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NY Governor Hochul Aide Charged as Chinese Agent

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NY Governor Hochul Aide Charged as Chinese Agent

Politics

State of the Union: The governor’s former deputy chief of staff was charged with violating FARA, among other laws.

State Capital Building in Albany, New York

Linda Sun, the Chinese-born former deputy chief of staff of Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY), was arrested with her husband after having been charged as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese Communist Party under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. 

Sun had earlier served as an aide to former Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY), including as his director of Asian-American affairs and as his chief diversity officer, before being appointed as a deputy chief of staff by Hochul in 2021. Sun was fired by Hochul in 2023 following the discovery of “evidence of misconduct.”

According to the indictment, which was unsealed Tuesday, Sun allegedly blocked representatives of the Taiwanese government from having access to the New York governor’s office, provided improper invitation letters to Chinese officials, and arranged meetings between Chinese and New York officials. Sun also allegedly changed Cuomo and Hochul’s political messaging on China issues. 

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Per the indictment, during the Covid pandemic, Sun pushed for Cuomo’s office to praise the CCP for its efforts in assisting New York while ignoring Taiwan’s. In one instance, Sun apparently alerted a PRC official that New York would not publicly thank the Taiwanese government for the donation of 200,000 surgical masks, and to have also alerted a PRC official that Cuomo would publicly praise China for the donation of ventilators. The indictment also mentions that, in 2022, Sun had ordered governor Hochul’s office not to recognize “Taiwanese American Heritage Week.” 

For her efforts, Sun received remuneration from the Chinese government, as did her husband, Chris Hu, who received “millions of dollars in transactions” for his PRC-based business ventures. Hu and Sun used the proceeds to purchase a $3.6 million property in New York and a $1.9 million condominium in Honolulu, as well as various luxury automobiles.

Sun has since been released on a $1.5 million bond, and Hu on a $500,000 bond.

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Report: Kamala Harris Secures Support Among Enough Delegates to Become Democrat Nominee

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Report: Kamala Harris Secures Support Among Enough Delegates to Become Democrat Nominee

Vice President Kamala Harris has been coasting toward the Democrat Party nomination in the wake of President Joe Biden dropping from the race, earning enough delegates to shore up support.

Biden exited the race on Sunday and immediately endorsed Harris, which prompted waves of support and endorsements from top Democrat officials and fundraisers. According to an Associated Press (AP) survey, several delegations met late on Monday to “confirm their support for Harris, including Texas and her home state of California.”

“By Monday night, Harris had the support of at least 2,471 delegates, according to the AP tally of delegates, more than the 1,976 delegates she’ll need to win on a first ballot. No other candidate was named by a delegate contacted by the AP,” noted the outlet.

Harris told campaign staff in Delaware on Monday that she has confidence her new team will perform well, adding that it is her “intention to go out and earn this nomination and to win,” promising to “unite our Democratic Party, to unite our nation, and to win this election.”

“Our fight for the future is also a fight for freedoms,” she said. “The baton is in our hands.”

Chairman Rusty Hicks said 75 to 80 percent of the state’s delegation was on a call Monday and expressed unanimous support for Harris.

“I’ve not heard anyone mentioning or calling for any other candidate,” Hicks said. “Tonight’s vote was a momentous one.”

The AP stopped short of calling Harris the presumptive nominee due to the fact that “the convention delegates are still free to vote for the candidate of their choice at the convention in August or if Democrats go through with a virtual roll call ahead of that gathering in Chicago.”

As Breitbart News reported, the Harris campaign raised “$81 million in donations within 24 hours, setting a fundraising record”:

Harris’s campaign revealed that more than 888,000 “grassroots donors” had contributed, according to Axios. Out of this number, 60 percent were reported to have been first-time donors during the 2024 presidential election. Another 43,000 people had vowed to make recurring donations to Harris’s campaign.

Kevin Munoz, a spokesperson for the Harris campaign, said in a statement that the team is “seeing a broad and diverse coalition come together to support our critical work of talking to the voters that will decide this election.”

Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning Christian tech thrillerEXEMPLUM, which has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic rating and can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. “Better than Killers of the Flower Moon,” wrote Mark Judge. “You haven’t seen a story like this before,” wrote Christian Toto. A high-quality, ad-free rental can also be streamed on Google PlayVimeo on Demand, or YouTube Movies. Follow him on X @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.

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Report: Joe Biden Cancels Nearly Ten Trips After Exiting Presidential Race

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Report: Joe Biden Cancels Nearly Ten Trips After Exiting Presidential Race

President Joe Biden has reportedly canceled nearly ten trips after he announced that he was withdrawing from the presidential race on Sunday.

