The Wells Report for Monday, September 18, 2023

Today's News, Analysis, Commentary & Debate

TEXAS:        

TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON ACQUITTED ON ALL IMPEACHMENT COUNTS

TEXAS TRIBUNE:

The Texas Senate on Saturday acquitted Attorney General Ken Paxton of 16 articles of impeachment alleging corruption and bribery.

No article received more than 14 of the required 21 votes to convict. Only two of 19 Republican Senators, Bob Nichols of Jacksonville and Kelly Hancock of North Richland Hills, voted in favor of convicting for any article — a stark contrast to the more than 70% of House Republicans who impeached the attorney general in May.

Paxton, who attended just two days of the trial and was not present to witness his exoneration said, “The sham impeachment coordinated by the Biden Administration with liberal House Speaker Dade Phelan and his kangaroo court has cost taxpayers millions of dollars, disrupted the work of the Office of Attorney General and left a dark and permanent stain on the Texas House.” Paxton said in a statement. “The weaponization of the impeachment process to settle political differences is not only wrong, it is immoral and corrupt.”

TWR:  This sad affair points out two important things about Texas State Politics…

First…There is a disturbing ugliness permeating the Lone Star State’s political process. 

That Neo-Conservative operators would practice ‘in-the-gutter’ negative character assassination against Ken Paxton in an effort to remove him for political reasons is truly socioipathic.

Second…The Texas Uniparty must be broken down.  The Two-Party System only functions well in a benevolently adversarial fashion. 

When ‘Bi-Partisanship’ is introduced, only the interests of the body-politic are served.  Only through Debate and Compromise are all sides heard in a given issue.

PAXTON ACQUITTAL ESCALATES REPUBLICAN CIVIL WAR

TEXAS TRIBUNE/TWR:

Hours after his acquittal in the Texas Senate, Attorney General Ken Paxton’s supporters doubled down on their promises for swift retribution against fellow Republicans who supported his removal from office.

In particular, they cast House Speaker Dade Phelan, as the ringleader responsible for the impeachment process and calling for him to resign immediately.

Paxton’s impeachment trial was the latest — and among the most consequential — battle in an ongoing civil war between the Texas GOP’s establishment members and a well-funded right wing that has for years claimed the party is insufficiently conservative.

Party Conservatives have often accused members, specifically those in the Texas House, of partnering with Democrats to undermine conservative priorities.

TWR:  The Texas Republican Party suffers the same malaise as the National Party…

They say what needs to be said for the sake of Votes, then after their elections, huddle with Democrats to enable non-Conservative legislation. 

In short, they ignore the clear direction of their Constituents…Up to working to overturn the Will of We the People.

This is so pervasive in my opinion, the TRP runs the risk of being abandoned in favor of the TCP…The Texas Conservative Party.

NATIONAL:

BREAKING:  ARREST MADE IN DEPUTY RYAN CLINKUNBROOMER MURDER

FOX NEWS:

An arrest has been made in the shooting death of Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, sources close to the investigation told Fox News on Monday. 

Sources told Fox News that a suspect was identified Sunday following a tip. The sheriff department's Special Enforcement Bureau tactical team then went to a home in Palmdale – where the shooting of Clinkunbroomer happened Saturday – and made contact with a relative of the suspect who provided specific details about the case.

The male suspect inside that home then was taken into custody without incident after gas was deployed at the property, the sources added. 

Clinkunbroomer was shot on Saturday, Sept. 16, while he was in his patrol vehicle at an intersection in Palmdale and later "succumbed to his injuries," authorities said.

Clinkunbroomer was an eight-year veteran of LASD who served the Palmdale and Antelope Valley communities with "absolute distinction," Sheriff Robert Luna said during a news conference Saturday night.

TWR:  This case, if proven, should result in the summary execution of whoever is convicted.

