Free Republic

Readers may be tempted to respond Join the club, but this is — in the words of the Obama administration’s most eloquent figure, a big effin’ deal. The White House has demanded more authority and jurisdiction over private networks as part of its push to improve cybersecurity in the US, even while it has botched its own network security at OPM, the Pentagon, and even the State Department under both Hillary Clinton and John Kerry. The Department of Homeland Security is tasked with auditing the security of federal government networks, but no one at State ever told DHS about...

Why won’t the Obama administration call Fort Hood Islamic Terrorism? Why aren’t they calling Chattanooga Islamic Terrorism? Because it’s disrespect to Muslims and Islam is about peace: ARUTZ SHEVA – Homeland Security chief Jeh Johnson announced the policy this past Friday at Aspen Institute’s annual security forum in Washington, D.C. He explained that though it was a Muslim terrorist who shot to death four unarmed Marines in Tennessee two weeks ago, the government will call the attack, and other similar ones, “violent extremism” and not “Islamic terrorism” – out of respect for the Muslim community. Johnson said it is “critical”...

Federal law enforcement officials are investigating the online publication of home addresses of senior officials and former officials of the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies, CBS News has learned. Investigators became aware of the incident Tuesday, reports CBS News correspondent Jeff Pegues. Last month, the names and personal information of 100 U.S. military personnel were leaked online by a group claiming allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). In this case, however, sources tell CBS News that investigators believe an apparent right-wing extremist group is behind the posting of the...

In spite of the Friday night passage of an eleventh hour, one-week stopgap spending bill to continue funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the department posted a lapse-of-funding notice and shut-down procedures on its website apparently intended if the last minute efforts failed. While the notice is not listed on the home page, the blog, or the list of DHS publications, it was originally posted around nine o'clock Friday night and remained at this link as of the time of publication of this article:

The first casualty of war is the truth. Unfortunately Obama’s politicization of the government into a pro-illegal alien organization has made its official statements untrustworthy forcing us to rely on individual whistleblowers from inside the organization. A Republican congressman claimed Tuesday that “at least 10″ Islamic State “fighters” have been caught trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border into Texas, though an administration official denied it.Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., said he learned the information from the Border Patrol, warning that the alleged attempts to cross into the U.S. raise serious security concerns.Hunter continued: “I know that at least 10 ISIS fighters...

According to a court order obtained by Townhall, the Department of Homeland Security is enabling cartel trafficking of minors, delivering those minors to illegals living inside the United States and completing criminal transactions for illegal immigrants. The order, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas on December 13, details a guilty plea from Mirtha Veronica Nava-Martinez for attempting to smuggle a 10-year-old El Salvadorean female into the United States. Nava-Martinez was being paid to smuggle the child from Matamoros to Virgina, but was caught at a Brownsville checkpoint. The order describes Nava-Martinez as a resident...

A member of the Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council is under fire for tweeting that America is “an Islamic country.” After a Twitter user asked Mohamed Elibiary on Thursday to “show me just ONE example of an Islamic country where non Muslims are treated with equality,” he responded with the controversial tweet, which was first reported by the Washington Free Beacon: “America and yes I do consider the United States of America an Islamic country with an Islamically compliant constitution. Move On!” The back-and-forth between Mr. Elibiary and the Twitter user, who identified himself as Tim Lee, started when...

Not only is this an egregious understatement of her own culpability, it’s horrible politics. Everyone knows that when a political crisis strikes, the surest way to soothe public/media outrage is with a phony, half-hearted “the buck stops here” statement accepting responsibility. Maybe it’s better this way. Why keep up a pretense of accountability at this point? Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will tell a House committee tomorrow the site’s botched rollout was the result of contractors failing to live up to expectations – not bad management at HHS, as the contractors suggested. “CMS has a track record of...

When director Ivan Reitman made the movie "Stripes," he wasn't trying to predict the future. He was just trying to be funny. The vehicle for his humor was the EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle, commandeered by a ragtag group of neophyte soldiers led by actor Bill Murray. It resembled a family Winnebago -- with a nice color scheme and user-friendly interior -- but came with bulletproof shields and flamethrowers. It was only a matter of time before everyone would want one. That dream finally came true for St. Cloud, Minn. -- population 66,000. Courtesy of the Department of Homeland Security, America's...

