Publisher of ‘2,000 Mules’ election conspiracy theory film issues apology, halts distribution of the film.

by Tom Dreisbach, NPR, MAY 31, 2024 - The conservative media company behind the book and film “2,000 Mules,” which alleged a widespread conspiracy by Democrats to steal the 2020 election and was embraced by former president Donald Trump, has issued an apology and said it would halt distribution of the film and remove both the film and book from its platforms.

In a statement posted to their website, Salem Media Group, Inc. apologized specifically to Mark Andrews, a voter from Georgia falsely depicted illegally voting in “2,000 Mules.”

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation cleared Andrews of wrongdoing, and found he was legally dropping off ballots for members of his family. Andrews filed a defamation lawsuit against Salem, as well as the team behind the movie: right wing commentator Dinesh D’Souza, and the group True the Vote.

Though “2,000 Mules” has been widely debunked by law enforcement officials and the media, including NPR, the film and book developed a widespread following among supporters of the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen. (Read more)

Rod's Comment:  See, this just proves how deep the tentacles of the Deep State really are. This shows how the Biden administration and liberal elites have turned America into a fascist state. So will reason the Trumpinistas. Anything that contradicts what they believe is proof of how corrupt and powerful the other side is. 

I did not watch the movie nor read the book but have read enough about it to know the basic argument of the movie and the methodology of the research that went into supposedly proving the thesis that the 2020 election was stolen.

On several occasions when having discussions with Trumpinistas and I expressed my view that the election was not stolen, and that Biden was the actual winner of the 2024 election, I have had people ask, "Did you see 2000 mules?" This has often been to go-to proof of the stolen election.

The movie and book have been widely debunked. I hope this latest development will change some minds, but unfortunately, I doubt it will. With over 60-some failed lawsuits not finding evidence of a stolen election and numerous examinations by researchers and media outlets finding no support for the stolen election big lie, I doubt the publisher withdrawing the book and movie and apologizing will make much difference.

Tumpism is a cult. Like people who believe we did not go to the moon, or that 9-11 was an inside job or any number of other weird things people may believe, the belief in the stolen election is based on nothing but a faith. Often facts cannot shake an irrational faith.

Once people are in a cult, it is hard to shake their faith. 

Top Stories

Democrats want gun control but no gun crime prosecutions

 By Zachary Faria, Washington Examiner, June 1, 2024- One of the many problems with the Democratic Party’s stance on gun control is that Democrats are already loathe to enforce existing gun laws when dealing with criminals.

Last week, an off-duty Metropolitan Police Department officer in Washington, D.C., was shot, sending him to the hospital. The suspects had been driving erratically, cutting the officer off multiple times before one of them exited the car and shot at the officer through his windshield.

The suspected shooter is Rasheed Thorne, a 21-year-old who had two previous arrests for illegal possession of a firearm. Thorne was arrested in November 2021 and 2022, but U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves declined to prosecute him. Just over a year after his second arrest, he then nearly murdered an MPD officer. link 

Rod's Comment:  The article has other examples of the same lax treatment of people who violate gun laws. I have observed the same thing as reported in this article. Time and time again liberal soft-on-crime D A's refuse to prosecute people for violation of gun laws or release people who use a gun in commission of a crime with no punishment or a slap on the wrist. It seems liberals want to ban guns or impose stricter restrictions on gun ownership, but they oppose enforcing the laws on the books.

The Hunter Biden case is an example of the unseriousness of gun control advocates. Biden purchased a .38-caliber Colt Cobra Special illegally in October 2018. He falsely swore on a federal form that he was not a drug user. After processing the gun for eleven days he deposed of the gun by dumping it in a trash can. Why, I don't know.

If gun control advocates were serious, they would make this a high-profile cause. Gun control advocates would be on the TV News shows talking about how Biden should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.  After all, why have rules regarding who may purchase a gun if there is no punishment for violating the rules.

