampa trash bin on Sunday.

The infant’s mother has been located and is now hospitalized, but her name has not been released to the public.

It is unclear what condition the baby’s body was in or her cause of death.

The case remains under investigation and no charges have been made public as of Tuesday evening.

“The loss of a child is always a tragedy,” said Chief Bercaw in a press release from the Tampa Police Department. “As our department actively investigates this incident, we want all expectant mothers to know there are resources available.”

Florida has a Safe Haven Law in which parents can anonymously surrender their infants within seven days of their birth. The deadline is being extended to 30 days beginning on July 1.

The Tampa Police Department press release added, “Florida has a Safe Haven Law, which allows parents to anonymously surrender an unharmed newborn infant seven days old or younger to any Fire Station, EMS station, or hospital staffed by full-time emergency medical technicians, paramedics, or firefighters. There will be no questions asked, and no charges will be filed for surrendering a newborn under the Safe Haven Law unless the infant has signs of abuse or neglect.”

Those seeking to surrender a baby can call the National Safe Haven Alliance Hotline at 888.510.BABY (2229) to be guided to the nearest safe drop location.

The post Dead Newborn Baby Girl Found in University of Tampa Trash Bin appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The Islamo-Communist revolution taking place on college campuses took another step forward overnight with the takeover of Hamilton Hall at Columbia University in New York City. Dozens of Hamas supporters who have been staging a campus ‘occupy protest’ against Israel and the United States smashed windows and stormed the building apparently unimpeded by law enforcement while hundreds more gathered outside the building to secure the entrances.

Screen image of Hamilton Hall takeover via Jessica Schwalb, X Twitter.

The attack came after a day of dithering by campus administrators.

Please visit the link to read the complete statement from President Shafik: https://t.co/aOqZVezkfe pic.twitter.com/G82lD4I9JS

— Columbia University (@Columbia) April 29, 2024

The action by the protesters took place 56 years to the day, April 30, 1968, when police forced an end to a week-long student occupation of Hamilton Hall.

April 30, 1968
Police arrest 86 students occupying Hamilton Hall—out of 700 arrests made as negotiations broke down. Faculty linked arms to protect students

April 30, 2024
As negotiations break down & faculty link arms again, students occupy Hamilton Hallpic.twitter.com/iuvlKojmp1

— Prem Thakker (@prem_thakker) April 30, 2024

Taking over Hamilton Hall as done in 1968, Columbia students unfurl a banner that reads “Hind’s Hall,” in reference to Hind Rajab, a six-year-old girl killed by Israeli forces.
Hundreds of students cheer as the banner is revealed, erupting into chants to “Free Palestine.” pic.twitter.com/Oi8WgdZmqf

— Prem Thakker (@prem_thakker) April 30, 2024

A long banner, “Intifada”, hung from Hamilton Hall.

Intifada banner out of Hamilton Hall @Columbia pic.twitter.com/ZLgrKJdbyE

— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) April 30, 2024

Occupied:

HAMILTON HALL HAS BEEN OCCUPIED @Columbia pic.twitter.com/xPWFdeEOX9

— Jessica Schwalb (@jessicaschwalb7) April 30, 2024

Smashing windows to secure the door with a u-lock:

Holy…. pic.twitter.com/42Lw4kaRHY

— Jessica Schwalb (@jessicaschwalb7) April 30, 2024

Doors being blocked:

Really being resourceful

Where is law enforcement ???? pic.twitter.com/cVlmT9Xc5F

— Jessica Schwalb (@jessicaschwalb7) April 30, 2024

A couple students intervened to prevent a door being blocked by protesters.

These men in the blue are heroes, preventing the mob from shoving another table in front of Hamilton pic.twitter.com/yO8MysQ9yi

— Jessica Schwalb (@jessicaschwalb7) April 30, 2024

No police after two hours:

There is absolutely no police anywhere despite several 911 calls from students pic.twitter.com/n57YGNFtGN

— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) April 30, 2024

The peaceful counter-protesting students were assaulted by the mob:

Student is assaulted by mob. @NYPDDaughtry Many students have called the police but where are you???

