'Ticketmaster for illegal immigrants': Josh Hawley accuses DHS of providing app for illegal migrants to enter the country

'Ticketmaster for illegal immigrants': Josh Hawley accuses DHS of providing app for illegal migrants to enter the country



Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri demanded answers from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently, questioning the government official about an app that the senator described as a "concierge service" for illegal immigrants looking to enter the country.

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Sec. Mayorkas fielded a series of questions from lawmakers about the border, including from Senator Hawley, as well as Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

"I'm going to quote from your own fact sheet," the senator began.

"It allows, and I quote, 'non-citizens without appropriate documents for admission to schedule an appointment to come to the border.' They can now go on their phone and schedule a time to come to the border and then be admitted, and you identified seven separate border points of entry where they could come," Hawley explained.

"It's like a concierge service for illegal immigrants. ... You didn't think the Border crisis was bad enough that now we're going to have an app that allows illegals to schedule their appointments and come and be admitted to this country?" the senator asked.

DHS Secretary Mayorkas denied the characterization of the application, called Login.Gov, which is described on its website as "a secure sign in service used by the public to sign in to participating government agencies."

Mayorkas proceeded to tell Hawley that the process to which he believes the senator is referring to is a special, "urgent humanitarian" exception that directs immigrants to the points of entry for emergency relief.

"There is a process for individuals who claim an exception to the Title 42 expulsion authority because of an acute medical condition — an urgent humanitarian reason. So, instead of them coming in between the ports of entry to claim that urgent medical condition, that extraordinarily acute humanitarian cause," the secretary explained, "we allow a limited number to arrive at our ports of entry and seek the emergency relief that they need," Mayorkas added.

Senator Hawley then claimed that the app was "changed" on January 5, 2023, making it available to illegal immigrants, saying "you don't have to be a lawyer to use it, you don't have to be a member of a non-governmental organization, anybody can download the app and use it on their phone, and for the first time you allowed them to schedule appointments," Hawley said.

In another viral clip, the Missouri Republican accused the government body of providing a type of "Tickermaster for illegal immigrants," rather than "building a wall."

The DHS secretary claimed that the senator and his news source were "mistaken."

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\u201cWATCH: @HawleyMO grill Sec. Mayorkas on mobile app for illegal immigrants\n\nHAWLEY: "Rather than building a wall...you have built Ticketmaster for illegal immigrants."\u201d
— Daily Caller (@Daily Caller) 1680023499
\u201c\ud83d\udea8 Ted Cruz blasts Mayorkas: \u201cIf you had integrity, you would resign\u2026 You're willing to let children be raped\u2026 This is a crisis. It's a disgrace...\u201d\n\nMayorkas: \u201cWhat the Senator said was revolting. I'm not going to address it.\u201d\n\nCruz: \u201cYour refusal to do your job is revolting!\u201d\u201d
— Steve Guest (@Steve Guest) 1680022660

Sens. Hawley and Johnson demand investigation into whistleblower's claim that Biden administration set suspected Afghan terrorists loose in the US



Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) are urging for an investigation into the veracity of recent claims made by a Department of Defense whistleblower. The whistleblower has alleged that among the Afghan evacuees released into the U.S. by the Biden administration were 324 individuals on the DOD’s Biometrically Enabled Watchlist.

The BEWL, used for screening purposes, identifies persons whose biometrics have been collected and have been deemed by analysts to be threats or potential threats to national security. The list includes known suspected terrorists.

In their letter to Sean O’Donnell, acting inspector at the DOD, Hawley and Johnson noted they also want investigated the claims that:

  • the White House and DOD officials "directed personnel to cut corners and not conduct full fingerprint tests of Afghan evacuees"; and
  • Department of Homeland Security staff was authorized to delete old biometric data, possibly "compromis[ing] the integrity of existing databases and undermin[ing] national security."

The Epoch Times reported that the DOD previously admitted that the National Counterterrorism Center did not in fact vet all evacuees "using all DOD data prior to arriving in" the U.S.

A Pentagon report issued February 15, 2022, noted that the National Ground Intelligence Center had "identified 50 Afghan personnel in the United States with information in DOD records that would indicate potentially significant security concerns." Some of the Afghan evacuees flagged as possible security concerns could not be located since, according to the NGIC, "there was an issue with either field representatives or operators failing to upload data or maintain devices properly."

In their letter, Hawley and Johnson said that the figure reflecting the number of persons posing significant security concerns was no longer 50, but rather had risen to at least 65. The senators requested that these 65 individuals be "immediately located, fully vetted, and, if appropriate, deported."