Top Stories

Former Metro Police Officer Alleges Major Police Malfeasances from the Top. Mayor's Response. My Comment.

by ELI MOTYCKA, The Nashville Scene, May 31, 2024- Metro Nashville police regularly interfered with internal investigations, selectively followed policy and ran a department on double standards, alleges a 61-page complaint filed with MNPD’s Office of Professional Accountability last week by a retired police lieutenant. Metro released a redacted version of the complaint on Thursday evening.

Complainant Garet Davidson, who ended his career within MNPD’s OPA, describes systemic malfeasance from top MNPD officials, including Chief John Drake and Deputy Chiefs Mike Hagar and Chris Gilder. Davidson’s allegations read like a retrospective from more than a decade within the department. Specific incidents span mistreatment and physical harm toward female employees, rank bias in internal investigations, and Gilder receiving an award for helping pass legislation that gutted the Metro Nashville Community Oversight Board (COB).

Davidson further alleges that the police department has repeatedly lied about reform, specifically in (read more)

#

Statement From Mayor Freddie O’Connell on Davidson Complaint

May 31, 2024 -Today, Mayor Freddie O’Connell issued the following statement:

I believe it’s important—and I believe the public expects—that we establish impartiality when it comes to serious allegations about conduct within Metro, and it is important to conduct an independent investigation into the recent allegations made by former MNPD Lt. Garet Davidson and filed with MNPD’s Office of Professional Accountability (OPA).

The Department of Law has recommended Edward L. Stanton III of the Butler Snow law firm to oversee an investigation into the complaint, and I support this appointment.

Recognizing that these are allegations, which are unproven at this time, I, Chief of Police John Drake, Civilian Review Board director Jill Fitcheard, and the Department of Law Director Wally Dietz all have a strong interest in ensuring the integrity of the investigation. I have insisted that our process be above reproach. Mr. Stanton will have access to resources from Metro Legal, MNPD, Human Resources, the CRB, and anything else needed to conduct a thorough investigation.

Ed Stanton has impeccable credentials, including decades of experience conducting internal investigations and complex governance matters. After being nominated by President Barack Obama, Stanton served as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee from 2010-2017. As a resident of Memphis, he understands Tennessee law and brings an independent view to this matter.

# 

Rod's Comment: Nashvillians need to follow this story. This could be huge. The Tennessean reported on the story but focused on members of the police department working with members of the State legislature to develop a bill that reduced the authority of Metro's citizen review board. You can read the Tennessean's take on the story at this link. 

By making its focus so narrow, I think the Tennessean may be missing the story. Also, the Tennessean's coverage got nothing but a yawn out of me. I see nothing wrong with members of the police department taking their concerns to members of the legislature.

While I am generally respect and support the police, the police need watch dogs. People with a lot of power tend to abuse it. There must be balances and safeguards on any government entity with massive power. While codes or licensing boards may be arrogant and abuse their position, they are not armed, and they can't throw you in jail. Whether or not police oversight can be done with available mechanisms short of a formal oversight body, or whether Metro's version of a civilian review board went too far, I don't know. In any event, this story appears much bigger than a story about members of police department helping to craft legislation stripping authority from the Community Oversight Board.

I am pleased to see the mayor take the action he is taking. I hope the local conservative media and social media conservatives do not rally around the police but instead wait to see what the facts are.  

Top Stories

The Total Collapse of the Alito Flag Stories

 National Review: The Total Collapse of the Alito Flag Stories

Top Stories

Bellevue Breakfast Club, June 1

From Lonnie Spivak:

NOTE: THIS MONTH WE HAVE OUR MEETING AT ROYAL RANGE

Well everyone, summer is upon us, and we are in full swing of this presidential election season. We have a great meeting in store as we welcome two great speakers. First we have Councilwoman, Jennifer Friendsley Webb, who is running in State House 50, against Bo Mitchell. As a bonus Ramona DiSilvo from Convention of States will join us to give us a status update on the constitutional amendment passed by Tennessee a few years ago. I am also happy to announce that Convention of States TN chapter, will partner with GOP Nashville, as we try to get poll-workers and poll-watchers in all 192 of our voting precincts.

