Tag Archives: election 2016

Biden Criticizes ‘Biden Rule’ Used by McConnell On Supreme Court Nomination

Mar 25, 2016 Rachel Blevins Leave a comment

Vice President Joe Biden criticized Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for using a speech he made in 1992 to justify waiting to confirm the next Supreme Court nominee until after President Obama is out of office.

In a speech at Georgetown Law School on Thursday, Biden touted his record, saying that he was “responsible for eight justices and nine total nominees,” which he claimed is more than “anyone alive.”

“There is no Biden rule. It doesn’t exist,” Biden said. “There is only one rule I ever followed in the Judiciary Committee. That was the Constitution’s clear rule of advice and consent.”

Biden referenced a speech McConnell made on the Senate floor on March 16, in which he claimed that he was invoking the “Biden Rule,” and quoted Biden’s words from 1992, to counter filling the vacancy left by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.

“As Chairman Grassley and I declared weeks ago, and reiterated personally to President Obama, the Senate will continue to observe the Biden Rule so that the American people have a voice in this momentous decision,” McConnell said.

The speech that created the “Biden Rule” referenced by McConnell was one Biden made on the Senate floor on June 25, 1992, when he was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and George H. W. Bush was president.

“Given the unusual rancor that prevailed in the [Clarence] Thomas nomination, the need for some serious reevaluation of the nomination and confirmation process, and the overall level of bitterness that sadly infects our political system and this presidential campaign already, it is my view that the prospects for anything but conflagration with respect to a Supreme Court nomination this year are remote at best,” Biden said.

Politifact noted that at the time of Biden’s speech, there was no Supreme Court vacancy to fill and no nominee to consider. However, Biden took to the Senate floor to “urge delay if a vacancy did appear,” and rather than arguing for a delay until the next president was in office, he argued that the nomination process should be “put off until after the election, which was on Nov. 3, 1992.”

“They completely ignore the fact at the time I was speaking of the time of the dangers of nominating an extreme candidate without proper senate consultation,” Biden said on Thursday. “I made it absolutely clear I would go forward with the confirmation process as chairman, even a few months ahead of a presidential election.”

Follow Rachel Blevins on Facebook and Twitter.

Election

IVN: How Many People Actually Voted for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton? Not Many

Mar 22, 2016 IVN News Leave a comment

We’ve heard media pundits call it, “democracy in action.” Millions of voters have cast a ballot in the first round of the presidential election with many Republican and Democratic contests still to come. The media has talked about record-breaking numbers showing up to polling locations in droves, but what does that actually mean?

IVN independent author Gabriel Saint Cyr reported recently that both Republicans and Democrats have seen primary/caucus turnout that rivals the 2008 presidential election. The Democrats’ turnout of 11.7 percent of eligible voters nationally is the second highest turnout in nearly a quarter of a century. The Republicans are seeing their biggest turnout in modern U.S. history — a whopping 17.3 percent of the eligible voting population.

Media pundits call this democracy in action, yet this means that the number of voters (percent) in many states who are deciding which two major party candidates are guaranteed a spot on the general election ballot in all 50 states is in the single digits. The electability of Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and John Kasich are being decided by only a handful of voters.

The data below was compiled from various secretary of state and board of elections websites and shows the stark reality of what winning a presidential primary or caucus actually means. The calculations, drawn from election results and voter registration statistics, show how big victories were won by less than 10 percent of the registered voting population in many states — a number that would be even smaller when looking at the entire voting age population.

It is information not often shared in the mass media, but readers can decide for themselves, is this really democracy in action?

Democratic Presidential Contest
Create your own infographics

Republican Presidential Race
Create your own infographics

This article, written by Athena Gavranian, was republished with permission from IVN.

Election, Featured, Police Accountability

Five Deputies Disciplined After Video Reveals Inaction During Assault at Trump Rally

Video Mar 17, 2016 Rachel Blevins Leave a comment

Five North Carolina sheriff’s deputies have been disciplined after video footage of their conduct at a Donald Trump campaign rally showed that they ignored one of the attendees who punched a protester they were escorting out of the rally.

John Franklin McGraw, 78, was arrested on March 10 and charged with assault and disorderly conduct after he punched Rakeem Jones, 26, in the face while Jones was being escorted out of a Trump rally on March 9.

While video footage of McGraw’s actions showed his assault on Jones, it also showed that the deputies escorting Jones out of the event did nothing to reprimand McGraw at the time.

Jones told NBC affiliate WRAL that he thought he was being arrested after he was punched, and he was surprised to see that McGraw returned to his seat.

“I thought I was being arrested, to be honest,” Jones said. “I saw, later on, that [McGraw] went back to his seat so I am trying to figure out why was he able to go back to his seat.”

After the end of the rally, McGraw told Inside Edition that his favorite part of the rally was “knocking the hell out of that big mouth.”

“Yes, he deserved it,” McGraw said. “The next time we see him, we might have to kill him. We don’t know who he is. He might be with a terrorist organization.”

Sheriff Earl Butler of Cumberland County, North Carolina, released a statement on Facebook confirming that two deputies were suspended for a period of three days, and three deputies were suspended for a period of five days and demoted in rank, following a Donald Trump rally at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville on March 9.

[pull_quote_center]Three deputies were demoted in rank, and they were suspended for a period of five days each without pay for unsatisfactory performance and failing to discharge the duties and policies of the Office of Sheriff. Two other deputies were suspended for a period of three days without pay for unsatisfactory performance and the failure to discharge their duties.[/pull_quote_center]

Butler wrote that in the past, the deputies “have been vigilant, and have shown great bravery and fortitude,” including in July 2014, when some of the deputies in question encountered Andrew Michaelis, “who was on a deadly shooting spree, killing his father-in-law and nephew and assaulting deputies with an assault rifle in Cumberland County.”

[pull_quote_center]I have taken into account the past bravery and exemplary conduct, including the life-saving and other actions of these deputies in assessing the discipline, and in imposing the sanctions. We regret that any of the circumstances at the Trump rally occurred, and we regret that we have had to investigate all of these matters. Yet, it is our duty and responsibility to do justice, and to carefully examine not only the actions of others, but our own actions to ensure that the law and our policies are justly and fairly enforced based in principle and without other influences.[/pull_quote_center]

During an interview with Chuck Todd on Meet The Press on Sunday, Trump said he does not condone violence. When asked if he would consider paying McGraw’s legal fees, he said, “I’ve actually instructed my people to look into it, yes.”

When asked a similar question by George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s Good Morning America on Tuesday, Trump said, “I didn’t say I would pay for his fees.”

“Nobody has asked me for fees and I haven’t even seen it so I never said I was going to pay for fees,” Trump insisted.

