Free Republic

As part of its exclusive series on Libya during the rule of late leader Moammar al-Gaddafi, Asharq Al-Awsat examines the regime’s ties with local and foreign powers, including its attempts to finance western presidential campaigns, particularly in France, the United States and Ukraine. Witnesses from the former regime said that Tripoli had spent some 50 million euros in 2007 to fund the campaign of French presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy. Lebanese businessman Ziad Takeieddine, who was present at Sarkozy’s meetings with Gaddafi revealed that the “figures were much higher than that.” Tripoli also pumped 5 million dollars in the presidential campaign...

State Representative Eric Redman of Idaho, a Vietnam veteran of the U.S. Air Force, is the latest elected leader in the USA to author American Laws for American Courts legislation. Sadly–and predictably–Representative Redman has now had to endure vicious attacks and an organized disinformation campaign engineered by radical Leftist organizations, such as the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the Muslim Brotherhood, in the form of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). While patriotic, educated Americans should view opposition from the SPLC and CAIR as a sign that American Laws for American Courts is well worth supporting, the recalcitrant...

After rightly rejecting Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion for several years, Idaho officials have now concocted a new version of Obamacare expansion. While some supporters have rallied around the plan’s uniqueness, it’s important to examine exactly what distinguishes this expansion plan from the rest: It’s worse. First, the truly needy already qualify for Medicaid in Idaho. Supporters of Idaho’s Obamacare plan want the public to believe that this plan is essential to the survival of Idaho’s neediest residents. But the truly needy already qualify for Medicaid in the Gem State. Idaho’s Medicaid program already covers low-income kids, pregnant women, seniors, individuals with...

More than two dozen Senate Republicans are urging President Trump to re-engage in Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations. The 25 GOP lawmakers sent a letter to Trump on Friday saying they support his recent comments that he may consider U.S. participation if the 11-nation Asia-Pacific pact is improved.

Congressional Republicans failed to repeal or replace Obamacare. But one state has come up with a way to get around it. Idaho is dealing with Obamacare by just blowing it off. If it works, other states seem likely to follow. Idaho’s Republican governor, Butch Otter, signed an executive order last year paving the way for non-Obamacare-compliant health insurance plans to be sold in his state, and Lt. Gov. Brad Little has since cobbled together what is sure to be the nation’s most controversial healthcare initiative. Their principal intention is to give the people of their state a way of avoiding...

The political fight over global warming has extended to science education in recent years as several states have attempted to weaken or block new teaching standards that included information about climate science. But only in Idaho has the state legislature stripped all mentions of human-caused climate change from statewide science guidelines while leaving the rest of the standards intact. Now teachers, parents and students are pushing back, hoping to convince the Republican-controlled Idaho Legislature to approve revised standards, which science proponents say are watered down but would still represent a victory for climate change education in the state. The Idaho...

House Speaker Scott Bedke just announced “some bad news” to the House: “Former Rep. Brandon Hixon has tragically taken his own life. Our thoughts go first to family and friends who are suffering from this loss.” Bedke said, “We should … support those who are close to us when they are struggling. Please remember Brandon’s family in your prayers.” Hixon resigned from the House in November amid a criminal investigation into sexual abuse, though no charges were filed; he subsequently was twice arrested for driving under the influence, with the first arrest also including a charge of resisting arrest. Hixon,...

The Northgate project that involves constructing an interchange on Interstate 15 north of Pocatello and is expected to trigger a landslide of development simultaneously took one step forward and another backward last week. The Pocatello City Council unanimously approved the annexation of nearly 300 acres of land north of East Chubbuck Road on Thursday, but the Idaho Transportation Department also learned the construction cost of the interchange alone has increased by about $4 million. There has been some speculation that the increased costs could negatively impact the project, but the ITD board is scheduled to meet on Thursday at its...

Idaho is Nation’s Fastest-Growing State, Census Bureau Reports December 20, 2017 Release Number: CB17-210 Idaho in Nation's Fastest-Growing State DEC. 20, 2017 — Idaho was the nation’s fastest-growing state over the last year. Its population increased 2.2 percent to 1.7 million from July 1, 2016, to July 1, 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s national and state population estimates released today. Following Idaho for the largest percentage increases in population were: Nevada (2.0 percent), Utah (1.9 percent), Washington (1.7 percent), and Florida along with Arizona (1.6 percent). “Domestic migration drove change in the two fastest-growing states, Idaho and Nevada,...