Our meeting will start at 8:30, Saturday, June 1, and will be at ROYAL RANGE USA, located at 7741 Highway 70 S, Nashville, 37221.

Please try to attend this meeting because there will be a lot of great information.

Lonnie Spivak, Chairman

GOP Nashville

 

Jennifer Frensley Webb

The daughter of Bob Frensley, a notable figure in Nashville's automotive industry, who passed away in 2015, is a distinguished professional and community leader based in Middle Tennessee. She has been happily married to Jeff Webb, a dedicated Nashville firefighter, for 27 years. A graduate of Father Ryan High School, Jennifer went on to earn a Marketing degree from Belmont College. 

She spent a significant portion of her career in the automotive industry, climbing the ranks from changing oil to becoming a Dealer Principal. In 2019, she sold her automotive business and transitioned to the construction industry. She founded Bull Enterprises LLC, a company specializing in custom homes, spec homes, and remodels in the Middle Tennessee area.

In 2023, Jennifer ran for and won a seat on the Metropolitan Council for District 10. She is committed to serving her community and plans to maintain her council seat while continuing her work in the construction industry.

---

Romona DiSilvo - Convention of States
Attorney on the national staff to coordinate national legislative strategy for passing resolutions across the country to call for a convention of states under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. Convention of States is a national movement to call a convention under Article V of the United States Constitution, restricted to proposing amendments that will impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit its power and jurisdiction, and impose term limits on its officials and members of Congress.

Top Stories

Andy Ogles’ Amended Finance Reports Leave Watchdog Group With Even More Questions

 The Nashville Scene: Andy Ogles’ Amended Finance Reports Leave Watchdog Group With Even More Questions

Top Stories

In light of the Biden Plot to Assassinate Trump, does Trump not Need to Provide for his own Security?

by Rod Williams, May 28, 2024- Recently former President Trump claimed that President Biden authorized the use of lethal force in connection with the FBI’s execution of a court-authorized search warrant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. The FBI was going to kill him during that raid. 

All search warrants involve the possibility of forced entry and all of them involve police seizures of property, if what they are searching for is found.  Executing a search warrant can subject the officers executing the warrant to risk. In some instances, the person against whom the search warrant is issued may put up armed resistance or in some cases the people inside the premises may mistakenly believe it is criminals coming to rob their stash rather than the police. 

As a result of the risk and as a matter of common sense, the FBI always has an operational plan for carrying out a court-authorized search. The plan has boilerplate language that reminds the search team of the FBI’s use-of-force policies. Trump took this standard search warrant language and claimed it was instruction to kill him.

I know this is weird, but nothing is too weird for Donald J. Trump and his followers. This is the kind of stuff Trump cultist, which unfortunately are most Republicans, eat up. They really believe this about America. They believe that the Deep State is so evil, and they have such distrust of our institutions, that they believe the FBI could be used to assassinate Donald Trump.

If President Biden really aims to have Trump killed, it seems like there would be easier ways to do it than shooting him during a search warrant raid. If Trump really believes he is at risk of a Biden authorized assassination, why does Trump expose himself to that risk every day?  Why would Trump accept Secret Service protection? 

The Secret Service is under the Department of Homeland Security. Homeland Security is an executive branch organization. If Biden wanted Trump killed and that was the world we live in, would it not be better to have the Secret Service carry out the mission? They have round-the-clock access to candidate Trump. They provide security as he travels and at his rallies and at his home. It would be so easy to fake an assassination, or better yet a mishap, or slip poison into his beverage. 

It seems ludicrous that believing he is the target of a Biden assassination plot, that Trump would accept protection from the Secret Service. Believing he is the target of a Biden assassination plan; Trump should immediately dismiss the Secret Service. 

Of course, the former president needs protection, but he needs protection from people who are loyal to him. He does not need potential assassins as his protectors. So, Trump should dismiss the Secret Service and create his own security team. Trump has established a lot of companies and knows how to organize things so establishing a team to provide his for his security should not be a problem. 

