Free Republic

Friedrich Merz is spending his first day as leader of Germany visiting France and Poland, promising a “fresh start” to EU relationships and signalling defiance to President Trump in saying they will never accept an “imposed” peace on the Ukraine War. The French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed newly appointed Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Paris on Wednesday, the leaders of the two largest and richest countries in Europe publishing a joint statement vowing greater cooperation on defence, economics, and the Ukraine War. Merz will later today travel to Poland for more meetings, which in both cases he said were to launch...

A federal negligence lawsuit can proceed against West Linn police alleging that officers should have entered the home of a man reported to be hallucinating on mushrooms and harming himself, a judge ruled.But U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon threw out allegations that officers discriminated against Michael A. Relloque IV because of his race or intentionally caused him distress in their handling of the November 2020 call. His lawyer alleged that West Linn police were reluctant to confront Relloque because of the national turmoil and mass racial justice protests that occurred that fall over the police killings of George Floyd...

When a United States President reaches for the “red phone,” the reason behind the message MUST be worthy of such a communication. Obama used the red phone to contact Vladimir Putin to demand Russia stop inserting itself into the 2016 presidential race– which they didn’t do! Apparently, unsupported claims of hacking into the Democrat Party emails was enough for Obama to call Putin on the emergency line which has always been reserved for far more important things, like discussions of acts of war. At least one of Obama’s senior advisers urged him to pick up the red phone and call...

Hunter Biden is trying to dodge a deposition in a lawsuit involving his infamous laptop because he wants to decamp to South Africa for three months — and he’s using the LA wildfire as “an excuse,” new court papers allege. Former Trump White House aide Garrett Ziegler — whom Hunter claimed illegally hacked his laptop and spread its embarrassing contents — is fighting the Biden scion’s request to drop a lawsuit against him. Biden said in a filing last week that he cannot pursue the suit because he is broke due to his art no longer selling and the wildfire...

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm dropped nearly $125,000 in taxpayer money on pricey hotels and other expenses during her electric vehicle-boosting summer 2023 road trip — flanked by a gas-guzzling car — while her staff improperly exceeded their daily, federally determined allowances, according to the department’s watchdog. Granholm’s team submitted 42 travel vouchers worth $124,824 for the taxpayer-funded tour — but 36 of the them had lodging costs valued over the government’s per diem rates to the tune of $9,487.50, the watchdog found. Some of the travelers also received higher reimbursement amounts than they were supposed to and several travel reports...

We have multiple reports Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass knew of the grave fire risk to her city before she abandoned it for a taxpayer-funded “diplomatic” trip to Ghana in Western Africa. Here’s the timeline of what we know so far courtesy of Lee Fang’s Substack page: Thursday, January 2: The “National Weather Service explicitly warned Los Angeles about “extreme fire conditions” over the next week Thursday, January 2: “Jonathan O’Brien, a meteorologist with the U.S. Forest Service, spoke to officials and posted openly about the incoming threat.” Thursday, January 2: “O’Brien noted that weather models for Southern California showed...

Diplo ended 2024 on a high — literally. The 46-year-old DJ shocked Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper when he revealed he was tripping on LSD during his virtual appearance on CNN’s New Year’s Eve special. “I’m so curious, what’s the most conventional place that you’ve done LSD?” Cohen, 56, asked Diplo. “Right now,” Diplo responded. Cooper, 57, burst out laughing as Cohen was in disbelief over Diplo’s confession. “Yeah, I did some on the helicopter, on the way here,” Diplo explained. “Oh my God, hold on. Hold on. Please tell me. You’re tripping right now?” Cohen asked Diplo, who said...

Kamala Harris abruptly canceled her Christmas vacation trip to Los Angeles as new revelations about Joe Biden's decline sent shockwaves through Washington. The Vice President’s office said Harris would not travel to California on Thursday as planned and would instead remain in the capital. Guidance from Harris' aides said she would 'receive briefings and conduct internal meetings with staff’. It came as the fate of a congressional effort to fund the federal government remains uncertain and a shutdown looms. The sudden jettisoning of Harris’ holiday prompted widespread speculation on social media that Biden could be in poor health. Her announcement...

The House Oversight Committee has opened an investigation into Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent visit to Pennsylvania as the November election quickly approaches. The committee is asking questions surrounding the Biden-Harris Administration’s alleged use of taxpayer-funded resources to fly Zelensky to the state, Fox News reported on Wednesday. In a press release, the committee said Chairman James Comer (R-KY) “is seeking documents from the White House, Department of Defense, and Department of Justice regarding the Biden-Harris Administration’s misuse of government resources that allowed Zelensky to interfere in the 2024 presidential election.”

Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden will take to the campaign trail together next week for the first time since the octogenarian’s meek exit from the 2024 election race. Biden – currently with his feet up enjoying a long weekend break at his Delaware beach house – hadn’t been expected to make any major political appearances in support of his anointed successor until the Democratic National Convention, which starts August 19 in Chicago. Now he and Harris will head to Maryland on Aug. 15 for an event to “discuss the progress they are making to lower costs for...

Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) decision to appear this week at former President Trump’s hush money trial in Manhattan is sparking new blowback from some House Republicans, who are questioning why he would inject himself so prominently in a case involving an alleged affair with a porn star. These Republicans, who requested to speak anonymously to discuss the sensitive topic, are accusing Johnson — a devout Southern Baptist who built a career around the fight for Christian values and moral conservatism — of undermining the party’s family values image simply to ingratiate himself with Trump, the party’s presumptive presidential nominee.

Since 2009, Lee Crafton, or Lee Horselogger as he prefers to be called, has been traveling across the country in a horse-drawn carriage, and now he's on his fifth trip. His journey started in 2006 when he lost his ranch in East Glacier, Montana after 27 years and dropped out of his Ph.D. program. Lee took his life savings of $75 and a couple of horses and decided to explore the nation, traveling at just three miles an hour. Needless to say, Lee is not your typical 63-year-old. But one year prior to his career change, Lee was diagnosed with...

Ahoy mateys and millionaires! Regent Seven Seas Cruises, one of the world’s leading luxury ocean cruise lines, announced they will welcome guests on a 140-night world cruise, visiting six continents, 40 countries and 73 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Fares for the World of Splendor 2027 World Cruise begin at $91,499 per guest climbing up to a record-breaking $839,999 per guest for the decadent Regent Suite — $1.7 million dollars for two guests. “We have seen continued interest and demand to venture further afield and for longer durations and so we are thrilled to announce that our 2027 World Cruise will...

The Mayor’s Office did not immediately provide information about which city had safety concerns. Adams was invited to head south to Mexico by Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of the Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in San Juan. “But due to safety concerns at one of the cities we were going to visit in Mexico flagged by the U.S. Department of State, we have decided to pause this visit at this time,” Cockfield said.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is making a surprise trip to Israel to show solidarity with the Jewish state as it battles Hamas terrorists following a massive Oct. 7 attack that killed over 1,400 people, wounded well over 4,000, and saw over 200 kidnapped. The San Francisco Chronicle reported: California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a surprise trip to Israel on Thursday ahead of a previously announced trip the Democratic governor is taking to China. “The governor adjusted his planned international trip and will briefly visit Israel ahead of going to China,” spokesperson Erin Mellon said in a statement Thursday. “While...

President Biden scrapped a planned trip to Colorado on Monday to promote his economic agenda and investments in wind tower manufacturing amid the ongoing conflict in Israel, the White House said. “The President’s trip to Colorado is postponed and it will be rescheduled. The President will remain at the White House to participate in national security meetings,” an administration official said in a statement. The announcement came amid reports Biden was weighing a possible trip to Israel this week. Biden had been scheduled to visit Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, which is represented by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R), one of the...

Mayor Adams admitted Tuesday that his trip to Latin America may not have actually worked in convincing migrants to stop coming to the Big Apple, which was a key rationale offered by City Hall for making the sojourn. Hizzoner’s remarks came just hours after The Post and other outlets published interviews with migrants in the region who are desperate for jobs and were either unaware the mayor’s visit or undeterred from making the dangerous trip northward to the United States. “Was it successful 100%? I don’t know that. We’re not going to know,” he said when asked if he did...

first instalment For those of you who did not read my initial posting requesting suggests to do and see ( I received to eat also!) on a trip through Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, over 90 people responded some with many suggestions and some further sent e-mails with details. Obviously I could not follow all suggestions in one week. As it was I extended my plans for a few more days. So don't feel any insults if I did not follow through with yours. My thoughts were to see the fall colors but to avoid the crowds and also see...

The House Oversight and Accountability Committee on Tuesday morning announced a probe into a recent interstate trip by Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm intended to promote electric vehicle (EV) adoption, during which departmental staff vehicles allegedly blocked off a charging station for her. In a letter Tuesday, committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and environment subcommittee Chairman Pat Fallon (R-Texas) requested documents and communications relating to the September trip, including the itinerary, names of drivers and passengers and a list of vehicles involved. The letter specifically mentions an incident during the trip in which a staffer reportedly blocked off an EV charger...

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is planning a trip to China to meet with officials in an effort to boost climate cooperation. Newsom is working with the Biden administration to organize the trip, he said Tuesday in an interview with Politico at the California Museum in Sacramento. “The imperative of maintaining a relationship on climate with China is about the fate and future of this planet,” Newsom said. “It’s too important; it’s another example where California needs to lead.”