\u201cSen. @HawleyMO asks the FBI Director about whistleblower reports of agency personnel being instructed to cut corners when processing Afghan evacuees\u201d
— MRCTV (@MRCTV) 1659631091

In an August 4 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Hawley pressed FBI Director Christopher Wray about the FBI's knowledge of the presence of the 324 persons named on the BEWL. Wray said, "There are a number of individuals ... that we are actively trying to investigate."

In the exchange, Wray admitted that the strain put on the vetting process by the short period of time set by the Biden administration for the withdrawal and the large number of people who were being evacuated "inevitably raises concerns."

Over 124,000 people, including 6,000 American citizens, were flown out of Afghanistan. Over 76,000 Afghans were evacuated to the U.S. 95% of these individuals were conferred temporary legal status, permitting them to work and reside in the country for two years. Evacuees can apply for asylum, which can lead to permanent legal status.

According to a spokesperson for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency is "streamlining the processing of requests for work authorization, Green Cards, and associated services."

Major media figures claim that Josh Hawley is ‘transphobic’ because he thinks men can’t get pregnant



Multiple prominent media figures took the side of Berkeley law professor Khiara Bridges, who accused Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) of being "transphobic" because he does not believe that men can get pregnant in a viral clip on Tuesday.

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the impact of overturning Roe v. Wade, Bridges repeatedly used the torturous phrase "people with a capacity for pregnancy" as a gender-neutral substitute for "women." When Hawley called her out on it, highlighting the absurdity of erasing the word "women" from a discussion on abortion rights, Bridges told him that his "line of questioning is transphobic."

Bridges said Hawley was "denying that trans people exist" and opening them up to violence because he would not recognize "that men can get pregnant."

Some supposedly objective media outlets revealed which side they took in their coverage of the back-and-forth.

The Washington Post said Hawley "refused to acknowledge that some transgender men can get pregnant," which is inaccurate. Hawley never said that "transgender men" can't get pregnant — his position is that "transgender men" are women, because women are the only people who can get pregnant.

\u201cThis @washingtonpost news story hits @HawleyMO for \u201crefusing to acknowledge\u201d men can get pregnant\n\nWe need a total and complete shutdown of WaPo until we figure out what is going on\u201d
— Brent Scher (@Brent Scher) 1657677316

Most mainstream news headlines reported that Hawley was "called" or "accused" of asking "transphobic" questions, framing the story more neutrally. But a CNN video used the headline, "Hawley called out for 'transphobic' questions," which adopted the left's view of the exchange.

The U.K. Independent had more direct bias, writing that Bidges "rebuked" Hawley for his "transphobic" questions.

"In a series of extraordinary testimony to a Senate committee on the future of abortion in the US after the dissolve of Roe v Wade, an abortion rights advocate and law professor issued a sharp rebuke to Republican Senator Josh Hawley, who appeared to dismiss that transgender people could become pregnant," the Independent reported.

Meanwhile, progressive media declared unambiguous victory for Bridges over Hawley, who they insisted "got owned."

Salon and HuffPo each ran headlines that insisted the Missouri Republican was "schooled." Jezebel published a video titled, "Berkeley Law Professor Eviscerates Sen. Josh Hawley at Post-Roe Hearing." Heartland Signal said Hawley was "put in place" by Bridges.

Vox wrote that Hawley used "transphobic rhetoric to rile up the GOP's base" and sided with Bridges' contested claim that Hawley's language equates to violence.

"Bridges’s concerns reflect the fact that lawmakers’ political attacks on trans people — including denying their existence, and using legislation to limit their freedom of movement, access to activities, and availability of health care — have coincided with an increase in physical violence," Li Zhou wrote for Vox. "According to a 2021 Time report, anti-trans violence has surged in the wake of an increase in legislation targeting trans people. A 2021 UCLA report also found that trans people, particularly Black and brown trans people, were significantly more likely to be victims of violent crime than cis people."

Progressives on Twitter also praised Bridges and mocked Hawley.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said Hawley "feigned shock at the recognition that he incites violence."

\u201cThank you for your service, Professor Bridges\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffd\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffd\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffd\n\nAlso lol @ Hawley\u2019s feigned shock at the recognition that he incites violence. The man raised a fist w/ Jan 6th-ers who yelled \u201cHang Mike Pence\u201d & fundraised off it.\n\nNow he wants to be all \u201cMe?? Opening people to violence??\ud83d\ude24\u201d\u201d
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1657651252

"KA-BLOW" tweeted Imani Gandy, the senior editor of law and policy for Rewire News Group, after Bridges declared Hawley was denying transgender people exist because he doesn't think men can get pregnant.

