The Patriot Post® · Thursday News Executive Summary
Above the Fold
“The U.S. Education Department on Wednesday finalized campus sexual assault rules that bolster the rights of the accused, reduce legal liabilities for schools and colleges, and narrow the scope of cases schools will be required to investigate,” the AP reports. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos explained that the reform “recognizes we can continue to combat sexual misconduct without abandoning our core values of fairness, presumption of innocence and due process.” The Obama administration not only didn’t recognize this balancing act but essentially nullified due process altogether. Joe Biden, himself accused of sexual assault, helpfully added, “This new rule gives colleges a green light to ignore sexual violence and strip survivors of their rights.”
According to Fox News, “Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell has told House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff that transcripts from the panel’s Russia probe are cleared for public release, as House Republicans demand access to the materials.” In May 2019, Schiff asserted of collusion, “I think there is direct evidence.” Yet the transcripts “show top law enforcement and intelligence officials affirming they had no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 election,” Fox News also reports. Meanwhile, Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s mandate “went significantly beyond what was known previously.” If anything, this helps Trump, because what turned out to be an even broader investigation still yielded a nothing burger.
Yesterday, President Trump vetoed the Iran War Powers resolution, lampooning it as “a very insulting resolution, introduced by Democrats as a part of a strategy to win an election on November 3 by dividing the Republican Party.” Said resolution “directs the President to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces for hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran or any part of its government or military, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force against Iran.” Peculiarly, the resolution was a rejoinder to the much-deserved precision strike on Iranian terrorist leader Qasem Soleimani. Thankfully, the Senate’s endeavor to override the veto today appears bleak.
Government & Politics
The Trump administration reportedly shelves detailed guide to reopening country (AP)
Justice John Roberts and leftist colleagues wary of exemptions to birth-control mandate — an issue that shouldn’t even exist in a country that cherishes religious liberty (The Washington Free Beacon)
Supreme Court reverses fraud convictions of Chris Christie aides in New Jersey “Bridgegate” scandal (CNBC)
Other Notables
Weekly jobless claims total 3.169 million, bringing seven-week tally to 33.5 million (CNBC)
The EU is facing its worst-ever recession; economy projected to shrink by 7.4% (The New York Times)
“CBS This Morning” aired faked COVID-19 drive-through testing site line of cars (Project Veritas)
Surreal Georgia shooting case will go to grand jury as disturbing video surfaces online (The Washington Post)
Health workers that volunteered to come to New York during pandemic have to pay state income tax, says socialist Governor Cuomo (PIX11)
Closing Arguments
Policy: Blame the federal government for militarized police crackdowns on citizen protests (Washington Examiner)
Policy: America needs to rediscover civics in education (E21)
Humor: Trump retaliates against Asian murder hornets with American kamikaze bears (The Babylon Bee)
For more of today’s editors’ choice headlines, visit In Our Sights.
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