The Trial should be scrupulously fair.  A Verdict, rendered in certainty beyond reasonable doubt should be delivered by an impartial jury.  The Sentence should be death.  The Appeal should be automatic, and should verify the merits, verdict and procedures as just.  The Execution should be swift.  But…

This happened in California.  So, the killer will be given far more rights than the victim.

The sentence will be Life…So he or she will be decades-long reminders of true justice withheld…So there will be no assurance of severe punishment for such crimes…And so they will continue.

HUNTER TO BE SUBPOENAED BY HOUSE COMMITTEES

USA TODAY:

With an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden underway, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said House Republicans will subpoena the president’s son, Hunter Biden, but it is just a matter of timing.

McCarthy opened the inquiry last week, calling it a “logical next step” in House Republicans’ investigation into Hunter Biden’s business dealings. Joe Biden, they allege, personally benefited from Hunter Biden’s overseas dealings. 

While the investigations have produced evidence that Hunter Biden and his business associates made millions from foreign business, House Republicans have yet to produce substantial evidence showing the president financially benefited from his son’s business affairs.

TWR:  We’ll see. 

We cannot pass this obvious ‘journalistic’ bias go unrecognized…The last paragraph of this story is an attempt by USA Today to continue the drum beat of pro-Biden bias.

But notice this…The language of evidence produced against the President has morphed again…From “Republicans have produced No Evidence…” to “Republicans have ‘yet to provide substantial evidence’ that the President benefitted from his son’s business affairs…”

The attempt shown here by USA Today to cover themselves through misleading rhetoric, is still dishonesty.

HUNTER SUES US GOVERNMENT; IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS

FOX NEWS:

Hunter Biden's attorneys filed a lawsuit against the IRS on Monday, alleging that agents have "targeted and sought to embarrass" the president's son.

Biden's Monday morning filing cites two major examples in IRS agents Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, two whistleblowers who claimed the IRS mishandled aspects of its investigation into Biden.

Biden's lawsuit seeks for the court to declare that the IRS "willfully, knowingly, and/or by gross negligence, unlawfully disclosed Mr. Biden's confidential tax information."

In addition, Biden is demanding $1,000 in damages for "each and every unauthorized disclosure of his tax returns," including disclosures that happened after the fact.

Fox News Digital reached out to the IRS for comment on the lawsuit, but they did not immediately respond.

Shapley's legal team responded to Biden's lawsuit in a statement Monday morning, dismissing the move as a stalling tactic.

TWR:  This latest Biden legal tactic sure takes a lot of brass…It is my hope the American People see right through this, and vote accordingly.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP APPEARS ON NBC’S MEET THE PRESS

NBC NEWS:

A defiant former President Donald Trump sparred with new "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker this week at his Bedminster, New Jersey, estate, battling over his array of legal issues, his role in the Jan. 6 attack, and the 2020 election.

On the Abortion Issue, Trump said members of his own party “speak very inarticulately” about abortion, and he criticized those who push for abortion bans without exceptions in cases of rape and incest, and to protect the health of the mother.

“I watch some of them without the exceptions, et cetera, et cetera,” he said. “I said, ‘Other than certain parts of the country, you can’t — you’re not going to win on this issue.”

Despite facing four trials, Trump told Welker that he's not consumed with visions of prison.

“I don’t even think about it,” Trump said. “I’m built a little differently I guess, because I have had people come up to me and say, ‘How do you do it, sir? How do you do it?’ I don’t even think about it.”

One of Welker's questions centered on whether Trump — still believes democracy "is the most effective form of government."

Trump said "I do. I do. But it has to be a democracy that’s fair," he said. "This democracy — I don’t consider us to have much of a democracy right now."

"People understand what’s going on," he said. "We need a media that’s free and fair. And frankly, if they don’t have that, it’s very, very hard to straighten out our country."

Trump faced a series of questions over a comment he made earlier this year, telling a supportive crowd, "I am your retribution."

Asked what it means, Trump talked of having "to protect people," adding that he views the prison sentences given to some Jan. 6 rioters as unfair when compared with the punishments given to those who participated in racial justice protests during the summer of 2020.