\u201cHawley: Are you saying I'm transphobic.\n\nBridges: your line of questioning is. Denying their existence leads to violence. \n\nHawley: I'm not denying they exist.\n\nBridges: Do you believe men can get pregnant?\n\nHawley: No.\n\nBridges: Then you're denying they exist.\n\nKA-BLOW\u201d
— \u2693\ufe0fImani Two-Kitchens Gandy\u2693\ufe0f (@\u2693\ufe0fImani Two-Kitchens Gandy\u2693\ufe0f) 1657641538

Many others ridiculed Hawley for his supposed embarrassment by a professor who thinks men can be women and women can be men, rendering the distinctions between the two sexes meaningless.

But Stephen Porter, the assistant editor for USA Today Opinion, urged progressives, "Don't feign ignorance about Sen. Josh Hawley's 'questions.'"

"He was making a statement. His claim? That trans men & nonbinary people who can get pregnant are ~actually~ women. He's asserting that their reproductive organs define their gender," Porter tweeted.

"That's literally ✨transphobic✨," he said.

\u201cDon\u2019t feign ignorance about Sen. Josh Hawley\u2019s \u201cquestions.\u201d He was making a statement. His claim? That trans men & nonbinary people who can get pregnant are ~actually~ women. He\u2019s asserting that their reproductive organs define their gender. \n\nThat\u2019s literally \u2728transphobic\u2728.\u201d
— Steven Porter (@Steven Porter) 1657688124

In a lengthy thread, Porter went on to say that Hawley "derives some inhumane political benefit" from making "transphobic comments." He demanded that people "sympathetic to Hawley's message" but who don't want to be labeled transphobic "show us what you think it means to treat transgender people with kindness, dignity & respect."

\u201cMaybe you object to the \u201corthodoxy\u201d of trans-inclusive language. Then show us how to speak thoughtfully about reproductive health care for people who have the capacity to get pregnant & don\u2019t identify as women. Show us a better way.\u201d
— Steven Porter (@Steven Porter) 1657688124

Responding to the hysterics Wednesday morning, Hawley told Fox News that Democrats "have lost their minds."

"The Democrats have become such extremists. Now their official line is men can get pregnant — and if you disagree, you’re violent," Hawley said. "They have lost their minds and the whole country can see it."

Hawley grills Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson on 3-month sentence for child pornographer



During Tuesday's confirmation hearing, Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley zeroed in on a child pornography case where Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson gave an 18-year-old convicted of possessing illicit videos and images on his laptop only three months in prison.

Hawley called attention to statements Jackson made in U.S. v. Hawkins, a 2013 case in which Jackson made sympathetic comments toward the defendant and his family. The government had requested that the defendant be sentenced to 24 months in prison, but Jackson gave the offender a three-month sentence. Federal guidelines recommend at least a 10-year sentence for the crimes the defendant committed.

Reading from court transcripts, Hawley noted that Jackson had told the defendant she did not believe he was a pedophile. She also made statements expressing her opinion that sentencing guidelines "are in many ways outdated" because they "no longer adequately distinguish more serious child pornography offenders from the less serious child pornography offenders."

Judge Jackson opens by saying sentencing guidelines \u201care in many ways outdated\u201d and don\u2019t distinguish \u201cless serious child pornography offenders.\u201dpic.twitter.com/Y7frzxgErV
— Senator Hawley Press Office (@Senator Hawley Press Office) 1647996520

In portions of the transcript Hawley posted to Twitter, Jackson told the defendant it would not be "appropriate" to increase his sentence "on the basis of your use of a computer or the number of images or prepubescent victims as the Guidelines require because these circumstances exist in many cases, if not most, and don't signal an especially heinous or egregious child pornography offense."

Judge Jackson goes on to say \u201cthe number of images or prepubescent victims\u201d in the defendant\u2019s case \u201cdon\u2019t signal an especially heinous or egregious child pornography offense.\u201dpic.twitter.com/1Uf3G4wpS9
— Senator Hawley Press Office (@Senator Hawley Press Office) 1647996521

Hawley said he was "troubled" by these comments.

