Latest news with #Wray
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Biden Weaponized Law Enforcement Against Catholics
Even the initial story about the FBI targeting Catholics for suspicion and surveillance was bad enough. In December 2023, the House Judiciary Committee published a detailed report about how the FBI specifically identified traditional Catholics as potential domestic terror threats. The House report revealed the shocking finding that the Richmond, Virginia, office of the FBI suspected traditional Catholics "as violent extremists and proposed opportunities for the FBI to infiltrate Catholic churches as a form of 'threat mitigation." In sworn testimony before the U.S. Senate, former FBI Director Christopher Wray was challenged by Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri: "Now we know that, in fact, FBI agents did approach a priest and a choir director to ask them to inform on parishioners." Despite this serious allegation, Wray denied a wider FBI initiative and blamed a localized mistake in Richmond. Well … new information reveals that, at best, FBI Director Wray was playing fast and loose with the truth. At worst, the then-sitting chief law enforcement investigator of America committed perjury when he dishonestly stated that the memo was "a single product by a single field office." Oh, all while completely maligning the largest denomination of Christian believers in the United States. But, alas, the sad story of the FBI targeting Catholics does not end in 2023. New information uncovered by Sen. Charles Grassleys committee reveals that the so-called "Richmond memo" was more like a nationwide all-points-bulletin from FBI brass, informing legions of agents to suspect and investigate faithful parishioners across the land. As CatholicVote describes, "the FBIs anti-Catholic Richmond memo was distributed to more than 1,000 employees in FBI field offices across the country." Sen. Grassleys press release states that a whistleblower "produced at least 13 additional documents and five attachments that used anti-Catholic terminology and relied on information from the radical far-left Southern Poverty Law Center" to target Catholics. Amazingly, such harsh anti-Catholic actions formed a key policy agenda for Joe Biden, a politician who constantly trumpeted his Catholic bona fides and bragged about the rosary he carries in his pocket. Of course, those pronouncements did not stop him from targeting the Little Sisters of the Poor for brutal Department of Justice intimidation when he was vice president. Nor did Joes faith restrain him as president, when he awarded Americas highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to the late Cecile Richardson, one of the most prolific abortion providers in U.S. history. Unfortunately, Bidens anti-Catholic actions follow a tragic trend of recent decades for Democrats, once the proud home to generations of Catholic voters across America. In fact, Bidens eventual vice president, Kamala Harris, engaged in brazen anti-Catholic bigotry as a U.S. senator in 2018. Harris tried to derail the judicial nomination of Brian Buescher simply because the district court nominee dared to belong to the Catholic fraternal charity organization, the Knights of Columbus. I wrote about that prejudice - an unconstitutional religious litmus test - in a December 26, 2018, opinion piece for RealClearPolitics. No wonder that during the 2024 presidential race, then-Sen. JD Vance called the Biden-Harris White House "the most anti-Catholic administration in living memory." Which brings us back to the present day and these newfound facts about the breadth and scope of the anti-Catholicism of Bidens FBI. This targeting fits within a larger context of the completely unacceptable politicized weaponization of federal law enforcement by people like Biden, Harris, Wray, and former Attorney General Merrick Garland. Sen. Grassley makes it clear that he believes Wray lied under oath. If that allegation is correct, then the Trump-Vance DOJ must charge Wray. In addition, this issue carries great political peril for Democrats and big continued rewards for Republicans. Historically, Catholics decide national elections. For over half a century, the Catholic vote has determined the winner in every election but one (choosing Al Gore over George W. Bush in 2000). In 2024 Trump rolled up an incredible +11% margin among Catholics nationwide, a giant improvement over his tie among Catholics in 2020. In fact, Trump would not have won the popular vote - surprising every "expert" - without his dominant performance among Catholics. So, lets get to the truth, punish the evildoers, and reap the political spoils as well. Steve Cortes is president of the League of American Workers, a populist right pro-laborer advocacy group, and senior political advisor to Catholic Vote. He is a former senior advisor to President Trump and JD Vance, and a former commentator for Fox News and CNN.