<p>Contrary to popular perception, Al Franken did not resign yesterday.</p> <p>"[T]oday I am announcing that in the coming weeks I will be resigning as member of the United States Senate. I, of all people, am aware that there is some irony in the fact that I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of...sexual assault sits in the Oval Office and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate with the full support of his party."</p>

Check out the full Kate’s List below: Kathy Steinle Kathy Steinle Rep. Scott Taylor (R-VA) (202) 225-4215 (Facebook) Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) (202) 225-5816 (Facebook) Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) (202) 225-2371 (Facebook) Rep Mark Amodei (R-NV) 202 225-6155 (Facebook) Rep Mike Coffman (R-CO) (202) 225-7882 Facebook Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA)(202) 225-4540 (Facebook) Rep. Mia Love (R-UT) (202) 225-3011 (Facebook) Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) (202) 225-4276 (Facebook) Rep. Peter King (R-NY) (202) 225-7896 (Facebook) Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) (202) 225-2778 (Facebook) Rep. Ryan Costello (R-PA) (202) 225-4315 (Facebook) Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) (202) 225-3761 (Facebook) Rep. John Faso (R-NY) (202) 225-5614...

Every year since 2012, I have written and complained about Idaho’s Depression-era law that hurts businesses and consumers. Here it is again: In 1939, the Idaho Legislature passed the Unfair Sales Act. That statute says, “The practice of selling certain items of merchandise below cost in order to attract patronage is a deceptive form of advertising and an unfair method of competition. Such practice misleads the consumer, works back against the farmer, obstructs commerce and diverts business from dealers who maintain a fair price policy, with the result of unemployment, underpayment of employees, excessive working hours, nonpayment of taxes and...

Over the course of two years, Randy Hamilton built a single-story custom home in which he planned to live out his retirement with his wife, Lois. But by the end of the construction process, Hamilton found himself in a standoff with government officials who were threatening him with criminal prosecution and the possibility he might never be able to occupy or sell his new home. It all came about because Hamilton didn’t want to hire a contractor to calculate whether his air conditioning and heating system had been properly sized for his 1,500-square foot home. Hamilton is no novice when...

A Boise State University professor recently learned what happens when you challenge left-wing social narratives on college campuses. Scott Yenor, a tenured professor, has been under siege on campus after publishing articles with The Heritage Foundation and The Daily Signal about feminism and the transgender movement. In those articles, Yenor explained the similarity in philosophy between the early feminists and modern transgender movement and how they aim at undermining traditional family values. He wrote in a Daily Signal article on Aug. 2:

Sam Krop’s characterization of catastrophic wildfire on public and privately owned forest lands (guest viewpoint, Oct. 4) doesn’t match the reality of what Oregon experienced this summer. But I can see why Cascadia Wildlands and other special interest groups oppose solutions such as the Resilient Federal Forests Act. These bills untie the hands of our federal land managers, and provide them with more tools and resources to restore the health of our public forests, before and after a fire. Has “hands-off” forest management reduced the size and severity of forest fires? Are we choking on less wildfire smoke every summer?...

This a follow up to the story from Idaha about the 5 year-old girl who was assaulted and raped by three muslim boys. They filmed the crime and eventually pled guilty during the subsuquent trial. Now NY Times says it's fake news.

Among the benefits of Donald Trump's proposed immigration moratorium is that we won't have to keep importing hordes of Third World "refugees," such as the ones currently swarming across Europe. For decades, the United States has taken in far more refugees than the entire rest of the world combined. Nearly half of the refugees we take in are Muslim. And it's worked out great! Fazliddin Kurbanov, or "Idaho man," as he is dutifully described in the American media, was brought to the U.S. as a refugee in 2009, joining hundreds of other Uzbeks in Boise, Idaho. He came with his...

Former Boise State running back Jay Ajayi has looked forward to his upcoming game for quite some time, and there is a little added incentive — his own Twitter emoji. Ajayi and the Dolphins face the Saints in London at 7:30 a.m. MT Sunday. He was born in London, but moved to the United States when he was 7 years old. ....Ajayi now also has a special emoji honoring the visit. Twitter users who use “#JayTrain” will trigger a little caricature of the dreadlocked Pro Bowler. He is the first NFL player to have his own international Twitter emoji....

We recently reported updates from the upcoming Bunkerville Standoff trial. This included updates on Todd Engel and his upcoming sentencing on two lesser charges. It was revealed that Engel’s first Pre-Sentencing Report (PSR) recommended roughly 12 years, after corrections were made to the calculations to remove points for an invalid charge. However, add in a letter written by Liberty Legislators who actually stand up for their constituents, and the Federal government throws a tantrum and decides to retaliate. A majority of elected officials in Idaho, including US Congressman Raul Labrador, stepped up to the plate and showed that they intend...

The Western US is facing cataclysmic forest fires, at least one started by idiot boys throwing fireworks in Eagle Creek area, near Multnomah Lodge, in the COLUMBIA GORGE - a greenie paradise. I-84 is closed near Multnomah Files to Exit 62, just west of Hood River. MONTANA www.ktvq.comNW Fires www.arcgis.comOREGON List of fires www.inciweb.nwcg.gov> IDAHO List of fires www.inciweb.nwcg.gov> CALIFORNIA List of fires www.inciweb.nwcg.gov> WASHINGTON List of fires www.inciweb.nwcg.gov>