"I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around it," he told Jackson. "We're talking about 8-year-olds, and 9-year-olds, 11-year-olds, and 12-year-olds. He's got images of these the government said added up to over 600 images, gobs of video footage of these children … What word would you use if it's not heinous or egregious, how would you describe it?"

"It is heinous, it is egregious," Jackson said, noting that while Hawley did not describe in detail the images collected, she had seen them while reviewing evidence for the case.

"What a judge has to do is determine how to sentence defendants proportionately, consistent with the elements that the statutes include with the requirements that Congress has set forward. Unwarranted sentencing disparities is something that the Sentencing Commission has been focused on for a long time in regard to child pornography offenses," Jackson said.

She pointed out that in this case, the government had not followed the sentencing recommendations either, telling Hawley, "The government in this case and in others has asked for a sentence that is substantially less than the guideline penalty."

Following up, Hawley asked about statements Jackson made that appear to mitigate what the defendant had done, including that his collection of child porn was "not as large as it seems" and that "this seems to be a case where you were fascinated by sexual images involving what were essentially your peers."

"Judge, he was 18. These kids are eight. I don't see in what sense they're peers," Hawley said.

Absolutely BRUTAL questions from @HawleyMO to Judge Jackson as he recites her own words back to her:\n\n"Judge, he was 18. These kids are 8. I don't see in what sense they're peers."pic.twitter.com/Xk9gZO4rtU
— Townhall.com (@Townhall.com) 1647986134

Jackson said that she did not have the records of the case in front of her and could not recall the exact details that led her to make those statements. But she did say that, "Congress has given the judges not only the discretion to make the decision, but required judges to do so on an individualized bases, taking into account not only the guidelines but also various factors including the age of the defendant, the circumstances of the defendant, the terrible nature of the crime, and the harm to the victims. All of these factors are taken into account."

She defended her record, and said that any examination of the "greater body" of her sentences would show she attempted to do "what it is that judges do," which is "to do justice individually in each case."

In another noteworthy exchange, Hawley asked about an apology Jackson offered to the defendant during the case.

This was maybe Josh @HawleyMO's strongest point in his back-and-forth with KBJ over sentencing of child sex predators -- he read from a sentencing in which she said she "feel[s] so sorry for" the perp's family "and for you and for the anguish this has caused all of you."pic.twitter.com/oL9CfxeJ6u
— Curtis Houck (@Curtis Houck) 1647985272

"I just have to tell you, I can't quite figure this out," Hawley said. "You said to him, ‘This is a truly difficult situation. I appreciate that your family’s in the audience. I feel so sorry for them, and for you and for the anguish this has caused all of you. I feel terrible about the collateral consequences of this conviction.’ And then you go on to say ‘sex offenders are truly shunned in our society.’

"I’m just trying to figure out, judge, is he the victim here? Or are the victims the victims?" the senator asked.

“Senator, I— again, I don’t have the entire record,” Jackson answered. “I remember in that particular case, I considered it to be unusual, in part for the reasons that I described. I remember in that case that defense counsel was arguing for probation, in part, because he argued, that here we had a very young man, just graduated from high school, he presented all of his diplomas and certificates and the things that he had done.”

She said that the argument the defense presented convinced her that the circumstances in which the defendant got into child pornography were different from other cases she had seen. Jackson said she had a responsibility as a judge to consider these factors and "disparities" in handing down her sentence, and that the "unusual" circumstances of the case suggested the guidelines were inappropriate.

“I sent this 18-year-old to 3 months in federal prison under circumstances that were presented in this case because I wanted him to understand that what he had done was harmful, that what he had done was unlawful, that what he had done violated the law and needed to be punished not only by prison but also by all the other things that the law requires of a judge who is sentencing in this area,” Jackson said.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn says the president 'needs to fire his national security team'



Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) says that President Joe Biden needs to terminate his national security team, beginning with national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

"Joe Biden needs to fire his national security team, starting with Jake Sullivan," Blackburn declared in a Thursday tweet.

Blackburn's call for a mass firing comes as the Biden administration faces heavy criticism over issues related to efforts to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan. The Taliban has swiftly taken over the country, seizing the capital city of Kabul on Sunday, but the U.S. is currently scrambling to evacuate its citizens and others from Afghanistan.

"Maybe Joe should lead by example and start with himself first," a tweet declared in response to Blackburn's comment.

"He should fire his entire administration including himself. He is a disaster!" another tweet said in response to Blackburn's post.

"Biden needs to step down as president," another tweet said.

But while some targeted Biden, other Twitter users targeted Blackburn.

