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Whitmer spent $216,000 on Japan trip

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s recent trip to Japan is expected to have cost $216,000, according to a document obtained by Michigan Capitol Confidential through a records request. The governor's trip to Japan ended up being part of a three-country tour that also included visits to Singapore and Germany.

When Whitmer landed in Tokyo, she immediately got to work making sushi before staying overnight at the Prince Sakura Tower. She met with representatives of Astemo, an automotive supplier, and toured the Astemo plant.

The second-term governor also met with members of the Japan External Trade Organization, a government economic development agency; HITACHI, JR Automation, XEX Nihonbashi, Subaru, Tenabe Tech, Nissan, Nippon Steel and Keidanren.

She took meetings with the president of Toyota and the chairman of the Japan Automotive Products Association. The governor also toured Daifuku’s facility and had dinner with Gov. Taizo Mikazuki of the Shiga prefecture as well as the mayor of Hino, a city in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Click here to read more.

 

The Gaming Connection: The Role of Online Culture in Charlie Kirk’s Assassination

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, a national dialogue emerged over what contributed to Kirk’s alleged murderer, Tyler Robinson, resorting to violence. Debate has raged over his motivations, political allegiance, and his ties to gender ideology. While the FBI investigates further, one topic of discussion has been Robinson’s involvement online. Already, the investigation has unearthed some indicators as to the level of Robinson’s online presence.

Multiple friends of Robinson described him as “terminally online.” The bullet casings used by Robinson were each inscribed with messages containing numerous online and gaming references. The bullet that struck and killed Kirk read, “Notices, bulges, OwO what’s this?”, which comes from a meme commonly used by members of an online subculture known as “furries:” Click here to read more.

 

New York City wants $250,000 from SoHo artists just to stay in their homes

The blocks south of Houston Street (SoHo) in New York City were a ghost town in the 1960s. Factories had shuttered, warehouses were empty, and landlords struggled to fill vast cast-iron lofts. Then artists moved in, hauling easels and welding equipment into open spaces that no one else wanted. They patched holes, rebuilt staircases, and improvised kitchens where factory sinks once stood.

Artists gave SoHo its soul, turning a derelict manufacturing space into the world’s most famous arts district. Now those same pioneers and their successors are being told to pay the city $250,000 if they want to stay in the neighborhood. The residents have sued to stop that, and their lawsuit is on its way to the state’s highest court.

The dispute dates back to 1971, when the state created a special category of housing, Joint Living-Work Quarters for Artists, to legitimize what was already happening while still reserving the district primarily for industry. To live in these lofts, you had to be a city-certified artist. Click here to read more.

 

Reports on political violence may favor liberals and inflate right-wing numbers

WASHINGTON - In the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination, politicians and political pundits have been engrossed in discussion over the rise of political violence in the United States and what role current rhetoric may play in fueling it.

While Kirk's assassin was subscribed to leftist ideology, targeting Kirk because he "had enough of his hatred;" Democrat leadership has pushed the narrative thyat political violence is disproportionately committed by right-wing extremists rather than left-wing extremists.

Just five days after Kirk's assassination, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) tweeted out a pie chart created by the Washington Post based on a data analysis by the Anti-Defamation League, which shows that right-wing extremists are responsible for the majority of incidents and deaths from 2013 to 2022.

The ADL analysis found that 335 of 444 deaths were committed by right-wing extremists. According to the ADL, right-wing extremists were responsible for more murders than domestic Islamist extremists and left-wing extremists combined. The Washington Post article was published in February 2023 with the headline: "Underrecognized: Extremist murders are usually from right-wing actors." Click here to read more.

 

SOS Jocelyn Benson approves ’86 TRMP’ license plate, despite explicit rule violation

The day Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson lectured her online followers about the “need to turn down the hateful rhetoric and move toward a renewed commitment to civility.”

Pictures recently posted online, however, call into question her department’s commitment to that ideal at a time when Benson is running her own campaign for governor in 2026.

“Saw this in the wild,” X user donnydoright posted Friday, along with an image of a Michigan license plate. “What the Hell!”