During a rally in Iowa in February, Trump said, “If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously. I will pay for the legal fees. I promise, I promise. They won’t be so much because the courts agree with us too.”

For more election coverage, click here.

Follow Rachel Blevins on Facebook and Twitter.

Election, Featured, Politics

GOP Debate: Trump Calls on Republican Party to ‘Be Smart and Unify’

Mar 11, 2016 Rachel Blevins Leave a comment

While previous GOP debates have been highlighted by insults and crude comments from Donald Trump, Thursday’s debate proved to be a more subdued event as the frontrunner called for unity within the Republican Party.

In his opening statement, Trump noted the record turnout of voters thus far in the GOP primaries, calling it one of the “biggest political events anywhere in the world.”

[pull_quote_center]One of the biggest political events anywhere in the world is happening right now with the Republican Party. Millions and millions of people are going out to the polls and they’re voting. They’re voting out of enthusiasm. They’re voting out of love. Some of these people, frankly, have never voted before—50 years old, 60 years old, 70 years old—never voted before.[/pull_quote_center]

Trump claimed that voters are turning to the Republican Party, and he said he thinks the Republican establishment “should embrace what’s happening.”

[pull_quote_center]We’re taking people from the Democrat Party. We’re taking people as independents, and they’re all coming out and the whole world is talking about it. It’s very exciting. I think, frankly, the Republican establishment, or whatever you want to call it, should embrace what’s happening. We’re having millions of extra people join. We are going to beat the Democrats. We are going to beat Hillary or whoever it may be. And we’re going to beat them soundly.[/pull_quote_center]

According to reports from the Washington Times, Republican voter turnout broke records in New Hampshire with “nearly 285,000 voters to the polls, which was 15 percent more than in 2012, and just shy of the all-time record of 287,000 voters that Democrats drew in their marquee 2008 battle.” and in South Carolina, with “more than 737,000 votes,” which is “more than 20 percent higher than 2012.” Trump was declared the winner in both states.

Following Super Tuesday on March 1, the Washington Post reported that over “1 million more people have voted in Republican primaries than Democratic ones” and that Democratic turnout has fallen since the last contested nomination in 2008, while it has risen for Republicans since 2012.

Although there have been reports of GOP elites preparing for a contested convention if Trump does not receive the 1,237 delegates needed to qualify for the Republican nomination, Trump said at Thursday’s debate that he thinks the GOP should seize the opportunity to “embrace millions of people” he is bringing to the Republican Party.

[pull_quote_center]The Republican Party has a great chance to embrace millions of people that it’s never known before. They’re coming by the millions. We should seize that opportunity. These are great people. These are fantastic people. These are people that love our country. These are people that want to see America be great again.[/pull_quote_center]

“So I just say embrace these millions of people that now for the first time ever love the Republican Party,” Trump concluded. “And unify. Be smart and unify.”

For more election coverage, click here.

Follow Rachel Blevins on Facebook and Twitter.

Election, Featured, Politics

GOP Establishment Reportedly Considering Contested Convention to Counter Trump Win

Mar 8, 2016 Rachel Blevins Leave a comment

Current primary results have reportedly led GOP leaders to consider a contested convention if Donald Trump falls short of the 1,237 delegates needed to qualify for the nomination.

According to a report from the Washington Post, recent gatherings of the Republican Governors Association and various conservative financiers have led to the “consensus that Trump is vulnerable and that a continued blitz of attacks could puncture the billionaire mogul’s support and leave him limping onto the convention floor.”

A contested convention occurs when “no single candidate has secured a majority of the delegates ahead of the party convention” which is in July, and as a result, the party’s nominee is “chosen by the delegates who come to the convention, on a series of one or more ballots.”

Out of the 2,472 available delegates in the GOP, Donald Trump currently has 384, Ted Cruz has 300, Marco Rubio has 151, and John Kasich has 37. Primaries will be held in Hawaii, Idaho, Michigan and Mississippi on Tuesday, which will determine the direction of 150 of the remaining 1,585 delegates.

The Post’s report noted that the strategy of pushing for a contested convention is “risky and hinges on Trump losing Florida, Illinois and Ohio on March 15,” which has led some party figures to believe that “any stop-Trump efforts could prove futile.”

According to the report, the movement to stop Trump is led by the super PAC Our Principles PAC, which has devoted “more than $3 million in television advertisements, plus direct-mail pieces, digital ads, phone banking and emails — all designed to sow doubts about Trump’s character, convictions and fitness for office,” just in the state of Florida.

As previously reported, GOP officials were discussing the possibility of a contested convention in December, when more than 20 members of the Republican National Committee attended a dinner held by Chairman Reince Priebus.

Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, 2012 GOP Nominee Mitt Romney said he does not plan on running, but that if the GOP were to reach a contested convention, he wouldn’t rule out becoming the party’s nominee if he received the support.

“I don’t think anyone in our party should say, ‘Oh no, even if the people of the party wanted me to be president, I would say no to it.’ No one is going to say that,” Romney said. “But I can tell you this, I’m not a candidate, I’m not going to be a candidate, I’m going to be endorsing one of the people who’s running for president.”

During a phone interview on Fox’s “Fox and Friends” on Tuesday morning, Trump said he is bothered by the possibility of a contested convention, and he thinks, “It’s really not fair.”

“I think that whoever is leading at the end should sort of get it,” Trump said. “That’s the way that democracy works. I don’t know that that’s going to happen. But I’ll tell you, there are going to be a lot of people that will be very upset if that doesn’t happen.”

For more election coverage, click here.

Follow Rachel Blevins on Facebook and Twitter.

Election, Politics

Exclusive: LP Candidate Austin Petersen Responds to Colorado Debate Exclusion

Mar 8, 2016 Joshua Cook Leave a comment

According the Libertarian Party of Colorado (LPCO), the board made a decision in February not to formally invite LP candidate Austin Petersen to its debate this weekend because of philosophical differences.

The LPCO posted in a statement on its Facebook page:

“Candidate for the Libertarian Party Presidential nomination Austin Wade Petersen has openly repudiated the non-aggression principle as stated specifically within the Statement of Principles and declared this principle to be ‘non-libertarian’ and intellectually bankrupt using various insults and thus has clearly illustrated that he is philosophically opposed to essential first-principles of the Libertarian Party which the Colorado governing documents hold in primacy as the minimal bar by which everything is measured.”

According to A Libertarian Future, two resolutions were approved by the LPCO board. The first resolution was not to invite Petersen and the second one barred any executive board members from contacting Petersen prior to the debate.

Cook asked Petersen to give his thoughts on the board’s decision.

“It’s one thing to not invite someone but its another to do it in such away as to gag one another and that shows me that they are authoritarians,” said Petersen.

