Free Republic

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) said Tuesday he does not plan to attend President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address, happening in one week, because of extraordinarily strict coronavirus measures in place for the event. Cotton is one of at least a few Republicans who have so far expressed intentions to skip the annual joint session address, which takes place in the House chamber. Spokesman James Arnold told Breitbart News, “Nancy Pelosi’s COVID theatrics are a joke and Senator Cotton will not be attending.”

What sort of person travels a thousand miles to challenge the results of an election they didn’t even bother to vote in?...At least eight of the people who are now facing criminal charges for their involvement in the events at the Capitol did not vote in the November 2020 presidential election, according to an analysis of voting records from the states where protestors were arrested and those states where public records show they have lived. They came from states around the country and ranged in age from 21 to 65...

Dominion Voting Systems Thursday night abruptly backed out of attending a fact-finding hearing that was set for Friday morning with the Pennsylvania House State Government Committee.At a press conference Friday morning, State Govt Committee Chair Seth Grove said the 1.3. million Pennsylvanians who used Dominion’s voting machines have been “hung out to dry and slapped in their faces.”Pennsylvania lawmakers had scheduled the hearing with the voting machine manufacturer “to help identify and correct any irregularities in the election process,” according to the House Republican Caucus.“It is vitally important voters have faith in the machines they use to cast their ballots....

The Orlando Sentinel newspaper is reporting that it appears as if no actual witnesses showed up for today’s Federal Grand Jury convened to determine if civil rights charges should be brought against George Zimmerman for his self-defense shooting of Trayvon Martin. The DOJ had subpoenaed Frank Taaffe, a self-declared “friend” of Zimmerman’s, to testify before the Grand Jury. In the days following the shooting Taaffe told FBI investigators that based on phone discussions with Zimmerman he did not believe there was a racial motive for the shooting.

London 2012 organisers promised an investigation after thousands of empty seats were visible at some of the most popular Olympic venues. Rows of vacant spots were seen at swimming heats, volleyball, gymnastics and dressage events on the opening day of the Games - with “no shows” by Olympic officials, athletes and members of the media blamed. The London 2012 organising committee (Locog) said most of the empty seats were not those sold to members of the public, but had been reserved for members of the “Olympic family.” Sports fans complained in the wake of the great difficulty members of the...

TO cancel or not to cancel? For the last three months, that has been the question for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. His allegedly fraudulent re-election last June triggered a crisis that has shaken the Islamic Republic, forcing the authorities to cancel dozens of events that the opposition might have used as cover for mass protests. Among those are the Asian Games, the 20th anniversary of Ayatollah Khomeini's death and the start of the second decade of Ali Khamenei's reign as the "supreme guide," the International Jamboree of Islamic Girl Guides and virtually all of Ahmadinejad's trademark visits to the provinces....

Any Questions?  Five years ago, Republicans proposed "the most significant regulatory overhaul in the housing finance industry [in a decade]." (Source: New York Times) Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee blocked efforts at fixing Fannie and Freddie. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) said, "Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac... are not facing any kind of financial crisis," At least 18 times since 2001 Democrats blocked efforts at overhauling Fannie and Freddie even as accounting scandals and executive ripoffs became public. Why? For starters, the top two recipients of Fannie and Freddie campaign donations were Democrat fatcats Chris Dodd ($165K) and Barack...

MBTA officials say rampant absenteeism is hurting bus and subway service, discouraging riders, and eating away at the agency's finances by forcing it to pay overtime. ...about 35 percent of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's roughly 6,000 employees were absent for 11 or more days in 2004, and 16 percent were absent 26 or more days. Khalida Smalls, coordinator for the watchdog group called the T Riders Union, said yesterday that excessive absenteeism directly affects passengers. ''People stand at their bus stop at 4:45 waiting for a bus that doesn't show up," ...

Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan waits for people to show up at her book signing near President Bush's ranch on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2005 in Crawford, Texas. Sheehan, whose 24-year-old Casey died in Iraq, called for anti-war activists to return to Crawford this week as Bush celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday.

Half-baked Barbara By John McCaslin October 7, 2005 It's not easy being the master of ceremonies for a roast when half of the roasters don't show up. Ask political commentator Mark Shields, who found himself in that uncomfortable position Wednesday evening as the Spina Bifida Association attempted to put TV personality Barbara Walters in the "hot seat" at the Hyatt Regency Washington. "This is more like a bake-off," a visibly embarrassed Mrs. Walters said after the roasting, expressing disappointment that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and fellow roaster Sen. Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana were no-shows. As it...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The top U.S. military commander in Europe criticized NATO countries who refused to provide military instructors for a training mission in Iraq, saying the result will be an increased burden on allies who are contributing. "It's important to recognize that once the alliance gets involved in an operation, it is important that all allies support the operation," Gen. James Jones, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe said Tuesday. He said "nine or 10 or 11" of NATO's 26 countries would not send instructors, even though they voted to approve a mission there. "This is disturbing. I hope it...