The attached image featured green a Nissan Titan with the license plate “86TRMP” – presumably a reference to eliminating the 47^th POTUS. There was also a sticker on the back window of the truck that read, “Nothing says traitor quite like a Trump flag.”

Others, including Izzy Lyman, who shared an image of the plate noted the photo was taken in Traverse City, one of the few liberal enclaves in the northern half of Michigan, while others pointed to the Secretary of State’s policies on plates. Click here to read more.

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Americans Must Remain Committed to Free Expression After the Assassination of Charlie Kirk

Americans are grappling with the horrific assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kirk was killed during an event while engaging in civil discourse and debate. This heinous act of violence was not just the murder of a man, father, and husband, but also an assault on the premise and practice of free expression in a liberal democracy. But as we all process such a moment of political violence and the concerning attack on free expression it represents, we should not pursue policies that would also undermine free expression.

Kirk had been an advocate for free expression and rejected the idea of hate speech laws, posting online that even ugly and evil speech “ALL of it is protected by the First Amendment. Keep America Free.” He frequently defended greater free expression in his discussions on college campuses, even if his organization, Turning Point USA, wasn’t perfect on issues of speech. Click here to read more.

 

Biden FBI Snooped on 92 Conservative Targets in Trump Witch Hunt

The FBI under President Joe Biden investigated no less than 92 conservative or Republican groups and individuals, as part of an operation code-named, “Arctic Frost,” which scoured the dregs for a way to charge President Donald Trump with crimes related to the 2020 election, according to documents released Tuesday by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“In other words, Arctic Frost wasn’t just a case to politically investigate Trump,” said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. “It was the vehicle by which partisan FBI agents and DOJ [Department of Justice] prosecutors could achieve their partisan ends and improperly investigate the entire Republican political apparatus.” Click here to read more.

 

22-year-old arrested in fatal shooting of beloved pastor; family offers forgiveness as Bible teaches

A 22-year-old man has been arrested in the shooting death of a California pastor whose loss has devastated his family and congregation. The family says they are choosing to forgive, citing the Christian teachings their loved one preached.

Deputies with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call at around 2:35 p.m. on Sept. 7 at a home on Eighth Street in Ramona, where they found 40-year-old Felipe Ascencio, the pastor of Templo Monte Horeb, suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics were called, but Ascencio was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Friday, authorities arrested Joel Martin Dukes III, a 22-year-old Ramona resident, on suspicion of murder, FOX 5 reported. Detectives were quoted as saying they're continuing to interview witnesses and gather evidence, and the motive remains under investigation.

The shooting was an isolated incident and posed no ongoing threat to the community, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Ascencio led the devoted Spanish-speaking congregation, Templo Monte Horeb, in worship and community outreach. Click here to read more.

 

Libraries to Beg Governor Whitmer to Guard the Gender Shelves

LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The Michigan Library Association (MLA) has launched a petition aimed at Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Legislature, calling for protection of library shelves from what they describe as censorship. In practice, that means ensuring books with sexually explicit and gender-related themes remain available, including in areas accessible to young readers.

The “Protect the Freedom to Read in Michigan” petition, launched in July, has compiled about 3,000 signatures so far and will eventually be delivered to the governor in Lansing in October. Amid ongoing attempts to ban gender-themed books in local libraries by concerned parents and taxpayers, Michigan’s library association and their supporters are urging state leaders to boost funding, push local boards to reject censorship, and reaffirm the public’s right to free access to information. Click here to read more.

 

Educators face consequences for Kirk comments in Hopkins, Vassar, Flint, Ann Arbor, Kalkaska, Galesburg, Grand Ledge.

Another Michigan school teacher is facing disciplinary action over inappropriate comments to students regarding the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

Parents of middle schoolers in Hopkins Public Schools learned an unidentified English teacher was suspended this week, WZZM reports.

“Last weekend there was a communication sent to HPS families regarding an ongoing investigation into unprofessional comments,” the email to seventh-grade parents read. “While it was found there were unprofessional comments made about personal beliefs from a staff member, there were no comments made that encouraged or supported the use of violence towards anyone for their beliefs.

