Free Republic

While addressing the California Democratic Party State Organizing Convention in San Francisco on Saturday night, former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper said something eminently sensible: “If we want to beat Donald Trump and achieve big progressive goals, socialism is not the answer.” The audience interrupted his remarks with sustained boos that lasted for 30 seconds. When Hickenlooper spoke against universal healthcare, the audience booed him again.

The Supreme Court on Monday found that a criminal defendant can be sentenced for violating his supervised release, even if the release expires while he is incarcerated ahead of facing new charges. The justices, divided in the 5-4 decision, ruled against Jason Mont's argument that a district court shouldn't be able to charge him for violating his release because the term had expired at the time of the new sentencing. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg sided with conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, John Roberts, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh in the majority. Justice Neil Gorsuch joined liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer...

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, was a no-show at the Buckingham Palace banquet for President Trump’s state visit to England on Monday, after the president called the former American actress “nasty” in an interview with a British newspaper. Markle, who is married to Prince Harry, is on maternity leave after giving birth to their first child, Archie, earlier in May. Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, the wife of Prince William, was in attendance at the banquet as were Trump’s adult children. The American-born Markle also missed a royal luncheon at the palace with Trump and first lady Melania...

TORRANCE, Calif. — Police swarmed the Del Amo Fashion Center shopping mall in Torrance Monday amid reports of an active shooter. Multiple agencies were responding. Witnesses report hearing multiple gunshots — At least one person was injured.

I don't think that there's a human being on earth stupid enough to believe what Rep. Clyburn is pushing here. The guy sending money to Nigerian royalty and buying the Brooklyn Bridge would still have to do a double take when the House Dem Whip insists that the Dem desire to destroy Trump is apolitical. CLYBURN: "We're trying to ensure we do what's necessary to educate the public, make sure the public understands exactly what we're doing, why we're doing it, so people won't misinterpret this as being a political move on our part. We believe that if we do...

Francis criticizes traditionalist Catholics who 'safeguard the ashes' of the past Aboard the papal flight from Romania — Pope Francis has criticized traditionalist Catholics who seek to "safeguard the ashes" of the past, saying the global church's centuries of tradition are not akin to a container for preserved objects but instead like roots to be drawn on for future growth. In a press conference aboard the papal flight back to Rome after his three-day visit to Romania, he singled out Catholic "fundamentalists," who he said have a nostalgia for "returning to the ashes." "Tradition is the guarantee of the future...

Virginia Tech offered ten separate graduation ceremonies this year for different student groups based on identity. Virginia Tech hosted ten separate graduation ceremonies for students based on their identity. In May, the university held separate ceremonies for Black, Asian, Latino, Muslim, and LGBTQ students. Breitbart News reported in May that many American colleges offer separate graduation ceremonies for Black students. The College Fix reported this week that Virginia Tech is one of many universities that have adopted separate ceremonies for student groups based on identity. For example, The Donning of Kente Ceremony is held to commemorate the graduation of Black...

The radical-leftist governor of New Mexico, who sent National Guard troops packing in February, needs federal help now, it seems. She’s in the Swamp to beg for funding as illegal immigrants overwhelm the state. After months of neglecting the border cities and towns, toeing the DC elite party line of no “crisis” here, and facing a veritable citizens’ revolt in the Land of Enchantment, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is demanding federal government assistance for the dire situation – one she exacerbated through indifference to constituents.Michelle Lujan Grisham And it comes on the heels of yet another county drawing a line...

Queen Elizabeth II and U.S. President Donald J Trump have delivered speeches at the Royal Banquet praising the enduring American-British alliance which was forged over 70 years ago during the Second World War. On Monday evening, President Trump and the First Lady arrived at Buckingham Palace and participated in a procession with the Queen before dining with 170 guests from the political, business, and economic world. Before dinner commenced, the Queen delivered a speech and offered a toast to President Trump and the First Lady. Recalling that visits by American presidents always remind her of the “close and long-standing friendship...

Pope Francis praises Catholic archbishop for stepping in to ‘lead worship’ for Lutherans ROME, June 3, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Francis today praised a Catholic archbishop for stepping in to “lead worship” at a Lutheran cathedral, saying it’s a sign of how far ecumenical relations have come. On his return flight from a three-day apostolic visit to Romania, the Pope was asked what “relationship” should exist between different religious confessions, and particularly between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. “Ecumenism is not about reaching the end of the match, the discussion” the Pope said in response. “Ecumenism is accomplished by walking...

