Morning Source

Where’s the accountability for the media’s Russia lies?

The press loses interest in its once-favorite story.
November 11, 2021

ITEM #1
Where’s the accountability for the media’s Russia lies?


The phony Trump-Russia collusion hoax has long been cemented as one of the most shameful episodes in American history. The Democrat Party’s behavior in perpetuating the story, and the national “news” media’s role in dutifully advancing it further still, will remain a stain on both institutions for many years to come.
 
The past week has brought some major new developments on this front. And the more we learn about what actually happened, the more stunning the depth and the scope of the con foisted on the American people. Fox News reports:
 
“Jake Sullivan, President Biden's White House national security adviser, is the ‘foreign policy advisor’ referred to in the indictment of former Hillary Clinton presidential campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann, according to two well-placed sources.
 
“This is the closest Special Counsel John Durham's investigation into the origins of the Russia investigation has come to anyone directly associated with the Biden White House.
 
“Sussmann was indicted for allegedly lying to the FBI on Sept. 16, and has pleaded not guilty to one count of making a false statement to a federal agent. This case came out of Durham’s probe into the origins of the Russia investigation.
 
“Durham’s indictment alleges Sussmann told then-FBI General Counsel James Baker he was not doing work ‘for any client’ when he requested and held a September 2016 meeting in which he provided evidence of a purported secret communications channel between then-candidate Donald Trump and Russia.
 
“In fact, he later billed the Clinton campaign for the meeting, according to Durham's indictment. The FBI also looked into the story about the alleged link between the Trump presidential campaign and the Russian bank, it turned out to be bogus.
 
“The Durham indictment lays out a scenario where an unnamed Clinton campaign lawyer, ‘exchanged emails with the Clinton Campaign’s campaign manager, communications director, and foreign policy advisor [Jake Sullivan] concerning the Russian Bank-1 allegations that Sussmann had recently shared,’ with an unnamed reporter.”

 
It sure is interesting how so much of the mainstream press — once bursting uncontrollably with energy for this story — suddenly finds the whole thing unworthy of their time and attention, isn’t it?
 
Seriously: Where are the reporters and editors losing their jobs over this? Where are the apologies that countless news outlets clearly owe the American people — never mind the targets of their inexcusable journalistic malpractice?
 
Where’s the accountability?
 
It’s not coming, of course. Being a member of the left-wing press means never having to say you’re sorry.
 
(By the way, for another great analysis of how disgracefully Democrats and the media have acted throughout this episode, see this piece by David Harsanyi at National Review.)
 

ITEM #2
Coming to a school near you...


As critical race theory continues to prove a political liability for Democrats, many of them (with an assist from their media allies) have taken the approach of simply denying that it’s become a part of school curricula at all.
 
But a look at the evidence shows otherwise. And if you’re a Southern Nevada parent, this is an issue that’s closer to home than you may think.
 
Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Victor Joecks is keeping an eye on the Clark County School District, and what he exposed recently is deeply concerning, to say the least. He writes:
 
“The Board of Trustees is likely to vote this month on an ‘anti-racism’ policy. That sounds innocuous. But this policy is filled with principles that buttress critical race theory. It’s a classic bait-and-switch.”
 
Joecks explains further:
 
“Here’s how the policy defines anti-racism. It is actively ‘identifying, challenging and changing the values, structures, attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate systemic racism.’ Systemic racism ‘encompasses the history and current reality of institutions and society.’
 
“Put that together. Anti-racism is actively challenging and changing the values and structures of today’s institutions and society. That’s a call for revolution, not opposing discrimination.”

 
The good news — as last week’s Virginia election results make clear — is that voters are waking up to the kind of filth the left is pushing on our kids, and are perfectly capable of pushing back.
 

ITEM #3
Was he at least wearing a mask?


Care for some more hypocrisy from the climate-alarmism crowd?
 
Last time it was Jeff Bezos and his fellow “green” CEOs using private jets to fly to the COP26 climate conference. This time, it’s our own Governor Steve Sisolak. And again it’s Victor Joecks with the details:
 
“Gov. Steve Sisolak frequently advocates reducing greenhouse gas emissions to fight global warming. In 2019, he signed a bill requiring 50 percent of Nevada’s power to come from renewables by 2030.”
 
So just how serious is the Governor about his commitment to clean energy? Here’s Joecks again:
 
“Last month, Sisolak was involved in a car accident in Las Vegas. Fortunately, he and the other drive suffered only minor injuries. Accidents happen, even when you’re the governor.
 
“Sisolak was driving an SUV, specifically a Lexus RX350. The hybrid model of that SUV is the Lexus RX450, per cars.com.
 
“The police report lists the vehicle owner as Stephen Sisolak. On that report, the box stating the owner was the same as the driver isn’t checked. But body camera footage showed the governor pulling an old insurance card for the SUV from his wallet. This makes it all but definitive that it’s the governor’s vehicle. The governor’s office didn’t respond when asked if Sisolak owned the SUV.
 
“Sisolak, the climate alarmist, was driving around Las Vegas in a gas-guzzling SUV. He wants you to cut your carbon emissions but didn’t feel to need to drive a zero-emissions vehicle himself.”

 
Joecks sums things up perfectly: “What a hypocrite. But when it comes to global warming, he’s far from the only one.”


ITEM #4
Battle lines...


Nevada’s legislative Democrats on Tuesday released their proposed maps ahead of the coming special session on redistricting, which is expected to be called at any moment now (and indeed may have been called already by the time you’re reading this).
 
The proposed maps can be found here.
 
Even a cursory look at the Democrats’ plan makes it clear they’ve redrawn the district lines with an eye toward maximizing partisan gain for themselves, which means this story will no doubt take many twists and turns in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned, friends, as we continue to bring you the latest.


ITEM #5
Up, up and away!


Democrats already feeling panic-stricken by what happened in Virginia last week can’t be too thrilled by this news, via Associated Press:
 
“Inflation at the wholesale level rose 8.6% last month from a year earlier, matching September’s record annual gain and offering more evidence that inflationary pressures are not yet easing.
 
“The Labor Department reported Tuesday that its producer price index — which measures inflation before it hits consumers — rose 0.6% last month from September, pushed higher by surging gasoline prices.”

 
President Biden continues to insist that inflation isn’t a pressing problem for every-day Americans. Economic reality continues to insist otherise.
 

NOTABLE QUOTE

 
“Inflation is taxation without legislation.” ― Milton Friedman