Cross-Examination

• Record-high energy prices drive up renewables: Energy produced by renewables, primarily wind and solar, surpassed that produced by coal for the first time in U.S. history last year. Roughly 21% of electrical power in 2022 was generated by renewables as opposed to roughly 20% by coal. While climate alarmists may be celebrating, the cost of this transition has not been cheap. Americans’ power bills keep rising, even as they are told all this is “necessary” to supposedly “save the planet.” Meanwhile, U.S. exports of crude oil to Europe have increased significantly since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, helping to make up the difference of the loss in oil and natural gas imports from Russia. And in the Far East, China is expanding its own footprint into the fossil fuel industry as it seeks to save the planet gain greater market influence.

• Dem governor’s press secretary out after call to violence: Arizona Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs’s press secretary Josselyn Berry resigned yesterday following her posting an inflammatory social media message effectively calling for violence against those opposed to the “transgender” movement. Just hours after a “transgender”-identifying woman murdered three children and three adults at The Covenant School in Nashville, Berry tweeted an image of a woman pointing two pistols and captioned it, “Us when we see transphobes.” Republican lawmakers were quick to blast Berry, with the Arizona Freedom Caucus responding: “Calling for violence is NEVER acceptable. [Gov. Hobbs] Press Sec. tweeting about shooting political opponents on the same day a trans activist shoots up a school is nothing short of vile & heartless. There is no room for this in AZ Fire [Berry] Now.” As calls for firing Berry piled up, Hobbs’s office responded that the governor doesn’t condone violence and that Berry’s post “is not reflective of the values of the administration.” Hobbs accepted Berry’s resignation given that Berry wasn’t just any member of Hobbs’s staff but was the governor’s main spokesperson.

• The opaque DOJ and pro-life attacks: Mike Pence’s organization Advancing American Freedom has teamed up with The Heritage Foundation and filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Justice Department in an effort to force the DOJ to explain its double standard of justice. With at least 57 confirmed vandalism attacks against pro-life pregnancy centers and churches after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked last summer, there has been scant evidence for any substantive action being taken by the DOJ to investigate and prosecute those responsible for these hate crimes. In fact, Biden’s DOJ has prosecuted 34 pro-life activists and only two pro-abortion extremists. Meanwhile, multiple pro-life organizations have filed complaints over the DOJ’s inaction against the radical leftist pro-abortion activists but effectively have been given the silent treatment.

• SCOTUS protesters’ carte blanche: Speaking of the DOJ’s willful inaction, it has been learned that Deputy U.S. Marshals assigned to U.S. Supreme Court justices last summer were instructed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to try and not make any arrests of pro-abortion activists protesting outside of the justices’ homes. This instruction was given despite a law prohibiting protesting outside a judge’s home with the intent to influence a ruling. Earlier this month, Garland told senators he could not bring any charges against protesters who violated the law because none of the marshals made any arrests. Well, now we know why. But it’s worse, as internal documents reveal that the marshals were told, “Any contemplated enforcement action should be coordinated in advance with the appropriate USAO (U.S. Attorney Office).” So, if the marshals wanted to make any arrest, they had to first get the green light for such action from Garland’s office. Talk about rigging the game.

• Trump grand jury takes a month off: The Manhattan grand jury that was convened to hear evidence against Donald Trump over his alleged hush money payoff of a porn star will be taking a scheduled month-long break. This means that any decision over whether or not to indict and prosecute Trump remains on hold until at least late April unless District Attorney Alvin Bragg calls them back early for a vote, which seems highly unlikely at this time. What this does do is keep the cloud of a potential prosecution hovering over Trump for another few weeks.

• California to San Francisco: Hold my beer: In the latest example of California crazy, economists have concluded that the Golden State’s plan to pay its black residents reparations would cost an estimated $800 billion, which is triple the state’s annual budget. The state’s reparations task force consulted with five different economists who arrived at the figure. To make matters even more crazy, the task force explained that an additional $300 billion should be added to the $800 billion to cover the unjust devaluation of black-owned businesses. This makes San Fransisco’s $5 million figure for the city’s black residents appear “reasonable” in comparison. State Senator Steven Bradford, one of the lawmakers on the panel, sought to justify the ridiculous wealth-redistribution gambit by asking, “How do you compensate for hundreds of years of harm, even 150 years post-slavery?” Well, if you can raise back to life those former slaves, none of whom were ever legal slaves in California, to compensate them, then maybe you have an argument.

Headlines

• Karine Jean-Pierre dodges on whether Biden’s proposed gun ban will lead to confiscation (Daily Wire)

• Trans Day of Vengeance protest will proceed in aftermath of Covenant School killings (Washington Examiner)

• Trans activists call for more blood after Nashville shooting (PJ Media)

• Church assembly to debate urging U.S. government to “renounce the sin” of transgender procedures for minors (Fox News)

• NHL commish hints league could end Pride Night events amid growing number of opt outs (Breitbart)

• Kentucky legislature overrides Democrat governor’s veto of transgender youth bill (Washington Examiner)

• Associated Press tells journalists to deny people are born with biological sex in new guide entry (Daily Signal)

• Senate votes to repeal 2002 measure that approved Iraq war (AP)

• Army Black Hawk helicopters crash, killing nine service members (Fox News)

• Disney strips DeSantis’s district oversight board of power (Fox Business)

• North Carolina GOP ends pistol permit system after overriding Democrat governor’s veto (Washington Examiner)

• Man arrested for stabbing Republican staffer was released from prison on day before attack (Free Beacon)

• North Korea shows photos of tactical nukes for first time (Washington Times)

• Policy: Is teen depression result of too much social media, too little religion? (Daily Signal)

• “Satire”: FBI vows to get to the bottom of what Christians did to provoke attack (Babylon Bee)

• Related satire: Media calls for moment of silence for shooter who was misgendered (Babylon Bee)

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