Christie on Ukraine aid: ‘I want them to have every weapon they need to be able to win’

 Former New Jersey Gov. and 2024 presidential candidate Chris Christie on Thursday said he wants Ukraine to have “every weapon they need to be able to win” in their war against Russia.

Asked on NewsNation about whether he’d expand US commitment to Ukraine if he were to win the 2024 presidential race amid a continued war, Christie said he’d “increase it, because right now with the Biden administration is doing is giving them just enough weapons not to lose.” 

“I want them to have every weapon they need to be able to win,” he said of Ukraine.

“And this is a proxy war, not just against Russia … but as you know, it’s a proxy war against China. China is funding this Russian war through their purchase of Russian oil,” Christie continued. “They are coordinating with Iran to provide deadly weapons to the Russian army. And they are watching what we’re going to do.”

NewsNation host Chris Cuomo pressed the former governor on his answer, saying his party wouldn’t like his stance on the matter and would label him a “RINO,” or “Republican in name only.” Many in the GOP have criticized the Biden administration’s ongoing support for Kyiv and called for curtailing aid.

“The job of a leader is not to follow polls, it’s to change polls. … We can spend this money now and have Ukrainian soldiers fight our war, or we can spend a lot more money and American blood later to fight in Taiwan,” Christie responded. ” I’d rather have the fight now and send a clear message to China and not get to war to defend Israel in the Middle East by sending a clear message to Iran as well that we will back our friends, our Ukrainian friends.”

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has been ongoing for 17 months since Moscow invaded its neighbor in February 2022. The U.S. and other Western allies have provided Ukraine billions of dollars in support to defend itself against the aggression, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to push for aid and admittance into the NATO military alliance.

The Biden administration earlier this month announced it would equip Ukraine with cluster munitions, a controversial move that President Biden said was in part because “the Ukrainians are running out of ammunition.”

Biden, who is running for reelection in 2024, said Thursday there is “no possibility” of Russian President Vladimir Putin winning the war in Ukraine, adding the Moscow leader has “already lost.”

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4096838-christie-on-ukraine-aid-i-want-them-to-have-every-weapon-they-need-to-be-able-to-win/

Sagimet Biosciences Announces Pricing of Upsized IPO

 Sagimet Biosciences Inc. (“Sagimet”) (Nasdaq: SGMT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics targeting dysfunctional metabolic pathways, today announced the pricing of its upsized initial public offering of 5,312,500 shares of its Series A common stock at a public offering price of $16.00 per share. All of the shares of Series A common stock are being offered by Sagimet. The gross proceeds from the offering, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses payable by Sagimet, are expected to be $85.0 million. Sagimet’s Series A common stock is expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Global Market on July 14, 2023 under the ticker symbol “SGMT.” The offering is expected to close on July 18, 2023, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. In addition, Sagimet has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 796,875 shares of its Series A common stock at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Cowen and Company, LLC and Piper Sandler & Co. are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. JMP Securities LLC is acting as the lead manager for the offering.

https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/sagimet-biosciences-announces-pricing-of-upsized-initial-public-offering/

Rampant Corruption One Reason Behind Ukraine's Failed NATO Bid

 Via Remix News,

The EU wants Ukraine to clean up its act...

Ukraine must implement reforms to fight corruption and strengthen its institutions if it wants to be eligible to join NATO, said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, during the second day of the NATO summit in Vilnius.

Von der Leyen encouraged Ukraine to implement further reforms and pledged the support of the European Union. According to Hungarian newspaper Magyar Nemzet, von der Leyen’s statement “said in plain language that there was still so much corruption and opacity in Ukraine’s institutions that it could not yet get the green light to join NATO or the European Union.” However, the paper also noted that von der Leyen noted the country’s efforts were appreciated and it had made a lot of progress.

The European Commission already identified systemic corruption in Ukraine in 2021. Although the EU had launched a number of initiatives to reduce the potential for corruption and proposed a wide range of measures, the EU commission’s report at the time found that no progress had been made on this issue in 2021.