"Tennessee needs to fire you," one tweet declared.

"You need to be voted out of office," another tweet proclaimed.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said in a tweet Wednesday that President Biden's defense and foreign policy team needs to resign.

"This is the worst foreign policy debacle since Vietnam, due to Joe Biden. He has lost the confidence of the American people and the ability to lead. Biden's entire defense and foreign policy team must resign, and there must be a full congressional inquiry," Hawley tweeted.

"In the immediate term, we must focus on getting Americans trapped in Afghanistan out safely. That should be our top priority," another tweet declared.

In the immediate term, we must focus on getting Americans trapped in Afghanistan out safely. That should be our top priority.

— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) 1629309300.0

Brett Bruen, who previously served as director of global engagement at the Obama White House, recently contended in an opinion piece that the president needs to fire Sullivan and others.

"President Biden needs to fire his national security adviser and several other senior leaders who oversaw the botched execution of our withdrawal from Afghanistan. He has to restructure how and with whom he is making major foreign policy decisions, allowing for more input from career experts," Bruen wrote.

Sen. Josh Hawley says  'Biden's entire defense and foreign policy team must resign'



Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said in a tweet Wednesday that President Joe Biden is responsible for "the worst foreign policy debacle since Vietnam" and that the president's defense and foreign policy team needs to resign.

"This is the worst foreign policy debacle since Vietnam, due to Joe Biden. He has lost the confidence of the American people and the ability to lead. Biden's entire defense and foreign policy team must resign, and there must be a full congressional inquiry," the Republican lawmaker tweeted.

"In the immediate term, we must focus on getting Americans trapped in Afghanistan out safely. That should be our top priority," he said in another tweet.

This is the worst foreign policy debacle since Vietnam, due to Joe Biden. He has lost the confidence of the America… https://t.co/usrdyZ3lS7

— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) 1629309300.0

The Taliban has swiftly taken over Afghanistan and the U.S. is currently scrambling to evacuate American citizens and others from the country.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley said during a Wednesday press briefing that the swift collapse of the Afghan army and government had not been anticipated.

"There was nothing that I or anyone else saw that indicated a collapse of this army and this government in 11 days," he said.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday that a "fair amount" of the defense materials supplied to Afghanistan by the U.S. have fallen into the Taliban's hands.

President Biden indicated during an ABC News interview that there was not a way for the U.S. to withdraw "without chaos ensuing." Biden remarked that "the idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens."

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) are requesting a classified briefing or call next week with the Gang of Eight regarding various aspects of the situation in Afghanistan.

In a letter to President Biden, the Republican congressional leaders said that they want to learn about "The number and location of U.S. persons currently located in Afghanistan, and the methodology to determine such a number and location." They also want to be briefed on "the Administration's plan to evacuate U.S. persons outside of Kabul who cannot travel safely to the city," and other similar issues.

The Gang of Eight refers to the chair and ranking member of the House and Senate intelligence committees plus the four leaders of the two congressional chambers, according to Ballotpedia.

.@LeaderMcConnell and I demand that President Biden brief Congress on his plan to evacuate all American personnel i… https://t.co/9uuK2dwFJF

— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) 1629328847.0

Sen. Josh Haley calls on Fauci to resign following email controversy, demands investigation into coronavirus origins



Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is calling for Dr. Anthony Fauci to resign from his post following the controversy ignited by the release of emails from the nation's top epidemiologist regarding the coronavirus pandemic. Hawley is also demanding an investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

"Anthony Fauci's recently released emails and investigative reporting about #COVID19 origins are shocking," Hawley stated on Friday, and called for him to step down as the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "The time has come for Fauci to resign and for a full congressional investigation into the origins of #COVID19 - and into any and all efforts to prevent a full accounting."

"The public deserves to know if persons within the US govt tried to stop a full investigation into #COVID origins, as recently reported," the Republican Senator of Missouri said. "And Congress must also find out to what extent Fauci's NIAID was involved in financing research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology."

The public deserves to know if persons within the US govt tried to stop a full investigation into #COVID origins, a… https://t.co/oh4Wxcp8rU

— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) 1622814507.0

More than 3,200 pages of Fauci's emails were made public via a Freedom of Information Act request from BuzzFeed News and the Washington Post. There are numerous concerns regarding Fauci's emails, including his opposition to wearing face masks at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are also questions whether Fauci colluded with other top health officials to bury the theory that coronavirus was created in a lab and escaped.

