Salem News Channel

Jack Smith Is A Joke

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Heavy snow was falling over Northwest Texas and Oklahoma City on Friday morning as a major winter storm began moving east across the U.S., bringing deadly cold and the threat of power outages and treacherously icy roads to almost half the nation's population and prompting more than a dozen governors to declare states of emergency. More than 150 million Americans were under some form of weather emergency notices from the National Weather Service. Driven by a massive blast of Arctic air from Canada, the storm will move across the nation from the southern Rockies to the East Coast through early Monday, and cover much of the eastern U.S. through the weekend, forecasters said. At least 14 U.S. states and the District of Columbia had declared states of emergency as of Friday morning, activating resources and mobilizing crews to mitigate the storm's impact by salting roads, preparing to respond to power outages, and more. Brandon Buckingham, a meteorologist with private forecasting company AccuWeather, said snow and sleet had started to fall Thursday evening in portions of the Central Plains, and warned that there was a danger of ice accumulating on roads, trees and power lines. "Dallas could see a half-inch of ice," Buckingham said. "This is going to become treacherous very quickly." He said residents should prepare for "power outages lasting at least several days" in areas where ice accumulates, even though the storm is expected to dissipate by early Monday. In Oklahoma City, which could see up to 12 inches of snow and a glaze of ice before the weekend is over, supervisor Morgan Mayo of the cafe Not Your Average Joe said customers were packing in on Friday morning to get out of the frigid temperatures: a low of 8 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday. "We're going to do our darnedest to stay open" even on Saturday when the high is expected to be just 10 degrees, Mayo said. "We have several employees who live in walking distance and are willing to brave the storm." In Texas, the potentially catastrophic storm recalls a 2021 ice storm that cut power to nearly 40 percent of the state's power grid and left more than 2.7 million people without electricity for days. The storm was blamed for more than 200 deaths, most related to cold temperatures. The state’s largest electrical grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), said it is ready for this weekend's storm and expects “sufficient generation to meet demand this winter.” HEADING EAST As the storm heads east on Saturday and Sunday, upwards of a quarter-inch of ice could accumulate in Atlanta and Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina this weekend. On Sunday, between 4 and 8 inches of snow will fall on Washington D.C., Baltimore, New York City and Boston, although snow exceeding 12 inches is likely to fall in parts of the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic. In the nation's capital, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser on Friday declared a state of emergency and a snow emergency to remain in effect from Saturday through Tuesday. Bowser asked the National Guard to provide high-ground-clearance vehicles to ensure first responders could effectively move through the District. The storm represents the first major test for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who took office just weeks ago. He told local news station NY1 on Friday that the city's sanitation workforce would transform "into the nation’s largest snow-fighting operation" in advance of the heavy snowfall expected on Sunday, but that the city's schools would be open on Monday for either in-person or remote learning.

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Jack Smith is Evading Responsibility

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Will Only the USA stand up to Iran?

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Forecasters say over half the U.S. population could be affected by snow, ice or bitter cold as a winter storm sweeps across the county. On Friday, schools in Chicago and other cities canceled classes due to extreme cold. Then the storm is forecast to bring snow, sleet, and ice from Texas to New England. Forecasters warn the damage could rival a hurricane, especially in areas hit by ice. More than 1,000 flights were delayed or canceled Friday, with more expected Saturday. People are stocking up on water, food and generators as they prepare for the storm.

