Free Republic

Some 25 years ago I changed my life. A visit inside a church opened my eyes to the destructive life I was living, financed by welfare checks generously provided by American taxpayers. I got off welfare, went to work, got politically active and became a Republican. I didn’t become a Republican because of what the party looked like. I became a Republican because of what the party stood for. Individual freedom, traditional values, with a view that government’s role is to protect our freedom at home and abroad. For the next 25 years I had to suffer indignities from liberals...

Former Rustburg teacher Kathleen Cawthorne, 33, only has to serve four months of her 11-year sentence after a judge ruled she could not control her sudden sexual urges. ... Kathleen Cawthorne, 33, will be freed more than a decade early after a judge ruled she could not control the sudden sexual urges that took over her body.

The Legacy Lives On! Mark’s Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation “Conservatism is the antidote to tyranny precisely because its principles are the founding principles.” --Mark Levin in Liberty and TyrannyWelcome to “The Levin Lounge”… Step in and have a virtual FRink.Taking the country by storm, one radio station at a time – and kicking the BUTTS of the competition! Welcome all, to the most FUN LIVE THREAD on FreeRepublic.com! You can call Mark’s show: 1-877-381-3811

The Legacy Lives On! Mark’s Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation “Conservatism is the antidote to tyranny precisely because its principles are the founding principles.” --Mark Levin in Liberty and TyrannyWelcome to “The Levin Lounge”… Step in and have a virtual FRink.Taking the country by storm, one radio station at a time – and kicking the BUTTS of the competition! Welcome all, to the most FUN LIVE THREAD on FreeRepublic.com! You can call Mark’s show: 1-877-381-3811

VCU Holds Second Lavender Graduation Cassie Williams Jones University Public Affairs (804) 828-7028 cwjones@vcu.edu 5/2/2013 Approximately 40 graduating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex seniors participated in the second VCU Lavender Graduation on April 26. Lavender Graduation is a special graduation ceremony that honors the achievements of graduating gender and sexual minority students on campus. Participants received a rainbow cord to wear with their academic regalia at the university’s official commencement activities on May 11. “It was such a delight to be part of the second annual Lavender Graduation planning group and to see the room full of people...

An outspoken and provocative conservative who emerged from Saturday's Republican Party of Virginia Convention as the party's nominee for lieutenant governor once compared Planned Parenthood to the Ku Klux Klan and blasted African-Americans for their "slavish devotion" to the Democratic Party. E.W. Jackson, an African-American pastor and attorney from Chesapeake, made the comments in a self-produced "message to black Christians" posted on YouTube last year. "The Democrat Party has created an unholy alliance between certain so-called civil rights leaders and Planned Parenthood, which has killed unborn black babies by the tens of millions. Planned Parenthood has been far more lethal...

The outspoken conservative Republican has won the state GOP nomination also accuses Democrats of ‘saturating the black community with ridiculous lies.’ E. W. Jackson delivers his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination for Lt. Gov. at the Virginia Republican convention in Richmond, Va., Saturday, May 18. He calls the Democratic party “anti-God.” The conservative Republican candidate for lieutenant governor in Virginia once compared Planned Parenthood to the Ku Klux Klan and has made several other inflammatory statements that are likely to play into the state’s competitive race for governor. E.W. Jackson, a black pastor and attorney with a reputation for...

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) demanded information about conservative groups’ college-aged interns, prompting outrage from one of the country’s top conservative activist organizations and leading one former intern to wonder whether his family’s pizza parlor would be endangered. The IRS requested, in an audit, the names of the conservative Leadership Institute’s 2008 interns, as well as specific information about their internship work and where the interns were employed in 2012, according to a document request the IRS sent to the Leadership Institute, dated February 14, 2012. The IRS requested: “Copies of applications for internships and summer programs; to include: lists...

Two agents with the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team died in a training accident off the coast of Virginia Beach Friday.Both were assigned to the FBI's Critical Incident Response Group, which is part of the Hostage Rescue Team . The Medical Examiner's Office told WAVY.com it could take weeks or even months to determine a cause of death for the two men.

