New York Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin (below right) was indicted on bribery, wire fraud, and falsification of records charges.  He turned himself in for arrest and resigned within hours.

NEW YORK – New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s second-in-command pleaded not guilty to bribery charges Tuesday after being indicted for allegedly funneling illicit donations to one of his past campaigns. Benjamin entered the plea in federal court in Manhattan before being released on a $250,000 bond. He surrendered to authorities early in the morning as the indictment was unsealed, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

“While the legal process plays out, it is clear to both of us that he cannot continue to serve as Lieutenant Governor,” Hochul said in an emailed statement. (link)

According to the Washington Post Benjamin was seeking political donations and public matching funds when he enlisted the help of a real estate developer to raise money and disguise its source. In exchange, Benjamin used his official authority to try to steer $50,000 to a charitable organization the developer controlled.  A typical quid-pro-quo.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams eviscerated the justification for the vaccination mandate because science demanded it – as he presented exemptions for NYC performers and athletes due to ‘fairness.’

As noted by MSM, “Ballplayers and other performers got the green light to apply their skills in New York City even if they haven’t been vaccinated against Covid-19.” however, all other residents are still required to live under the mandate. “Covid is a battle, our economy is a battle,” he told reporters at Citi Field in Queens, home of the New York Mets. “We need to recover our city from crime, from economic devastation, from uncertainty.”

Hopefully, someone, anyone, will file a lawsuit to remove the mandates and cite this economically purposed policy change as the evidence.  This is nuts.  Two tiers of citizens based on profession?  Elite athletes and performers exempt, but ordinary citizens remain under the vaccination mandate?

The New York Post has a headline story asking how this elitist policy change could possibly be okay. [SEE HERE]  The city fired thousands of workers over the mandate, and now they change the rules for the professional entitled class?

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There comes a time in every performance of the United Nations production when the arch villain bombs the milk factories.  Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin takes his turn.

As we return to our seats from the lobby during commercial interlude, we discover the model U.N. interns have left the blue and yellow ribbons on our seats. We know exactly what segment of the melodrama comes next; the children are suffering.

The well attired gentlemen in the mezzanine know this is the moment when they must position their freshly pressed pocket kerchief for quick access.  Heart strings will be pulled, and silk gowns do not fare well as the tears begin to flow. Well educated chivalry, passed down from father to son, has prepared them for this moment.  It’s not quite time for the checkbooks yet; first they must feel the sound of the violins.

Surprisingly, Bono and Geldorf have not yet made their appearance.  However, with the speed of modern social media, and knowing the technology of our time means we cannot wait, the EU assembly must lay the groundwork for the great American oration that is center stage from the Capitol later tonight.

New York – Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky urged the EU to “prove you are with us” in a defiant speech on Tuesday.

Mr Zelenesky, who has become a symbol of defiance for his country, issued an impassioned speech via video link, where he called on the EU to stand with Ukraine as Russia continues its deadly advance on the country.

During his speech, Mr Zelensky described the missile strikes on Kharkiv, as an act of terror against the city, and indeed Ukraine.

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Sometimes things just fall on the side of the righteous.   The premise of the silly Manhattan case against Donald Trump was that he inflated the value of his real estate holdings in the city.  The DA was trying to make some kind of fraud case over it, but it always seemed ridiculous.

Consider the scenario, they are ultimately debating and trying to legally criminalize the subjective value of a physical asset.  Imagine the timing of such a case right now when the value of property is so high.

You tell a grand jury that Trump inflated the value, and then someone just asks what it’s worth, and the answer is, “well, right now, it’s worth a lot more than he claimed then,” and the silliness of the case gets worse.   I digress…

Splodey heads are happening today, because the two prosecutors in the case have quit, and the Manhattan district attorney says he doubts there’s any case here… and the salty tears of the far-left are crying, “curse you villain!”

(New York) – The two prosecutors leading the Manhattan district attorney’s investigation into former President Donald J. Trump and his business practices abruptly resigned on Wednesday amid a monthlong pause in their presentation of evidence to a grand jury, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The stunning development comes not long after the high-stakes inquiry appeared to be gaining momentum and throws its future into serious doubt.

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This is a very good thing.  A New York State Supreme Court has blocked the unilateral state-wide mask mandate of Governor Kathy Hochul and state Health Commissioner Basset.  The legal reasoning is very important.   NY Supreme Court Ruling HERE.

The authority of the New York governor and health commissioner, provided by the declaration of a state emergency, has expired.  With that expiration any/all mandates from the office are invalid; all requirements for public health -such as the mask mandate- MUST come from the legislative body.

According to the ruling, Judge Thomas Rademaker said that neither the governor nor the state health commissioner had the authority to enact the mandate without the state legislature, since the governor no longer has emergency powers. [full pdf here]

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New York Governor Kathy Hochul is a state leader with few redeeming qualities.  A detached elitist-minded governor who is very easy to dislike.