Hawley is demanding a full congressional investigation into the origins of coronavirus. Fauci had been saying that the coronavirus naturally evolved, and dismissed the lab leak theory. But then in late May, Fauci reversed course and called for an investigation into COVID-19's origins and acknowledged the coronavirus pandemic was leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Fauci was asked if he still believed that coronavirus developed naturally, to which he responded, "No, I'm not convinced about that. I think that we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we find out to the best of our ability exactly what happened."

Others have called for an investigation into the origins of coronavirus, including 18 high-profile scientists who published a letter calling for an inquiry to "determine the origin of the pandemic," noting that "theories of accidental release from a lab and zoonotic spillover both remain viable."

"Knowing how COVID-19 emerged is critical for informing global strategies to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks," the scientists proclaimed.

There are also 209 House Republicans demanding a congressional investigation into the origin of coronavirus, and to see if the Chinese Communist Party attempted to cover it up. Minority Whip Steve Scalise (La.), the top Republican on the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) demanding a probe.

"We request that you instruct the appropriate Democrat committee chairs to immediately join Republican calls to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for its role in causing the global COVID-19 pandemic," the letter reads. "There is mounting evidence the pandemic started in a Chinese lab, and the CCP covered it up. If that is the case, the CCP is responsible for the deaths of almost 600,000 Americans and millions more worldwide."

Vanity Fair published a bombshell report this week following months of investigating, which found "conflicts of interest" including large U.S. government grants "supporting controversial virology research, known as 'gain-of-function.'" Vanity Fair investigative reporter Katherine Eban claimed the conflicts of interest "hampered" the investigation into the coronavirus origins by the United States government.

As far as Fauci being fired, the White House said he's going nowhere and called him "a renowned public servant."

White House press secretary Jen Psaki declared there was no circumstance under which President Joe Biden would fire Fauci, who is the president's chief medical adviser.

"He's overseen the management of multiple global health crises and attacks launched on him are certainly something we wouldn't stand by," Psaki said on Friday. "I understand there's interest in the emails. He's answered a lot of questions on the emails, I don't think I'm gonna have much more to add on them from here."

"The President and the administration feel that Dr. Fauci has played an incredible role in getting the pandemic under control, being a voice to the public throughout the course of this pandemic," Psaki said during Thursday's White House press briefing. "And, again, I would reiterate a lot of these emails are from 17 months ago or more, certainly predating this administration, but some time ago in — as we look to history."

Loews Hotels cancels Josh Hawley fundraiser after outcries by liberals, who labeled the senator a 'traitor'



Loews Hotels canceled a "fun-filled-family-friendly" fundraiser for Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) in Florida after outraged liberals labeled the Republican lawmaker a "traitor" and "domestic terrorist." The hotel chain, which is made up of 24 properties across the United States and Canada, buckled to Democrats demanding the event be canceled because of Hawley objecting to some of the electoral votes of President-elect Joe Biden.

"Please join Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) for a Fun-Filled-Family-Friendly Orlando Weekend Event," the flier read. The event was scheduled for Feb. 12 to 15, and had a price of $5,000 in contributions for a family, $3,000 for a couple, and $1,000 for an individual, according to the flier.

The fundraiser was organized by the political action committee Fighting for Missouri, which is affiliated with Hawley, who was set to be the featured guest.

Once liberals caught wind of the fundraiser for Hawley, they complained to Loews Hotels and petitioned to have the event canceled.

Daniel Uhlfelder, a liberal activist and lawyer best known for dressing up as the grim reaper to scare people on Florida beaches with coronavirus, posted the flyer for Hawley's fundraiser and demanded Loews Hotels cancel the event. Uhlfelder wrote on Twitter, "@Loews_Hotels. Why are you hosting weekend event for traitor @HawleyMO next month in Orlando, Florida."

Hey @Loews_Hotels. Why are you hosting weekend event for traitor @HawleyMO next month in Orlando, Florida https://t.co/rt5un3vaQc
— Daniel Uhlfelder (@Daniel Uhlfelder)1610753105.0

The Lincoln Project, a super PAC created by former Republicans with the mission of taking down President Donald Trump, encouraged their Twitter following of nearly 3 million to "Let @Loews_Hotels know we don't like businesses that work with traitors."