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Scores of businesses across Minnesota were closing up for the day on Friday in what religious leaders and labor unions describe as a general strike to protest U.S. President Donald Trump's deployment of thousands of immigration enforcement officers on the streets of Minneapolis. "ICE OUT!" was the message of fliers posted on businesses' doors, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency on Friday, a frigid day in snowy Minneapolis with temperatures well below freezing. "NO WORK. NO SCHOOL. NO SHOPPING." Across the state, bars, restaurants, museums, shops and other local businesses were shuttering for the day. Many workers in Minneapolis planned to join a march in the afternoon, intended by organizers to be the largest display of opposition yet to the federal government's surge, which Mayor Jacob Frey and other Democrats have likened to an invasion. Miguel Hernandez, a community organizer who closed his business, Lito's Bakery in Minneapolis for the day, put on four layers, wool socks and a parka before heading out to protest. "If this were any other time, no one would've gone out," he said, bracing for the weather. "For us, it's a message of solidarity with our community, that we see the pain and misery that's going on in the streets, and it's a message to our politicians that they have to do more than grandstand on the news." No school districts were shutting down, but schools in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul offered remote-learning options, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. Trump, a Republican, launched the Minnesota crackdown in response to fraud allegations against some members of the state's large community of people of Somali origin. He has called Somali immigrants "garbage" and said they are to be removed from the country as part of his effort to expel more immigrants, including some admitted into the country to seek asylum and other lawful residents, than any of his predecessors. Minnesota residents have responded with anger, making noise in the streets day and night with whistles and musical instruments. Some agents and protesters have yelled obscenities at each other, and agents have deployed tear gas and flash-bang grenades to scatter crowds. The Trump administration says some protesters have harassed agents and obstructed their work. Senior Trump administration officials have gone to Minneapolis to defend ICE, with Vice President JD Vance telling reporters during his Thursday visit the administration is "doing everything we can to lower the temperature." Patty O'Keefe, a 36-year-old nonprofit worker, said she would be among those willing to join Friday's march and "expose ourselves to the elements to demonstrate the level of anger and frustration that we have." "We continue to be under siege from the federal government, and it feels like we need to do more because our normal forms of protest and resistance have shown to not be enough yet to really send a strong enough message to Trump," she said. The numerous Fortune 500 companies that call Minnesota home - mostly based in the Minneapolis area - have refrained from public statements about the immigration raids. Minneapolis-based Target, which has come under fire in the last year for retreating from its public commitment to diversity policies, has faced more criticism for not speaking out about activity at its stores. State lawmakers have pressed the company for details of its guidance to employees if and when ICE officers show up at stores. The company declined a request for comment. Reuters also contacted Minnesota-based UnitedHealth, Medtronic, Abbott Laboratories, Best Buy, Hormel, General Mills, 3M and Fastenal. None immediately responded to requests for comment.

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Today, Josh breaks down the GOP hearing from earlier this week, where Republicans went after "Special Prosecutor" Jack Smith and exposed just how politicized Smith was in his charges against President Trump. Josh argues that the time for talking is over—and that accountability needs to begin now, including potential charges against Smith. Josh then turns to the March for Life in Washington, D.C., explaining why President Trump should be doing more to protect the rights of unborn babies and strengthen the pro-life cause. Next, Josh tackles immigration, making the case that immigration law must be enforced—whether it’s Minnesota or the southern border—because without the rule of law, the country cannot function. He closes with a look at President Trump’s new “Board of Peace,” what it could mean, and why it may be shaping up as a serious rival to the United Nations.

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Thousands of pro-life advocates and supporters gathered in Washington, D.C. for the annual anti-abortion rally on the National Mall and a march to the U.S. Supreme Court. Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson attended and spoke at the March For Life rally this afternoon. President Donald Trump addressed the crowd virtually.

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Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum Discusses The Importance of Greenland

