Top of the Fold

• Now the Left worries about malicious tax audits: Suddenly it matters to the Leftmedia that a government agency may have targeted individuals for apparently political reasons. The New York Times recently reported that disgraced former top FBI officials James Comey and Andrew McCabe were subjected to intense tax audits by the Internal Revenue Service. According to the report, the audits were conspicuously raised during Donald Trump’s presidency after his appointment of current IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig. While the IRS maintains that these intensive audit reviews are applied at random to only a few thousand taxpayers, the likelihood that both Comey and McCabe would have been randomly selected and subjected to these intensive tax audits appears dubious. Rettig denied any role in directing the audits and called for the agency’s inspector general to investigate how both Comey and McCabe were chosen. Democrats, of course, have already determined the culprit — Trump. “Trump has no respect for the rule of law,” insisted Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). “If he tried to subject his political enemies to additional IRS scrutiny that would surprise no one.” Wyden’s statement smacks of hypocrisy. He, his fellow Democrats, and the Leftmedia voiced little to no concern over the blatant IRS abuse uncovered during Barack Obama’s tenure, when the agency targeted conservative nonprofits for denial of tax-exempt status. Ironically, the FBI’s then-top man, Comey himself, declared of the scandal that no one broke the law. We’re betting Comey has come to a different opinion regarding this latest apparent instance of IRS abuse.

• White House press secretary gaslights on U.S. economy: At the White House press briefing on Thursday, Fox News’s Peter Doocy noted recent polling showing that 88% of Americans believe the country is “on the wrong track.” He asked, “Do you think it’s possible that your plan just is not popular with the American people right now?” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answered by objecting to the suggestion that the Biden administration’s plan was unpopular with Americans. She then claimed that “we are stronger economically than we have been in history,” citing the unemployment rate of 3.6% and claiming 8.7 million new jobs have been created. KJP’s attempt at a Jedi mind trick didn’t go over well. Social media quickly erupted, mocking her blatant misinformation. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) observed, “Every American — except those working in the Biden White House apparently — knows that is not true.” Conservative columnist Tim Young wrote, “They think you’re stupid.” Business reporter Carol Roth noted: “Q1 GDP was negative and if the Atlanta Fed’s Q2 projection is close, we are in a recession. Pure gaslighting.” The tactic of denying both the unpopularity and the negative results of their leftist policies has long been used by Democrats. It’s just that Jean-Pierre is especially bad at employing it.

• Some food prices have fallen: The White House may be lying, but there was a bit of good economic news for Americans to end the week: The cost of certain key foods dropped to the lowest level in months. Cooking oils, wheat, and corn prices are down significantly. Cooking oils, specifically palm oil, one of the most consumed in the world, has seen its price drop over 40% since April; wheat is down 35% after hitting an all-time high in March; and the price of corn has descended 30% from its high. That these basic food costs have dropped should ease concerns of an inevitable global food shortage crisis thanks to the war in Ukraine. According to Bloomberg, food “prices are now back to levels before the [Russian] invasion.”

Headlines

• Japan’s ex-leader Shinzo Abe assassinated during a speech (AP)

• Payrolls increased 372,000 in June, more than expected (CNBC)

• Derek Chauvin sentenced to 21 years for violating George Floyd’s civil rights (PM)

• Texas governor orders state to grab migrants, release them at bridges (Dallas Morning News) | Greg Abbott’s EO is less than it appears to be (The Federalist)

• Biden to take executive action on abortion access following immense pressure from Democrats (Fox News)

• Chair of Congressional Black Caucus snubs Biden (Free Beacon)

• Leftmedia ignore voicemail Joe Biden left for Hunter Biden on business dealings (Fox News)

• After criticism, Army reinstates high school diploma requirement as recruitment plummets (Defense One)

• DOJ paying $1.5 million for “transgender programming curriculum” in prisons (Fox News)

• Study: Most reporters don’t believe in “equal” coverage in news stories (Washington Times)

• Big Sky hypocrisy: Newsom vacations in state he put on no-travel list (Free Beacon)

• Chick-fil-A named America’s most popular restaurant for 8th straight year (Christian Post)

• Policy: Biden’s “whole of government” climate spending extravaganza (RCI)

• Satire: Megan Rapinoe bravely stands on American flag while receiving the Presidential Medal of Honor (Genesius Times)

For more of today’s editors’ choice headlines, visit Headline Report.