Lincoln Project cofounder and MSNBC contributor Steve Schmidt ranted, "@HawleyMO poisoned American democracy with his lies. He incited an attack on the US Capitol that included neo Nazis celebrating the murder of 6 million Jews. 6 people were killed and Hawley voted to throw out millions of Black votes. Now he wants to raise money off of it and @Loews_Hotels - providing @HawleyMO with a comfortable spot to spread his #NewJimCrow rhetoric probably isn't good for business. Loews Corp, what side are you on? Mr. Tisch? Day trip to Universal Studios. If @Loews_Hotels would welcome a gathering of the Klan, white supremacists, neo Nazis, extremist militias and insurrectionists then by all means they should host @HawleyMO. @ProjectLincoln looks forward to telling the story to America."

State Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat out of Orlando, tweeted, "Is @Loews_Hotels / @UniversalORL going to cancel this fundraiser being hosted by seditionist @HawleyMO in Orlando or are they going to just be chill with a treasonous politician who would rather see Democracy burn for his own political gain?"

Crime novelist and Democrat advocate Don Winslow wrote, "TWITTER... Please retweet @Loews_Hotels and let them know how you feel about this. 'A fun filled family friendly weekend' event with a domestic terrorist who incited a riot on the U.S. Capitol that killed 5, incl a police officer. Seriously. I will never stay at a Loews Hotel."

Rex Chapman, the former professional basketball player who now reposts viral videos on Twitter, tweeted, "Hey @Loews_Hotels. Why are you hosting weekend event for traitor @HawleyMO next month in Orlando, Florida? Pass it on if you feel it."

Loews Hotels fell to the pressure of the online outcries for cancellation, and scrapped Hawley's fundraiser.

"We are horrified and opposed to the events at the Capitol and all who supported and incited the actions," the hotel brand stated. "In light of those events and for the safety of our guests and team members, we have informed the host of the Feb. fundraiser that it will no longer be held at Loews Hotels."

We are horrified and opposed to the events at the Capitol and all who supported and incited the actions. In light o… https://t.co/Qo3HmmlW8V
— Loews Hotels (@Loews Hotels)1610821136.0

This is the second time this month that cancel culture efforts have been directed towards the pro-Trump Hawley. Simon & Schuster canceled Hawley's upcoming book "The Tyranny of Big Tech" because of "his role" in the storming of the U.S. Capitol building, which the publisher called a "dangerous threat to our democracy and freedom."

Hawley reacted to the cancellation by saying, "This could not be more Orwellian."

Last week, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) said the Senate should consider removing Hawley and fellow Republican lawmaker Sen.Ted Cruz (Texas).

"There's no way they cannot be complicit in this," Manchin said of the GOP senators who challenged the election results. "That they think they can walk away and say, 'I just exercised my right as a senator?' Especially after we came back here and after they saw what happened."

Josh Hawley is first US senator to say he will object to Electoral College certification



Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) on Wednesday became the first U.S. senator to declare his intention to object to the Electoral College certification on Jan. 6.

Hawley will object to the certification of the Electoral College votes from Pennsylvania and other states that he says failed to follow their own election laws. Hawley will also call for Congress to launch an investigation into allegations of voter fraud and other election irregularities made by President Donald Trump's campaign.

"Following both the 2004 and 2016 elections, Democrats in Congress objected during the certification of electoral votes in order to raise concerns about election integrity. They were praised by Democratic leadership and the media when they did. And they were entitled to do so. But now those of us concerned about the integrity of this election are entitled to do the same," Hawley said in a news statement.

He continued:

I cannot cote to certify the electoral college results on January 6 without raising the fact that some states, particularly Pennsylvania, failed to follow their own state election laws. And I cannot vote to certify without pointing out the unprecedented effort of mega corporations, including Facebook and Twitter, to interfere in this election, in support of Joe Biden. At the very least, Congress should investigate allegations of voter fraud and adopt measures to secure the integrity of our elections. But Congress has so far failed to act.

For these reasons, I will follow the same practice Democrat members of Congress have in years past and object during the certification process on January 6 to raise these critical issues.
Sen @HawleyMO is the 1st GOP senator to officially say he’ll object to the electoral college certification on Jan 6: https://t.co/HyWFniBpgc
— Frank Thorp V (@Frank Thorp V)1609343695.0

By officially announcing his intention to object to the certification of Electoral College votes, Hawley has all but assured that the process will be bogged down by debate in Congress and guaranteed that Republicans will face a tough vote on whether to accept the election results.

Several Republican members of the House of Representatives, led by Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), have already announced they will object when Congress moves to officially certify the Electoral College votes from several contested battleground states where the Trump campaign's legal team and its allies have made allegations of election irregularities. When Hawley joins these representatives in objecting, they will trigger several hours of debate in a joint session of Congress in the House chamber.

