Cross-Examination

• Israel’s response, Hamas’s drugs: The Israeli Defense Forces ramped up aerial bombing in Gaza in recent days, striking more than 300 terrorist targets in advance of a planned ground invasion. One of those strikes took out what the IDF said was a jihadist “command center” in a mosque, which was being use for “organizing an imminent terror attack.” When Palestinian women and children are killed, remember it’s because jihadists hide behind them for the propaganda effect. Meanwhile, the Biden administration keeps pushing to delay the invasion. Biden claims he just doesn’t want the Israelis to be “blinded by rage,” which is itself an outrageous thing to say after the horrors Hamas perpetrated. Those Hamas jihadists, by the way, apparently committed atrocities while on drugs. A stimulant known as “cocaine for the poor” was found on many of the dead terrorists, which may explain the calm indifference of the murderers.

• Jim Jordan dumped: “This is embarrassing for the Republican Party, it’s embarrassing for the nation, and we need to look at one another and solve the problem,” said former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy after Jim Jordan was voted out of the speakership nomination Friday. House Republicans are back to square one, says political analyst Byron York. There are nine Republicans who tossed their hat in the ring, and the GOP conference will meet this evening at 6:30 with the goal of a nomination election tomorrow morning. We’re now in week three without a House speaker, and our Republic hasn’t collapsed, but with the world in chaos, sooner is better than later.

• Deficit soars: Mention the national debt or the annual deficit and most Americans yawn. But the fact that Washington has already spent your great-great-grandchildren’s money has real consequences for today’s economy. “The federal deficit is projected to roughly double this year,” reports The Washington Post. Joe Biden would always rush out to the nearest microphone to falsely brag about cutting it half. What will he say now? Elsewhere, the Post reports, “The U.S. government spent $659 billion this year paying off the interest on its debt,” which is nearly double what servicing the debt cost two years ago. That’s the price of increasing principal compounded by rising interest rates. When consumers are faced with that reality, they pull back on buying. The federal government plows ahead, straining the economy and future generations. According to the Post, “Within three years, if interest rates remain elevated, payments on the debt could become the second-largest federal program.” In other words, inflation isn’t going anywhere.

• Biden pocketed $200K from brother’s deal: On March 1, 2018, James Biden gave his brother Joe a check for $200,000, and he wrote “loan repayment” on the memo line. That same day, James Biden received a wire for the same amount from Americore, his healthcare company, which wasn’t doing well financially. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer has a series of questions he’d like the president to answer. Can he prove the initial loan to his brother? “Did he have similar financial arrangements with other family members?” And what did he know about his brother’s loan the same day as the check? The Biden Crime Family has a lot to answer for.

• Former PLO spokesperson in DHS: A Department of Homeland Security employee is now on leave after she was finally vetted by conservative media. Nejwa Ali formerly worked for the Palestine Liberation Organization, which is a designated terrorist organization. For DHS, her job was to vet immigrants coming to the U.S., but her opinions about Hamas proved to be a red flag. “American born” but “Palestinian @ heart,” says her social media profile, where she recently posted, “F*** Israel and any Jew that supports Israel.” In another post, she said, “I hold every Israeli accountable for their governments [sic] actions, IF they do not speak against Israel.” She was also recorded saying of Hamas jihadists parachuting into Israel to kill innocent Jews, “I will abso-f***ing-lutely celebrate them, a**hole, so f*** you!” Seems like such a pleasant lady. She’s from the U.S. government, and she’s here to help.

• NYT’s anti-Semite: The federal government isn’t the only place struggling with hate-baiting anti-Semites. Then again, maybe “struggling” is the wrong word. The New York Times just rehired a pro-Hitler journalist from Gaza to do freelance work. The Times claims to have reviewed the work of videographer Soliman Hijjy, “took a variety of actions” to go over company standards with him, and promises that he “has maintained high journalistic standards.” We can hardly wait to see his objective coverage of the conflict in Israel.

Headlines

• U.S. orders its non-emergency staff to leave Baghdad embassy (AFP)

• Feds warn that Hamas, Hezbollah could be crossing southern border (Daily Caller)

• Israel releases unedited video of October 7 Hamas attack to counter “Holocaust denial-like phenomenon” (Fox News)

• Majority of Muslim Americans believe Hamas was “justified” in its terror attacks against Israel (Daily Wire)

• Associated Press won’t let reporters call Hamas a terrorist organization (Washington Free Beacon)

• Murders in U.S. fell 6% in 2022 as violent crime declined (New York Times)

• SCOTUS pauses shutdown of Biden censorship regime (Hot Air) | Justice Alito makes grave warning about the decision to pause free speech ruling against Biden admin (Townhall)

• It’s a record: Three million illegals were caught at the border in FY 2023 (PJ Media)

• Biden missed his chance to fill up oil reserve (Townhall)

• Policy: Why Israel must destroy Hamas (RealClearPolitics)

• Humor: Study finds men will purchase literally any object described as “tactical” (Babylon Bee)

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