Petersen stressed the point that there maybe broader consequences on the board’s decision regarding the LP’s current lawsuit fighting to be included in the general election televised debates (see lawsuit here).

Petersen stated on his Facebook page:

“The Libertarian Party is suing to get into the national debates, saying the DNC and the GOP are being exclusionary. And now the government can look at the actions of the LP of Colorado and say, ‘hey, even the Libertarian Party excludes their own candidates.'”

Nathan Grabau state Chairman of LPCO told Cook: “The motions that were passed at our February board meeting did not bar Austin Petersen from participating in our debate. Austin Petersen will be allowed to participate in our debate if he shows up.”

Update: Petersen told Cook he plans to attend the LPCO debate.

Election, Featured, Interviews

TIM’s Joshua Cook Talks Trump and Sanders on RT’s ‘In The Now’

Video Mar 7, 2016 Joshua Cook Leave a comment

Truth in Media’s Joshua Cook discussed with RT’s Anissa Naouai his thoughts on the rise of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders in the U.S. “It’s not who they are voting for, it’s who they are voting against,” said Cook.

Cook added, “They are voting against the establishment elite, the ruling class, and they rejected, in Trump’s case, what the Republican Party actually represents. Voters are rejecting America’s foreign policy, the big banks, corporations and unfair trade deals. Trump has tapped into that anger.”

Cook believes there is a major paradigm shift happening in American politics right now. Watch the entire interview above, which starts at the 2:30 mark.

Election, Featured, Foreign Policy, Hot

Trump Calls for Laws Allowing Expansion of Torture ‘To Beat ISIS’

Mar 7, 2016 Rachel Blevins Leave a comment

After he was criticized for claiming that he could force the United States military to break the current law banning torture methods like waterboarding, Donald Trump backtracked his comments and said instead that he would like to change the laws to include waterboarding “at a minimum.”

Trump has been vocal in the past regarding the issue of how to deal with suspected terrorists, and in December he said that not only should the U.S. target terrorists, but also their families.

“The other thing with the terrorists is you have to take out their families, when you get these terrorists, you have to take out their families,” Trump said. “They care about their lives, don’t kid yourself. When they say they don’t care about their lives, you have to take out their families.”

Trump has also voiced support for bringing back waterboarding. In November, he said, “I think waterboarding is peanuts compared to what they do to us.”

When asked about his stance on waterboarding at a GOP debate in February, Trump said he would “bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding,” because in the Middle East, “we have people chopping the heads off Christians, we have people chopping the heads off many other people.”

In response to Trump’s comments, former NSA and CIA Director Michael Hayden said that Trump’s plans to target the families of terrorists, and to bring back “enhanced interrogation techniques” that are “worse than waterboarding,” would result in the American armed forces refusing to act.

“[U.S. military personnel] are not required — in fact you are required not to follow an unlawful order,” Hayden said. “That would be in violation of all the international laws of armed conflict.”

During a GOP debate Thursday, Fox News Host Bret Baier asked Trump what he would do if the military “refused to carry out” his orders.

“They won’t refuse,” Trump replied. “They’re not going to refuse me. Believe me.”

“But they’re illegal,” Baier said.

Trump said he wants to bring back waterboarding because members of ISIS are “chopping off the heads of Christians” and “drowning people in steel cages.” He also said he justifies targeting the families of terrorists, because in the case of the terrorists hijacking airplanes on 9/11, their families “knew what was happening.”

When Baier questioned Trump’s suggestion to “target” the families of terrorists, Trump responded, “I’m a leader. I’m a leader. I’ve always been a leader. I’ve never had any problem leading people. If I say do it, they’re going to do it. That’s what leadership is all about.”

Trump then released a statement to The Wall Street Journal on Friday claiming that he “will not order our military or other officials to violate those laws.”

[pull_quote_center]I will use every legal power that I have to stop these terrorist enemies. I do, however, understand that the United States is bound by laws and treaties and I will not order our military or other officials to violate those laws and will seek their advice on such matters. I will not order a military officer to disobey the law. It is clear that as president I will be bound by laws just like all Americans and I will meet those responsibilities.[/pull_quote_center]

On an appearance on CBS’ Face the Nation, which aired Sunday, host John Dickerson asked Trump what made him change his position on the issue.

Trump claimed he wasn’t asked about “violating laws,” and said that because the U.S. has “an enemy that doesn’t play by the laws,” that enemy is “laughing at us right now.”

“I would like to strengthen the laws so that we can better compete,” Trump said. “It’s very tough to beat enemies that don’t have any restrictions, all right? We have these massive restrictions.”

Dickerson questioned how Trump would go about expanding the law, and Trump said he wants waterboarding to be allowed “at a minimum.”

“I happen to think that when you’re fighting an enemy that chops off heads, I happen to think that we should use something that is stronger than we have right now,” Trump said. “Right now, basically water-boarding is essentially not allowed, as I understand it.”

When asked why waterboarding has been banned, Trump said he believes it is because the U.S. is weak. “I think we have become very weak and ineffective,” he explained. “I think that’s why we’re not beating ISIS. It’s that mentality.”

[pull_quote_center]I think we’re weak. We cannot beat ISIS. We should beat ISIS very quickly. General Patton would have had ISIS down in about three days. General Douglas MacArthur — we are playing by a different set of rules. We are — let me just put it differently. When the ISIS people chop off the heads, and then they go back to their homes and they talk, and they hear we’re talking about water-boarding like it’s the worst thing in the world, and they just drowned a hundred people and chopped off 50 heads, they must think we are a little bit on the weak side.[/pull_quote_center]

Trump claimed that he wants to bring back waterboarding because while the U.S. is “playing by rules,” ISIS has no rules.

Dickerson questioned whether the current rules were what “separates us from the savages.”

Trump insisted that “we have to beat the savages,” and he said that could only be done if the U.S. will “play the game the way they’re playing the game.”

[pull_quote_center]Look, you have to play the game the way they’re playing the game. You’re not going to win if we are soft, and they are — they have no rules. Now, I want to stay within the laws. I want to do all of that. But I think we have to increase the laws, because the laws are not working, obviously. All you have to do is take a look what is going on. And they’re getting worse. They’re chopping, chopping, chopping, and we’re worried about waterboarding. I think our priorities are mixed up.[/pull_quote_center]

For more election coverage, click here.

Follow Rachel Blevins on Facebook and Twitter.

Election, Featured, Politics

LIVE UPDATE: ‘Super Saturday’ Primary Results

Mar 5, 2016 Joshua Cook Leave a comment

Update 3/5 6:15 pm est: Politico is reporting that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is the winner of Kansas with 50.6% of the vote. Donald Trump was second with 24.6% of the vote, and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) was third with 16.7%.