We are in danger. pic.twitter.com/ghZWuMgb6y

— Jessica Schwalb (@jessicaschwalb7) April 30, 2024

Same chant as at GWU riot last night:

The mob shouts: I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN! pic.twitter.com/b2Tuau1iI9

— Jessica Schwalb (@jessicaschwalb7) April 30, 2024

The student newspaper Columbia Spectator is doing a good job posting updates (excerpt):

BREAKING: Dozens of protesters occupied Hamilton Hall in the early hours of Tuesday morning, moving metal gates to barricade the doors, blocking entrances with wooden tables and chairs, and zip-tying doors shut.https://t.co/2m3Y0Urplj

— Columbia Daily Spectator (@ColumbiaSpec) April 30, 2024

At around 1:28 a.m., protesters draped a Palestinian flag from a window on the third floor. Minutes later, protesters used newspapers to cover the windows on the doors. Protesters unfurled a banner from the leftmost side of Hamilton, reading “Gaza Calls Columbia Falls,” at around 1:38 a.m.

From the Hamilton balcony, protesters unfurled another banner at around 1:40 a.m., reading “Hind’s Hall.” The name refers to Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian who was killed by the Israeli military in Gaza on Jan. 29.

“We will honor all the martyrs, all the parents, mothers, fathers,” protesters chanted. “We will honor all the martyrs, all the children, sons, and daughters.”

The protesters on the balcony led several call-and-response chants with those gathered outside the building. Protesters chanted “Columbia, you will see, Palestine is almost free” and “This building is now liberated.”

Following the chants, the protesters announced that they would occupy Hamilton until “Columbia meets every one of our demands.”

At around 1:56 a.m., protesters draped another banner from the top of the building’s facade that read “Intifada.”

Protesters began chanting “no divestment, no commencement” at around 2:23 a.m. Minutes later, protesters unfurled a fourth banner which read “Student Intifada” from a Hamilton window facing the Sundial.

The post “We Will Honor All the Martyrs”: Hamas Supporters at Columbia Smash Windows, Take Control of Hamilton Hall in Overnight Attack (Video) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

However one feels about it, abortion is a serious issue. Unfortunately, many Americans are not serious people.

Rather than ponder concepts such as that life begins at conception, that abortion is murder, and that modern society is entering a demographic winter, most people would rather not think about it. These days, those on the left would prefer to complain about WNBA salaries, and those on the right would prefer to dunk on NPR’s CEO Katherine Maher. At least, this seems to be what’s trending this month; it could be even dumber next month.

Through a combination of factors—increased time online, less time at church, and powerful governmental and commercial entities controlling all the information that people consume—many of today’s adults have lost the capacity to differentiate between what’s important and what’s trivial. Rather, most people will lavish their deepest thoughts on the most superficial topics and indulge childlike fancy in grave matters. You can find a plethora of popular think pieces on the actress Sydney Sweeney’s chest, but see only a few principled stands against assisted suicide’s expansion across the globe.

No event in recent memory better illustrated this problem of non-seriousness than Covid-19. Four short years ago, the country was on its fourth week of a national lockdown to slow the spread of a new coronavirus that purportedly came from a Chinese wet market. When they weren’t heroically staying home, people wore face masks and stayed at least 6 feet apart at all times. For some reason, a special health exception was made for people who took to the streets for racial justice. And when the MRNA vaccines were rolled out, every respectable person immediately took the jab and shamed others into doing the same.

It’s now well known that none of these measures were helpful. Lockdowns had no impact on slowing the spread of the virus. Covid-19 almost certainly came from a Wuhan lab doing gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses, not from some peasant treating himself to bat soup. Masks did virtually nothing except make people dizzy from breathing in their own CO2. Social distancing at 6 feet was also pointless, having been an arbitrary recommendation from some public health bureaucrat. BLM rioters didn’t have special protection from Covid, but from any public accountability. Finally, the vaccines — which were largely untested and rushed through production — underperformed. 

The prospect of a deadly pandemic threatening to decimate the population was simply too much for people to handle, so they outsourced all their brainpower to corrupt officials like Anthony Fauci who promised to make it all better. Even though dissident voices were censored and stigmatized, it’s doubtful they would have changed anyone’s mind otherwise.