At that time, there was a significant decline in the judiciary, and anti-corruption institutions were also under threat, according to the report. The authors also noted that oligarchs and vested interests are the biggest problem, as they are an obstacle to the rule of law and economic development in Ukraine.

Brussels is keen to bring Ukraine into the European Union. However, even EU officials do not dare mention in their reports anything concrete or substantial to suggest that Ukraine is ready for integration, and Von der Leyen’s remarks indicate that the situation has still not improved.

As Remix News reported last week, the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, representing Ukrainian entrepreneurs, issued an appeal to President Volodymyr Zelensky, demanding action to curb the abuse of power by government officials. The abuse of power by military officials and judges has crossed all lines, according to Ukrainian entrepreneurs, who are calling for the establishment of a public registry to identify corrupt officials. They further argue that corruption on an unprecedented scale is eroding Ukraine’s defensive capabilities.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/rampant-corruption-one-reason-behind-ukrains-failed-nato-bid

Biden Mobilizes 3,000 Reservists To Europe To Augment 'Operation Atlantic Resolve'

 President Joe Biden today issued an executive order approving the mobilization of select reserve forces with up to 3,000 personnel, augmenting the armed forces in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 121 and 12304 of title 10, United States Code, I hereby determine that it is necessary to augment the active Armed Forces of the United States for the effective conduct of Operation Atlantic Resolve in and around the United States European Command’s area of responsibility.  

In furtherance of this operation, under the stated authority, I hereby authorize the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, under their respective jurisdictions, to order to active duty any units, and any individual members not assigned to a unit organized to serve as a unit of the Selected Reserve, or any member in the Individual Ready Reserve mobilization category and designated as essential under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, not to exceed 3,000 total members at any one time, of whom not more than 450 may be members of the Individual Ready Reserve, as they deem necessary, and to terminate the service of those units and members ordered to active duty.

This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

Here's the Atlantic Council's description of Operation Atlantic Resolve:

Defense.gov reports that this operation will be designated as a contingency operation, said Army Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Sims II, Joint Staff director of operations, during a press briefing today.

"This new designation benefits troops and families with increases in authorities, entitlements and access to the reserve component forces and personnel," Sims said.

"This [executive order] reaffirms the unwavering support and commitment to defend NATO's eastern flank in the wake of Russia's illegal and unprovoked war on Ukraine," Sims said.

So, first Abrams tanks were 'no', then F-16s were a red-line we wouldn't cross, then cluster bombs were a war-crime, and now as close to 'boots on the ground' as we have been in a war against Russia?

Many questions arise about this action - Why reservists and not active military? (is it somehow less 'boots on the ground'-ish if they are reservists?) Why now? (is another major Hunter Biden headline about to drop?)

At first blush, this may appear to be nothing significant to the casual observer. Maybe the reserves will just be there in a “support” or “advisory” capacity. But they will be there.

And as Lincoln Brown warns via PJ Media, one must ask oneself if a precedent is being set.

It takes an act of Congress to declare war. Historically, the president must go to the legislature and ask for a declaration. But Biden is taking advantage of his office to mobilize select portions of the military and send them to Europe, bypassing the need to even so much as consult with Congress. Is it an attempt to hide or secure something? Or is it merely an act of a self-obsessed and deluded president and cabinet?

Whatever the case may be, one should be disturbed at the thought of Joe Biden and his advisors pushing toy soldiers around a map of Europe. All the while oblivious to what is at stake. Not just for the nation but for the world. In a worst-case scenario, this is not going to be like D-Day, as horrific as that was. This will not be General Patton racing across Europe with his tanks to be the first to cross the Rhine. This will not even be like Vietnam or any of the recent conflicts in the Middle East.

This could potentially be unlike anything we have experienced before. And it is past time that cooler and saner heads on both sides of the aisle made this terrible old man and his ambitious, tone-deaf sycophants stand down.

Finally, bear in mind that Congressman Matt Gaetz has been warning that the Biden administration of “sleepwalking our great country into a world war.”