Kansas: Republican, 97.2% reported. Delegates Allocated: 23/40

In Maine, Cruz is leading with 48%. Trump is at 35%.

Update 3/5 7:07 pm est: In Maine, Cruz is leading at 43%. Trump is at 36.6%.

Update 3/5 7:31 pm est: In Kentucky. Republican, 3% reported. Delegates Allocated: 0/46

So far, Trump has 42.5% of the vote. Cruz (R-TX) is second with 33.5% of the vote, and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is third with 12.9%.

Update 3/5 7:31 pm est: In Maine. Republican, 9.1% reported. Delegates Allocated: 0/23.

So far, Cruz (R-TX) is leading at 43% of the vote. Trump is second with 36.6% of the vote, and John Kasich (R-Ohio.) is third with 11.1%.

Update 3/5 8:02 pm est: Polls closed in Kentucky, Maine and Kansas.

Update 3/5 9:02 pm est: FoxNews is reporting that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is the winner of Maine with 45.9% of the vote. Donald Trump was second with 32.6% of the vote, and John Kasich (R-Ohio.) is third with 12.2%.

Update 3/5 9:07 pm est: FoxNews is reporting that Bernie Sanders (D-VT) is the winner of Nebraska with 54.8% of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) with 45.2% of the vote.

Update 3/5 9:12 pm est: FoxNews is reporting that Donald Trump (R) is leading in Louisiana with 46% of the vote. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is 24% and Marco Rubia (R-FL) is third with 20%.

Update 3/5 9:24 pm est: Hillary Clinton (D) has won the Louisiana Democratic primary, according to a CNN projection. Clinton with 70.7% of the vote. Sanders with 21.7% of the vote.

Update 3/5 9:24 pm est: Bernie Sanders (D-VT) is the winner of Kansas.

Update 3/5 9:35 pm est: FoxNews reports Donald Trump (R) wins Louisiana. Donald Trump (R) 47.7%, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is 23.5% and Marco Rubia (R-FL) is third with 19.3%.

Update 3/5 9:36 pm est: In Kentucky Donald Trump (R) wins 35.9% of the vote. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is second with 31.6% of the vote, and Marco Rubio (R-FL) is third with 16.4% Politico reports.

For more election coverage, click here.

Follow Joshua Cook on Facebook and Twitter.

Election, Politics

GOP Candidates Call Snowden a ‘Traitor,’ U.S. Has Yet to Charge Him with Treason

Mar 4, 2016 Rachel Blevins Leave a comment

While the remaining GOP candidates have spoken out against National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, calling him a “traitor,” the United States government has yet to formally charge him with treason.

Federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against the former NSA contractor in June 2013, after he leaked a collection of mass surveillance documents which revealed to the public that the NSA was collecting the phone records of American citizens.

The complaint stated that Snowden is facing a charge of “theft of government property,” along with charges of “unauthorized communication of national defense information” and “willful communication of classified communications intelligence information to an unauthorized person,” which were both brought under the Espionage Act of 1917.

However, Snowden is not facing charges of treason. Article 3, Section 3 of the Constitution defines “treason” as:

[pull_quote_center]Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court. The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.[/pull_quote_center]

The Washington Post noted that under this definition, the U.S. government would have to “demonstrate that Snowden was actively trying to provide aid and comfort to a specific entity, such as al-Qaeda, with which the U.S. is at war,” and it would have to find two witnesses who “observed Snowden leaking the information.”

Despite the fact that Snowden is not facing treason charges, the remaining GOP candidates have openly called him a “traitor.”

During the GOP Debate hosted by Fox News Thursday night, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was asked why he did not immediately condemn Snowden when the documents were leaked in 2013.

“You were open to the possibility that Edward Snowden had performed a considerable public service, you said back then, in revealing certain aspects of the NSA procedures,” Fox News host Bret Bair said. “Many of your colleagues in the Senate, including Senator Rubio, called him a traitor. It took you until January of this year to call him a traitor and say he should be tried for treason.Why the change of heart? And why did it take you so long?”

Cruz insisted that when the leaks were first reported, it was unclear whether Snowden had committed treason, and he said that since then it has become clear that Snowden’s leaks provided “aid and comfort to the enemies of America,” by making it “easier for terrorists to avoid detection.”

[pull_quote_center]When the news first broke of the United States government engaging in massive surveillance on American citizens, that was a very troubling development, and it’s why the United States Congress acted to correct it. Now, at the same time, I said in that initial statement that if the evidence indicated that Edward Snowden violated the law, he should be prosecuted for violating the law. And, indeed, since then, the evidence is clear that not only does Snowden violate the law, but it appears he committed treason. Treason is defined under the Constitution as giving aid and comfort to the enemies of America, and what Snowden did made it easier for terrorists to avoid detection.[/pull_quote_center]

Business mogul Donald Trump chimed in and said Snowden was a “spy and we should get him back,” insisting that because Russia granted asylum to Snowden, it shows a lack of respect for the U.S. This follows previous comments in July 2013 when Trump called Snowden a “terrible traitor,” and alluded to the idea that he should be killed.

During a campaign forum in August 2015, Ohio Gov. John Kasich called Snowden a “traitor” for releasing classified information.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has called Snowden a “traitor” on multiple occasions, claiming in Nov. 2013 that the “intelligence programs” used by the NSA were necessary, and should not be deterred by the “conspiracy theories sparked by Edward Snowden.”

“We must respond to the valid concerns of Americans, who are alarmed by reports regarding their civil liberties,” Rubio said. “But we must also distinguish these reasonable concerns from conspiracy theories sparked by Edward Snowden. This man is a traitor who has sought assistance and refuge from some of the world’s most notorious violators of liberty and human rights.”

For more election coverage, click here.

Follow Rachel Blevins on Facebook and Twitter.

Featured, Government Accountability, Technology

DoJ Grants Immunity to Clinton Staffer Behind Private Email Setup

Mar 3, 2016 Rachel Blevins Leave a comment

A Hillary Clinton staffer, who set up the private email account Clinton used for government business during her tenure as Secretary of State, has reportedly been granted immunity by the United States Department of Justice in exchange for his testimony.

Bryan Pagliano, a staff member of Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign who set up the private email server at Clinton’s home in New York in 2009, agreed to testify after months of reported negotiations with the FBI.

When asked to testify in front of the Benghazi committee, Pagliano initially said in September that he would invoke his Fifth Amendment right due to the fact that what he said could incriminate him in the ongoing federal investigation into Clinton’s email setup.

Following the announcement about Pagliano’s testimony, Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon said the campaign is “pleased” Pagliano has agreed to testify before prosecutors.