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Cyclist celebrates solid result at Edmonton elite race
EDMONTON, AB — A local cyclist had a fifth-place finish in a road race in Edmonton on the weekend. Nigel Wray, a mainstay of the Blizzard Bicycle Club, competed against other elite racers at the Alex Stieda Classic. Named after the former Canadian cyclist, Stieda is known as the first North American to have led the world's most famous cycling race, the Tour de France, donning the famous yellow jersey during the second day in the 1986 event. The Alex Stieda Classic is a two-leg event, with Saturday, May 31st's event being a road race throughout Edmonton's Parkland County and the second leg on Sunday, June 1st being a 'criterium' or closed circuit race around the city's Laurier Heights area. Wray stuck with the leaders of the race by finishing the opening lap of the 22-kilometre course at 39 minutes and 46 seconds, about a second behind the leaders during the final day on Sunday. He continued his strong start by sharing the fastest second lap with a time of 49 minutes and 14 seconds. Keeping pace with the leaders, Wray took fifth place with a time of two hours, 15 minutes and 16 seconds. Blizzard Bicycle Club paid homage to Wray's efforts, calling his performance 'excellent' in a Facebook post . The Alex Stieda Classic took place on May 31st and June 1st and was hosted by Edmonton's Juventus Cycling Club. To see the full results, see the event's results page . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Fox News
03-06-2025
- General
- Fox News
FLASHBACK: US lawmakers, officials warned about terrorist attacks from foreign nationals long before Boulder
Lawmakers and intelligence experts have been sounding the alarm about potential terrorism threats stemming from those in the U.S. illegally long before Sunday's terrorist attack injured eight people in Boulder, Colorado. Fox News first reported that the suspect involved in the attack originally entered the U.S. under the Biden administration and had overstayed his visa. But various officials have long cautioned about the risk of terrorism due to lax border security. For example, then-chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chair Mike Turner, R-Ohio, and House Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green, R-Tenn., raised concerns in August 2024 after a report from House Judiciary Committee Republicans found that the Biden administration released nearly 100 illegal immigrants into the U.S. "Since the Biden-Harris Administration's failed open border policies have welcomed potential terrorists into our nation, we're working to combat these threats and safeguard Americans in their own backyards," Turner and Green said in a joint statement in August 2024 in response to the report. Meanwhile, the FBI has previously issued similar concerns about foreign terrorists entering the U.S. and conducting attacks against American citizens. "I have warned for some time now about the threat that foreign terrorists may seek to exploit our southwest border or some other port of entry to advance a plot against Americans," former FBI Director Christopher Wray told the House Judiciary Committee in April 2024. "Just last month, for instance, the Bureau and our joint terrorism task forces worked with ICE in multiple cities across the country as several individuals with suspected international terrorist ties were arrested using ICE's immigration authorities." Wray said in 2024 that those arrests involved hundreds of FBI employees to properly identify dangerous individuals. But the use of false documents from those crossing the border amplifies concerns related terrorism threats, and makes it even more challenging for FBI employees to track down, Wray said. "As concerning as the known or suspected terrorists encountered at the border are, perhaps even more concerning are those we do not yet know about because they provided fake documents or because we didn't have information connecting them to terrorism at the time they arrived in the United States," Wray said. Meanwhile, Democrats have claimed that U.S. citizens are primarily responsible for conducting terrorist activity in the U.S. For example, House Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee ranking member Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., pointed to a study from the Cato Institute that found that no people were murdered by a foreign-born terrorist who entered the U.S. illegally between 1975 and 2022. "Most terrorist activity is conducted by U.S. citizens," Correa said in September 2024. "Again, zero Americans have been injured or killed by terrorist attacks perpetrated by undocumented immigrants who entered through the southwest border. However, DHS and the FBI regularly tell us that one of the greatest terrorist threats to our homeland is domestic terrorism." Law enforcement officials said that Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, yelled "Free Palestine" and used a makeshift flamethrower to attack those attending an event in Boulder, Colorado, organized by "Run for Their Lives," a grassroots group that holds events urging the release of Israeli hostages. Soliman was in the U.S. illegally after his visa expired, three Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sources told Fox News. Soliman entered the U.S. in 2022 on a nonimmigrant visa, and eventually obtained work authorization — but that expired in March. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said FBI officials are coordinating with local law enforcement to investigate the attack. "We are investigating this incident as an act of terror, and targeted violence," Bongino said in a post on X on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has chastised the Biden administration for its immigration policies that facilitated Soliman's entry to the U.S. "A terror attack was committed in Boulder, Colorado by an illegal alien," White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller wrote on X. "He was granted a tourist visa by the Biden Administration and then he illegally overstayed that visa. In response, the Biden Administration gave him a work permit. Suicidal migration must be fully reversed." Meanwhile, Green described the attack as a "wake-up call" regarding growing terror threats jeopardizing safety in the U.S.