During her press conference today, Governor Hochul was questioned repeatedly about the state mask mandate for kids in school.  After several justifications, she encapsulated her refusal to remove the mask mandate by saying her own kids didn’t like wearing sneakers at first, but they got used to it.  Ergo, New York students will get used to wearing masks.  WATCH (Prompted):

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Anyone who doesn’t realize the massive impact on students and kids created by this ridiculous COVID fear and mandates is, at this point in history, oblivious to the outcomes.  Government officials, state officials, education officials, teachers’ unions and the medical establishment have destroyed the lives of young people.  Key word “DESTROYED”.

It is going to take a long time, if ever, for our young people to recover from the selfish and insufferable damage put upon them by dictators like Governor Kathy Hochul of New York.  An eloquent and heartbreaking counterpoint is provided below.

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This is a wild story.  A New York high school science teacher named Laura Parker Russo vaccinated the friend of her son during a visit to their house.  The kids’ parents did not give permission and had no idea about it until he came home and told them.  No one knows how the teacher got vials of the J&J vaccine and/or if there is only one victim.

What is it about unstable people being drawn to the teaching profession?  The Daily Mail has video of the event.  Mrs. Laura Parker Russo has been arrested.  Can you even fathom the mindset of a person who would do this?

(Via Daily Mail) – […] Footage made public Monday shows Laura Parker Russo, 54, cleaning the unidentified teen’s skin as she prepared to administer a dose of the J&J vaccine into his right arm. As Russo smiles, the teen can be heard saying: ‘There you go, at-home vaccine,’ in the video obtained by NBC New York.

The outlet reported the vaccine being the Johnson and Johnson brand, which is only recommended for adults. She stuck the needle into the boy’s arm on New Year’s Eve, police said. The vaccine was authentic, but it is unclear how Parker Russo – who has no medical qualifications – obtained it, and cops are now investigating the matter.

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Comrades, many American citizens stood jaw agape as they watched Australian metropolitan police departments begin cracking skulls and making arrests for violating COVID rules and restrictions. Yes, it always seemed like Australia, New Zealand and Europe were the beta testing ground to see if police would comply with jackboot arrests of their own community.

Well, now we can see those same tactics being deployed in the U.S.

New York City was the first large metropolitan area to require vaccination identification cards to enter restaurants, bars, dining establishments and various public and private venues.  Now comes the enforcement part.

Watch this video below to see the New York Police Department (NYPD) start deploying vaccination police, and making arrests of people who do not present papers to prove their status. WATCH:

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When asked why they would arrest their own community members simply for being unvaccinated and wanting to eat a sandwich, the police turn a deaf ear.  This should not be a surprise.  When it comes to getting their own paychecks, or putting food on their family’s table, just about every single police officer in the U.S. will load you in the cattle car…. while saying, “It’s just my job.”

We watched this escalate in Victoria, New South Wales and various regions throughout Australia, as well as France, Germany, Austria and regions in Europe.   If things go as they did in previous examples, when/if the citizens of New York City begin to push back against this, there’s no reason to believe the NYPD will not respond with armored cars, riot teams and rubber bullets.

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Admittedly, it takes quite a bit to raise my blood pressure, but this is one of those real-world issues that does it.  There are a lot of really good people in upstate New York and outside the boundaries of that crazy city they are best known for.  The New York state assembly passing a bill [A416 LINK HERE] to set up involuntary COVID quarantine camps needs to be stopped right now.  This is nuts.

The bill is obtuse in the extreme, and grants the state permission to remove and detain someone defined as “a significant threat to public health.”  Those of you who have watched the creation of Quarantine Camps in Australia, and those who noted the ongoing activity in Australia seems designed to be a beta test for the USA, will quickly see the common thread with this proposal in New York.

The bill, A416, was originally introduced in January 2021 and made its way into committee.  According to The National Pulse, New York is about to vote on this bill on the floor on January 5, 2022 (about three weeks away).  You can provide feedback directly at the public link to the proposal [SEE HERE]

I am a firm believer in federalism, and the independent right of states to construct their own laws and choices.  However, that said, it is also important for everyone to stand up for our brothers and sisters, regardless of their location behind enemy lines, and assist them in the fight to retain their own freedom when possible.

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When New York’s original vaccine mandate for healthcare workers was announced, it included an exemption for religious reasons.  However, when the administration changed hands, Governor Hochul removed the religious exemption. A lawsuit was filed.  A federal appeals court loss brought the plaintiffs to the Supreme Court requesting an injunction.

Today, the request from the 20 plaintiffs was rejected by the Supreme Court as referred by Justice Sotomayor who covers the New York region.  Justices Alito, Gorsuch, and Thomas dissented and would have provide the injunctive relief.  However, Chief Justice John Roberts, Amy Coney-Barrett, and Brett Kavanaugh sided with the liberal wing and denied the request.  [Full pdf Decision Here]

Thomas, Alito and Gorsuch wrote in their 14-page dissent that Governor Hochul’s record in the case “practically exudes suspicion of those who hold unpopular religious beliefs,” adding, “That alone is sufficient to render the mandate unconstitutional as applied to these applicants.”

Unfortunately, the alignment of Justices Roberts, Barrett and Kavanaugh with the left wing of the court makes future constitutional appeals around the vaccine mandate look increasingly tenuous.  Justice Kavanaugh and Justice Barrett have been big disappointments.