Petersen had this to say about Ashcroft possibly running for Governor, “Exciting news to see… I don’t like many politicians – very, very few – and I like the Ashcrofts. Jay Ashcroft seems to be a little bit more fiscally conservative then the senior.” This was in reference to Jay Ashcroft being the son of former United States Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Petersen’s co-host, John Marsh, mentioned that Jay Ashcroft has not discussed future plans since last year when Ashcroft said, “After intense, prayerful consideration we have decided to remain devoted to the work Missouri voters have entrusted me as secretary of state” in regards to running for United States Senate, to replace the senior senator from Missouri, Senator Roy Blunt.

Petersen and Marsh also discussed Ashcroft’s recent conservative positions, many posted on the KWOS website, including being opposed to the gas tax increase that the Missouri Legislature passed last year. Current Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed that gas tax increase into law.

Jay Ashcroft has yet to release a public statement regarding the breaking news yesterday morning.

The full segment from the show can be listened to below.

The post Is Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft Laying Groundwork for 2024 Gubernatorial Run? appeared first on The Libertarian Republic.

Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax (D) is facing allegations of sexual assault from Dr. Vanessa Tyson, who claims Fairfax forced her to perform oral sex on him while they went on an errand to retrieve some documents from his hotel room. Tyson claims the two exchanged a consensual kiss, but then Tyson forced himself on her after she said she didn’t want to engage in sexual activity.

Fairfax issued a statement on Twitter denying the allegations.

In addition to this, Virginia’s Attorney General Mark Herring came out and admitted that he, like Governor Northam. had also dressed in blackface. Herring claimed he was dressing as a rapper for a college party in 1980. 

“That conduct clearly shows that, as a young man, I had a callous and inexcusable lack of awareness and insensitivity to the pain my behavior could inflict on others,” said Herring in the statement. ” … This conduct is in no way reflective of the man I have become in the nearly 40 years since.”

“It’s a mess,” said state Sen. Lionell Spruill (D-Chespeake) to the Washington Post as he emerged from the attorney general’s office building shortly before 11 a.m.

“In the days ahead, honest conversations and discussions will make it clear whether I can or should continue to serve as attorney general, but no matter where we go from here, I will say that from the bottom of my heart, I am deeply, deeply sorry for the pain that I cause with this revelation,” Herring said in the statement.

The Republican Party of Virginia has called for Herring to resign.

“The Republican Party of Virginia calls on Mark Herring to resign his post as Attorney General. Like we have had to say too many times this week, racism has no place in Virginia and dressing up in blackface is wholly unacceptable,” RPV Chairman Jack Wilson said in a release.

Virginia Speaker of the House Kirk Cox said the revelations against and admissions by the leaders of the executive branch are “disturbing.”

As this story continues to develop it begs the question, is there anyone in the Democratic Party of Virginia who hasn’t dressed in blackface and or KKK robes or been accused of sexual assault? It’s also quite interesting considering that Democrats are all to often the ones who accuse their political opponents of being racist or a rapist even at the hint of sexual assault allegations, due process be damned.

It seems that this culture of guilty until proven innocent that progressives have created is beginning to eat the Democratic Party alive in the state of Virginia as Jason Buttrill of Blaze Media observed, quote, “When you get a live look at a parties platform of virtue signaling, imploding for the entire country to see: Virginia Gov wants to kill newborn babies and likes to dress up in blackface, the Lt. Gov is facing sexual assault charges, and the AG also likes to dress up in blackface.”

The post Virginia is Burning: Democratic Leadership is Riddled With Racism and Sexual Allegations appeared first on The Libertarian Republic.

By Kody Fairfield

Rep. Raúl Labrador (R-Idaho) announced Tuesday that, instead of running for re-election in his safe Republican seat, he will run for governor of Idaho in 2018, reports the Huffington Post.

In his statement announcing the decision Labrador said”

“Idaho needs a proven conservative leader who will stand against the special interests and politicians that have picked the winners and losers in our state Capitol for too long. Idaho needs a strong leader who will make government fair for everyone. Idaho needs a governor who will provide a new vision, a new approach and new leadership.”

His official announcement puts to bed the speculation regarding the staunch conservatives political future. Especially given that for years, Labrador has seemed frustrated by the slow pace of lawmaking. He’s bemoaned the erosion of regular order in Congress and been a key player himself in thwarting major pieces of legislation, according to the Huffington Post.

During the building of President Donald Trump‘s cabinet, Labrador was being heavily considered for the secretary of the interior.

His attention from the Trump administration doesn’t mean that he is a toe-the-line Republican however, as more recently the Representative was in headlines for sticking with the House Freedom Caucus, which he was a founder of, to put a damper on the GOP House leadership’s initial plans for repealing Obamacare. In fact, President Trump, in that fight, even mentioned Labrador by name tweeting:

Labrador did support the passage of the House leadership’s second version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA).

