Free Republic

Less than one month before Mike Johnson’s sudden ascent to the speakership, the Louisiana Republican, then a little-known member, joined with most GOP lawmakers to vote against $300 million in U.S. security assistance for Ukraine. Now, as speaker, Johnson has surprised many on Capitol Hill by publicly and repeatedly calling Ukraine aid a critical priority for the House. Where Johnson stands on Ukraine and how hard he plans to push for tens of billions of dollars in new aid could shape the future of the embattled country, just as the U.S. is facing questions about its commitment to Kyiv and...

EXCERPTS:West served 21 years in the United States Army from 1983-2004, where he deployed for Operation Desert Storm Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Following his retirement, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the 22nd District of Florida, serving from 2011-13. He was the Texas GOP chairman from 2021-22.Going through the verses that have emboldened him to proclaim the victory of Jesus Christ in a world that needs it, West pointed to examples in his own life as an Army colonel that have shown him to praise God in the trials and tribulations because it builds perseverance.West questioned...

In December 2016, Musk had a private meeting with Trump, during which he was “baffled” by the then-president-elect’s comments about Tesla and NASA. “He seems kind of nuts,” Musk said after the meeting, according to Isaacson, “but he may turn out okay.” On the contrary: Musk “concluded that Trump as president was no different than he was as a candidate,” Isaacson wrote. “The buffoonery was not just an act.” “Trump might be one of the best bullshitters ever,” Musk told Isaacson. “If you just think of Trump as a sort of con-man performance, then his behavior sort of makes sense.”...

Žarko Pejanović, champion of Montenegro in lying down The 12th lying down competition, traditionally organized by the Ethno village of Montenegro in Brezni, has ended. The title of the most relaxed was won by Žarko Pejanović, known as "Knele" from Zabjela. After approximately 60 hours of lying down, the title of the biggest champion in lying down goes to Zabjelo! Of the nine contestants who took part in this year's competition, the finalists Žarko Pejanović from Zabjela and Vuk Koljenšić from Danilovgrad fought for the title. As it was previously unofficially announced, there were negotiations on the division of the...

NASCAR star Bobby East, 37, died after being stabbed at a California gas station Police are looking for Trent William Millsap, 27, who allegedly stabbed East and another man at a gas station in Westminster on Wednesday East was rushed to the hospital, but had succumbed to his injury, police said The US Auto Club champ was a star in the racing world, which once dubbed him 'the winningest' rookie in more than a quarter century

Friday on Newsmax TV’s “Wake Up America,” former President Donald Trump said an announcement regarding another presidential is coming “in the not too distant future.” Trump said in the phone interview that he wants “a little time to go by” and watch what happens in the 2022 midterm elections. He added that in the meantime, he wanted to help people get elected, fight the deep state and fight the radical left.

Gwen Inglis, a national cycling champion, was training on familiar roads when a driver hit and killed her after drifting into the bike lane, Lakewood (Colo.) Police said. Inglis was riding with her husband, Mike, in the Denver suburb around 10 a.m. on Sunday when the Nissan sedan driven by Ryan Montoya, 29, veered into the lane. He remained at the scene. Inglis, 47, was taken to the hospital, where she died of her injuries. Inglis is the reigning 2019 U.S. road race champion in the 45-49 age group and her husband won the national title in the 50-and-over category...

While most of President Trump’s Twitter followers have been scanning his timeline expecting to find the latest information regarding the government shutdown. On Friday afternoon, the more than 57 million people who follow the president got a far more light-hearted update. Fresh off their stunning victory over the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, President Trump announced that he will host the National Champion Clemson Tigers at the White House on Monday. President Trump will honor the Tigers and pay tribute to their championship season. A season that was capped-off by a shocking 44-16 demolition of Alabama.(snip)

Did anyone see Jeopardy yesterday? The 3rd appearance of ‘Manny’, a Navy guy, ended with him winning the game with only a dollar. He had only $2,000 going into the final (it had been a rough game for him, he had done much better his first two games). The two challengers were tied with $12,400 each. The final question was really difficult and no one got the right answer. The first answer revealed was Manny’s wrong answer, and he lost $1,999 of his money, leaving him with a dollar. The two challengers bet all their money and lost it all,...