At the end of the debate, the House and Senate will vote on whether to accept the results from Pennsylvania and other disputed states, forcing several GOP senators to choose between supporting President Trump's unproved claims of voter fraud or respecting the certified election results of these states.

Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson blocks new $1,200 stimulus checks, argues for more 'targeted' coronavirus relief



Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) on Friday blocked an effort by Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to pass a new round of $1,200 stimulus checks to Americans, arguing for more "targeted" relief to help Americans struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.

Hawley and Sanders had asked for the unanimous consent of the Senate to pass a bill providing another one-time payment of $1,200 to individuals earning less than $75,000, using the CARES Act stimulus bill Congress passed in March as a model for their legislation. Johnson supported that effort in March, but now says Congress cannot ignore the growing national debt and should work harder to ensure stimulus money has its intended effect.

Acknowledging the need for Congress to provide financial support to businesses and families in need "through no fault of their own," Johnson criticized the "shogun approach" of the proposed relief package and called for more "targeted" relief.

"One of the reasons we are $27.4 trillion in debt is we only speak about need, we only talk in terms of compassion — we all have compassion, we all want to fulfill those needs — we don't talk in numbers very often. We don't analyze the data. We don't take a look at what we did in the past and see, did it work? Or didn't it work?" Johnson said on the Senate floor.

"We will not have learned the lessons from our very hurried, very rushed, very massive, earlier relief packages. We're just going to do more of the same, another trillion dollars. It takes our debt from $27.4 trillion to $28.4 trillion in a couple months. With doing virtually no revisions, no improvements," he warned.

Sen. Ron Johnson: "One of the reasons we are currently $27.4 trillion in debt is we only speak about need, we only… https://t.co/ltAe1EeHhO
— The Hill (@The Hill)1608318697.0

The current stimulus package being considered by the Senate would cost about $900 billion, Axios reported. Johnson raised concerns about how Congress is "mortgaging our children's future."

He noted that the last round of "economic impact payments" to Americans cost about $275 billion and sent checks to 115 million households at a time when 25 million people were unemployed.

"That was about 4.5 [times] more households than the number of jobs lost," Johnson said, going on to explain that the Hawley-Sanders bill would provide payments to a number of households 12.6 times greater than the 9 million Americans currently unemployed.

"I think it's important to ask, well, how was that money spent? Was it really spent on essentials? Was this money really needed? Was there any hope of actually that money being stimulative to our economy?" Johnson asked.

He cited a study conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York issued on Oct. 13, 2020, that surveyed American households and found that only 18% of the stimulus check funds was spent on essential items, 8% was spent on nonessential items, and 3% was donated for a total of 29%, which the study called the "marginal propensity to consume."

Most households, Johnson said, either saved the stimulus money or used it to pay off debt. The survey also asked respondents what they would do with another $1,500 check and only about 24% would spend or donate the money while the remaining 76% would use the funds for savings or debt repayment.

"I don't think you can take a look at these direct payments to individuals as stimulative," Johnson argued. "Obviously, 18%-24% is spent on essential items. We ought to figure out how to provide that money so people can spend it on essentials."

After Johnson concluded speaking, Hawley rose to respond, saying, "Nothing could be more targeted, no relief could be more important than relief for working people."

"What I'm proposing is what every senator has supported already," Hawley continued. "What I'm proposing will give working folks in my state and across the country a shot … at getting back up on their feet."

Sen. @HawleyMO responds to @SenRonJohnson objecting to his unanimous consent for $1,200 stimulus checks:"Working… https://t.co/eyShKrazpj
— Daily Caller (@Daily Caller)1608313267.0

This debate over direct stimulus payments is occurring under the backdrop of a potential government shutdown that will happen if Congress does not pass new spending legislation before midnight. Democrats and Republicans are negotiating on a continuing resolution to keep the government open, with the central conflict between the parties being what additional coronavirus relief should look like. One compromise currently under consideration is smaller $600 direct payments, half of what Hawley and Sanders have proposed, in addition to small business funding and an extended $300 federal unemployment benefit.

The Daily Caller reported that after Hawley finished speaking, he walked out of the Senate chamber and told reporters he would not allow a government funding bill to pass until he's assured there are direct payments to Americans included.

"I'm not going to allow a [continuing resolution] to go through until I know what's actually in the package," Hawley said. "It'd better include direct assistance at a substantial level."