A White House source told the New York Post that Biden had reportedly canceled nine upcoming trips, adding that things started being canceled “when he announced he wasn’t seeking reelection.” This comes after Biden announced on Sunday that he was withdrawing from the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrat Party’s presidential nominee.

Biden, who was recently diagnosed with COVID-19, has been “self-isolating” in Rehoboth, Delaware.

The source explained to the outlet that Biden was supposed to leave from Delaware on Monday and make trips to California; Denver, Colorado; and Houston and Austin, Texas.

Biden reportedly decided to remain in Delaware until Wednesday.

“He was supposed to leave today to start the West Coast trip, but they extended his stay in Rehoboth until the 24th,” the source said.

Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s physician, released a letter on Monday, stating that Biden had “completed his tenth dose of PAXLOVID” and that his “symptoms have almost resolved completely.”

“President Biden completed his tenth dose of PAXLOVID this morning,” O’Connor’s letter said. “His symptoms have almost resolved completely. His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain absolutely normal. His oxygen saturation continues to be excellent on room air. His lungs remain clear.”

“The President continues to perform all of his presidential duties,” he concluded.

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Portland Overdose Deaths Increased During 90-Day Fentanyl State of Emergency

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Portland Overdose Deaths Increased During 90-Day Fentanyl State of Emergency

Overdose deaths increased in the Portland, Oregon, area during a 90-day state of emergency that officials declared to combat the fentanyl problem, leaving residents wondering what changes were actually implemented.

Gov. Tina Kotek (D), Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson (D), and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) all declared emergency orders on January 30 to “address the public health and public safety crisis driven by fentanyl.”

All three emergency orders directed the city, county, and state governments to commit resources to a “unified response” after the state saw a continuous increase in overdose deaths since a drug decriminalization measure passed in 2020, Breitbart News reported. 

Just the state’s fentanyl overdose rate surged by a whopping 1,530 percent since 2019, making the state home to the most dramatic increase rate in the nation.

While nearly 60 percent of Oregon voters approved of Measure 110 when it passed the legislature, newer polls have found that they regret that move just three years later.

In April, Kotek signed a bill that restored criminal penalties for possessing small amounts of drugs.

The emergency orders erected a command center to combat the fentanyl crisis, but preliminary Multnomah County overdose dashboard data that the Oregonian obtained revealed that approximately 200 people died of a suspected or confirmed overdose during those 90 days, which ended on April 29. 

This was a notable increase from the same period in 2023, with 172 people fatally overdosing in the county.

Most of the drug overdose deaths are presumed to have been caused by fentanyl. 

“It takes time to see if these initiatives, especially the broader, more upstream initiatives, yield results,” county Health Officer Richard Bruno told the publication. “That’s something our epidemiologists and a lot of the folks who are doing this work on the ground wrestle with all the time.” 

Portland-area writer Hannah Griff has been amongst those criticizing the emergency orders as ineffective, pointing out that “systemic racism” has been touted by officials as a reason for fentanyl overdoses. 

“[B]rilliant Oregon governor @TinaKotek blames the rise in fentanyl overdoses on systemic racism, rather than the rampant and permitted open-air drug use in Portland, because of course she does,” Griff posted in February, alongside a screenshot from Multnomah County’s emergency resolution:

Independent journalist Kevin Dahlgren has documented some of Portland’s saddest sights, including footage of a man desperately trying to pick fentanyl dust off of the street on Monday:

In late June, Dahlgren witnessed a fatal fentanyl overdose as emergency personnel attempted to save the male victim:

Local photographer Tara Faul has also worked to capture the despair and hypocrisy, sharing a picture of parking tickets being given in the city while others “can take a dump on the sidewalk while smoking fentanyl”:

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Maxine Waters: Kamala Harris Is ‘Smarter than Trump’

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Maxine Waters: Kamala Harris Is ‘Smarter than Trump’

Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA) said Monday on MSNBC’s “The ReidOut” that Vice President Kamala Harris is “smarter than” former President Donald Trump.

Host Joy Reid said, “We have seen the right go after Vice President Harris. They have gone after her laugh, they have gone after her past, who she has dated in the past. They have tried it all.”

Waters said, “They will try anything and it is going to be tough. They will accuse her, they will call her names and do all kinds of things. But you know, she is not going to be intimidated. She is smart, she is tough. She knows how it all works now. She has worked at the White House, she is the vice president of the United States and she is smarter than Trump. So if they come after her, she is going to get him.”

She added, “She had a good career. She moved right up the ladder to the vice presidency. All because she is strong and believed in herself. It never dawned on her that she would fail and it was that kind of courage and that defines her. She did all of the right things for the most part of how you climb up the ladder. She was trained well and did all of the things that she was taught to do. She should be understood as a woman who is on a mission. She is accomplished and she succeeded.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN

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Police: Delaware Catholic School Teacher Sent Nudes to Student via Snapchat

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Police: Delaware Catholic School Teacher Sent Nudes to Student via Snapchat

A Delaware private Catholic school teacher has been arrested for sending nude photos to a 14-year-old student on Snapchat, police said.