FBI agents die in Virginia training accidentPair of agents from elite hostage rescue team (excerpt)

May 16, 2013 Dear : The VEA Fund for Children and Public Education Executive Committee (VEA Fund) and The VEA Fund Directors, your elected representatives from across Virginia, have offered recommendations for the June 11 Democratic primaries. The Democratic Party is choosing Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General candidates in an open primary on that day. Republican Candidates are being chosen by a convention this Saturday in Richmond. Regrettably, none of the Republican candidates chose to complete the candidate questionnaire required to gain a recommendation. In Virginia voters do not register by party, so our primaries are open. Any voter can...

RICHMOND — After Virginia Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II formally accepted his party’s nomination for governor and Virginia GOP scion Mark Obenshain secured the same for attorney general, it was a political neophyte who stole the show Saturday with multiple helpings of 11th-hour drama. Chesapeake Bishop E.W. Jackson, who mounted an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate last year, emerged the wire-to-wire winner in the race for the GOP nomination for Virginia’s lieutenant governor at the state GOP’s nominating convention Saturday. It took four ballots and about 10 hours of voting for Mr. Jackson to emerge from a field of...

E.W. Jackson, a minister and attorney from Chesapeake, pulled off a stunning upset last night, topping six rivals for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor. Jackson fended off a late charge by Pete Snyder, a Northern Virginia technology entrepreneur, capping an epic four-ballot battle at the Richmond Coliseum that lasted nearly 10 hours.

(Newser) – Probably a good sign that Republicans see the IRS controversy as very fertile ground politically: Bobby Jindal—who famously warned the GOP not to be the "stupid party" of unhinged attacks—is going after the scandal hard today, reports Politico. The potential 2016 challenger plans to tell Republicans in Virginia that those responsible for the "un-American" plan of singling out conservative groups for scrutiny should go to prison.   “You cannot take the freedom of law-abiding Americans, whether you disagree with them or not, and keep your own freedom," says the Louisiana governor's prepared remarks. "When you do that, you...

While most of us are waiting out the doldrums of an off year with not too much happening on the election front, Virginia residents have a bit more on their plates. They’ll be electing a new governor this November, and unlike Senate and House seats – which more affect matters of national policy – the chief executive of the Commonwealth is the person who holds the pen when it comes to any state level legislation and regulations which directly affect their lives. One issue which is very important to a lot of Virginians is energy and the jobs that come...

X-47B Accomplishes First Ever Carrier Touch and Go aboard CVN 77 Story Number: NNS130517-15Release Date: 5/17/2013 5:11:00 PM By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brandon Vinson, USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) Public Affairs USS GEORGE H.W. BUSH, At Sea (NNS) -- The Navy's X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator (UCAS-D) has begun touch and go landing operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) May 17. For UCAS-D, this represents the most significant technology maturation of the program. Ship relative navigation and precision touchdown of the X-47B are critical technology elements for all future Unmanned Carrier...

Richmond judge gives babysitter maximum term in abuse case Copyright..refer to link..............http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/local/crime/article_e9864e31-0d33-54ea-bdb3-eeeba4c11908.html

STAUNTON — The topics of immigration and taxation were a part of Thursday’s Shenandoah Valley Tea Party Patriots meeting, but so was the burgeoning IRS scandal that had touched the local group’s application for federal nonprofit status. Members gathered at the Staunton VFW Post on Thursday night for a regular meeting. While they were anxious to talk about immigration reform, they also wanted to know what the FBI will learn as it investigates the IRS targeting of conservative organizations. The Shenandoah Valley Tea Party Patriots needed 26 months and 235 hours of volunteer labor to answer all the IRS questions...

According to promotional material, a United States Naval Academy professor is teaching on behalf of the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), a part of the US Muslim Brotherhood and where global Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi reportedly serves as a trustee. IIIT recently announced its Summer Students Program for 2013 to be held from May 26 – July 3. According to the IIIT announcement, one of the instructors for the program will be Professor Ermin Sinanovic, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland who will be teaching the following...