It would have to be a large team, because Trump needs people who will travel with him and guard his homes and he needs a large force at his rallies, which can draw up to a hundred thousand people. Trump needs advance Secuity teams do gather intelligence and do risk assessment to places before he visits them. He needs people to secure airports and transportation routes and buildings. Since Trump knows the Biden administration has a plan to assassinate him and he does not know where the attempt may come from, Trump can trust no other agency of government to provide for his security. Everyone may be a potential assassin. To confront such a threat, he needs a well-trained and large force.

Fielding such a large force would be expensive, but Republicans will fork over the money to protect their leader. Fielding such a large team requires a lot of people and people with absolute loyalty, but Trump should have no trouble finding the manpower. The Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, I am sure, would be ready to fill the ranks.

The team needs to impress and inspire fear in anyone thinking about doing the former and future
president harm. The team needs to be able to act swiftly at rallies to remove uninvited press or troublemakers. The security force needs to send a message that Trump takes seriously any threat to himself or our country, which, in a sense, is one and the same. 

In areas of the country where constitutional carry is legal, his team should always be well-armed. In areas of the country where constitutional carry is not the law, Trump's security force could challenge the laws against constitutional carry and go armed anyway and see who will attempt to stop them. 

Trump has a flair for style and the dramatic. He would not want his Security Team to be mistaken for UPS drivers. In addition to being well-armed, the team should look sharp with crisp uniforms; shoulder patch logos and arm bands; the big leather belt with baton, cuffs, and flashlight; and, shiny leather boots. Brown shirts would be nice.

Top Stories

Why Nashville's crime rate has fallen

 The Pamphleteer: Why Nashville's crime rate has fallen

Top Stories

Bellevue Breakfast Club, June 1

 

Top Stories

So, How did Metro's "participatory budgeting" work out?

by MEGAN PODSIEDLIK, The Pamphleteer, May 28, 2024- You’ll recall that Metro Council approved a participatory budgeting process last fall that allowed non-citizens and teens as young as 14 years old to “vote” on how to spend $10 million in ARPA funds. The entire endeavor was a disaster. 

Not only did the marketing plan to encourage participation cost over half a million dollars, but less than 14,000 people voted (to put that into perspective, each vote cost $44), and Metro has yet to announce the results. 

Mayor O’Connell, panned this dismal effort in February: “I expect if it does go forward, it will be revised pretty significantly,” he said. “Even with hundreds of thousands of dollars in marketing, we are not seeing particularly heavy voting rates on participatory budgeting.”

Top Stories

May We Never Forget Freedom Isn’t Free — Memorial Day Tribute 2024

Top Stories

Marsha Blackburn scores as 7th most conservative Senator by CPAC, for what it's worth.

by Rod Williams, May 26, 2004- CPAC has issued their ratings of members of Congress and Tennessee's Senator Marsha Blacburn has garnered a score of 93, making her the 7th most conservative member of Congress according to the organization. That means she got the Award of Excellence, reserved for those scoring 90% or betting from CPAC. Senator Hagerty barely missed that award, scoring only an 89%.

CPAC is the Conservative Political Action Committee which was the name of the conference of the American Conservative Union, but in recent years the organization has started referring to itself as CPAC instead of ACU.  ACU/CPAC has produced a ranking of members of Congress 53 years. 

It used to be that I depended on the ACU as a guide in telling me which were the members of congress who were the most aligned with my values. Not so much, anymore. Since CPAC has gone fully Trumpinista I no longer assume that a high ranking from the organization indicates someone aligns with my values. 

I could do a deep dive and look at the list of bills included in the CPAC package of bills that determine a Senators score, however, I don't care enough to do so.  When an organization thinks attempting to prevent the peaceful transfer of power is a positive thing, I don't much care what else the organization has to say. 

When an organization thinks that voting against giving Ukraine the means to defend themselves against Russian aggression, is a good vote, I don't much care what else they have to say.

In the House, Tennessee's Tim Burchett, Scott Desjarlais, Mark Green, Andy Ogles, and Diana Harshbarger where recipients of the Award of Excellent for being among those with the highest CPAC ranking.  I am not impressed. 