Alanis Pinion, 24, was teaching eighth grade at St. Mary Magdalen School in Wilmington when the New Castle County Police Department said she “had frequently communicated with her students via Snapchat and had sent sexually explicit photographs to one of them.”

A press release that the department shared on Facebook detailed how Pinion was arrested on Thursday on charges of sexual solicitation of a child under 18 and endangering the welfare of a child — both felonies — as well as a misdemeanor count of indecent exposure in the first degree:

DETECTIVES ARREST TEACHER DISTRIBUTING EXPLICIT PHOTOGRAPHS – ALANIS PINION(Wilmington, DE. 19803) In July 2024, the…

Posted by New Castle County Police on Friday, July 19, 2024

Police have already notified the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington of the allegations, noting that it “fully cooperated with the investigation.”

Pinion has since been committed to the Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution after failing to pay a $46,000.00 cash bail. 

A statement from St. Mary Magdalen School, which the Daily Mail obtained, referred to Pinion as a “‘former part time contract employee”:

Earlier this week, the school was contacted by the New Castle County Police to notify us of an investigation and ultimately an arrest of a former part time contract employee regarding allegations of an exchange of inappropriate images electronically with a former student.

“The contractor had successfully completed the required background check process prior to her employment. The school, parish and our Diocese officials supported the police as they conducted their investigation,” the statement continued. 

“Please be assured that all of us at Saint Mary Magdalen Parish and School, along with our partners at the Diocese of Wilmington, always keep the safety of our children and youth as a primary goal.”

Investigators also said that they are “concerned that there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward.”

Police detectives have asked anyone with any additional information to contact them.

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Rep. Nancy Mace Demands Kamala Harris Invoke 25th Amendment: Biden ‘Cannot Remain in Office’

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Rep. Nancy Mace Demands Kamala Harris Invoke 25th Amendment: Biden ‘Cannot Remain in Office’

If President Joe Biden cannot seek reelection due to cognitive issues, he cannot finish his term, according to Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, who is proposing a resolution demanding for Vice President Kamala Harris to invoke the 25th Amendment and become acting president.

In a post on Sunday, Mace suggested that if President Biden lacks the “cognitive ability to seek reelection,” then he cannot “serve the remainder of his term.” 

“If he doesn’t resign, Kamala should invoke the 25th Amendment,” the South Carolina Republican insisted, adding, “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander – for consistency….”

Mace, who won the Republican primary for the state’s 1st Congressional District in a closely watched race last month, also announced she plans to introduce a resolution calling on Vice President Kamala Harris to convene the Cabinet to declare Biden “incapable” of performing his duties, invoking the 25th Amendment, and for her to assume the role of acting president. 

The resolution, which notes that “for years it has been clear to the American people that [Biden] was experiencing severe cognitive decline and was mentally unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office,” is to be introduced as early as Monday. 

The matter follows President Biden’s sudden announcement Sunday afternoon of his intention to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, promising to reveal more about his decision later.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” Biden’s statement posted on X read. “And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”

In a subsequent statement, Biden offered “my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year.” 

He then called on Democrats to unite, writing, “it’s time to come together and beat Trump.”

In addition to Mace, several senators also called for invoking the 25th Amendment, including Republican Sens. Markwayne Mullin (OK), Jim Banks (IN), and Rick Scott (FL) — who announced on Sunday he would introduce a similar resolution in the Senate.

Earlier this month, Mace warned that having “weak president” Joe Biden and enemies who no longer revere the United States puts the country in an “extremely dangerous” state.

She also questioned who runs the White House, given that “it’s clearly not Joe Biden,” while insisting it is “imperative” to reelect former President Donald Trump, whom she described as “the only one who can save our country right now.”

Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.

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Gavin Newsom Endorses Kamala Harris

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Gavin Newsom Endorses Kamala Harris

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) endorsed fellowVice President Kamala Harris, a fellow Californian, for president on Sunday, following the withdrawal of President Joe Biden earlier in the day.

The two politicians, both protégés of Democratic kingmaker Willie Brown, have long been seen as potential rivals, though they have tended to steer clear of races against each other. Newsom was long thought to be a potential replacement for Biden but has yielded to Harris; he is unlikely to be her running mate, either, due to a rule that bars members of the Electoral College from voting for two people from the same state.

Harris has climbed the political ladder quickly, first through her romantic relationship with Brown, who appointed her to state positions; then through her election as district attorney for San Francisco, again with Brown’s help; then through a narrow victory in 2010 as California Attorney General; then in a decisive win against a fellow Democrat for U.S. Senate, where she served less than half a term; and then through a short-lived presidential campaign in 2019.

