Free Republic

In response, Hotez, part of a Nobel Prize-nominated team that created an affordable, patent-free COVID vaccine for use in poorer countries, retweeted a Vice article with the headline "Spotify Has Stopped Even Sort of Trying to Stem Joe Rogan's Vaccine Misinformation." The show spread "nonsense," Hotez tweeted. That prompted a challenge from Rogan to Hotez: "Peter, if you claim what RFKjr is saying is 'misinformation' I am offering you $100,000.00 to the charity of your choice if you're willing to debate him on my show with no time limit." What happened next: Rogan's challenge sparked an internet pile-on against Hotez,...

Former President Trump's second-term governing plans are coming into clearer focus, as he lays out a vision for a dramatic expansion of federal power — particularly the presidency. Why it matters: In public statements, videos and posts on his campaign's website, Trump complains about Washington's "swamp" — but lays out a plan that would give him, as president, more control of virtually every facet of life in America. Zoom in: Trump's plans go well beyond the provocative promises he made during his recent CNN town hall — to pardon nearly all of the convicted Jan. 6 rioters (there have been...

Tucker Carlson is preparing to unleash allies to attack Fox News in an effort to bully the network into letting him work for — or start — a right-wing rival, sources close to him tell Axios. Bryan Freedman, the high-powered Hollywood lawyer Carlson retained for the contract dispute, told Axios: "The idea that anyone is going to silence Tucker and prevent him from speaking to his audience is beyond preposterous." Why it matters: Tucker vs. Fox could reshape the conservative news world. Fox, which has seen its ratings plunge in Carlson's slot since he was let go 13 days ago,...

If Republicans step back and look beyond the legal and social-media spectacle of Donald J. Trump, they'll see screaming political sirens everywhere they gaze. Why it matters: The GOP's political trouble has been unfolding slowly but unmistakably, starting even before Trump's loss to Joe Biden in 2020. First, the 2018 House elections were a disaster for Republicans: Democrats had a net gain of 40 seats to take over the House — their largest gain since the post-Watergate election of 1974. Then Trump lost the presidency. Next, Republicans blew two runoff elections in Georgia and lost control of the U.S. Senate....

Two new polls from a top Republican polling firm — provided exclusively to Axios — find Florida Gov. DeSantis is running more competitively with former President Trump in Iowa and New Hampshire than he is faring in national surveys. Driving the news: The surveys, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies from March 21 to 23 for an outside client (not a candidate or super PAC) found DeSantis leading Trump by eight points (45%-37%) in a head-to-head matchup in Iowa and tied with Trump (39%-39%) in New Hampshire.

Tucker Carlson now has the equivalent of nearly five years of surveillance footage captured by U.S. Capitol Police security cameras on January 6, 2021. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) turned over the tapes to the Fox News host earlier this month, according to Axios. Carlson’s producers and researchers are already distilling the footage; the first round of clips is expected to air in a few weeks.While some grumble that McCarthy did not fulfill his promise to publicly release the footage—arguably a valid complaint—Carlson’s team undoubtedly will give the massive trove much-needed context and maximum impact. Carlson released a three-part documentary,...

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has given Fox News' Tucker Carlson exclusive access to 41,000 hours of Capitol surveillance footage from the Jan. 6 riot, McCarthy sources tell me. Carlson TV producers were on Capitol Hill last week to begin digging through the trove, which includes multiple camera angles from all over Capitol grounds. Excerpts will begin airing in the coming weeks. Why it matters: Carlson has repeatedly questioned official accounts of 1/6, downplaying the insurrection as "vandalism." Now his shows — "Tucker Carlson Tonight" on Fox News, and "Tucker Carlson Today" and "Tucker Carlson Originals" on the streaming service Fox...

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) added a new name to the House speaker fight on Thursday, voting for former President Trump on the 7th ballot.

House Republicans want to launch investigations into a baseless claim that China and Russia unduly influence U.S. climate activism. Why it matters: Republicans are using this claim to seek donation information from climate groups and could potentially use subpoenas. Driving the news: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) last week said that if elected House speaker, he’d support investigations into “environmental NGOs’ collusion with Russia and China to hurt American energy.” What they’re saying: Asked if he’ll subpoena environmental groups, incoming House Natural Resources chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) said: “If I need to, I will.” What we're hearing: Environmental groups...

Breitbart, once called the platform of the “alt-right” by Steve Bannon, shredded former President Donald Trump on Friday for dining with far-right white nationalist and Neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes. News broke on Wednesday night that Trump dined with Fuentes and rapper Kanye West, both avowed anti-Semites, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday – a dinner Trump has since both acknowledged and tried to distance himself from. Axios’s Jonathan Swan reported that during the dinner Trump and Fuentes “fawned” over each other. Swan wrote that at one point during the conversation Trump asked Fuentes, “‘You like it better when I just speak off...

