by Daniel Stefanski | Dec 14, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
More U.S. Representatives are joining an Arizona lawmaker’s plans to honor a former U.S. Marine who came under domestic “fire” in The City That Never Sleeps.
On his X account this week, U.S. Congressman Eli Crane posted that three additional representatives had co-sponsored his resolution that would award Daniel Penny with the Congressional Gold Medal. Those individuals were U.S. Representatives Anthony D’Esposito, Warren Davidson, and Burgess Owens.
These three legislators follow U.S. Representatives Wesley Hunt, Tom McClintock, Greg Steube, Andy Ogles, and Nick Langworthy in co-sponsoring the resolution.
According to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, this award is “Congress’s highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals, institutions, or groups.” Two-thirds of both the U.S. House and Senate are required to co-sponsor this resolution in order to ensure a vote. One hundred fifty-eight people have earned this recognition from Congress, including America’s first U.S. President, George Washington.
Penny caught the nation’s attention on May 1, 2023, when he restrained an individual who was exhibiting threatening behavior toward passengers on a subway in New York City. After the man died, Penny was charged and brought to trial in the Big Apple by left-wing prosecutor Alvin Bragg. This week, after days of deliberations, a jury found Penny not guilty of the sole count remaining against him.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Congressman Crane said, “Daniel Penny’s actions exemplify what it means to stand against the grain to do right in a world that rewards moral cowardice. Our system of ‘justice’ is fiercely corrupt, allowing degenerates to steamroll our laws and our sense of security, while punishing the righteous.”
Crane added, “Mr. Penny bravely stood in the gap to defy this corrupt system and protect his fellow Americans. I’m immensely proud to introduce this resolution to award him with the Congressional Gold Medal to recognize his heroism.”
The resolution states that “throughout President Biden’s term as President, local governments across various cities and States failed to adequately protect residents and their property from violent criminals,” and that the courageous actions taken in response to the threat to his community by Daniel Penny, a decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran, went beyond the civilian call of duty.”
It expresses “the sense of the Congress that Daniel Penny, with integrity and honor that is characteristic of who he is and of his honorable service in the United States Marine Corps, stepped in to protect women and children from an individual who was threatening to kill innocent bystanders, and he is a hero.”
In an interview with Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro after his acquittal, Penny said, “The guilt I would have felt if someone did get hurt if he did do what he was threatening to do, [I] would never be able to live with myself. And I’ll take a million court appearances and people calling me names and people hating me just to keep one of those people from getting hurt or killed.”
Crane is finishing up his first term in the United States House of Representatives after being elected to Arizona’s Second Congressional District in November 2022. He is a military veteran of the United States Navy, serving thirteen years, including on SEAL Team 3. Before entering Congress, Crane also operated a small business.
This past November, Congressman Crane sailed to reelection over his Democrat opponent, with almost 55% of the vote. He serves on the Committees on Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and Small Businesses. He is also a member of the House Freedom Caucus, Western Caucus, and Copper Caucus.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Dec 13, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
An Arizona Member of Congress is attempting to ensure that the U.S. Secret Service is better equipped to protect those under its watch.
Last week, U.S. Congressman Andy Biggs introduced the Secret Service Prioritization Act of 2024. According to a press release issued by Biggs’ office, the legislation “implements a major recommendation from the DHS Independent Review Panel’s October 15, 2024 Report on the Assassination Attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania,” which “noted the Panel’s ‘extreme skepticism that many of the Service’s non protective (investigative) missions meaningfully contribute to the Service’s protective capability and is concerned that they may materially distract from it.’”
In a statement, Biggs said, “July 13, 2024, was a wake-up call to the failures of the Secret Service. In no world should an agency with a budget of $3+ billion and 3,200 specialized agents fail to protect the life of one of the most influential figures in the world. The failures of July 13 illustrate the necessity to strip non-protective responsibilities from the Secret Service to ensure it is focused on the execution of its primary duty.”
Biggs added, “Now that President Trump’s FBI will be shifting away from weaponization against American citizens, they will be fully equipped to take on Secret Service’s non-protective, investigative functions. It’s imperative that House Leadership move this legislation through the House to ensure that no event like July 13 is ever able to occur again.”
One of the original cosponsors of the bill, Biggs’ fellow Arizona Congressman Eli Crane, weighed in, saying, “The Secret Service should have a singular focus on protection. Many failures have been exposed over the last six months and I’m proud to join Rep. Biggs in introducing legislation that seeks to fix one of them.”
Florida Congressman Cory Mills also joined as a cosponsor of the legislation.
