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Jim Jordan’s first hearing mocked over conspiracy theorist witnesses
February 06, 2023
Its first hearing isn’t until Thursday but already Chairman Jim Jordan‘s Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government is being mocked after the list of witnesses was released.
NBC News’ Garrett Haake reports testifying before the committee on Thursday will be ex-Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and former FBI special agent Nicole Parker.
Gabbard left the Democratic Party and is now an independent and a Fox News contributor. In 2019, Hillary Clinton suggested she was a Russian asset being groomed for a third-party presidential run. She sued the former Democratic presidential nominee and former U.S. Secretary of State but later dropped the defamation lawsuit.
Also, Gabbard “shared false information,” Forbes reported last year, “about U.S. involvement in Ukraine biological laboratories … giving credence to an unfounded Russian-backed conspiracy theory the U.S. has warned could serve as justification for Russia to use biological and chemical weapons against Ukraine.”
Sen. Johnson, who narrowly won re-election after being among the top promoters of Donald Trump’s “Big Lie,” is a conspiracy theorist who uses his Senate seat to spread false information about COVID and a host of other crises.
CNN’s Chris Cillizza branded Johnson the “Senate’s leading conspiracy theorist” just one year ago. The Washington Post reported last May that Sen. Johnson “expressed openness” to “a fervent anti-vaccination” commentator’s “idea that maybe the coronavirus vaccines are a conduit for deliberately giving people AIDS.”
Sen. Grassley has come under fire for his racist remarks about COVID-19, dangerously false claims about the IRS, and apparent falsehoods about the January 6 insurrection and its participants.
Last year The American Independent reported Grassley told a constituent “what you said is accurate.” According to The Independent, the constituent said during a town hall: “Knowing that the FBI and Capitol Police were complicit in Jan. 6, what have you done to get the political prisoners being held in gulag conditions out on bail?”
Some were quick to mock Chairman Jordan’s choice of witnesses to testify before his subcommittee’s first hearing.
“Johnson actively pushed the WI legislature & the VP to overturn the election. Tulsi used her perch in Congress to secretly meet with Assad & whitewash his war crimes. so in a sense, they are indeed experts on weaponizing gov’t.,” mocked former Hillary Clinton foreign policy spokesperson Jesse Lehrich.
Jim Manley, a top aide to then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, described the panel as “low energy.”
NBC News Justice reporter Ryan J. Reilly pre-deflated Parker’s possible contributions, citing her as saying: “’I was never asked to participate in anything that was political,’ Nicole Parker said in one of her Fox News hits (Hannity, specifically).”
Even CNN did not hide its skepticism, beginning its reporting with this line: “The GOP-led House select subcommittee on so-called weaponization of the federal government will draw upon a prominent ex-Democrat, two of their Republican Senate colleagues, and a former FBI agent in their first public hearing to discuss how they believe the government has been weaponized against conservatives, multiple sources familiar with the plans tell CNN.”
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Most Grammy viewers experienced live performances from the nation’s top recording artists Sunday night, but right-wing activists saw a Satanic conspiracy theory. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., needed until Monday morning to process her disdain. “The Grammy’s featured Sam Smith’s demonic performance and was sponsored by Pfizer,” the anti-vax conspiracy theorist tweeted. She also ranted about last week’s announcement that the ironically named Satanic Temple — a “nontheistic religious organization” — planned to provide abortion assistance in New Mexico. “American Christians need to get to wo...
Prosecutors to describe Murdaugh's 'dire financial situation' as new evidence is allowed into court
February 06, 2023
Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newman has granted the state's request to allow evidence about Alex Murdaugh's alleged financial schemes, including hiding debts that totaled well over $1 million, according to The Daily Beast.
Murdaugh is charged with shooting both his wife his son at their hunting estate in June 2021, and prosecutors are hoping to provide convincing evidence that the motivation for his crimes may be explained by a complicated scheme to steal over $8 million from his clients and former law firm to keep up the social standing and prestige of his family in South Carolina.
Murdaugh is formally charged with two counts of murder and an additional two counts of weapon possession used in a violent crime. He has plead not guilty to all four counts. Newman made his ruling after a special hearing that lasted two days with no jury in attendance.
According to the hearing, the origination of the forced financial transparency may be a 2019 boating accident Murdaugh was involved in that requested specific financial details. The hearing also detailed Murdaugh being confronted about $800,000 missing from legal funds by a colleague the same day the murders occurred.
IN OTHER NEWS: Trump rages after ex-prosecutor reveals 'many bits and pieces of evidence' to indict
In his ruling Newman said, "the jury is entitled to consider whether the apparent desperation of Mr. Murdaugh because of his dire financial situation, the threat of being exposed for committing the crimes for which he was later charged, resulted in the commission of the alleged crimes."
Murdaugh's trial has captured national attention and been broadcast live across several television stations. His defense is a lack of evidence that tie him to the murders. The prosecution has produced evidence that allegedly ties Murdaugh alone to the murders.
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