FBI Director James Comey said Tuesday during a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee that while he can’t provide specific details about the investigation, he can confirm that he is “very close personally to that investigation to ensure that we have the resources we need.”

“As you know we don’t talk about our investigations,” Comey said. “What I can assure you is that I am very close personally to that investigation to ensure that we have the resources we need, including people and technology, and that it’s done the way the FBI tries to do all of it’s work: independently, competently and promptly.”

The Washington Post noted that there is “no indication that prosecutors have convened a grand jury in the email investigation to subpoena testimony or documents, which would require the participation of a U.S. attorney’s office.”

It was not until February that the FBI acknowledged the fact that it was conducting a criminal investigation into Clinton’s email setup to determine if she compromised national security by sending and receiving classified information on an unsecured network.

Election, Featured, Politics

Carson: No ‘Political Path Forward’

Mar 2, 2016 Joshua Cook Leave a comment

Retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson told his supporters on Wednesday that he does “not see a political path forward.” Though he did not formally suspend his campaign, he announced that he will not be attending the Republican debate on Thursday.

Carson wrote in a Facebook post:

“I have decided not to attend the Fox News GOP Presidential Debate tomorrow night in Detroit. Even though I will not be in my hometown of Detroit on Thursday, I remain deeply committed to my home nation, America. I do not see a political path forward in light of last evening’s Super Tuesday primary results. However, this grassroots movement on behalf of ‘We the People’ will continue. Along with millions of patriots who have supported my campaign for President, I remain committed to Saving America for Future Generations. We must not depart from our goals to restore what God and our Founders intended for this exceptional nation.

I appreciate the support, financial and otherwise, from all corners of America. Gratefully, my campaign decisions are not constrained by finances; rather by what is in the best interests of the American people.

I will discuss more about the future of this movement during my speech on Friday at CPAC in Washington, D.C.

– Ben”

According to The Daily Caller, Carson will not likely run for an open seat in the Florida Senate as previously suggested briefly by Politico.

Dr. Carson rose to political fame in 2013 after criticizing policies of President Barack Obama while Obama sat a few feet away during a speech he gave at the National Prayer Breakfast. In November, Carson rose to the top of the political polls and his message of being an “outsider” seemed to resonate with voters.

Dr. Carson made some controversial statements during his campaign, and began to lose voter support following a growing perception of being “low energy.”

Dr. Carson has a scheduled speech at CPAC this year and will be giving details to his supporters about the future plans of his “grassroots movement.”

In a below-embedded Reality Check segment from November 2015, Ben Swann discussed media reports that cast Carson in a negative light, including articles from CNN and Politico that challenged the credibility of statements made by Carson.

Reality Check: Is Ben Carson The Latest Victim Of Flawed Media…

Dr. Ben Carson has been clobbered by the media over past few days about statements he made years ago in a book about his life… but is it the media that needs to get their stories straight?

Posted by Ben Swann on Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Election, Featured, Foreign Policy, Hot

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard Quits DNC to Endorse Bernie Sanders

Feb 29, 2016 Rachel Blevins Leave a comment

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) announced Sunday that she is stepping down from her position as a vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee and endorsing presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

Gabbard appeared on NBC’s Meet The Press Sunday morning, where host Chuck Todd noted that she “has been at odds with her boss, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, for months over the Democratic presidential debate schedule.”

Gabbard replied and said she is resigning from the DNC altogether in order to endorse Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) over Hillary Clinton. She listed her experience as an Iraq War veteran as one of the main reasons, and said she has seen firsthand “the true cost of war.”

[pull_quote_center]Well first of all, I am resigning from the DNC so that I can support Bernie Sanders for president, and I’d like to tell you why. As a veteran and as a soldier I’ve seen firsthand the true cost of war. I served in a medical unit during my first deployment where every single day I saw firsthand the very high human cost of that war. I see it in my friends who now a decade after we’ve come home are still struggling to get out of a black hole.[/pull_quote_center]

Gabbard said she wants to support a president who “exercises good judgment,” and who “looks beyond the consequences” in order to end the chaos in the Middle East.

[pull_quote_center]I think it’s most important for us as we look at our choices as to who our next commander-in-chief will be is to recognize the necessity to have a commander-in-chief who has foresight, who exercises good judgment, who looks beyond the consequences. Who looks at the consequences of the actions they are willing to take before they take those actions so that we don’t continue to find ourselves in these failures that have resulted in chaos in the Middle East and so much loss of life.[/pull_quote_center]

Sanders condemned the U.S. overthrowing Saddam Hussein and creating a political vacuum that led to the rise of “groups like ISIS” during a presidential Democratic debate in January. He also said that while our first priority is destroying ISIS, our second priority “must be getting rid of Assad.”

Todd said that Gabbard has said that the next president needs to have a “military mindset,” and he questioned whether she thinks Sanders has that mindset.

Gabbard said she believes Sanders, who has been critical of the Iraq War, does have a “military mindset” in the sense that he would “go through an analysis process” when choosing to use or not to use “military power.”

[pull_quote_center]That military mindset says you have foresight. You look at what are the results? What are the consequences of these actions? How will other actors in the area react to those actions? What will we then do? And you look and continue down the line so you know exactly what you’re potentially getting yourself into before you make that decision that ends up costing us lives and treasure.[/pull_quote_center]

Gabbard has also been critical of the debate schedule set up by the DNC, and in October she claimed she was disinvited from a Democratic presidential debate for openly criticizing the limited schedule during an appearance on MSNBC.

“More and more people on the ground from states across the country are calling for more debates, are wanting to have this transparency and this greater engagement in our democratic process,” Gabbard said during the interview. “We’ve gotta have more opportunity for people to present their vision for our country, their plans and to be held accountable for the positions that they’re taking and the path they’d like to take our country on.”

On Monday, Gabbard appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe and said that her resignation “had nothing to do with the DNC or DNC politics.”

“This had everything to do with my decision that I could no longer stand on the sidelines as elections are taking place to determine who our potential next commander in chief could be,” Gabbard said.

She added, “There’s a very clear contrast and clear difference when it comes to our two Democratic candidates and who will exercise good judgment, who will stop us from continuing these interventionist regime change wars that we’ve seen in Iraq and Libya and now in Syria that have cost our country so much in terms of American lives, trillions and trillions of dollars, what to speak of the hundreds of thousands of lives in the Middle East that have been lost to this and the impact on our economy here at home. Bernie Sanders is that candidate who will not take us, service members and our country, into these interventionist wars.”

In a January Reality Check following the Jan. 17 Democratic presidential debate, Ben Swann discussed comments made by both Sanders and Clinton regarding America’s Middle East policy, noting that it was “surprising” that Sanders expressed support for removing Bashar al-Assad.