Sebilius is an interview this evening claims Obama didn't know about Obamacare debacle until after October 1st rollout.

WASHINGTON — President Obama plans to nominate Jeh C. Johnson, who framed many of the administration’s national security policies as the Defense Department’s general counsel during Mr. Obama’s first term, to become the next chief of the Homeland Security Department, according to administration officials. Mr. Johnson has little experience with some of the issues Janet Napolitano faced, like border security, immigration and cybersecurity. During his tenure at the Defense Department, he spearheaded the end of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law that had barred gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. He also shaped the Obama administration’s policies...

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius admitted Wednesday that the troubled launch of the federal government's new health insurance exchange hasn't gone as planned. "I'll be the first to tell you, the website launch was rockier than we would have liked," Sebelius, a Cincinnati native, said during a visit to a community college in her hometown. "There have been vast improvements, but we are still not satisfied. We want this to be as seamless as possible," she said.

Travelers who attempt to make a joke about strict security procedures at airports have been warned they face arrest. A loudspeaker announcement made by the Transport Security Administration warns the public: 'Any inappropriate remarks or jokes concerning security may result in your arrest.' Concerned passenger Matt Miller recorded the loudspeaker message while passing through George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas.

Reports are that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is engaged in a massive, covert military buildup. An article in the Associated Press in February confirmed an open purchase order by DHS for 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition. According to an op-ed in Forbes, that’s enough to sustain an Iraq-sized war for over 20 years. DHS has also acquired heavily armored tanks, which have been seen roaming the streets. Evidently somebody in government is expecting some serious civil unrest. The question is, why? Recently revealed statements by former UK prime minister Gordon Brown at the height of the banking crisis...

Power grid vulnerabilities are finally garnering some attention by government officials. An electrical grid joint drill simulation is being planned in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Thousands of utility workers, FBI agents, anti-terrorism experts, governmental agencies, and more than 150 private businesses are involved in the November power grid drill. The SHIELD Act, which is stalled in Congress, is the first serious piece of legislation in many years to attempt to address the vulnerabilities of the power grid in.

Above: Brewer reacts to Obama criticism of her book on the Phoenix tarmac in Jan 2012. Obama returns to Phoenix this week, enroute to a Jay Leno appearance.- Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer mocked the Obama administration’s assertion Saturday that the border is more secure than ever. “It’s Jay Leno comedy every other week,” Brewer said during an interview at the National Governors Association meeting here, alluding to the president’s scheduled trip this week to both Phoenix and the talk show host’s couch. Brewer said her Yuma border is “pretty secure” but “Tucson is a nightmare.” The Yuma Sector is the only border sector with...

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The Department of Homeland Security is beefing up its presence at airports, train stations and other travel hubs in the United States in the wake of global travel warning imposed on all U.S. citizens Local authorities are not going into specifics but the San Francisco Police Department does acknowledge receiving a bulletin by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and DHS. The SFPD says their officers are monitoring various areas of the city and will determine if additional resources are necessary. areas of the city and will determine if additional resources are necessary. They say they have...

HBO’s Bill Maher thinks the Department of Homeland Security has outlived its usefulness. On Friday’s episode of “Real Time,” Maher and his guests debated the DHS’s usefulness during a discussion of the debate between Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul and New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie. “There was a huge verbal slap by the Republican Party this week between Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey, and Rand Paul,” Maher said. “And it was sort of I think a fight for the soul of the Republican Party — where they’re going to go because, OK, next month is the 12th...

Just two weeks after Janet Napolitano announced her resignation as Secretary of Homeland Security, the Congressional Black Caucus has suggested Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston fill her spot. Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jul/29/cbc-recommends-sheila-jackson-lee-homeland-securit/#ixzz2aaJUgZSD Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter

Just two weeks after Janet Napolitano announced her resignation as Secretary of Homeland Security, the Congressional Black Caucus has suggested Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston fill her spot. A letter dated July 25 and signed by Rep. Marcia Fudge, Ohio Democrat and caucus chairwoman, urges President Obama to consider Miss Jackson Lee for the position, calling the Democrat a “voice of reason” that the agency could stand to gain, the Houston Chronicle reported. “Representative Jackson Lee would serve as an effective DHS Secretary because she understands the importance of increasing border security and maintaining homeland security,” the letter reads....