The Legacy Lives On! Mark’s Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation “Conservatism is the antidote to tyranny precisely because its principles are the founding principles.” --Mark Levin in Liberty and TyrannyWelcome to “The Levin Lounge”… Step in and have a virtual FRink.Taking the country by storm, one radio station at a time – and kicking the BUTTS of the competition! Welcome all, to the most FUN LIVE THREAD on FreeRepublic.com! You can call Mark’s show: 1-877-381-3811

The Legacy Lives On! Mark’s Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation “Conservatism is the antidote to tyranny precisely because its principles are the founding principles.” --Mark Levin in Liberty and TyrannyWelcome to “The Levin Lounge”… Step in and have a virtual FRink.Taking the country by storm, one radio station at a time – and kicking the BUTTS of the competition! Welcome all, to the most FUN LIVE THREAD on FreeRepublic.com! You can call Mark’s show: 1-877-381-3811

The Winchester (Va.) Police Department is taking a close look at its officers' weapons holsters after an officer's gun accidentally went off in a special needs school bus.The incident occurred Monday morning when a middle school student reached for a police officer's gun, reports TV3Winchester. Fortunately, no one was injured.The officer had been dispatched to the bus to calm down the student. While the officer was sitting next to him, the student reached over and put his finger on the trigger of the weapon. The bullet went through the seat and hit the floor.

The Legacy Lives On! Mark’s Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation “Conservatism is the antidote to tyranny precisely because its principles are the founding principles.” --Mark Levin in Liberty and TyrannyWelcome to “The Levin Lounge”… Step in and have a virtual FRink.Taking the country by storm, one radio station at a time – and kicking the BUTTS of the competition! Welcome all, to the most FUN LIVE THREAD on FreeRepublic.com! You can call Mark’s show: 1-877-381-3811

What will be the political fallout of the various scandals in which President Obama is ensnared? Chris Matthews thinks it will be huge. Appearing on today's Morning Joe, Matthews mused that the IRS scandal alone would be worth 5-10 points to Republican candidates. He specifically mentioned Mitch McConnell, Tom Corbett and Ken Cuccinelli as Republicans whom the scandal would aid in their 2014 races. View the video here.

The Legacy Lives On! Mark’s Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation “Conservatism is the antidote to tyranny precisely because its principles are the founding principles.” --Mark Levin in Liberty and TyrannyWelcome to “The Levin Lounge”… Step in and have a virtual FRink.Taking the country by storm, one radio station at a time – and kicking the BUTTS of the competition! Welcome all, to the most FUN LIVE THREAD on FreeRepublic.com! You can call Mark’s show: 1-877-381-3811

Date: Tue, 14 May 2013 10:00:02 -0500 (CDT) From: Tara Gibson Subject: Strength in Numbers Friend, On May 18th, Ken Cuccinelli will accept his party's nomination as the Republican candidate for Governor in Virginia. When it comes to women's health, Ken Cuccinelli is far out of the mainstream. He was one of only three attorneys general in the ENTIRE nation to refuse to support the Violence Against Women Act. He sponsored legislation to end state funding for Planned Parenthood, which provides cancer screenings and affordable birth control for thousands of Virginia women. He wants to make abortion illegal, even in...

VA-ALERT: **URGENT ACTION ITEM** VCDL-PAC swinging into action! Sent: Mon 5/13/2013 9:52 PM THE PROBLEM We have a serious problem at this weekend's Republican Convention in Richmond dealing with the Lieutenant Governor's race. Of the seven candidates, six answered the VCDL Candidate Survey very pro-gun. However, one candidate didn't bother to answer the survey at all. That is no surprise, considering Jeannemarie Davis's history on gun rights. VCDL-PAC STRONGLY OPPOSES the nomination of a PROVEN ANTI-GUN LEADER -- Jeannemarie Davis -- for Lt Governor and urges gun owners to help us defeat her. Jeannemarie Davis did not just vote badly...

