Cross-Examination

• Biden Crime Family update: Yet another piece of evidence has been added to a growing pile that keeps undercutting Joe Biden’s claim that he was never involved in his son Hunter’s foreign business dealings. A photo from Hunter’s infamous laptop has emerged showing Hunter sitting in his father’s Corvette outside Joe’s Delaware home on the same day he sent his alleged “shakedown” message to Henry Zhao, CEO of a Chinese asset management firm. Meanwhile, in the House’s investigation into the Bidens, questions have arisen as to whether or not Hunter’s “best friend in business,” Devon Archer, will ever show up to testify before the Oversight Committee. He canceled his scheduled appearance on Monday, making this the third time he has backed out. However, Archer did testify before a federal grand jury. Lastly, who is buying Hunter’s “art”? The White House claimed that it would ensure that “reasonable safeguards” were in place to prevent the sale of the art being used as a means of gaining “influence” over his father. Well, it turns out that one of Hunter’s buyers is a Democrat donor who, months after Hunter’s first art show, got a cushy federal job — an appointment to the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad.

• Looming UPS strike threatens supply chain: With the August 1 date for a national strike for 340,000 UPS workers looming, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to the Biden administration requesting intervention to prevent an economically crippling event. The letter was signed by more than 250 organizations and argues, “Given the debilitating impact of a strike on American families and the economy, we urge your Administration to provide the support necessary to help the parties reach a new agreement by the August 1 deadline.” With UPS moving an estimated $3.8 billion worth of goods daily, a 15-day strike would result in the U.S. economy losing upwards of $55 billion.

Update: UPS and the Teamsters reached a deal shortly after we went to press.

• Russia attacks Ukrainian port: On Monday, Russian forces attacked a port on the Danube River near Ukraine’s border with Romania. A grain storage facility was struck, as Russia recently ended its agreement last year to not attack Ukraine’s grain shipments in the Black Sea. This attack is the closest Moscow has come to hitting a NATO country since Russian forces invaded Ukraine last year. The attack signifies Russia is stepping up its efforts to cripple Ukraine’s economy.

• No more tax man at your door: The IRS announced on Monday that the tax agency will “end most” of its unannounced visits to taxpayers’ homes. According to the agency, the reason for this policy change is due to “public confusion,” as well as an effort to “enhance overall safety measures for taxpayers and employees.” This policy change, which will be effective immediately, reverses a decades-long practice of the IRS, and according to IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel, it “will increase confidence in our tax administration work and improve overall safety for taxpayers and IRS employees.” As Werfel also explained: “We have the tools we need to successfully collect revenue without adding stress with unannounced visits. The only losers with this change in policy are scammers posing as the IRS.”

• Indoctrinating white doctors: The American College of Radiology (ACR) appears to have become infected with a raging case of “wokeness,” as the professional society is pressing thousands of doctors and scientists who make up its members to take a course on “systemic racism” and “white privilege.” The ACR is strongly urging doctors and medical students to take a course titled “Health Equity: Life in Black and White,” which is undergirded by the Marxist CRT worldview. The course attacks the actually anti-racist ideology of colorblindness, instead promoting the dubious notions of “micro aggressions,” “white privilege,” “intersectionality” dynamics, and “unconscious or implicit bias.” In other words, the course is effectively designed to indoctrinate doctors into the cult of woke by using that tired refrain of seeking “to advance health equity.”

• Good news: Maskless churchgoers to receive big payout: In September 2020, Gabriel Rench along with two others were arrested by Moscow, Idaho, police during an outdoor worship service because they were not wearing masks. On Monday, the city of Moscow agreed to a large settlement, $300,000, with Rench after he sued over having his First and Fourth Amendment rights violated. Rench contends that the city settled due to the issue having become a “massive PR problem.” He noted, “I’m very grateful that I got a victory,” adding, “How many people nationwide didn’t get a victory?” Rench likened Moscow, which is a liberal college town, to many places across the country where liberalism has turned into a modern-day cult. “They use coercion, they want power, and they have no real moral standard that is kind of fixed for them,” he stated. Thankfully, at least in Moscow, these leaders who abused a citizen’s rights were forced to make restitution.

Headlines

• “Goalposts shifted”: Karine Jean-Pierre claims Biden “was never in business” with Hunter (Fox News)

• Speaker McCarthy indicates Republicans are moving toward impeachment inquiry of Biden (Daily Wire)

• Biden threatens to veto GOP military medical care spending bill over trans surgery, abortion restrictions (National Review)

• China hacked top State Dept. officials’ emails ahead of John Kerry’s climate meeting in Beijing (Daily Caller)

• Biden admin mulls lifting Uyghur sanctions for fentanyl deal with China (National Review)

• Justice Department sues Texas over floating barriers meant to deter migrants from crossing Rio Grande (National Review)

• “I shouldn’t be scared for my life out here”: Rancher talks open-borders horrors (Washington Stand)

• Miss Italy announces men are not allowed, won’t jump on trans activism "bandwagon" (Daily Wire)

• A “patient for life”: Detransitioner describes effects of gender transition procedures (Washington Stand)

• Newsom imposes $1.5 million fine on California school district for rejecting textbook discussing LGBT activism (Washington Stand)

• Humor: HYPOCRITE: Conservative claims to be against CANCEL culture yet uses noise-CANCELING earbuds (Babylon Bee)

For more editors’ choice headlines, click here.