The horrific shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs that left five people dead and many more injured was stopped by a couple of heroes at the venue. But as we’ve gotten used to, there were ghouls attempting to score political points before all the facts were known. Enter NBC News “dystopia beat” reporter Ben Collins, who seemingly had it all figured out: I talked this morning about an inflection point in this country right now, specifically for reporters: What are you more afraid of? Being on Breitbart for saying that trans people deserve to be alive? Or are you...

Biden Admin. reportedly concerned Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir will be given important ministries in the Netanyahu govt. The Biden Administration is concerned that Benjamin Netanyahu will appoint Religious Zionism party chairman MK Bezalel Smotrich as Israel's next Defense Minister, journalist Barak Ravid reported for Axios. Smotrich had been seeking the Finance Ministry, but stated his willingness to allow the Shas party to be given that ministry if he receives the Defense Ministry in its place. The US Administration is reported concerned about Smotrich's hardline positions on Judea and Samaria and how Israel should respond to terrorism, as well as...

Capitol Hill's reaction to the Pennsylvania Senate debate was brutal for Democratic nominee John Fetterman, from Democrats and Republicans alike. Why it matters: Multiple sources wondered why Fetterman agreed to debate when he clearly wasn’t ready. Fetterman struggled at times to respond to the moderators' questions, even with the assistance of a closed captioning device. "Why the hell did Fetterman agree to this?" one Democratic lawmaker and Fetterman backer told Axios. "This will obviously raise more questions than answers about John's health." Fetterman opened the debate by calling his health the "elephant" in the room. "I had a stroke. He’s...

A jury acquitted Igor Danchenko, an analyst hired to compile parts of the Steele dossier that alleged ties between Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, of charges of lying to the FBI on Tuesday. Why it matters: It is a major blow to special counsel John Durham's multi-year investigation into the origins of the Russia probe and possible misconduct by U.S. law enforcement. Danchenko was the third person charged, and subsequently indicted, in the investigation. This trial is expected to be the last stemming from Durham’s investigation before it is concluded. The jury began deliberating on whether to convict...

Arizona Republican Kari Lake’s political aptitude is striking fear in the hearts of Democrat operatives who worry she is a “major MAGA star” in the making, Axios reported.

A liberal political media operation being run out of Washington, D.C., and Florida is pushing left-wing stories in 51 different fake news outlets in order to influence the outcome of the November midterm elections, it is claimed. The allegations came in a shocking new investigation from Axios that was published on Thursday. The report alleges that in the past 12 months, multiple new 'news' website have appeared across the country, all run by a company named Local Report Inc.

Otzma Yehudit chairman MK Itamar Ben-Gvir pushed back Tuesday on criticism by New Jersey Senator and veteran Democratic lawmaker Robert Menendez, dismissing accusations of racism. According to a report last week by Axios, Senator Menendez warned Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu last month not to include “right-wing extremists” in any future coalition government. Menendez specifically demanded that Netanyahu not include MK Ben-Gvir in a new government, adding that doing so would harm relations between Israel and the US. Two sources familiar with the meeting said that during the September 5th meeting, Menendez "raised his concerns" about Netanyahu's political partners, specifically mentioning...

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has reportedly changed his mind on Republican chances of retaking control of the Senate in the midterm elections. Previously in doubt that Sen. Rick Scott’s (R-FL) plan at the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) would yield positive results, McConnell was cautiously optimistic Republicans will gain the majority, the Chamber of Commerce told Axios. McConnell attended a closed-door meeting on Monday at the chamber, where he said Republicans’ chances of retaking the Senate have improved. McConnell has previously claimed it was more likely Republicans would retake the House than the Senate. McConnell’s words are notable because he...

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios Illustration of a beer tap dripping droplets of beer. The U.S. is experiencing a shortage of carbon dioxide and Boston beermakers are beginning to worry they won't have enough of the gas to get their products to market. Driving the news: A CO2 production hub in Jackson, Mississippi, became contaminated by an extinct volcano, which cut down on an already limited supply of the gas. The pandemic put pressure on the CO2 market and drove up prices in part due to the immense amount of dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide) needed to transport COVID-19 vaccines last...

Iran has definitely crossed that line. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Wednesday that a first shipment of Iranian drones had been "newly introduced to the fight" in Ukraine.Iran and Russia have also reportedly been collaborating to evade Western sanctions, a partnership that could undermine U.S. efforts both to impose costs for the Ukraine invasion and to convince Iran to return to compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal. A marriage of convenience can be much more durable than a romantic relationship