I’m writing to ask for your help on an issue that has gotten a lot of attention recently: marriage equality. Even though many states now recognize the rights of committed same-sex couples to marry, the federal government continues to discriminate. Same-sex couples are denied all sorts of legal rights – like access to their spouse’s insurance benefits and Social Security survivor benefits – because of an outdated law called DOMA. That’s just wrong. All married couples should be entitled to the same legal rights – regardless of sexual orientation. The Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments challenging the Constitutionality of...

The jury in the murder trial of abortion practitioner Kermit Gosnell returned a verdict and found him guilty on three of the four first-degree murder charges he faced. Gosnell is charged with four counts of first-degree murder for killing babies following delivery in an abortion process that involved “snipping” their necks and spinal cords. He also faces a third-degree murder charge related to the death of a woman, Karnamaya Mongar, 41, of Virginia, from a botched legal abortion. Gosnell, who has been in jail since his January 2011 arrest. The abortionist faces 258 counts total and other charges against him...

Shortly after Barack Obama won reelection in November, New Jersey governor Chris Christie pointed out that Republicans’ cloudy political prospects had a bright silver lining. “One of the reasons you have 30 Republican governors in America, and why we’re the only organization to add Republican strength,” Christie said, “is because people see us getting things done.” Christie’s stance countered most of the elite postelection commentary, which gleefully pronounced the Republican Party’s political irrelevance. But the governor was right. Since Obama first took office in 2008, Republicans have picked up a net nine governorships, bringing their total to 30 states,...

May 11, 2013 Benghazi whistle-blower a Democrat, voted for Hillary and Obama twice Caroline May A key Benghazi whistle-blower who has allegedly been punished for speaking out against the administration is a registered Democrat who voted for both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.The lawyer of Gregory Hicks, the former U.S. deputy chief of mission in Libya who testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Wednesday, confirmed the information to The Daily Caller on Saturday.According to the lawyer, Victoria Toensing, Hicks voted for Clinton during the 2008 primary, and for then-Illinois Sen. Obama in the 2008 general election. He...

DOSWELL, Va. — Officials in the county where the remains of suspected Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev have been buried say they were stunned to learn of the burial and they are looking into whether the law was followed in the process. “I’m sure that if no laws were broken ... there’s nothing we can do,” said Floyd Thomas, chairman of the board of supervisors of Caroline County. “What we would do is make sure that all of the laws regarding this particular burial were adhered to. If they were not, then I believe we would have to look at...

(VIDEO-AT-LINK) Flabbergasted Virginia officials have asked authorities there to look into whether the secret burial of accused marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev in a rural Muslim cemetery broke any laws — but one expert says they likely have no ground to stand on. Tsarnaev’s burial at the Al-Barzakh Cemetery in Doswell, Va., sent shock waves yesterday through Caroline County, where local officials — unaware of the hush-hush funeral until reporters started flooding their voicemails — say they don’t want the stain of his remains on their quiet community. The brouhaha prompted the state attorney general’s office to step in and review...

CBS Anchor: 'We Are Getting Big Stories Wrong, Over and Over Again' "Our house is on fire." Daniel Halper May 11, 2013 12:09 PM CBS anchor Scott Pelley said at a speech at Quinnipiac University that journalists "are getting big stories wrong, over and over again." "Our house is on fire," said Pelley. The video of Pelley's speech is courtesy of nowthisnews.com. "These have been a bad few months for journalism," he added. "We're getting the big stories wrong, over and over again." The CBS newsreader was quick to take at least partial blame. "Let me take the first arrow:...