All this is important to remember if pro-lifers hope to understand the current political and cultural landscape. The way most people think about abortion today is very similar to the way they thought about Covid yesterday. Just as most people didn’t think about what Covid was, how to deal with it, or why it mattered where it came from, most people now don’t think about when life begins, what abortions are, or why women want to have them. Instead they defer to experts and authorities, nearly all of whom materially benefit from prolonging and perpetuating the crisis at hand. 

Thus, what is seen with the pro-life movement is merely a sequel to the Covid hysteria. Pro-lifers are ridiculed and derided by the mainstream media and occasionally persecuted by the federal government. The pro-life message, when it isn’t censored or ignored, is treated as anti-woman and unrealistic. Meanwhile, the pro-abortion voices are boosted and given additional resources to look more credible, respectable, and popular. 

Once again, Americans should be able to see through the propaganda, but all the authorities and experts continue to assure them that this is good for women and for society at large. We’ve seen how this goes.

For this reason, it’s misguided to believe that a little more pluck and commitment will carry the day, as pro-life activist Shawn Carney recently argued in The American Conservative. He compares abortion to gay marriage, asserting that the pro-life movement should learn from advocates for same-sex marriage who “went for broke” after experiencing so many political setbacks. But if the Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges had ruled the other way, it’s almost certain that then-President Obama and the legislature would have demonized them and expanded same-sex marriage anyway. 

So it is with abortion. For the pro-lifer, the arguments for legalizing abortion are still as morally feeble as ever, but many Americans have often decided that this doesn’t matter to them.

None of this is to dismiss the pro-life cause, which can prevail in the long run. It’s simply important to evaluate the current moment and act accordingly. Before Americans can be convinced that abortion is murder, they need to become serious again.

This will require improving education, strengthening religious and civic communities, and creating a true pro-life culture.

Success is only possible when the ground has been prepared. In order to help an unserious people care about abortion, pro-lifers need to help them become serious first. This does not mean making their case more attractive or popular, but about getting their fellow Americans to transcend the metric of modish popularity altogether and reason like responsible adults.

The post Abortion and the American Seriousness Deficit appeared first on The American Conservative.

McKinsey & Company—the largest management consultancy in the world, the alumni of which include Pete Buttigieg and the geniuses who advised Purdue Pharma on how to “turbocharge” opioid sales—have published four studies since 2015 (“Diversity Matters,” “Delivering Through Diversity,” “Diversity Wins,” “Diversity Matters Even More”) claiming that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives enhance company profitability.

This “proof” has been used for the past decade to advance a leftist social engineering agenda under the guise of business acumen, corporate social responsibility, and fiduciary duty. Now, independent researchers are calling it what it is: blatant fraud, or, in the most charitable interpretation, gross incompetence. (But let’s not kid ourselves.)

“Our inability to [replicate] their results suggests that…[McKinsey] should not be relied on to support the view that US publicly traded firms can expect to deliver improved financial performance if they increase the racial/ethnic diversity of their executives,” conclude Jeremiah Green, an accounting professor at Texas A&M, and John Hand, an accounting professor at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, in a new peer-reviewed paper published last month.

“[McKinsey] cherry picked the years that were particularly to lead to a significant result,” adds Alex Edmans, a finance professor at London Business School. “As is well known, ‘garbage in, garbage out’. It doesn’t matter how many numbers you crunch—if the methodology is flawed, the results are meaningless.”

Ironically, if McKinsey’s team that conducted the research had been more diverse, perhaps the study wouldn’t have been so fatally flawed. Professor Edmans writes:

[McKinsey’s] six-person research team was comprised [sic] solely of women, the majority of whom are also ethnic minorities. Due to confirmation bias, they might want to find that diversity matters (just as I would, being an ethnic minority myself) and thus turn a blind eye to the glaring errors. In addition, none has a PhD in economics, finance, or any business discipline which is a basic qualification to do research.