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Ukrainian and Russian negotiators met in Abu Dhabi on Friday to tackle the vital issue of territory, with no sign of a compromise, as Russian attacks plunged Ukraine into its deepest energy crisis of the four-year war. Kyiv is under mounting U.S. pressure to reach a peace deal in the war triggered by Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, with Moscow demanding Kyiv cede its entire eastern industrial area of Donbas before it stops fighting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the territorial dispute would be a top priority of the talks in the United Arab Emirates. "The question of Donbas is key. It will be discussed how the three sides... see this in Abu Dhabi today and tomorrow," he told reporters in a WhatsApp chat a day after talks with U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos that yielded no immediate results. The negotiations in the Gulf are expected to continue on Saturday morning, Zelenskiy's aide said. The talks unfold against a backdrop of intensified Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy system that have cut power and heating to major cities like Kyiv, as temperatures hover well below freezing. Russian President Vladimir Putin's demand that Ukraine surrender the 20% it still holds of the Donetsk region of the Donbas - about 5,000 sq km (1,900 sq miles) - has proven a major stumbling block to a breakthrough deal. Zelenskiy refuses to give up land that Russia has not been able to capture in four years of grinding, attritional warfare. Polls show little appetite among Ukrainians for territorial concessions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Russia's insistence on Ukraine yielding the Donbas was "a very important condition". A source close to the Kremlin told Reuters that Moscow considers a so-called "Anchorage formula", which Moscow said was agreed between Trump and Putin at a summit last August, to mean Russia controlling all of Donbas and freezing the current front lines elsewhere in Ukraine's east and south. Donetsk is one of four Ukrainian regions Moscow said in 2022 it was annexing after referendums rejected by Kyiv and Western nations as bogus. Most countries recognise Donetsk as part of Ukraine. As Friday's talks proceeded, the head of Ukraine's top private power producer, Maxim Timchenko, told Reuters that Ukraine needs a ceasefire that halts attacks on energy, saying the situation was nearing a "humanitarian catastrophe". Kyiv's energy minister said on Thursday that Ukraine's power grid had endured its most difficult day since a widespread blackout in November 2022, when Russia first began bombing energy infrastructure. SECURITY GUARANTEES AGREED, ZELENSKIY SAYS Zelenskiy said on Thursday in Davos that the Abu Dhabi talks would be the first trilateral meetings involving Ukrainian and Russian envoys and U.S. mediators since the war began. Last year Russian and Ukrainian delegations had their first face-to-face meeting since 2022 when they met in Istanbul. A top Ukrainian military intelligence officer also had talks with U.S. and Russian delegations in Abu Dhabi in November. Ukraine has sought robust security guarantees from Western allies in the event of a peace deal to prevent Russia, which has shown little interest in ending the war, from invading again. Zelenskiy also told reporters that a deal on U.S. security guarantees for Kyiv was ready, and that he was only waiting on Trump for a specific date and place to sign it. For its part, Russia has floated the idea of using the bulk of nearly $5 billion of Russian assets frozen in the United States to fund a recovery of Russian-occupied territory inside Ukraine. Ukraine, backed by European allies, demands that Russia pay it reparations. Asked about Russia's idea, Zelenskiy dismissed it as "nonsense". Russia says it wants a diplomatic solution but will keep working to achieve its goals by military means as long as a negotiated solution remains elusive.

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Representative Jim Jordan Discusses The Jack Smith Hearing

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Mike asks Is this Winter storm really going to be that bad?

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The Trump administration is expanding its restrictions on U.S. foreign aid to bar funding not only for groups that support abortion services but also for organizations that promote gender identity initiatives and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. The changes significantly broaden the scope of the longstanding Mexico City Policy, a rule first established under President Ronald Reagan that conditions U.S. foreign assistance on recipients agreeing not to provide or advocate for abortion-related care. Under the new rules, set to be finalized Friday in the Federal Register, organizations receiving U.S. aid — including international and U.S.-based non-governmental groups — would have to certify that they do not provide or promote abortion as a method of family planning, engage in what the administration describes as “gender ideology,” or participate in diversity, equity and inclusion-related activities. The expanded policy is expected to affect more than $30 billion in foreign assistance. Administration officials say the policy ensures U.S. taxpayer dollars do not support programs that conflict with broader policy goals. Anti-abortion advocates have praised the move as a major victory. However, abortion rights and LGBTQ+ advocates warn that the expanded ban could force humanitarian and health groups to choose between U.S. funding and providing essential services around the world. Critics also argue that the policy could jeopardize critical healthcare, research and support programs. The expansion coincides with the anniversary of the now-overturned Roe v. Wade decision and the annual March for Life demonstration in Washington, D.C.