WASHINGTON – Nearly 12 years after 9/11, Americans are still waiting for the U.S. government to release key information about the attack that killed more than 3,000 of their countrymen. Related topics Reps. Frank Wolf, R-Va., and Peter King, R-N.Y., introduced legislation in 2011 to review the original 9/11 Commission findings. Their bill passed the House Homeland Security Committee and was referred to three additional committees: the House Committees on Energy and Commerce, Space Science and Technology, and Transportation and Infrastructure. But the measure has yet to be acted upon by the House as a whole. Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C.,...

<p>Forensic evidence appears to link Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev to an unsolved triple murder committed in suburban Boston in 2011, according to a source.</p> <p>Initial testing of evidence found at the scene may also link his brother Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to the murders, the source said. Additional testing is under way, according to the source, who said the brothers made cellphone calls from an area near the crime scene around the time of the murders.</p>

Uncle: Marathon bombing suspect buried in Virginia Associated Press Associated Press – 9 mins ago WASHINGTON (AP) — The uncle of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev (TAM'-ehr-lun tsahr-NEYE'-ehv) says his nephew has been buried in Virginia. Ruslan Tsarni said Friday that the body was buried with the help of a "faith coalition." He would not say where in Virginia the remains had been entombed. The burial this week ended a frustrating search for a community willing to take the body, which had been kept at a funeral parlor in Worcester (WUH'-stur), Mass., as cemeteries refused to take the remains.

<p>BOSTON (AP) — Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev was buried in a cemetery in Virginia with the help of a faith coalition, his uncle said Friday.</p> <p>The secret burial this week ended a frustrating search for a community willing to take the body, which had been kept at a funeral parlor in Worcester, Mass., as cemeteries in Massachusetts and several other states refused to accept the remains.</p>

The Legacy Lives On! Mark’s Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation “Conservatism is the antidote to tyranny precisely because its principles are the founding principles.” --Mark Levin in Liberty and TyrannyWelcome to “The Levin Lounge”… Step in and have a virtual FRink.Taking the country by storm, one radio station at a time – and kicking the BUTTS of the competition! Welcome all, to the most FUN LIVE THREAD on FreeRepublic.com! You can call Mark’s show: 1-877-381-3811

www.fbi.gov/boston/press-releases/2013/federal-indictment-unsealed-as-rhode-island-state-police-and-federal-agents-arrest-seven-search-ten-businesses-and-residences-and-seize-cash-vehicles-and-business-records-in-alleged-cigarette-trafficking-conspiracy Federal Indictment Unsealed as Rhode Island State Police and Federal Agents Arrest Seven; Search Ten Businesses and Residences; and Seize Cash, Vehicles, and Business Records in Alleged Cigarette Trafficking Conspiracy Investigation and Indictment Alleges Complex Interstate Conspiracy That Allegedly Defrauded Rhode Island of More Than $1 Million in Tax Revenue U.S. Attorney’s Office May 08, 2013 District of Rhode Island PROVIDENCE, RI—A federal grand jury indictment that names seven individuals and alleges a complex interstate contraband cigarette trafficking conspiracy responsible for the sale of more than $1.2 million dollars of contraband cigarettes in Rhode Island and the loss of...

A new NBC/Marist poll on Virginia’s gubernatorial race — a.k.a., the only competitive governor’s race in the country in 2013 — released this morning has some slightly different findings than the WaPo poll from last weekend, which had Republican candidate Ken Cuccinelli edging Democrat Terry McAuliffe with a five-point lead among Virginia voters; the NBC poll has McAuliffe beating Cuccinelli by a within-the-margin-of-error 43 to 41 percent among registered voters. Cuccinelli, however, has some very distinct advantages going for him — Virginia voters are more familiar with the state attorney general than they are the former DNC chairman, as well...

The level of sexual violence in the US military has dramatically increased, according to a Pentagon report that shows more than 70 assaults on service members a day.Around 26,000 members of the armed services are estimated to have been sexually assaulted in the last year, a sharp rise from 19,000 incidents recorded two years ago. The report by the US Department of Defense come days after a senior officer responsible for preventing sexual assault in the Air Force was arrested and charged with drunkenly attacking a woman in a Virginia parking lot. President Barack Obama called the findings an "an...