Reality Check: Sanders and Clinton Would Make Same Mistake On …

Sen. Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton debated Sunday about policy for moving forward in the middle east. But did BOTH candidates advocate a policy that is really just a step backward into the same policies of Presidents Bush and Obama?Learn more here: http://bit.ly/sanders-clinton-middle-east

Posted by Ben Swann on Tuesday, January 19, 2016

For more election coverage, click here.

Follow Rachel Blevins on Facebook and Twitter.

Election, Featured, Politics

Video: Bill Clinton Confronted at Campaign Rally Over Benghazi

Video Feb 27, 2016 Annabelle Bamforth Leave a comment

During a campaign rally for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in South Carolina on Friday, former President Bill Clinton engaged in a heated argument with a man, claiming to be a Marine, who confronted Clinton over the 2012 Benghazi attacks which occurred while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State.

A video shows a man, identifying himself as a Marine, asking Clinton at first to address the VA. “I’m anxious to get to the VA, you covering that, I’m not sure so hopefully you can get to it.”

“I am,” Clinton interjected.

The man went on, “We have loved ones that we want to hear about and we care about, and I’ve met with many of these Gold Star parents and families so I’ve seen them-“

“What do you think should be done with the VA?” Clinton interrupted.

The man then suddenly shifted the topic to Benghazi: “The thing is, we had four lives in Benghazi killed and your wife tried to cover it up,” he said, which drew a negative response from the crowd.

The man continued to speak for several more seconds before Clinton asked to respond. “Can I answer? Are you going to let me answer?” Clinton asked. “This is America, I get to answer. I heard your speech. They heard your speech. You listen to me now,” Clinton said.

The man continued to speak, his voice growing louder, as Clinton told the man, “I’m not your commander in chief anymore but if I were, I’d tell you to be more polite. Sit down.”

“And I wouldn’t listen,” the man shot back. “I would just raise my voice.”

The video then shows deputies approaching the man to remove him from the building. As the man was taken out of the building, Clinton said, “Do you have the courage to listen to my answer? Don’t throw him out. If you’ll shut up to listen to my answer, I’ll answer.”

Clinton then addressed the crowd: “Can I just say something? That’s what’s wrong. his mind has been poisoned by lies and he won’t listen.”

A woman can be heard in the video shouting, “Hillary lied over four coffins! Four coffins! She lied! And she lied to those families! So all those families are liars? All those families are liars? I want to know, I want to know. Did she lie?”

The video shows the crowd becoming increasingly noisy and unsettled as Clinton and the woman continued to argue before the woman was also removed from the building by deputies.

According to local news station WSAV3, Clinton’s response was that his wife was not responsible for the attacks in Benghazi. Clinton later spoke to the crowd to address the issue. “The ambassador of Libya was a personal friend of Hillary’s. You can imagine how she feels when people make these charges,” said Clinton. “And she, believe me, lost a lot of sleep over it.”

According to The State newspaper of Columbia, South Carolina, Clinton said that Republicans have attempted to “politicize the deaths of brave Americans because (they) want to win this next election.”

Clinton also reportedly claimed that his wife “has never once played politics with the lives of the men and women in uniform.”

The man who confronted Clinton did not identify himself to The State beyond being a “Marine Sergeant,” and told the paper that he “wanted answers, and I wanted to make my point.”

“The deputies started coming over, so obviously my point wasn’t able to be made,” he noted.

Election, Politics

Chris Christie Endorses Donald Trump for President

Feb 26, 2016 Annabelle Bamforth Leave a comment

Former Republican presidential candidate and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie endorsed current front runner Donald Trump on Friday.

“I am proud to be here to endorse Donald Trump for president of the United States,” Christie said at a press conference. “The best person to beat Hillary Clinton on that stage last night is undoubtedly Donald Trump.”

Christie also referred to Trump’s rival, Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), as “desperate” following Thursday night’s presidential debate.

While CNN described Christie’s move as a “surprise endorsement,” PolitickerNJ reported on Monday that an anonymous source said that Christie “should endorse Trump now— as soon as this week— in order to make himself that first key establishment player to legitimize the tycoon and set himself up as a forward-thinking ally in the Trump camp.”

Jon Ward of Yahoo Politics wrote that he had asked Christie, 24 hours before Christie ended his campaign, why he refrained from going after Trump during a debate ahead of the New Hampshire Primary. While maintaining he could have effectively attacked Trump during that debate, Christie said, “I do so at a time and place of my choosing. There’s no need for me to do that now.”

“Listen, there were plenty of people shooting at Donald over the course of this time, and I wanted to focus on— when the campaign came into real focus— who I had to take on,” said Christie. “The guy I needed to take on in New Hampshire was Marco Rubio.”

Christie had, however, criticized Trump in January, describing him as a “thirteen-year-old” for choosing to not attend a debate hosted by Fox News.

“What’s that tell you about what we can expect if things go sideways when you go into the Oval Office? What are you going to do? Go upstairs to the residence and say I’m not playing?” he said. “You know, Vladimir Putin isn’t being nice to me, I’m not going to return his call? The press isn’t being nice to me, I’m not going to hold any more press conferences?”

Last August, Christie told Fox News that “Donald’s a great guy and a good person. But I just don’t think that he’s suited to be president of the United States.”

For more election coverage, click here.

Follow Annabelle Bamforth on Twitter.

Civil Liberties, Election, Featured, Government Accountability

GOP Candidates Sell FBI’s Talking Points, Ignore Apple’s Concerns

Feb 26, 2016 Rachel Blevins Leave a comment

The remaining five GOP presidential candidates participated in a debate hosted by CNN and Telemundo Thursday night, and they were questioned on their positions regarding the current conflict between Apple and the FBI.

Apple CEO Tim Cook brought the issue to light last week when he released a letter notifying customers that the FBI was ordering Apple to “build a backdoor” into the iPhone in order to retrieve information from the iPhone used by one of the suspects in the San Bernardino shooting.

While the FBI claimed the “backdoor” would only be used on the one iPhone in question, Cook raised several concerns, noting that the FBI’s request “has implications far beyond the legal case at hand” due to the fact that once “a way to bypass the code is revealed, the encryption can be defeated by anyone with that knowledge.”

CNN host Wolf Blitzer brought up the topic during the debate, claiming that the FBI “wants Apple to unlock the phone used by that San Bernardino terrorist to prevent future attacks,” but that Apple has refused because “it would compromise the security of all of its customers.”

Dana Bash, CNN’s chief political correspondent, turned to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, noting that he initially said that “Apple isn’t necessarily wrong to refuse the court order.”

Rubio said that because the FBI made it “very clear” that the “only thing they are asking of Apple is that Apple allow them to use their own systems in the FBI to try to guess the password of the San Bernardino killer,” his position has changed, and he is now in favor of the FBI’s request.