Is this the next escalatory move? Yet another prod of the bear?

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/biden-mobilizes-3000-reservists-europe-augment-operation-atlantic-resolve

Ray Epps To Be Criminally Charged For Role In January 6th, Blames Tucker

 Ray Epps, a man who was seen goading Trump supporters to storm the Capitol on January 6, 2021, will be criminally charged, according to Epps' attorney.

The impending charges were revealed in a Wednesday lawsuit filed by Epps against Fox News, which accuses former host Tucker Carlson of defaming him.

"...in May 2023, the Department of Justice notified Epps that it would seek to charge him criminally for events on January 6, 2021—two-and-a-half years later," reads the filing. "The relentless attacks by Fox and Mr. Carlson and the resulting political pressure likely resulted in the criminal charges."

In March, Epps hired attorney Michael Teter - formerly of Perkins Coie, the firm notorious for helping the Clinton campaign hatch the Steele dossier and collaborating with the FBI to push the Trump-Russia hoax. Teter immediately sent a letter to Carlson demanding that the former Fox News host retract "false and defamatory statements" that Epps was a J6 government plant.

Epps, 62, was identified as a key instigator of the riot who has long been suspected of being a fed (or a fed asset), told his nephew in a text message: "I was in the front with a few others. I also orchestrated it."

Last year he told Congressional investigators: "At that point, I didn't know that they were breaking into the Capitol," adding "I didn't know anybody was in the Capitol. ... I was on my way back to the hotel room."

In two interviews with the FBI in 2021, Epps explained his actions on Jan. 5 and Jan. 6. He admitted he was guilty of trespassing on restricted Capitol grounds and confessed to urging protesters to go to—and into—the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Epps also told members of the Committee that he found himself playing peacekeeper between Trump supporter "Baked Alaska" and the police - who called Epps a Fed.

"I was trying to find some common ground," said Epps. "This guy was trying to turn people against me...he was calling me 'boomer,' and it's his generation's fault that we're in the position we're in."

Despite the admissions, the FBI never arrested Epps and he was not charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with any Jan. 6 crimes. The non-action has fueled a crop of theories that he might have been working for the FBI or another agency.

Epps has repeatedly denied those suggestions through his attorney.

Speculation that Epps was a 'fed' intensified after a Revolver News reported with the headline: "Meet Ray Epps: The Fed-Protected Provocateur Who Appears To Have Led The Very First 1/6 Attack On The U.S. Capitol"

Revolver also determined, and will prove below, that the the FBI stealthily removed Ray Epps from its Capitol Violence Most Wanted List on July 1, just one day after Revolver exposed the inexplicable and puzzlesome FBI protection of known Epps associate and Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes. July 1 was also just one day after separate New York Times report amplified a glaring, falsifiable lie about Epps’s role in the events of January 6.

Lastly, Ray Epps appears to have worked alongside several individuals — many of them suspiciously unindicted — to carry out a breach of the police barricades that induced a subsequent flood of unsuspecting MAGA protesters to unwittingly trespass on Capitol restricted grounds and place themselves in legal jeopardy. -Revolver News

And so, according to Epps' legal team, Tucker Carlson is the reason the Biden DOJ is about to charge him.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ray-epps-be-criminally-charged-over-role-january-6th-blames-tucker

Head Of FTC Confronted About Agency Harassment Of Twitter At Behest Of Democrats

 Democrats and the establishment media have been suggesting the potential use of government intervention against Twitter from the very moment it became clear that Elon Musk intended to take ownership of the platform.  The reasons why were at once obvious and nebulous to anyone tracking the transition of the company - Democrats enjoyed an immense double standard advantage in the way old Twitter handled TOS and censorship, but the public really had no idea the extent to which government agencies were involved in that same censorship.

While old Twitter received requests for the "investigation" of platform users and comments from both sides of the political aisle, the vast majority of people actually censored or banned from the site were conservatives as well as moderates who spoke out against establishment narratives.   