SUFFOLK, Va. — Two Suffolk second graders have been suspended for making shooting noises while pointing pencils at each other. Media outlets report the 7-year-old boys were suspended for two days for a violation of the Suffolk school system’s zero-tolerance policy on weapons. They were playing with one another in class Friday at Driver Elementary. “When I asked him about it, he said, ‘Well I was being a Marine and the other guy was being a bad guy,’” said Paul Marshall, one of the boys’ fathers. “It’s as simple as that.”

It’s hard to believe, but the Democrat running against Republican Ken Cuccinelli for governor of Virginia might have a woman problem.Cucinelli -- the attorney general and a former state senator -- is the candidate who opposes all abortions except to save a woman’s life. He has twice tried to defund Planned Parenthood and once proposed criminal penalties for doctors who didn’t anesthetize fetuses. He pushed for new hospital-level building codes for clinics that perform abortions, which some say will force them out of business. He is also a leading foe of the Affordable Care Act requirement that insurance policies cover...

A Suffolk school suspended a second grader for pointing a pencil at another student and making gun noises. Seven-year-old Christopher Marshall says he was playing with another student in class Friday, when the teacher at Driver Elementary asked them to stop pointing pencils at each other. "When I asked him about it, he said, 'Well I was being a Marine and the other guy was being a bad guy,'" said Paul Marshall, the boy's father. "It's as simple as that." Christopher's father was a Marine for many years. He thinks school leaders overreacted. "A pencil is a weapon when it...

The liberal insanity continues… Little seven-year-old Christopher Marshall was suspended from school for holding a pencil like a gun. He was pretending to be a Marine. That’s not allowed at his school. [video] The boy has good grades and has never caused any problems in classes before. FOX 43 reported, via Legal Insurrection: A Suffolk school suspended a second grader for pointing a pencil at another student and making gun noises. Seven-year-old Christopher Marshall says he was playing with another student in class Friday, when the teacher at Driver Elementary asked them to stop pointing pencils at each other. “When...

Which Republican Virginia LG candidate has the craziest, most extreme, endorsers this year? It's a tough question, and it only got tougher this morning, with the endorsement by bats*** crazy Allen West of Scott Lingamfelter. How crazy and extreme is Allen West? In February 2012, ThinkProgress put together his "15 most outrageous statements." They include: *Telling Debbie Wasserman Schultz: "You have proven repeatedly that you are not a Lady, therefore, shall not be afforded due respect from me!" *Violating Godwin's Law by saying "If Joseph Goebbels was around, he'd be very proud of the Democrat party." *Telling liberals to "get...

It's still early yet, but at the last count, state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and former DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe were basically neck-and-neck in 2013's only competitive gubernatorial contest, with a lot of Virginians still pretty much unfamiliar with/uninterested in the race so far. In the latest Washington Post poll, however, things might be starting to shift ever so slightly, and in Cuccinelli’s direction: Six months before Election Day, Cuccinelli (R) has a slender 46 to 41 percent edge over McAuliffe (D) among all Virginia voters and a significant 51 to 41 percent lead among those who say they’re certain to cast...

All FReepers and lurkers in good standing are urged to join members of the D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com and other patriots in a show of support for whistleblowers and families of the Benghazi terror attack at a Congressional hearing this Wednesday--and to also show support for Chairman Issa and the others working to expose the Obama administration cover-up of the Benghazi attack.While the hearing is set for 11:30 a.m., supporters are advised to arrive as early as possible in the morning to get in line for seating at the hearing or to freely demonstrate outside the Rayburn Building where the...

Before we get started on this story, I would like to take a moment to point out that you’d be hard pressed to find any point where I’ve been anything but a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, as I would hope most regular readers know. I’ve taken flack for it from a lot of people this year, ranging from family members to folks in the media. But even approaching it from that sort of position, I’ve got to say that this is a really bad idea. A march on Washington with loaded rifles "Libertarian activist and radio host Adam...