Belfast Telegraph
18-05-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Police detain man following major firearms incident in Bangor
The area has been cordoned off Police have detained a man following a major firearms incident in the High Street area of Bangor. It's understood that shots were fired and a standoff ensued as a result. Around 30 heavily armed officers were at the scene of the incident. UUP Councillor for Ards Peninsula Pete Wray confirmed that the armed male has since been detained. The man is being attended to by the Ambulance Service. 'Male has been detained and the area is safe,' Mr Wray said. 'It's been a challenging weekend for the PSNI in Ards and North Down, and I thank them for their service as always.' The area has been cordoned off News Catch Up - Friday 16 May A spokesman for the PSNI said: 'Members of the public are advised to avoid the High Street area of Bangor while police deal with an ongoing incident. 'Cordons are in place. An update will be provided in due course.' More to follow
Hamilton Spectator
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Why women are choosing to be celibate or ‘boy sober,' for a life without sex
Meaghan Wray has been celibate for over 18 months, but she didn't just wake up one morning and decide to stop having sex. 'It was more of a slow burn decision, one that started with being completely turned off by men and wanting nothing to do with them, to deleting most of my dating apps,' said Wray, a 34-year-old writer from Toronto. The catalyst was a 'bad experience' with a man she'd met on the dating app Feeld ; he'd seemed great, but when they met and hooked up, he removed the condom without telling her, then unmatched and unfollowed her. 'I just realized I felt a lot happier removing dating and sex from the equation.' Initially, Wray just told her inner circle ('my friends are the most supportive people on the planet and would support me becoming a nun if I wanted to') but eventually she discussed it on social media and Substack, which elicited many reactions. Some people were shocked that I could make it one whole year with no sex. While some were like, 'One year? Try seven! That's where I'm at.'' she said. In fact, deciding to abstain from sex for a prolonged period of time — for reasons that aren't rooted in faith or cultural norms — is having something of a moment. Khloe Kardashian's celibacy was a plot point on the current season of her family's reality show. 'I just haven't been intimate in quite a long time,' volunteered the third Kardashian sister, whose former relationship with Tristan Thompson was tabloid fodder for years. 'I think once you go a certain time frame, it doesn't matter anymore,' she added in a subsequent interview with Us Weekly. 'You're like, 'OK, now you have to be really worth it to break that.'' Drew Barrymore shared in a 2021 blog post that she hadn't had 'an intimate relationship' since her 2016 separation, and has spoken about it many times since on her talk show. Last year, Lenny Kravitz told The Guardian that he'd been celibate for nine years, saying, 'it's a spiritual thing'; 50 Cent said he was 'practicing abstinence' to focus on his career; and former Playboy model Kendra Wilkinson told People that she's been celibate since her 2018 divorce as a way to 'rewire' her relationship to sex. On social media, it's common to see Millennials and Gen Zs posting announcements that they're 'boy sober,' eschewing dating apps and hookups in favour of self-improvement and self-care. It's a less extreme and explicitly political version of South Korea's 4B Movement , which emerged a few years ago as a radical response to gender inequality and societal expectations that women must marry and produce children. This South Korean feminist philosophy calls on women to resist misogyny. 'The 'good men' failed Julia Fox, who many came to know when she dated Kanye West in 2022, insouciantly shared she'd been celibate for two and a half years in a TikTok comment, saying she'd 'never been happier.' Expanding on this in a Marie Claire interview, Fox said she felt 'done with men,' a feeling that was amplified by the overturn of Roe v. Wade. 'Why would I lay down with someone who won't stand up for me?' she said, adding that she's heard from many like-minded followers. 'Women are tired. They're like, 'I wish more women understood how great it is not to do this.'' For Talia Cadet, who's shared her celibacy journey with her 175K TikTok followers, a bad breakup led her to 'intentionally and proactively abstain from sexual relations' for about three years. 'I had every intention of getting back out there, but I had to take a step back after going on a few dates with new guys. It wasn't fulfilling. I didn't feel like I was having my needs met. Then the pandemic happened and made the choice of celibacy for me,' said Cadet, a Washington, D.C.-based content creator in her 30s. 