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas dismissed rumors of his impending retirement in an interview at the Supreme Court Historical Society on Monday. "I have no idea where this stuff comes from," Thomas said, responding to chatter he planned to announce his retirement in June. "One of the things you have to get used to in this business ... is that people can say things about you and for you that have nothing to do with you." Thomas similarly said an exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture misrepresented his thinking on affirmative action and that...

A federal judge in Washington on Monday denied a request by House Democrats to block President Donald Trump from transferring funds from appropriated accounts to construct his wall. Judge Trevor McFadden said the House lacks standing to bring the challenge and also he does not believe the court should step into the fight between the President and Congress. "The Court declines to take sides in this fight between the House and the President," McFadden wrote.

by Brian Hayes The sanctuary city of Prince George’s County, Maryland is defending itself after releasing two illegal alien MS-13 Gang members who went on to allegedly murder a 14-year-old girl. And the key official involved is actually justifying it! During a press conference on Wednesday, the Prince George’s County jail director told local media that the sanctuary jurisdiction does not honor detainers by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to hold criminal illegal aliens in custody so they can be deported. And their outrageous response is angering thousands in the community. “A detainer is not a warrant,...

An ivory chess piece purchased for less than $10 was recently identified as one of the missing Lewis Chessman, 900-year-old artifacts dating back to the Viking era, which could be worth over $1 million dollars. The medieval chess piece was originally purchased for $7.50 by an antique dealer in Scotland in 1964. It was passed down through his family, but they never realized its significance. “For many years it resided in a drawer in [my mother’s] home where it had been carefully wrapped in a small bag,” the family, who wished to remain anonymous, said in a statement obtained by the...

The space vehicle launch company owned by the late Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, has confirmed that it's still operational, following a report that it was closing shop. Earlier Friday, Reuters said four sources told it that Stratolaunch Systems Corporation would be closing down. Stratolaunch has been developing a series of space launch vehicles including a super-sized aircraft. In August 2018, the company unveiled a lineup of vehicles. The Stratolaunch plane was designed to launch a Pegasus XL rocket, with the company also designing three other launch vehicles including a three-core rocket that would carry 15 times the Pegasus payload,...

The House Oversight Committee announced Monday it will hold a vote to recommend holding Attorney General William P. Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt of Congress, saying they’ve refused to turn over documents about adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census.

A major witness in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation was arrested Monday on child-pornography charges, after flying into the U.S. for the first time since his cooperation with Mr. Mueller’s team. George Nader, a dual U.S. and Lebanese citizen, was charged in a criminal complaint more than a year ago, in April 2018, after he had spent hours with Mr. Mueller’s investigators detailing his contacts with Trump allies and efforts to set up meetings between Trump campaign associates and a Russian businessman close to President Vladimir Putin. Nobody connected to the Trump campaign was charged as a result of Mr....

Beijing has launched a propaganda campaign targeting China-based Taiwanese businesses in an attempt to sway the outcome of next year’s presidential election, National Cheng Kung University professor of political science Hung Chin-fu (洪敬富) said yesterday. China is trying to curb the exodus of Taiwanese businesses amid its trade spat with the US, Hung said, adding that more than 300 Taiwanese companies have signed up for an information session about Beijing’s Greater Bay Area project. Announced in February, the project aims to integrate the economies of Hong Kong and Macau with nine cities in neighboring Guangdong Province. China wants Taiwanese companies...

Parliamentary note: As I write, I'm still scheduled to give evidence to the House of Commons Committee on Justice and Human Rights, along with Lindsay Shepherd and John Robson, bright and early tomorrow morning, Tuesday, at 8.45am in Ottawa. However, over the weekend there were dramatic ructions around "JUST", as the committee is apparently abbreviated. On Friday, Faisal Khan Suri of the Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council appeared and decided to link Quebec mosque shooter Alexandre Bissonnette to "conservative commentators". Michael Cooper, the Tory Vice-Chair of the committee (and presumably the chap who issued the invitations to Lindsay, John and...

Some thoughts on the European election results and what it portends for the future of the United Kingdom and the European Union.