“The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform unanimously voted Tuesday to recommend that the full House hold billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas issued in its investigation of the federal government’s handling of the criminal cases against convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. … The GOP-led committee has been investigating Epstein since February 2025, and has sought to speak with Black, a longtime friend and client of the disgraced New York financier, believing he has information related to how Epstein and Maxwell tried to curry favor and exercise influence to protect their illegal activities. Black sat for a transcribed interview in June, but walked out about an hour into the interview after declining to answer questions concerning nondisclosure agreements.” (09/15/26)
“Just this week, Trump excoriated Ukraine for targeting Russia’s oil infrastructure because it’s creating problems for him. ‘Mr. Zelensky has to do one thing,’ Trump said. ‘He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia. Let him go after targets, but not diesel fuel, because he’s causing a shortage of diesel.’ Trump — who endlessly insisted on the campaign trail that he could ‘end the war in Ukraine in one day’ — doesn’t demand Putin stop murdering Ukrainians. He instead demands that Ukrainians not fight back in a way that inconveniences Trump amid a surge in oil prices overwhelmingly caused by the war Trump started with Iran.” (09/15/26)
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G Hornberger
“Exclaiming against the upsurge in popularity for socialism, especially among young people, right-wingers wax eloquent about the virtues of America’s ‘capitalist’ system. By the same token, left-wingers vehemently denounce America’s ‘capitalist’ system. Notice the common denominator: Both right-wingers and left-wingers have absolutely no doubts that Americans live under a capitalist system.” (09/15/26)
“Saudi Arabia said it shot down a Houthi drone on the outskirts of Islam’s holiest city Mecca on Tuesday –– prompting swift regional condemnation of the Iran-backed Yemeni rebel group. It’s the first time that the Houthis have targeted Mecca in almost a decade, since a ballistic missile attack was intercepted in 2017, according to Turki al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led Coalition Forces. The Houthis quickly denied threatening Mecca, with military spokesman Yahya Saree saying early Wednesday that its targets were Saudi oil facilities and military bases ‘far removed from the holy places.'” (09/16/26)
“Black markets are often dismissed with prejudice by the general population due to the state’s conditioning that they are inherently immoral, unethical, and evil. Even when presented with evidence of the state’s hand as the root cause of violent outcomes — such as the prime example of alcohol prohibition — the average person continues the misguided belief that malum prohibitum is still a justifiable excuse for the state’s use of force. After all, if the legislature declares a voluntary exchange illegal, then the exchange itself somehow becomes immoral, and the state’s guns become virtuous. Black markets are condemned by habit, not by reason. The average mind has been trained to recoil at the term and to associate unlicensed commerce with violence, chaos, and predation. This is not only backwards but objectively false.” (09/15/26)
“Major cryptocurrency assets slid Tuesday as the Senate failed to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, which seeks to create a federal regulatory framework for digital assets and faces opposition from some Democrats who say the legislation’s provisions are too weak. The CLARITY Act, which needed 60 votes to pass the Senate, failed after a 49-50 vote was held. Bitcoin dropped 4.1% on Tuesday afternoon to around $75,000, falling to its lowest point in its last five days of trading. Ethereum fell over 5% to $2,397, also recording its lowest point in the same period. … The CLARITY Act will have to be reintroduced to Congress at a later date after failing Tuesday, meaning it is seriously unlikely it will be presented in front of lawmakers again before the end of the year as midterm elections approach.” (09/15/26)
‘The biggest reason to oppose use of ALPRs is that they create an ongoing, persistent, nationwide web of warrantless search and surveillance that encompasses everyone who drives, without probable cause to believe that those drivers have committed particular crimes or even that those particular crimes have actually occurred. That’s something the government isn’t supposed to be able to do. It’s also something the government doesn’t NEED to do.” (09/15/26)
“For a third time, the US House has voted to end the war in Iran, approving a war powers resolution that would halt President Donald Trump’s ability to continue military action without congressional approval. The roll call late Tuesday, 220-204, was similar to earlier efforts this summer, with a few more Republicans joining all Democrats voting to bring an end to the conflict. … Congress has tried repeatedly to alter the trajectory of the war against Iran, but efforts to limit the Trump administration’s military action remain a long shot so long as the president can fend off or veto the measures.” [editor’s note: Joint resolutions are binding and can’t be vetoed, and one has already passed; since the votes aren’t there to impeach and remove the crook, he’ll continue his crimes – TLK] (09/16/26)