'The timing was kind of perfect.' There are many definitions of celibacy — some people limit only sex, some rule out dating — and Cadet decided not to engage at all with any man she was attracted to. 'No flirting. No talking. No texting. No dates,' she said. 'I was extreme about it, because I wanted to focus on myself and my goals. Men would've been a distraction.' She was surprised by how easy she found it. 'I was never really into casual, noncommittal sex. Although I very much enjoy sex and consider myself very open-minded, I'm only interested in sex with people I have deep connections with,' she said. 'I wasn't finding that before celibacy, so I was fine during it.' In fact, it became a source of creative inspiration: She has written a forthcoming romance novel whose main character has been celibate for several years, and like Cadet now, is exploring romantic connections again. 'She's dating with intention and doesn't want sex clouding her judgment, but she also wants her sexual needs and desires met,' said Cadet. 'I think a lot of readers are going to see themselves in the female lead.' In sharing her stories about celibacy on TikTok, Cadet has noticed a lot of curiosity about it from women. 'I think women are increasingly frustrated with dating,' she said. 'Women would rather be single than be in a situation that doesn't serve them or enhance their already wonderful lives.' After her last relationship ended, Mandana Zarghami realized she was attracted to toxic people and behaviours and decided to become celibate in order to 'completely decentre men, work on myself and truly find my spark again.' There's a self-care element to it for the 29-year-old Miami-based business owner and content creator. 'Engaging in any physical intimate act is a way of transferring your energy from yourself to that person and vice versa,' she said. For her, not having sex created space to heal from past traumas, focus on her career, and nourish her friendships and family ties. It brought an added bonus when she started dating again. 'This was a great way to weed out a lot of men that were trying to get to know me for the wrong reasons,' she said. 'I stood on my beliefs and definitely had some weird responses and reactions.' In sharing her celibacy story online, Zarghami said the only negative feedback came 'from men making rude jokes and comments.' Speaking of men, it's noteworthy that they're less represented in this phenomenon. '[The 'boy sober' movement] is really tied to some of these classic power dynamics between men and women in relationship to each other,' said Toronto clinical sex therapist and author Laura Federico. 'We're still trying really hard to find ways to push back against the expectations of what this is meant to look like.' Federico hears over and over from clients of all genders that they feel pressure to have a certain kind of sex life. 'Usually, what they're using to evaluate it is frequency,' she said. 'It's much further down the list that they are evaluating how much they like it, or when they desire it.' She links this to the idea of 'compulsory sexuality,' explored in a book by Sherronda J. Brown framed as a Black, asexual lens on our sex-obsessed culture. 'There have been these expectations that for a person to be well, to be whole, to be in a relationship that's good, sexuality has to fit an erotic template that involves a certain amount and type of sex,' said Federico. 'The layers of judgment are so many and so deep that it's terrifying for a lot of people to imagine that they could be happy without sex looking that way — or without sex at all.' She links the rise in celibacy to increasing visibility for poly relationships and other 'different relationship constellations.' 'It's people just saying, 'These are different things that work for me,'' she said. 'People get really fed up with making decisions for other people and not themselves. It's not isolated to this one area of their life. It's an accumulation, they sort of reach a breaking point and want to take things back for themselves. One of the most empowering ways to do something like that is through our own bodies.' For Wray, choosing to be celibate has meant untangling a complicated knot of feelings. 'As a fat woman, I grew up feeling like I had to be having tons of sex with men in order to feel beautiful and desired, and I honestly still feel a bit of that pressure lingering today. If I'm not having sex, does that mean no one wants me? Am I not worthy or desirable?' she said. 'Unpacking all of that while being celibate has been incredibly valuable.' For anyone considering celibacy, Wray suggests focusing on the 'why' behind it. 'It helped to stop framing it as deprivation,' she said. 'I sometimes felt like I was missing out on something, but reframing it as making space for the self, healing and breaking harmful dating dynamics made the experience feel so much more important.'