The loudest cheerleader for this now-debunked McKinsey talking point is the billionaire Mark Cuban, of Shark Tank and Dallas Mavericks fame. He currently has 8.8 million followers on X, formerly Twitter, and has spent the past few months aggressively preaching to them about how diversity initiatives are not just socially commendable but are also crucial for enhancing profitability.

In January, after Cuban went on yet another of his long rants about DEI being good for business, Elon Musk replied simply: “Cool, so when should we expect to see a short white/Asian women [sic] on the Mavs?” Musk’s retort pierced the veil of hypocrisy—the current Mavericks lineup boasts 18 players, 16 of whom are tall black men. This stark lack of diversity on Cuban’s team raises questions about the sincerity of his advocacy.

This is a trend. Mark Cuban is a master of the art of public posturing and virtue signaling. When Cuban made his initial fortune with Broadcast.com, for example, his board of directors was exclusively white men. Draped in the wealth created by that very homogenous entity, he now says that the next generation of boards must select their members based on skin color and genitalia, rather than on merit. Do as I say, not as I do.

Following his January spat with Musk, Cuban got into a public debate this month with the Manhattan Institute’s Chris Rufo over the same subject. Cuban’s arguments in this debate were primarily about his own lived experience: “I own or invest in hundreds of companies. I know DEI is a positive because I see its impact on bottom lines…. I think DEI is smart business.”

Even if Cuban’s “lived experience” were valid, and even if McKinsey hadn’t fudged the data he uses to substantiate that expereince, the premise that racial composition inherently boosts economic performance is morally repugnant race science. What if they had found that a homogeneous racial composition—say all Caucasian, all Asian, or all male—were more profitable? Would Cuban and McKinsey then be entitled to preach racial purity for profit’s sake? Of course not. This was never about profitability; DEI was always a smokescreen for something far more sinister: a subversive embrace of Marxist equalitarianism under a thin veneer of fiduciary duty. 

Edmans, who has written a forthcoming book about how McKinsey consultants fudge DEI data, told The American Conservative: 

McKinsey is a premier consulting firm, not a research institute. The goal of its studies is marketing, not scientific inquiry, and so it sometimes writes whatever the public wants to hear and skews the data to do so. This is a particular problem for DEI because the strong entrenched ideologies mean there’s only one acceptable answer. If you deliver it, your image will soar—and even if your study is flimsy, people will lap it up uncritically due to confirmation bias. So you have both the incentives and ability to promote a false message.

The same is true for Mark Cuban. He is a great business leader, but has not conducted scientific research on the link between DEI and firm performance, nor an expert in scrutinizing scientific research. His incentives are to boost his own image, not to improve the performance of other companies, some of whom may be competitors. Does he give free advice on how to improve operational efficiency or capital allocation? No; he says what will help him go viral.

In short, Cuban wants to be liked, to seem trendy, to seem modern, to seem young. Cuban’s overt displays of wokeness serve not as evidence of visionary leadership but as a spectacle of an old man hungry for approval.

The post DEI Was Never About Profitability appeared first on The American Conservative.

In the world of spy vs. spy, things are always murky. The public got a glimpse into that shadowy world last week when anonymous officials from the American intelligence community leaked to the Wall Street Journal the results of their investigation into the death earlier this year of dissident Alexei Navalny. The verdict: Putin did not order Navalny killed.

This is contrary to what President Joe Biden claimed at the time. “Make no mistake. Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death,” he said. Many commentators leapt to the conclusion that Navalny had been “murdered.”

Skeptical voices were heard early on, including from some unlikely sources. Ukraine’s hardline intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, said two weeks after Navalny’s death, “I may disappoint you, but as far as we know, he indeed died as a result of a blood clot. And this has been more or less confirmed.” (Budanov has also said that he thinks Yevgeny Prigozhin might still be alive.) 

The Journal story came out just a week after widow Yulia Navalnaya graced the cover of TIME magazine as one of its 100 Most Influential People of 2024. Vice President Kamala Harris contributed the blurb for Navalnaya, lauding her as a “courageous fighter” and “a symbol of democratic values.” 