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The post Rep. Raul Labrador to Run for Governor of Idaho appeared first on The Libertarian Republic.

By Ryan Pickrell

The first Christian governor of Indonesia’s capital city in decades was sentenced to two years in prison Tuesday for blasphemy against Islam.

The harsh sentence is perceived as a critical blow to religious tolerance in the world’s largest majority country, reports Reuters. The governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, was “found to have legitimately and convincingly conducted a criminal act of blasphemy,” a judge declared Tuesday. Purnama intends to appeal the ruling.

The governor, a political ally of President Joko Widodo, was taken to a prison in East Jakarta.

Indonesia’s blasphemy controversy emerged in September, when an incorrectly-subtitled video of the governor criticizing those who claim that the Qur’an prohibits Muslims from having a non-Muslim leader surfaced online.

Hundreds of thousands of Indonesian’s marched on the capital in protest. A riot in November involving around 100,000 people turned violent, killing one and injuring a dozen others. A few weeks later, roughly 200,000 conservative Muslims rallied in the Indonesian capital to protest Purnama, who is known as “Ahok” by his supporters. There were more huge protests in February, and thousands more Muslims marched on Jakarta in March of this year to demand Purnama’s arrest.

The protests were reportedly organized by hard-line and radical Islamic groups, such as the Islamic Defenders Front.

Purnama lost his bid for re-election to Muslim rival Anies Baswedan in April. He will surrender his position to his opponent in October. If Purnama’s appeals fail, he will not be allowed to hold public office even after his release.

Hardliners called for the maximum penalty — five years, but he was given a reduced sentence.

When the verdict was announced, many of Ahok’s supporters declared the trial a farce. Many were angry, and others reportedly cried openly. Purnama enjoyed popularity as the governor of Jakarta.

Human rights organizations believe that Purnama’s fall represents a major setback for Indonesia, where most Muslims practice a moderate form of Islam in a country that is relatively tolerant of Buddhists, Christians, and Hindus. “If someone like Ahok, the governor of the capital, backed by the country’s largest political party, ally of the president, can be jailed on groundless accusations, what will others do?” asked Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch, according to Reuters.

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By Phillip Stucky

The Democratic primary for governor in New Jersey took an ugly turn, with one candidate filing a formal ethics complaint, according to a Politico Playbook report Friday.

Former Undersecretary of the Treasury Jim Johnson formally filed a complaint with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission for campaign finance issues, according to the report.

The complaint alleges that Democratic challenger Phil Murphy used shady tactics to fund the start of his gubernatorial bid, failing to form an official exploratory committee. Murphy used donated funds to a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, as well as a 527 tax-exempt organization.

They key difference between the exploratory committee and the nonprofit groups with respect to the tax code is disclosure. Organizations with 501(c)(4) and 527 classifications aren’t required to disclose their donors, whereas exploratory committees are required to file their donors with ELEC.

That distinction doesn’t apply to Murphy, who disclosed the donors to each group in the filing, but was quick to underscore the fact that Johnson’s firm worked with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s fundraising effort, an effort that was under investigation for shady practices.

Johnson’s campaign didn’t immediately return a request for comment.

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The post Dems Get Dirty In Campaign for New Jersey Governor appeared first on The Libertarian Republic.

By Juliegrace Brufke

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said he’s considering seeking a third term in 2018, but wouldn’t be weighing the option if former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton had won the election.

Walker — who was first elected in 2010, won his recall election in 2012 and a second term in 2014 — said he doesn’t believe he would be able to accomplish his policy goals under an administration with no solid understanding of states’ rights.

“Well, I’ll make an announcement if my budget is done early this summer, but for me I can tell you unequivocally if Hillary Clinton was the president I would not have run again,” he told The Daily Caller News Foundation Thursday. “Because we’ve done so much in the state, most of which we can do next, if I were to take another term and earn the support of the people of Wisconsin, would really require the federal government restoring some of the rights and responsibilities back to the states.”

Walker said he expects GOP governors to largely have a positive relationship with President Donald Trump, and looks forward to the role Vice President Mike Pence will play in working with the states due to his gubernatorial experience.

“I mean, Mike Pence, personally to me is a great long-time friend, but to all of our governors is someone who up until a month-and-a-half ago was a colleague and someone who really gets the states,” he said. “And I think appropriately understands the appropriate balance that our founders intended — the very limited powers would be focused in Washington, the rest would be sent back to the states and more importantly the people.”

WATCH:

The Republican Governors Association, which Walker chairs, is set to meet over the course of the weekend. Walker said in addition to policy discussions on issues like Obamacare and Medicaid reform, they will also discuss upcoming elections.