"When I talk about retribution, I'm talking about fairness," he said. "We have to treat people fairly.

TWR:  Kristen Welker did reasonably well with this interview, especially considering the overt bias of NBC News. 

President Trump for his part is maturing into the need to communicate as a President instead of an arrogant wise-guy.

CASES FROM 3 MEN INVOLVED IN JAN 6 ATTACK REACH THE SUPREME COURT

USA TODAY:

Three men involved in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol are asking the Supreme Court to wipe out part of their indictment − and the possibility of an extra 20 years in prison − in the first criminal cases involving the 2021 insurrection to reach the nation's highest court.

If the justices agree to hear the appeals, the decisions could ultimately affect part of a federal indictment lodged against former President Donald Trump for his effort to overturn the 2020 election − as well as hundreds of others charged in the deadly riot that unfolded across the street from the Supreme Court more than two years ago.

Edward Lang, Joseph Fischer and Garret Miller claim prosecutors overstepped their authority by charging them with a federal prohibition on obstructing “official proceedings.”

More than 200 people have been charged with violating that same obstruction law in connection with Jan. 6, according to the Justice Department.

Trump is facing that charge as part of the grand jury indictment handed up last month following an investigation by special counsel Jack Smith.

A ruling from the Supreme Court in favor of the defendants would undermine those charges in the other cases, including Trump's.

TWR:  It is my hope that:

A.)  SCOTUS will take up these cases.

B.)  They won’t take the simplistic route of ruling within a vacuum.  That is to say the Court considers the civil unrest of the Nation in the 2020-2021 timeframe.  And,

C.)  They realize the implications involved in their possible sanction of Political Prisoners as a new part of American ‘Justice’.

INTERNATIONAL:

ENGLAND—CYBERSECURITY EXPERT WARNS OF CATASTROPHIC ATTACK ON NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE

FOX NEWS:

Robots run by artificial intelligence have the potential to attack the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS) and cause a disruption on the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a cybersecurity expert.

Ian Hogarth, who works on the U.K.'s AI task force that was formed to help protect against the risks of AI, says that the growing technology is capable of an attack that could cripple the country's NHS or even carry out a "biological attack," according to a report in the Daily Star.

Hogarth noted that AI technology continues to improve at a rapid pace, something he warned would lower barriers to "perpetrating some kind of cyber attack or cyber crime."

The AI expert pointed to the WannaCry cyberattack on NHS in 2017 that led to the cancelation of 19,000 patient appointments and costs the nation's health service £92 million, or $114 million, arguing that the rapid advancement of AI technology could make such attacks easier.

TWR:  Mr. Hogarth is an investor and entrepreneur…He sees the same type of burgeoning disaster ahead as I do for Humanity that A.I. represents.

We had better figure out a fail-safe Off Switch…And Fast!!

UKRAINE—DRONE ATTACK SHUTS DOWN MOSCOW AIRPORT

USA TODAY:

A drone attack temporarily shut down three Moscow-area airports Sunday as Ukraine pressed its effort to give Muscovites a grim taste of the war that has battered Ukraine since Russia's invasion began almost 19 months ago.

Two of the airports halted air traffic for several hours before reporting all airport activities were returning to normal at 8:30 a.m. local time, Russian state media reported.

Another airport halted air traffic for about an hour. Dozens of flights were canceled or delayed. Similar incidents a day earlier also briefly disrupted airport traffic, Tass reported.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said earlier Sunday that air defenses shot down drones in Moscow' Istria District, about 25 miles west of downtown Moscow. And in the Ramenky District.

No casualties or severe damage was reported from the incidents, Sobyanin said.

TWR:  If Ukraine persists in ‘bringing the war to Russian Citizens’, Vladimir Putin will stop his restrained use of Military Power against it, in favor of the real thing…Real war.

This might be one of the last acts of brave Ukrainian defiance before Kiev ceases to exist.