This was most evident in the case of Hunter Biden's laptop, which was immediately labeled a "conspiracy theory" that you could be banned for discussing, anyone defending the January 6th protests and refuting Democrat claims that the event was an "insurrection," and most notably the sweeping censorship campaign to suppress any contrary information dealing with the covid virus and its origins.   

The release of the Twitter Files showcased a vast network of government agencies deeply entrenched in the activities of the site, with regular interactions between officials and Trust and Safety heads seeking to manipulate or dictate public discourse on various issues.  This behavior was so normalized that the FBI was even paying Twitter millions of dollars for the "processing" of their censorship requests.  These were not "criminal requests" as the media claims, but requests for the company to examine specific users and tweets for possible removal.  

The files acted as a smoking gun, exposing the reality that governments (primarily leftist governments) were actively colluding with social media giants to eliminate free speech.  In the US, this is constitutionally illegal, yet to this day not one agency or politician has been punished for their violations of the 1st Amendment.  The media has engaged in an extensive propaganda campaign ever since the release of the files in an attempt to sow doubt about their validity.   

There are certainly other reasons why the establishment would be so hostile to Elon Musk taking control of Twitter (data scraping for the benefit of covert AI development is one of them), but clearly, under the previous Twitter regime the company was nothing more than a "Ministry Of Truth" acting at the behest of power brokers and government interests while posing as an independent corporation.

This is likely the reason why the FTC has now been tapped to consistently harass and investigate the operations of Twitter under Musk.  The site was under the control of the proper elites before, so there was no need for them to engage in a fear campaign.  Now, ostensibly, it is no longer a sock puppet organization, and so the government goes on the attack.  The motivations are rather transparent, but the head of the FTC, Lina Khan, continues to deny that their overt pressure on Elon Musk is anything other than normal.

One question that Rep. Jim Jordan should have asked Lina Khan is this:  If Twitter has been a data or national security concern since 2010, why is the FTC only becoming so aggressive in their investigations in 2023 after Musk's takeover of the platform?  As Jordan notes, the sudden government intrusion into Twitter appears to be a harassment effort linked directly to Musk's intentions to increase free speech and reduce censorship of various issues.  

Khan has been previously accused by FTC commissioner Kristine Wilson (who resigned) of engaging in extreme partisanship in favor of the Democratic Party while centralizing power and disregarding the rule of law.  Her activities appear to be widely influenced by political chicanery rather than legitimate privacy concerns or national security. 

Twitter still has a host of problems that need to be resolved in terms of interactions and also foreign government interference, but it is indeed a much freer place to speak in the past year.  Those who have no stake in the fate of social media might say that Twitter's fight with the FTC is ultimately meaningless, but they would be wrong.  Rising government intrusions into speech hubs and collusion between political leaders and corporate leaders represent a form of shadow governance that should not be tolerated in any free society.  

If left unchecked, we risk losing our right to public redress forever.     

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/head-ftc-confronted-about-agency-harrassment-twitter-behest-democrats

DC Council Passes Emergency Bill As Crime Rates Soar

 by Katabella Roberts via The Epoch Times,

Washington, D.C. Council voted on July 11 to pass an emergency public safety bill granting judges and law enforcement officials more power as part of efforts to address soaring crime rates in the area.

The bill, known as the “Prioritizing Public Safety Amendment Act,” was put forward by Councilmember Brooke Pinto and passed Tuesday in a 12–1 vote.

Just one council member—Janeese Lewis George, a Democrat—voted against the measure, which will remain in effect for 90 days after it is signed into law by Mayor Muriel Bowser.

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks at a news conference in Washington, on March 15, 2021. (Andrew Harnik/AP Photo)

Under the emergency public safety bill, council members aim to prevent crime and violence by establishing a “rebuttable presumption in favor of pre-trial detention” system for adults who previously committed a violent crime.

Through that system, it will be deemed necessary to detain such individuals who commit new violent crimes, pending their trial date, if a court finds there is “probable cause” that the individual committed the crime of violence.