[pull_quote_center]Apple initially came out saying, ‘We’re being ordered to create a back door to an encryption device.’ That is not accurate. The only thing they’re being asked to do, and the FBI made this very clear about 48 hours ago, is allow us to disable the self- destruct mode that’s in the Apple phone so that we can try to guess using our own systems what the password of this killer was. And I think they should comply with that.[/pull_quote_center]

Bash then turned to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and she asked him if he agrees with Cook who said that creating a backdoor for the iPhone “would be bad for America.”

Cruz cited similar points to Rubio’s, claiming that the FBI is not looking for the “backdoor” Cook mentioned, but is instead looking into the phone of a single terrorist, and because of that he believes “Apple doesn’t have a right to defy a valid court order in a terrorism investigation.”

[pull_quote_center]Apple should be forced to comply with this court order. Why? Because under the Fourth Amendment, a search and seizure is reasonable if it has judicial authorization and probable cause. In this instance, the order is not to put a back door in everyone’s cell phone. If that was the order, that order would be problematic because it would compromise security and safety for everyone.[/pull_quote_center]

When asked the same question, neurosurgeon Ben Carson gave a similar response, claiming that he expects “Apple to comply with the court order,” and if the company doesn’t, he believes it would encourage “chaos in our system.”

[pull_quote_center]I think allowing terrorists to get away with things is bad for America. We have a Constitution. We have a Fourth Amendment. It guards us against illegal and unreasonable search and seizure. But we have mechanisms in place with the judicial system that will allow us to gain material that is necessary to benefit the nation as a whole or the community as a whole. And that’s why we have FISA courts and things of that nature. [/pull_quote_center]

Ohio Gov. John Kasich asked to add his input on the topic, and he said he blames the public fight between Apple and the FBI on the Obama administration, claiming that if he were president, they would be solving problems “instead of fighting on the front page of the newspaper.”

[pull_quote_center]The president of the United States should be convening a meeting, should have convened a meeting with Apple and our security forces. And then you know what you do when you’re the president? You lock the door and you say you’re not coming out until you reach an agreement that both gives the security people what they need and protects the rights of Americans.[/pull_quote_center]

While business mogul Donald Trump was not asked about the issue during Thursday’s debate, he made his position clear last week during a campaign rally when he said Americans should boycott Apple until the company agrees to “give that information” to the FBI.

“Apple ought to give the security for that phone,” Trump said. “What I think you ought to do is boycott Apple until such a time as they give that security number. How do you like that? I just thought of it. Boycott Apple.”

During a recent Reality Check segment, Ben Swann interviewed John McAfee, a cybersecurity expert and the creator of McAfee security software, who offered to hack the San Bernardino shooting suspect’s phone for free.

McAfee said that if the FBI is being honest about their intentions to only retrieve information from the single phone, he and his team of hackers have offered to hack the suspect’s phone, and have said that they could do it in less than three weeks.

Reality Check: McAfee Claims FBI Wants To End All Encryption,…

Reality Check: McAfee Claims FBI Wants To End All Encryption, Not Just Hack One iPhone

Posted by Ben Swann on Tuesday, February 23, 2016

For more election coverage, click here.

Follow Rachel Blevins on Facebook and Twitter.

Election, Politics

Donald Trump Wins Nevada Republican Caucus

Feb 24, 2016 Annabelle Bamforth Leave a comment

Businessman and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump claimed victory in the Nevada Caucus on Tuesday, winning 45.9 percent of the vote and picking up 14 delegates in the state.

Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) took second place with 23.9 percent of the vote earning 7 delegates, followed by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) in third with 21.4 percent of the vote gaining 6 delegates. Ben Carson had a distant fourth place finish with 4.8 per cent of the vote and 1 delegate, followed by Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich in fifth who received 3.6 percent of the vote and also gained one delegate.

During his victory speech, Trump applauded a wide variety of voters who he claimed turned out in Nevada to support him. “We won the evangelicals,” he said, according to CNN. “We won with young. With won with old. We won with highly educated. We won with poorly educated. I love the poorly educated.”

Truth In Media’s Rachel Blevins reported on Wednesday that there were claims of “voting irregularities including ballot shortages and double voting” during the Nevada Caucus. While Trump suggested to voters that rival Cruz’s campaign might engage in “dishonest stuff” during the caucus, claims of voting irregularities were directed at volunteers sporting Trump gear. Twitter users shared photos that claimed to show Trump-supporting volunteers hiding ballots and failing to check IDs.

Trump said that he is looking forward to the SEC Primary and that he’s expecting to see his momentum continue. “I think we’re going to do fantastic in the SEC. I think that’s going to be amazing, what you’re looking at. And you look at some states, where already I’m very close in Texas, and you know you have a senator from Texas. I’m leading — and this … will be the following week — but Florida is looking fantastically. Ohio is looking great,” said Trump, according to Business Insider.

“We just got numbers in on Georgia; we’re doing fantastically well. Arkansas. So we’re looking very, very strong.”

For more election coverage, click here.

Follow Annabelle Bamforth on Twitter.

Election, Featured, Politics

GOP Nevada Caucus Results in Accusations of Polling Irregularities, Double Voting

Feb 24, 2016 Rachel Blevins Leave a comment

GOP officials are reportedly looking into accusations of voting irregularities including ballot shortages and double voting, after reports of a chaotic scene unfolded during Tuesday’s Nevada Caucus.

RNC spokesman Fred Brown acknowledged that there were reports of “long lines and not enough ballots at Palo Verde High School” Tuesday night, which resulted in some voters being “turned away and directed to another location.”

In response to reports of double-voting, political reporter and commentator Jon Ralston reported that one GOP official said the party takes “reports of double voting very seriously and we will be reviewing ballots.”

[pull_quote_center]Obviously we take reports of double voting very seriously and we will be reviewing ballots. There is a master sign in and that we will be checking closely as well. In terms of running out of ballots, we were prepared for that, and more were on site in a matter or minutes. Other thing to know is because you have multiple precincts in one spot, not the entire place was in chaos, just a select few that were rushed, which contained the problems.[/pull_quote_center]

Business mogul Donald Trump was declared the winner of the Nevada Caucus, taking 45.9% of the vote.

In a rally prior to the caucus, Trump warned voters to watch out for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, claiming that he is the “single biggest liar” Trump has ever known.

“Watch out for dishonest stuff because I’ll tell you what, a lot of dishonesty with this,” Trump said. “You just gotta be careful. They have paper ballots. They have the whole deal going. So just watch out.”

Trump claimed Cruz is “the best I’ve ever seen” when it comes to lying, and then added, “Of course, really, the great liars are the ones that don’t get caught, right?”