Congressman Biggs highlighted a key section of the DHS report, which stated, “Whatever else the Secret Service may do, its core, essential, and unique mission is to protect its protectees, including the president, vice president, and nominees for president in an election. No other federal law enforcement agency can discharge this duty. And the duty is a zero-failure mission. All assets should be allocated to that mission before any other tasks—including law enforcement responsibility for financial frauds, for example, or perhaps law enforcement duties entirely—are undertaken. There is simply no excuse to ‘do more with less’ concerning protection of national leaders; unless and until those responsibilities are fulfilled, no resources (funds or time) should be allocated to other missions that are not centrally related to the protective function.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Dec 13, 2024 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Congressman-elect Abraham Hamadeh supports Hawaii’s former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence.
Gabbard — a Democrat-turned-Republican — received Hamadeh’s support through a letter signed by himself and over 250 “conservative” veterans. The veterans said that Gabbard’s decision to give up politics and enlist in the military following 9/11 made her fit to serve in Trump’s cabinet.
“Because of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, Tulsi answered the call of duty, enlisted in the Army, and stepped away from her position as a Hawaii State Representative when she volunteered to deploy to Iraq with her unit,” read the letter. “Instead of using her political status to avoid deployment, Tulsi volunteered to serve in a medical unit in Iraq, directly facing the harsh realities, costs, and traumas of war.”
The veterans also cited Gabbard’s legislative advocacy for improved treatment of veterans, namely her work to address toxic exposures and improve cancer care, describing her as “a rare blend of selflessness, courage, and leadership — qualities desperately needed to reform and strengthen our intelligence community.”
70 percent of the veterans signed onto the Gabbard letter were special operations or intelligence, and over 50 percent were retired, per Fox News.
Gabbard enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard in 2003 while serving in the Hawaii State Legislature. The next year, Gabbard deployed for a year in Iraq as a specialist with the guard’s medical company at Logistical Support Area Anaconda. Gabbard completed her tour in 2005. That year, Gabbard received a Combat Medical Badge for participating in combat operations under enemy hostile fire in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III.
In 2007, Gabbard graduated from the Alabama Military Academy at the top of her class and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Gabard went on to serve as an Army Military Police officer, and then was stationed in Kuwait from 2008 to 2009. In subsequent years, Gabbard would be promoted from the rank of captain to major to lieutenant colonel, during which time she was transferred to the California-based United States Army Reserve unit.
Another Arizona Republican, Congressman Eli Crane, signed onto the letter as well. Crane was a member of the Navy SEALs; three of his five deployments were with the SEALs. Crane joined the Navy one week after the 9/11 attacks, and served from 2001 to 2014.
Hamadeh has served in the U.S. Army Reserve as an intelligence officer since 2016, rising to the rank of captain. In 2020, Hamadeh was deployed to Saudi Arabia following the 2019 terrorist attack on Naval Air Station Pensacola.
President-elect Donald Trump announced Gabbard as his nominee last month. Gabbard was a congresswoman for eight years, representing Hawaii as a Democrat before becoming an independent in 2022. It wasn’t until one of Trump’s rallies in October that Gabbard announced she had fully switched over and became a Republican, several months after endorsing Trump.
On Monday, Capitol Hill reporters lobbed questions about Syria at Gabbard while she attended private meetings with senators on the confirmation of herself and Trump’s other nominees.
Gabbard told reporters that she supports Trump’s Sunday remarks about Syria.
“I want to address the issue that’s in the headlines right now: I stand in full support and wholeheartedly agree with the statements that President Trump has made over these last few days with regards to the developments in Syria,” said Gabbard.
On Sunday, Trump issued several posts on Truth Social declaring that Russia’s involvement in Ukraine had left Syria vulnerable to opposition fighters, where they once enjoyed the protection of the federation. Trump further clarified that the U.S. should not get involved in this conflict abroad.
“Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success. Likewise, Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians,” said Trump. “There was never much of a benefit in Syria for Russia, other than to make Obama look really stupid. In any event, Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, [and] THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Dec 10, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) introduced a resolution Friday to award U.S. Marine Corps. Veteran Daniel Penny with the Congressional Gold Medal for his “courageous actions taken in response to the threat to his community.” The resolution was introduced three days before his acquittal on charges related to the death of 30-year-old Jordan Neely on a New York City subway in 2023.