Similarly, juveniles who commit specific dangerous crimes or crimes of violence, regardless of whether or not they were armed, will also be detained pending trial under the new measure.

The district will allow increased access to private security cameras throughout the district under the measure, and raise the amount of reimbursement residents can get for installing private security cameras outside of their homes.

New Firearm Offence

Additionally, the bill clarifies that pretrial GPS monitoring data can be used as evidence against defendants in court, and makes misdemeanor arrest warrants extraditable when suspects leave the District after committing a crime.

Perhaps one of the biggest elements of the bill is that a new offense of “endangerment with a firearm” will be created, making it a felony for someone to fire a gun in public.

A string of other measures are included in the bill aimed at protecting victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence, and generally bringing down crime levels.

Ms. Pinto praised the passing of the “common-sense legislation” in a statement late Tuesday where she thanked government leaders for taking “tangible steps” to help keep the city safer over the summer.

A Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police vehicle is parked on the other side of police tape on March 23, 2020. (Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)

“Today’s vote sends a clear message that the current state of crime and violence cannot be tolerated and that our government is working together to make DC residents safer,” Ms. Pinto said.

“We must continue to build on the legislation we passed today to better invest in preventative tools and interrupt cycles of violence. However, this legislation is a major step forward in our efforts to create a safer DC for all our residents,” the council member added.

In a separate statement, Ms. Bowser said the new legislation will “fill gaps in our criminal justice system and, in doing so, will increase accountability for violent and criminal behavior and make our city safer.”

“We know that a safer DC is possible and our community is in agreement that the status quo is unacceptable,” Ms. Bowser said.

“People getting killed on our streets is unacceptable. People getting their cars or property stolen at gunpoint is unacceptable. Parents being afraid to let their children play outside or seniors being afraid to walk to the bus stop is unacceptable.”

The passing of the new safety bill comes as crime rates have soared across D.C. according to police data, with homicides up 17 percent year-on-year, and sexual abuse up 35 percent.

Robberies are also up 52 percent annually and violent crime is up 33 percent overall, according to the Metropolitan Police Department data. Motor vehicle theft and arson are also up 117 percent and 300 percent, respectively.

Police and demonstrators clash in downtown Washington after a limo was set on fire following the inauguration of President Donald Trump, in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 2017. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Opposition to Safety Bill

However, not everyone welcomed the new measure. During Tuesday’s vote, Ms. George argued the legislation would likely do little to substantially reduce crime in D.C. and branded the pretrial detention aspect of the bill “reckless,” telling fellow council members that she fears the provision could see more people being held in jail.

“There is no credible evidence that pre-trial detention would make D.C. safer. We’re doing the same thing we did in 1994,” said Ms. George.

“We have books on this, we have scholarly articles on this. It’s the same reaction … we cannot make the same mistake. This is how mass incarceration happens. Bit by bit. We do not need to choose between bad strategies or nothing.”

Despite her objections, an amendment introduced by Ms. George to strike out the pre-trial detention for adults provision was voted down by council members.

Criminal justice reform organizations including the D.C. Justice Lab also opposed the measure.

“Every summer, crime goes up. Every summer, someone tries to introduce an emergency bill to do something about it. And every summer, these bills fail to make any difference. And it’s because they’re not tailored to what actually works to reduce crime,” said Emily Cassometus, the director of government and external affairs for D.C. Justice Lab.

“In D.C., we know that locking more people up and that having big, sweeping generalizations doesn’t work. We know that having really specific targeted interventions does, and that giving people support and resources does,” Ms. Cassometus added.

The passing of the bill follows a string of shootings in D.C. in July, including that of Ahmad Yar, a former interpreter who served alongside U.S. Army Special Forces in Afghanistan for a decade before fleeing his native country when the Taliban rose to power.

Mr. Yar was shot last week while working his shift as a Lyft driver. He was taken to hospital where he later died of his injuries.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/dc-council-passes-emergency-bill-crime-rates-soar