She has a thin record of achievement other than her own political rise, but would be the first black, Asian, and female president, if elected. Democrats hope the opportunity to make history will inspire their voters.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of “”The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days,” available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of “The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency,” now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.

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Report: Joe Manchin Considering Rejoining Democrat Party, Running Against Kamala Harris

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Report: Joe Manchin Considering Rejoining Democrat Party, Running Against Kamala Harris

Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) is considering rejoining the Democratic Party and jumping into the presidential race, according to several reports.

Fox News’s Bret Baier reported that Manchin, who left the Democratic Party in May and registered as an independent, is “considering re-registering as a Democrat and throwing his hat into the ring for President.”

Manchin has been described as being a moderate Democrat.

Baier added that CNN anchor Jake Tapper had been the first to report the news.

In a post on X, Tapper wrote that “sources close to” Manchin had revealed the senator is “considering re-registering” with the Democratic Party.

News that Manchin is considering rejoining the Democratic Party comes hours after President Joe Biden revealed that he was withdrawing from the presidential election. Biden went on to offer his “full support and endorsement” for Vice President Kamala Harris to be the party’s presidential nominee.

“My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote. “My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats – it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”

Since Biden’s announcement that he would not be seeking reelection, several Democrats such as former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) have issued statements of support for Harris to be the party’s nominee.

Manchin has previously considered launching a third-party run for president. In February, Manchin put months of speculation as to whether he was launching a run for president to rest.

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Meghan Markle is refused a trademark for American Riviera Orchard ahead of launch

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Meghan Markle is refused a trademark for American Riviera Orchard ahead of launch

Meghan Markle’s impending lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard has been dealt a fresh blow after its trademark application had been refused.

The Duchess of Sussex’s application was rejected by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), who warned that businesses cannot trademark geographical locations, The Telegraph reports.

American Riviera is a sweet nod to Santa Barbara, Calif., where Markle resides with her husband Prince Harry and their two children.

Meghan Markle and Melissa McCarthy on a video call promoting 40x40 initiative to support women returning to work post-Covid

Meghan Markle’s impending lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard has been dealt a fresh blow after its trademark application had been refused. ZUMAPRESS.com

The USPTO said on Saturday the addition of the word Orchard “does not diminish the primarily geographical descriptiveness of the applied for mark.”

It added that since there is a location mentioned in the brand’s name, “a public association of the goods and services with the place is presumed.”

Markle’s team considers the pushback “routine and expected” when filing for trademarks. It expects to respond in due course, The Post hears.

The government agency also warned that the “Suits” alum’s product descriptions could fit into multiple trademark categories, the outlet adds.

Meghan Markle holding a child in Montecito mansion, with Prince Harry and their second child nearby, in Santa Barbara, California

American Riviera is a sweet nod to Santa Barbara, Calif., where Markle resides with her husband Prince Harry and their two children. Netflix

The document also included screenshots of another Santa Barbara-based company using the term “American Riviera” to sell a candle, proving that the nickname is widely associated with the area.

However, that evidence was deemed not enough, as the USPTO said the purpose of such rulings is “to leave geographic names free for all businesses operating in the same area to inform customers where their goods or services originate.”

“Furthermore, the purchasing public would be likely to believe that the goods and services originate in the geographic place identified in the mark because the attached evidence shows that applicant’s founder, ie, Meghan Markle, resides in the geographic place identified in the mark,” it added, per the outlet.

Polo player Nacho's Instagram post of a jar of strawberry jam with a ribbon tied around it from American Riviera Orchard

While products from her brand are not available for purchase yet, Markle sent out jars of strawberry jam to an exclusive group of celebs in April. Instagram/nachofigueras

The former actress, 43, now has three months to address the response made by the USPTO, or risks having her application dropped.

She must also pay an additional $700 to move forward with the trademark filing.

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The mom of two unveiled her new business venture in March, teasing its impending launch. But six months later, there’s still no release date or information about the products that customers can expect to be up for sale.

While products from her brand are not available for purchase yet, Markle sent out jars of strawberry jam to an exclusive group of celebs in April, prompting a “strong start” to the company’s rollout.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry speaking onstage at The Archewell Foundation Parents’ Mental Wellness Summit, Meghan holding a microphone.

The former actress, 43, now has three months to address the response made by the USPTO, or risks having her application dropped. Getty Images for Project Healthy Minds

Since then, the mom of two has sent dog biscuits to her celeb pals and has teased a future rosé wine range.

Earlier this year, it was reported that Markle could be looking to make a whopping seven-figure sum within the first year of launching the brand.

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