The intelligence sources who spoke to the Journal did not offer any bombshell evidence or any alternative explanation for Navalny’s death. The reasoning behind the new assessment, as far as it has been disclosed, is mostly based on logic that people like yours truly offered back in February: Putin did not stand to gain much by Navalny’s death; he risked losing a valuable piece of leverage; the timing on the eve of the Munich Security Conference could not have been worse for Putin.

So why did our intelligence community leak this now? On the surface, there seems to be little reason to do so. Rallying support for the war in Ukraine depends on painting Putin as a cold-blooded murderer, the kind of person who would order the death of a dissident. Yulia Navalnaya’s future as the standard-bearer for her husband’s cause depends on her status as the widow of a martyr. Even if our government did conclude that Putin did not order Navalny killed, why not keep that conclusion to themselves?

The explanation may lie in Ukraine’s worsening battlefield position. The Russian line is advancing and Ukraine’s forces are unlikely to be able to turn the tide even with a new infusion of Western arms. The time for negotiating an end to this war may be approaching.

Right now, the biggest obstacle to negotiations—apart from Ukraine’s willingness to come to the table—is a lack of trust on the Russian side. The last time they negotiated a peace in Ukraine, the West used it merely to buy time to prepare for the next round of fighting. The Kremlin doubts that the West will negotiate in good faith, a sentiment compounded by the readiness of leaders like Biden to indulge in rhetorical excesses that demonize the Russian leader (calling him “a killer”) or dispute his legitimacy (“For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power”).

Before the Russians agree to sit down at the table, they could reasonably demand some concrete demonstration that the Western side is willing to meet them halfway. Letting Putin off the hook for Navalny’s death is one way to do that. If we can’t publicly admit we were wrong to accuse Putin of ordering a jail-yard hit, how can the Russians expect us to give any ground on the things they really care about, like pledging that Ukraine will not join NATO in the next decade?

The fact that our intelligence agencies told the truth publicly is the silver lining. The dark cloud is this: If Washington felt compelled to accede to Russian demands for a prerequisite to negotiations, Ukraine’s battlefield position must be dire indeed. Russia must be in a strong negotiating position if they are willing to make demands that, if we did not meet them, would leave Ukraine’s fate to be decided not at the negotiating table but on the battlefield.

The post Is the Navalny Intelligence Leak an Olive Branch to Putin? appeared first on The American Conservative.

Austin police remove booger-haired leftist from UT Austin pro-Palestinian encampment on campus.

Make America Texas Again

Austin police today took down the impromptu pro-Hamas hippy encampment on the University of Texas campus this afternoon.

There was a lot of screaming by the dirty leftists.

Booger-haired girl got carried off by no-nonsense police.

Dirty Hippy Airlines

You fly for free at Taliban Day Camp

We even deliver lmao pic.twitter.com/l4PnQNwwrD

— 0HOUR (@0HOUR) April 29, 2024

She was not as talkative as she was earlier.

Booger Hair Just Fucked Up

Assault on a police officer

Austin TX pic.twitter.com/IJMAdsUzVn

— 0HOUR (@0HOUR) April 29, 2024

The pepper spray was flying .

They getting the hot pepper sauce for dinner in Austin TX
pic.twitter.com/uKNdVUL4Xg

— 0HOUR (@0HOUR) April 30, 2024

Dude got a facial.

Student protesters at @UTAustin are being hit with pepper spray as they attempt to push police and state troopers off campus. pic.twitter.com/f01pZbJOgD

— Peter Holley (@peterjholley) April 29, 2024

They had their communist medics out in force.

Lmao

They got exhausted just standing for a day pic.twitter.com/Wf0hRvxP7M

— 0HOUR (@0HOUR) April 29, 2024

Another takedown by the Texas police.

Texas is doing Awesome

America is so fucking clapping

Go Police!! pic.twitter.com/XwLhB5jw6U

— 0HOUR (@0HOUR) April 29, 2024

The commies suffered major losses tonight in Texas.
Thanks Texas police for bringing hope back to America.

The post HOPE FOR AMERICA! Texas Cops Go to Work in Austin – Dirty Booger-Haired Leftists Scooped Up, Zip-Tied, and Hauled Off like Baby Calves at UT Campus appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.