AVIATION:

F-35 CRASHES…AUTHORITIES ASK FOR PUBLIC HELP TO FIND WRECKAGE

USA TODAY:

Military officials are asking for the public's help to locate a missing aircraft involved in a "mishap" off the coast of South Carolina on Sunday after a Marine Corps pilot safely ejected from the fighter jet.

The pilot ejected and parachuted safely into a North Charleston, South Carolina, neighborhood at about 2 p.m. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition. The pilot’s name has not been released.

Joint Base Charleston asked for anyone with "information that may help our recovery teams locate the F-35" to call the Base Defense Operations Center in a post on X.

A South Carolina Law Enforcement Division helicopter joined the search for the F-35 after some bad weather cleared in the area, Senior Master Sgt. Heather Stanton at Joint Base Charleston said.

Authorities did not say what caused the mishap and said more information would be provided at a later time.

TWR:  So here’s what we know…A USMC F-35 took off…There was a ‘mishap’…The Autopilot was on…The Transponder was off…The Pilot punched out…We can’t find the Jet.

The pilot has a lot of questions to answer.

There is cause for humor here…Lockheed-Martin created an amazingly stealthy Fighter Aircraft…So stealthy in fact, no one can find the damn thing.

You simply have to laugh.

2 PILOTS KILLED DURING RENO AIR RACES…EVENT’S FINAL YEAR

RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL:

The Reno Air Racing Association announced that pilots Chris Rushing and Nick Macy were killed around 2:15 p.m. when their T-6 Class planes collided during landing. The race had finished. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Rushing was the defending champion in the race and placed first. Macy placed second. Both pilots were from California.

“I am completely devastated and heartbroken today,” said Fred Telling, chairman of the Reno Air Racing Association and president of the T-6 Class.

“These two pilots weren’t just an integral part of the National Championship Air Race family. My heart goes out to their families and to all the spectators and fans who have so enthusiastically supported us this week.”   

Following a decision of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, this year will be the last for the National Championship Air Races at the Reno-Stead Airport, which started in 1964.

The Reno Air Racing Association – which organizes the event – has announced, "We are committed to finding a new location so that the event can continue. 

According to the Association, at least six communities so far have filed to host the 2025 national championship.

TWR:  Air Racing is, without doubt, the most dangerous motorsport in the world. 

While I have always understood that this is a blood sport, I’m beginning to wonder if it’s even possible to compete safely. 

Is the ‘juice’ worth the squeeze?

TECHNOLOGY:

APPLE ANNOUNCES IOS UPDATE FOR YOUR IPHONE/IPAD

USA TODAY:

After opening the pre-order for the iPhone 15 on Friday, iOS 17 is the latest in the release pipeline coming off the "Wonderlust" event. The new operating system wasn't mentioned in the video presentation, but details were released the same day.

The update for the operating system will include additions and improvements across Apple's flagship product as well as the AirPod.

FaceTime users will now be able to leave video messages if the person they are calling does not pick up. The messages will function similarly to a voicemail and callers will have available to them all the assorted video effects that a completed FaceTime call would.

Users will also be able to program iOS 17 to automatically silence FaceTime calls from non-contacts.

The operating system will add new options for the "Check-In" feature.

For those who use iPhones as a phone, the phone app has added capabilities to create new visuals to alert a person for a call from a contact.

The Autocorrect and predictive text features will also be improved in the update.

TWR:  First…I love the part about “…For those who use iPhones as a phone…”

Second…I remember the reason for buying my 1^st iPhone…It was because the marketing was perfect: “You already know how to use it…”

Now, fast forward to “Wonderlust”…There is no such word.

Does Apple realize the word is “Wanderlust”?  By not knowing that, I believe Apple has lost their lock on what’s real.

Hey…Geniuses!!  Remember, people must be able to actually use these things.  Brilliant engineering make things easier, not more difficult.

Jon-David Wells, Host - The Wells Report c: 2023

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