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Utility companies and state officials across the eastern United States are preparing for a major winter storm this weekend that meteorologists say could bring down power lines and trigger widespread outages. The system — expected to bring heavy snow, freezing rain, ice and dangerously cold temperatures from the South into the Northeast — has officials warning that infrastructure could be stressed and electricity supplies disrupted. Freezing rain and ice are particularly hazardous because they can accumulate on trees and power lines, causing branches and lines to snap and knock out service. Millions of households are at risk of losing power, a serious concern especially in southern states where many homes rely on electricity for heating. Officials and utility companies are mobilizing crews and staging equipment ahead of the storm, but even quick response times may be hampered by icy roads and continued tree damage long after the storm itself passes. Experts point to lessons from Winter Storm Uri in Texas in 2021 — when a lack of weatherization contributed to prolonged outages and hundreds of deaths — as a reminder of the dangers extreme cold and grid strain can pose. In addition to the immediate threat of losing power, analysts warn that families could face higher energy bills in the weeks after the storm as households use more heating during and after the extreme cold. Utilities in the Southeast, including Duke Energy and the Tennessee Valley Authority, have urged customers to prepare for possible multi-day outages and have bolstered staffing and readiness efforts. As the storm advances, residents are advised to monitor local forecasts, prepare emergency supplies, and plan for the possibility of extended outages.

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President Donald Trump filed a $5 billion lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase and its CEO Jamie Dimon on Thursday, alleging the bank closed several of his accounts to further a political agenda. Trump also claims Dimon created a “blacklist” to warn other banks against doing business with the Trump Organization, his family members, and Trump himself. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump said, “He debanked me, so we'll see if that means anything. But I think it should. You shouldn't be de-banked if you have money and a good company.” JPMorgan denied targeting Trump for political or religious reasons, saying accounts are closed only if they pose legal or regulatory risks. The bank said it respects Trump’s right to sue but believes the case has no merit. Shares in JPMorgan rose 0.5% Thursday. Trump has previously criticized other lenders, including Bank of America, over similar allegations and recently called for a 10% cap on credit card interest rates.

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Chris Cuomo Goes Full Tough Guy against CNN's Scott Jennings

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Video Claims Judges Can Be Bribed In Ohio Immigration Courts With Amy Curtis, Web Editor at Townhall.com

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Seahawks Asst. Head Coach Talks Playoffs And Possible Super Bowl Run With Leslie Frazier, Assistant Head Coach for the Seattle Seahawks.

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Jack Smith Testifies Before Congress

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Luigi Mangione is returning to federal court today as a judge reviews whether key evidence can be used in his death penalty case for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The hearing will focus on whether police in Altoona, Pennsylvania, legally searched Mangione’s backpack after his arrest on Dec. 9, 2024, five days after Thompson was killed in Manhattan. Authorities say the search uncovered a gun and a notebook in which Mangione allegedly detailed plans to target a health insurance executive. U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett has limited the hearing to testimony from a single Altoona police officer, who will discuss department procedures for securing and inventorying personal property during arrests. The officer does not need to have personally participated in Mangione’s arrest. Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to federal and state murder charges, which carry the possibility of life in prison. His trial could begin as early as September. Prosecutors argue that the backpack search was lawful under Altoona police protocol, which allows officers to quickly check for dangerous items and later inventory seized property. Defense attorneys contend the search occurred before a warrant was obtained, and that any evidence from it should be excluded. Among the items found were a loaded gun magazine, a firearm, a silencer, and a notebook with notes including alleged plans and to-do lists. Prosecutors say the search was part of a standard inventory procedure and later validated by a warrant. Judge Garnett has requested the federal search warrant affidavit to better understand the sequence of events. Defense attorneys argue the pre-warrant search may have influenced the affidavit, while prosecutors say no specific details from the backpack, like notebook contents, were included.

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