Penny, 26, was charged with second degree manslaughter and negligent homicide after he restrained the erratically behaving Neely, a schizophrenic homeless man with 42 prior arrests and an active warrant, in a chokehold until police could arrive. Neely had threatened other passengers on the train telling them, “someone’s going to die today.” As Penny fought to restrain the man with the help of other subway riders, he held the hold for about six minutes.
Neely later died at an area hospital. Authorities would later find that he had the synthetic drug K2 in his system at the time of his death, according to Fox News.
Prosecutors, fearing a hung jury amidst a deadlock, withdrew the manslaughter charges Friday and upon the juror’s return Monday, they found Penny innocent of the remaining lesser charge.
Speaking with the outlet, Crane, himself a retired Navy SEAL Sniper, told reporters, “Daniel Penny’s actions exemplify what it means to stand against the grain to do right in a world that rewards moral cowardice.”
“Our system of ‘justice’ is fiercely corrupt, allowing degenerates to steamroll our laws and our sense of security, while punishing the righteous. Mr. Penny bravely stood in the gap to defy this corrupt system and protect his fellow Americans. I’m immensely proud to introduce this resolution to award him with the Congressional Gold Medal to recognize his heroism.”
In the text of his resolution Crane wrote, “Throughout President Biden’s term as President, local governments across various cities and States failed to adequately protect residents and their property from violent criminals.”
He described Penny’s actions on the subway saying he, “protected women and children of the city of New York, New York, from violence on May 1, 2023.”
Crane added, “Daniel Penny, with others, acted to save New York City subway riders from threatening behavior by restraining a criminal – who had 42 prior arrests and an active warrant – until the police came. The courageous actions taken in response to the threat to his community by Daniel Penny, a decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran, went beyond the civilian call of duty.”
“It is the sense of the Congress that Daniel Penny, with integrity and honor that is characterizstic of who he is and of his honorable service in the United States Marine Corps, stepped in to protect women and children from an individual who was threatening to kill innocent bystanders, and he is a hero.”
Following the not-guilty verdict on Monday, Crane called the decision a “massive vibe shift and a huge win for our nation.” He also criticized left-wing responses to the verdict writing, “The left has a completely backwards view of justice.”
Crane also reposted a Thursday comment on X comparing Penny’s case to the pardon of Hunter Biden writing, “A spoiled elite with a decade of crimes gets off scot-free while a selfless Marine who acted with courage gets put through the wringer. A radical realignment of our “justice” system is long overdue.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Dec 3, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Democrat President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter, despite a very public vow not to, was met with condemnation from Arizona leaders in both parties. Two Arizona Republican congressmen and one congressman-elect were joined by a Democratic Representative in offering a stern rebuke of Biden’s blatant reversal and the clear preferential treatment given to his son.
In a statement released late on Sunday, Biden forwarded the claim that his son’s prosecution for violating federal gun laws and violations of the tax code were selective and that his son was “unfairly prosecuted” and “treated differently.”
He wrote:
“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted. Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently.
The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election. Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unraveled in the court room – with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process. Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.
No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong. There has been an effort to break Hunter – who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me – and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.
For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be fair-minded. Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”
Most controversially, the “Full and Unconditional Pardon” issued for the younger Biden is broad and sweeping. It covers “offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024.” Notably, this period covers time when President Biden was still Vice President under the Obama administration, as well as Hunter’s appointment and tenure on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma according to Reuters. This would handily cover events and serious allegations of corruption probed by the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives in the past two years. It would also cover business dealings in China that have been heavily scrutinized as influence peddling and featured the cryptic mention in exposed emails of Hunter securing “10 held by H for the big guy,” as reported by the New York Post.
Appearing to refer to the implication of President Biden in the scandals, Republican Congressman Paul Gosar (R-AZ-09) wrote in a post to X, “Proxy Pardon,” seeming to suggest Biden is de facto pardoning himself or his brother James Biden.
Congressman-elect Abraham Hamadeh (R-AZ-08) wrote, “Joe Biden is leaving his presidency even more disgraced. A two-tiered justice system has no place in America. No more lies. No more special treatment. It’s time to restore law and order.”
Replying to a post from journalist John Harwood, Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) wrote, “’…Acting on principle and keeping his word’,” quoting Biden.
Replying to a previous post to X from the President which stated, “No one is above the law,” Crane wrote, “Unless your last name is Biden.”
Democratic Congressman Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04) reposted the Associated Press coverage of the pardon and wrote, “I respect President Biden, but I think he got this one wrong. This wasn’t a politically-motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies, and was convicted by a jury of his peers,” adding a bipartisan character to the Congressional blowback from the pardon of Hunter Biden.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
