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Cornyn Says FBI Will Do Republicans’ Bidding and Hunt Texas Democrats

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The FBI has agreed to help hunt down Texas Democratic lawmakers, according to Republican Senator John Cornyn, who made the request.

“I am proud to announce that Director Kash Patel has approved my request for the FBI to assist state and local law enforcement in locating runaway Texas House Democrats,” Cornyn said in a statement Thursday. “I thank President Trump and Director Patel for supporting and swiftly acting on my call for the federal government to hold these supposed lawmakers accountable.”

The Texan Democrats fled their state in an attempt to prevent Republicans from drawing new districts to help their own party gain more seats in the House. Many Democrats are currently sheltering in New York and Illinois, and they’ve advertised their whereabouts.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker doesn’t believe that the FBI has any grounds to arrest the state lawmakers—they’re not doing anything illegal under federal law—but figures the federal law enforcement agents may attempt to intimidate the representatives.

“The FBI agents might show up just to, I don’t know, again, to put a show on,” he said Wednesday.

There have been no criminal warrants filed against the Texan Democrats, though the speaker of the Texas House has issued civil warrants in an attempt to force the lawmakers to return. Cornyn requested assistance from the FBI in a letter on Tuesday, asking for federal assistance in the enforcement of a state issue rather than alleging a federal crime had been committed.

“Governor Abbott and Texas state law enforcement officers are doing what they can within the confines of the law, but federal help may be necessary,” Cornyn wrote.

So far, it’s not clear whether the FBI has taken action in the case. But it could spark a conflict between the Trump administration and Illinois electeds, as the redistricting war grows into a larger battle between Democratic state leaders and the Republican administration.

At least one Republican doesn’t believe in a free market, and he’s in the White House.

Donald Trump took to Truth Social Thursday to demand the immediate resignation of Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan.

“The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately. There is no other solution to this problem,” Trump wrote. “Thank you for your attention to this problem!”

The post was most likely influenced by Senator Tom Cotton’s appearance on Fox Business, which aired minutes before Trump hit send.

Tan, a Malayan-born American business executive, has investments in hundreds of Chinese tech firms, including eight that are connected to the Chinese military, reported Reuters. One source told the newswire in April that Tan had divested from those positions, though the extent of his divestment was not made known.

Tan was appointed to run the chip manufacturer in March.

Cotton wrote a letter Wednesday to Intel board chair Frank Yeary, raising concerns about Tan’s various ties to China and some $8 billion that Intel received from the U.S. federal government by way of the CHIPS and Science Act.

“Intel is required to be a responsible steward of American taxpayer dollars and to comply with applicable security regulations,” the Arkansas senator wrote. “Mr. Tan’s associations raise questions about Intel’s ability to fulfill these obligations.”

Intel’s stock fell by 4 percent in after-hours trading after Trump made his post.

But having a U.S. president intervene in the business decisions of an independent company would set a “very unfortunate precedent,” according to analysts.

“You don’t want American presidents dictating who runs companies, but certainly his opinion has merit and weight,” Phil Blancato, CEO of Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, told Reuters.

Alan Dershowitz was once again denied pierogies at a farmers market.

After being turned away by the vendors of the Good Pierogi stand at the West Tisbury Farmer’s Market in Martha’s Vineyard last week, Donald Trump’s former lawyer once again left the market empty-handed Wednesday.

“I’m here in an effort to try to restore community and to ask you to sell me pierogi in the interest of keeping the island together so we don’t have to have two pierogi stands: one for anti-Zionists and one for people who will sell to anybody,” Dershowitz said, according to a video from the MV Times.

Last week, Dershowitz claimed that the vendors had refused to sell to him because of his staunch support for Israel’s catastrophic military campaign in Gaza, which has killed more than 60,000 people and caused widespread famine. He’d threatened to sue the supposedly bigoted owners for refusing sale.

But despite Dershowitz’s complaints, the Good Pierogi stand boasted the largest line at the farmer’s market Wednesday. When Dershowitz finally reached the front of the line, he attempted to hand vendors a copy of his book The Ten Big Anti-Israel Lies: and How to Refute Them With Truth, which the vendors refused.

“I am very surprised that you’re here because of the things that you’ve been saying about us and the business online,” replied Krem Miskevich, the chef who co-runs Good Pierogi. “I really do not appreciate what you’ve been sharing in the last week.”

Dershowitz interrupted, “It’s true.”

“Is it true? You have proof that I am an antisemite?” the vendor shot back.

Dershowitz accused the vendor of being part of a group that protested the island’s Jewish Cultural Festival earlier this year. A group of about 10 demonstrators from Ceasefire MV appeared at the July event to protest speakers and funders who supported Israel’s military onslaught against the Palestinians.

Dershowtz tried to argue with the vendors. “This is not a cross-examination, it’s a conversation,” said one of........

© New Republic