“We always talk about elections, so we’re getting ready for not just this year, but next year,” he said. “Thirty-six races for governor, 26 are Republican held, 15 of those are term-limited and 11 are like me who can run again. So certainly we’re looking ahead at the horizon.”

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The post Walker: I Wouldn’t Run For Governor Again If Hillary Was President appeared first on The Libertarian Republic.

By Rachel Stoltzfoos

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott cut off state funds to a county that provides sanctuary to illegal immigrants Wednesday, following through on an earlier pledge to punish such sanctuary cities and localities.

Travis County will no longer have access to $1.8 million in state criminal justice grants, Abbott announced in a letter to county officials, because of a new sanctuary policy implemented by the county sheriff. The policy at issue instructs staff at the sheriff’s department to release illegal immigrants booked in the local jail rather than assist the federal government in deporting them, unless they have been charged with murder, aggravated sexual assault or human smuggling.

“Stiffer penalties coming soon,” Abbott added in a tweet Wednesday.

Today I cut funding to Travis County because of its Sanctuary City policy. Stiffer penalties coming soon. #txlege https://t.co/mQZ9Suf62e

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 1, 2017

He said “banning” such areas of sanctuary in Texas is a top priority in an address to the state Tuesday. “Elected officials don’t get to pick and choose which laws they obey,” he said. “To protect Texans from deadly danger, we must insist that laws be followed.”

Supporters of sanctuary cities argue local jails shouldn’t be forced to extend detention of illegal immigrants picked up for crimes, because deportation is the job of the federal government. Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez told a local outlet the sanctuary policy builds trust between police and the community, saying the threat of deportation might prevent people from reporting crimes for fear of the immigration consequences.

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The post Texas Governor Deprives Sanctuary County Of $1.5 Million Grant appeared first on The Libertarian Republic.

By Kody Fairfield

One day after fainting during his State of the State address, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has announced that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, reports Twin Cities News Talk AM1130.

Dayton’s announcement came during a press conference with reports, in which he also announced Minnesota’s 2017 budget plans.

The Governor state that there is no evidence that the cancer has progressed past the prostate, and that he will travel to the Mayo Clinic next week to determine the best course of action, which could include radiation, surgery or both.

RELATED: Democratic Governor Collapses During State Of The State Address [VIDEO]

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President-elect Donald Trump will pick former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to head the Department of Energy (DOE), according to two transition team sources.

Perry, who once said he’d eliminate the Department of Energy, could end up heading the agency, sources told CBS News. Perry beat out two other top contenders for Energy Secretary: West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin and Trump fundraiser and investor Ray Washburne.

DOE has nearly 13,000 employees and relies on tens of thousands of government contractors. The agency is responsible for nuclear weapons, nuclear power for the U.S. Navy, waste disposal, funding energy technology, overseeing federally-run labs and transmitting electricity.

Perry’s heading DOE could further anger Democrats, especially after a leaked transition team memo had numerous questions about the agency’s work on global warming issues. That memo also inquired about ways DOE could keep aging nuclear reactors online.

Perry has also been criticized for sitting on the board of Energy Transfer Partners, the company trying to build the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline.

Thousands of activists battled it out with North Dakota police and pipeline security personnel for months before the Obama administration formally blocked the project. Trump expressed support for the pipeline, and will likely approve it upon taking office.

Trump’s also promised to cut the budget by eliminating wasteful programs. If that’s the case, Perry may have a lot of work ahead of him at DOE.

For starters, DOE still has $40 billion left in the loan program that funded failed companies, like Solyndra and Abound Solar. The loan program is expected to lose more than $2 billion, according to government auditors.

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Two former Chris Christie associates have been convicted for their roles in the “Bridgegate” lane closure scandal, according to new reports. The conviction came on Friday after a six week trial period.

The report went further:

Bridget Kelly, the governor’s former deputy chief of staff, and Bill Baroni, former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, were found guilty in Newark federal court on all counts.

They were convicted of fraud, conspiracy and depriving the residents of Fort Lee, New Jersey, of their civil rights.

Christie, who is in charge of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s transition team, has not been criminally charged, but the scandal has torpedoed what was once seen as a promising political career.

Christie on Friday repeated his denial of having had any advance knowledge of the scheme to choke traffic heading for the busy George Washington Bridge, which links New Jersey and Manhattan.

“I had no knowledge prior to or during these lane realignments, and had no role in authorizing them,” Christie said in a statement following the verdict. “Anything said to the contrary over the past six weeks in court is simply untrue.”

The scandal has dogged Christie, once seen as a potential presidential nominee before his campaign for the White House failed this year.

The post Associates for Governor Chris Christie Convicted of Fraud in “Bridgegate” Scandal appeared first on The Libertarian Republic.