Top Stories

To Win the War against Climate Change we Need Nuclear Energy

by Rod Williams, May 26, 2024- I am firmly convinced that if activist environmentalist had less political power, we would be further along toward reducing carbon emissions. In my view, our primary approach to combating climate change has been based on fairy dust and wishful thinking. It is not that we do not need environmentalist, but we need more rational environmentalist who accept cost-benefit analysis and are more accepting of calm consideration of alternative policy positions rather those environmentalists on a spiritual quest to somehow remake man and dream of us all living in harmony with nature. Climate change deniers and radical environmentalist have been allies in defeating advances in combating climate change. 

It’s been more than 30 years since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change first warned the world that greenhouse gases were warming the planet. Decades of climate negotiations followed, culminating in the 2015 Paris Accords. Since then, we have pumped more carbon dioxide into the air than in the previous 240 years. The approach of the Paris Accords is to extract promises of future reductions. That is so easy to do. A county (or an industry) can easily promise that by 2050 they will be producing 50% less carbon emissions or be carbon free. The person making the promise knows that by that time he may be dead or retired or not in charge by 2050. That is almost the whole extent of the Paris Accords. This approach has been worthless. Yet, environmentalist remain wed to the Paris Accords. 

Another failed approach is the scam of carbon off-sets. While in theory this should make sense, it is primarily a scam and environmentalist play along. Thankfully, there are some environmentalists such as Greenpeace USA that are waking up and pushing back against the scam, but for years we have accepted the smoke and mirrors of carbon offsets as meaningful progress in combatting climate change. 

Much of environmentalist approaches have been counterproductive and actually led to greater carbon emissions. They have opposed actions generating carbon emission in America, the result of which is often that the products that could be produced here are produced in other countries where production methods and energy sources generate greater carbon emissions.

Environmentalist have opposed natural gas fracking, thus preventing natural gas availability which generates lees CO2 than the oil and coal it would have replaced. They have stopped oil refineries and pipelines which have often had the result of keeping sweet crude oil off the market in favor of dirtier oil.

Worst of all, environmentalists have been successful in stopping nuclear energy.  Renewables are simply not going to meet our energy needs. If we are going to stop the planet from warming, we need nuclear energy. 

Writing in The Atlantic, Roge' Karma says we need to again start producing nuclear energy. He examines what causes nuclear to be so expensive and how to fix it. You can read the full article at this link. Below are excerpts:

Nuclear Energy’s Bottom Line. by Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, May 26, 2024- ... For all the recent progress in wind and solar energy, renewables on their own almost certainly won’t be enough. Arguably, then, we have no choice but to figure out how to build nuclear plants affordably again. ... The safety risk of nuclear energy is often wildly overblown. No one died at Three Mile Island, and later studies found that it didn’t have any adverse health effects on the local community. Even including the deadly meltdowns at Chernobyl and Fukushima, nuclear power has most likely caused only a few hundred deaths, putting its safety record on par with wind turbines and solar panels, which occasionally catch fire or cause workers to fall. ... The claim that excessive regulation single-handedly ruined the American nuclear industry, however, doesn’t hold up.... 

Given the impracticality of nuclear energy, some environmentalists argue that we should focus on wind and solar. These technologies can’t power the entire grid today, because the sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow. ... The case for nuclear, then, is less about technological possibilities than it is about political realities. Nuclear can generate the same amount of power while using 1/30th as much land as solar and about 1/200th as much as wind. Reactors can be built anywhere, not just in areas with lots of natural wind and sunshine, eliminating the need for huge transmission lines and making it easier to select sites without as much local opposition.

Top Stories

As housing values soar in Tenn., property tax burden starts to fall more on homeowners

 Residential property values have grown almost 50% faster than commercial or farm properties, meaning even as counties lower tax rates, homeowners pay a higher share of them ... On average, residential property owners paid 22% more in real property tax dollars last year compared with 2019, while businesses paid 5.1% more. link

Top Stories