However, many of the polling irregularities that were reported Tuesday night were in connection with Trump supporters.

Twitter user Josh Jordan posted a series of pictures of caucus-goers in Trump gear, claiming that ballots were “being tucked under envelopes,” and voters were “not being checked for ID.”

Ballots being tucked under envelopes.
Voters not being checked for ID.
This is what Trump rule looks like.#NVcaucus pic.twitter.com/J5n3L2XsZ0

— The Wokest Numbersmuncher (@NumbersMuncher) February 24, 2016

National Review reporter Elaina Plott posted on Twitter that one Nevada precinct did not have its site set up, while another precinct had “40-50 loose ballots on the table” that were put under envelopes.

https://twitter.com/elainaplott/status/702323423901458432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/elainaplott/status/702326376305528832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Campus Reform correspondent and Marco Rubio supporter Letty Burgin posted on Twitter claiming that some of the poll workers at her precinct were wearing Trump pins and t-shirts.

https://twitter.com/LettyBurgin/status/702319498481651713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

According to the National Association of Secretaries of State, in the state of Nevada, electioneering activities including “wearing or displaying any badge, button or other insigne which is designed or tends to aid or promote the success or defeat of any political party or a candidate or ballot question to be voted upon at that election,” is prohibited.

In response to the accusations, the Nevada GOP claimed, “It’s not against the rules for volunteers to wear candidate gear.”

For more election coverage, click here.

Follow Rachel Blevins on Facebook and Twitter.

Election, Politics

Gov. Nikki Haley Endorses Marco Rubio for President Ahead of SC Primary

Feb 17, 2016 Rachel Blevins Leave a comment

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley announced that she was endorsing Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for president on Wednesday, as voters prepare for the state’s primary on Saturday.

Haley made the announcement during an event in Chapin, South Carolina, where she said that if Rubio is elected, “everyday will be a great day in America.”

“When it was time to look at this presidential race, I thought from a different perspective,” Haley said, noting the challenges the state has faced in the last year.

Haley said she wanted to endorse a president who “would have the back of our military veterans and those in active duty,” and who is “all about term limits in D.C.”

“I wanted somebody humble enough that remembers that you work for all of the people,” Haley said. “I wanted somebody who reminded my parents that the best decision you can make is coming to America.”

Rubio came in fifth place in the New Hampshire primary on Feb. 9 with 10.6% of the vote, and third place in the Iowa Caucus on Feb. 1 with 23.1% of the vote.

While Haley did not announce who she was endorsing prior to Wednesday, she made it clear on Tuesday that she would not be endorsing business mogul Donald Trump, calling him “everything a governor doesn’t want in a president.”

Haley also said she wants someone “who is going to hold Republicans accountable,” and “who is going to make a difference, not just for our party but for every person they represent in the country.”

The State noted that Haley endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential race, and while he lost the South Carolina primary to Newt Gingrich, he went on to win the GOP nomination.

Rubio has also been endorsed by Republican politicians in South Carolina such as Sen. Tim Scott and Rep. Trey Gowdy.

For more election coverage, click here.

Follow Rachel Blevins on Facebook and Twitter.

Election, Featured, Politics

NH Primary: Sanders Beats Clinton in Nearly Every Demographic

Feb 10, 2016 Rachel Blevins Leave a comment

The results from the New Hampshire primary Tuesday showed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders beating former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton in nearly every demographic.

Sanders received 60% of the vote with over 142,000 votes comprising 13 delegates, while Clinton received 38.3% of the vote with over 90,500 votes comprising nine delegates.

The New York Times noted that Sanders carried support in the majority of nearly every demographic, including men and women, moderates and liberals, voters with and without college degrees, seasoned and first-time primary voters, and gun owners and non-gun owners.

Clinton received the majority of the support from voters aged 65 and older, and those with an income of over $200,000. She also carried support from voters who aren’t worried about the economy, and who want to see a continuation of President Obama’s policies.

Sanders was projected to win early on after the polls closed in New Hampshire Tuesday night, along with his counterpart in the Republican party, Donald Trump.

In his victory speech, Sanders praised the “huge” voter turnout, and said that his win sends a message “from Wall Street to Washington” that the U.S. government “belongs to all of the people and not just a handful of wealthy campaign contributors, and their Super PACs.”

[pull_quote_center]What happened here in New Hampshire in terms of an enthusiastic, and aroused electorate, people who came out in large numbers. That is what will happen all over this country. Let us never forget, Democrats and progressives win when voter turnout is high. Republicans win when people are demoralized, and voter turnout is low.[/pull_quote_center]

In her concession speech, Clinton said she will continue to fight to win “every vote in every state,” and she promised that when she says “no bank could be too big to fail and no executive too powerful to jail, you can count on it.”

[pull_quote_center]In this campaign, you’ve heard a lot about Washington and about Wall Street. Now, Senator Sanders and I both want to get secret, unaccountable money out of politics, and let’s remember, let’s remember, Citizens United, one of the worst Supreme Court decisions in our country’s history, was actually a case about a right-wing attack on me and my campaign.[/pull_quote_center]

For more election coverage, click here.

Ben Swann's Truth In Media

Tag Archives: election 2016

Biden Criticizes ‘Biden Rule’ Used by McConnell On Supreme Court Nomination

IVN: How Many People Actually Voted for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton? Not Many

Five Deputies Disciplined After Video Reveals Inaction During Assault at Trump Rally

GOP Debate: Trump Calls on Republican Party to ‘Be Smart and Unify’

GOP Establishment Reportedly Considering Contested Convention to Counter Trump Win

Exclusive: LP Candidate Austin Petersen Responds to Colorado Debate Exclusion

TIM’s Joshua Cook Talks Trump and Sanders on RT’s ‘In The Now’

Trump Calls for Laws Allowing Expansion of Torture ‘To Beat ISIS’

LIVE UPDATE: ‘Super Saturday’ Primary Results

GOP Candidates Call Snowden a ‘Traitor,’ U.S. Has Yet to Charge Him with Treason

DoJ Grants Immunity to Clinton Staffer Behind Private Email Setup

Carson: No ‘Political Path Forward’

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard Quits DNC to Endorse Bernie Sanders

Video: Bill Clinton Confronted at Campaign Rally Over Benghazi

Chris Christie Endorses Donald Trump for President

GOP Candidates Sell FBI’s Talking Points, Ignore Apple’s Concerns

Donald Trump Wins Nevada Republican Caucus

GOP Nevada Caucus Results in Accusations of Polling Irregularities, Double Voting

Gov. Nikki Haley Endorses Marco Rubio for President Ahead of SC Primary

NH Primary: Sanders Beats Clinton in Nearly Every Demographic

Shattering the left, right paradigm