“In fact, the investigation suggests (the teacher) denounced violence and murder in all situations at the beginning of this conversation,” the email continued, noting district policy allows for both “progressive consequences” and “protections for privacy.” Click here to read more.

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Michigan Dem. Lawmaker chops head off chicken while bragging about effort to ‘slay Republicans’

Michigan state Rep. Mai Xiong regularly lectures her online critics about how mean words and loaded language lead to “political violence against public officials.”

The Warren Democrat also likes to create videos about how she works to “slay Republicans,” she describes as “MAGA extremists” and “monsters,” while relentlessly promoting herself on X and TikTok.

“I respect and know that being an elected official means hearing many different kinds of opinions. I expect criticism – but this kind of hateful rhetoric is not debate,” Xiong recently posted to X in response to online attacks. “It’s is [sic] harmful, dangerous, and not only fuels political violence, it’s verbal abuse. This behavior must stop.” Click here to read more.

 

Gov. Whitmer Offers COVID Vaccine ‘Solution’ But There’s No Problem

LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced an executive directive on Wednesday which instructs “state agencies to identify and remove any barriers to accessing COVID-19 vaccines.”

Gov. Whitmer wrote in a press release, “Today’s executive directive ensures Michiganders can get the COVID-19 vaccine.”

However, are there any barriers in Michigan when it comes to accessing vaccines? The short answer: no.

Whitmer appears to be trying to correlate a supposed lack of access to the COVID-19 vaccine to recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) marketing authorizations to high-risk groups. In addition, the vaccines still “are available for all patients who choose them after consulting with their doctors.” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made the distinction last month. Click here to read more.

 

4 Red States Defy National Education Trends, See Higher Math, Reading Scores

Test scores for America’s grade schools continue to show a dismal decline in basic reading and math skills, but four red states that were once seen as laggards are now bucking the nationwide trend.

According to the 2024 assessment by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, 12th graders tested in reading and math have shown a continuing decline since 1992. This report follows a 2020 study by the Department of Education that found that 54% of U.S. adults—130 million people—read at or below a sixth-grade level.

This year, 19-year-old Aleysha Ortiz sued the Hartford Board of Education, charging that, although she graduated with honors from Hartford Public High School in 2024, she cannot read or write. And Ivy League schools like Harvard, Columbia, and Princeton are reportedly no longer assigning whole books to students because reading an entire book is too difficult. Click here to read more.

 

The FBI’s ‘Arctic Frost’ Effort to Freeze the Right

Unfortunately for the many good agents and employees doing their jobs well and upholding their oaths, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has a long history of corruption and shady investigations. It didn’t start or end with the FBI’s efforts against Donald Trump, beginning during the 2016 campaign.

In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the FBI launched a probe of nearly 100 Republican and conservative groups, including Turning Point USA, the organization co-founded in 2012 by the late Charlie Kirk.

We know this thanks to two Republican senators — Iowa’s Chuck Grassley and Wisconsin’s Ron Johnson. Earlier this week, they published a tranche of files related to the probe, codenamed “Arctic Frost,” which was begun in April 2022 before being turned over to Special Counsel Jack Smith in November of that year.

“Arctic Frost was much broader than just an electoral matter,” Grassley said, because it “expanded to Republican organizations.” He explained: Click here to read more.

 

Man who shot 3 Lorain police officers in ambush had 100 pounds of explosive material in his car

LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio (WOIO) - The man who shot three Lorain police officers, killing Officer Phillip Wagner, had 100 pounds of an explosive material inside his car, along with more than 7,500 rounds of ammunition.

Michael Parker was “heavily armed and prepared for a violent and prolonged encounter,” said Elyria Police Captain Bill Lantz at a news conference Thursday.

Parker fired 193 times.

Captain Lantz said more than 200 loaded magazines were found, and several containers of loose ammunition were located in Parker’s vehicle.

Officers also found a total of 10 firearms, including seven rifles, five with a scope. Click here to read more.