BROWN COUNTY, Wis. (WBAY) – A major announcement Monday for the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay: The Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion was officially designated a National Shrine. Bishop David Ricken announced the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help is now designated a national shrine by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as hundreds of pilgrims arrived for the annual August 15 mass celebrating the Solemnity of the Assumption. “We have the unique distinction of being the only place in the United States of America that has an officially approved apparition of the Blessed Mother...

The Weather Channel says it is getting rid of its reality TV shows, along with morning shows led by Sam Champion and Al Roker. The struggling network is looking to get back to its roots, with less expensive programming and a lineup that appeals more to weather geeks. An estimated 50 people out of The Weather Channel's staff of 1,400 are losing jobs as a result, the network said on Thursday. The NBC Universal-owned network had lured Champion from ABC's "Good Morning America" to host "AMHQ," a weather-focused morning news program. Starting in early November, Champion will work on weather...

Young girls are still being targeted for sex by groups of men on the streets of Rotherham, the town’s MP has said. Sarah Champion, who is seeking improved support and protection for sex-grooming victims, said that vulnerable children in the South Yorkshire town continued to fall victim to the same pattern of abuse that had led to the pimping and trafficking of hundreds of girls.

On Sunday, the University of California Students Association voted on divesting from companies that do business with Israel. In the time slot dedicated for UCSA representatives’ comments, UC Berkeley graduate rep. Imam Sylvain accused the pro-Israel Jewish student body of being too rich and too white: This might sound really harsh, but I really want us in the audience to check our privilege because I feel like what I saw this morning really reflects economic inequities. Just the ability to mobilize so many students with T-shirts and banners. I wish there was equal representation, and I wonder how much that...

Is the FSU 2013-14 team the best college football team of all time? Oklahoma, Alabama, Ohio State, Miami, and even the Florida Gaytors have all fielded excellent teams. But which is the BEST of all time? One person I know insists it is this year's FSU team. But, what say YOU?

Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon, one of Quebec’s biggest wrestling icons, died in his sleep Thursday morning in Omaha, Nebraska. He was 84. Originally from Ville-Émard, Vachon’s professional wrestling career was built on his unorthodox style, his legendary beard and his bad temper. “He’s the best-known Quebec wrestler outside of Quebec. A legend,” says Pat Laprade, the author of a book on wrestling in the province. Vachon participated in the 1948 London Olympics, where he finished 7th. In the 1960s, his career as a heavyweight wrestler took off after being recruited to the American Wrestling Association. He was the AWA’s World...

Mom, Dad, I’m pro-life. The day I “outed” myself to my ultra-liberal family, I was terrified. These are the people who basically tried to bully me into aborting my son (aka, their grandson) back in 2011. Lord knows I love them, but I was seriously considering taking this to the grave. You’ve got to understand that I’ve always been the person in my family to keep my opinions to myself. Thank goodness I didn’t do that when I found out I was pregnant at 17 years old. I can date back several family issues that came up where I would...

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was both a great champion of freedom and an example to women everywhere. In a statement issued Monday by the White House, Obama said Britain's first woman prime minister showed "our daughters that there is no glass ceiling that can't be shattered."

The Robert Champion case is coming along. According to the Orlando Sentinel, police will send prosecutors their report on Champion's murder very soon. How soon? No one's talking about that. What they are talking about is the immense difficulty of everything that will come later. Robert Champion, you'll recall, was the 26-year-old gay drum major at Florida A&M who was beaten to death last November in a savage band hazing on a chartered bus

Writing for the National Post, Matt Gurney tells us that, 'Last month, on Valentine’s Day, student Paul Gomille circulated 136 copies of a speech that he had written. He passed them out in the cafeteria of his Toronto-area Catholic high school. The speech was on the topic of a woman’s inner beauty — Mr. Gomille, 17, clearly believes that many of his female peers do not treat each other, or themselves, with due respect, and he wishes that everyone would focus more on how wonderful they are on the inside and not how attractive they can make themselves on the...

For the first time since the BCS held its first "national championship" game after the 1998 season, there won't be any bowl game that can realistically be portrayed as a "national championship" game. This year's game can only be considered as giving the University of Alabama an opportunity to avenge its loss against Louisiana State University(LSU). The two schools can only play for the championship of the western division of the Southeast Conference(SEC). Alabama cannot even claim the championship of the SEC from a victory because that would require Alabama to defeat eastern division champion , the University of Georgia....