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About theartfuldilettante

The Artful Dilettante is a native of Pittsburgh, PA, and a graduate of Penn State University. He is a lover of liberty and a lifelong and passionate student of the same. He is voracious reader of books on the Enlightenment and the American colonial and revolutionary periods. He is a student of libertarian and Objectivist philosophies. He collects revolutionary war and period currency, books, and newspapers. He is married and the father of one teenage son. He is kind, witty, generous to a fault, and unjustifiably proud of himself. He is the life of the party and an unparalleled raconteur.

Not Just Noah’s Ark – New Advances To Find The Ark of The Covenant

While science is advancing, the roadmap may still lie in ancient texts.

McKinny highlights three enduring traditions, each offering a different possible fate for the Ark.

The first, often called the Mount Legend, suggests it was hidden beneath the Temple Mount itself–concealed in tunnels by priests before the Babylonian invasion.

The second, tied to the prophet Jeremiah, describes the Ark being hidden in a remote rocky location between mountains–a theory sometimes linked to wilderness regions near Jerusalem.

The third, claims that the Prophet Jeremiah transported the Ark to a cave on Mount Nebo–the very mountain associated with Moses’ death.

Different paths. Different locations.

But one striking consistency.

All three traditions insist the Ark was not destroyed.

It was hidden–intentionally, carefully, and with purpose.

Why This Moment Matters

It would be easy to dismiss all of this as speculation. After all, countless expeditions have chased the Ark before.

But something is different now.

The same technological advancements helping researchers identify possible remains of Noah’s Ark are now being applied to Jerusalem–arguably the most archaeologically complex and restricted site on earth.

And beyond McKinny’s work, other researchers are echoing similar optimism. Studies using remote sensing in Israel have already uncovered hidden tunnels and chambers dating back thousands of years. Meanwhile, independent teams continue to explore Ethiopian traditions claiming the Ark resides in Aksum–guarded and hidden in plain sight.

No single theory has won the day.

But the convergence of ancient testimony, modern technology, and renewed global interest is creating something we haven’t seen before:

Momentum.

More Than a Discovery

If the Ark of the Covenant were found, it wouldn’t just be an archaeological breakthrough.

It would be a spiritual earthquake.

This is not merely a relic. It is a symbol of divine law, covenant, and presence. It represents a moment when heaven and earth intersected in a tangible way.

And perhaps that’s why its story has endured.

Because deep down, the search for the Ark isn’t just about finding gold beneath the ground.

It points to something far deeper than history alone.

It confronts a truth that refuses to stay buried:

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ARTICLE Not Just Noah’s Ark – New Advances To Find The The Ark of The Covenant

News ImageBY PNW STAFF APRIL 24, 2206 Share this article: facebook sharing button twitter sharing button email sharing button sms sharing button print sharing button The ancient world is stirring again.

From the rugged slopes near Mount Ararat to the buried secrets beneath Jerusalem, a renewed wave of archaeological curiosity is sweeping across biblical history. Recent reports surrounding possible structural anomalies linked to Noah’s Ark have reignited global fascination–not just with one ancient relic, but with the broader question: What else might still be hidden?

Now, attention is shifting to something even more sacred, more mysterious, and arguably more significant–the long-lost Ark of the Covenant.

And for the first time in generations, serious researchers believe we may be closer than ever to finding it.

A Mystery Buried Beneath Time–and Stone

According to the Bible, the Ark of the Covenant was constructed under the direction of Moses around the 13th century BC. Overlaid with gold and designed to house the Ten Commandments, it represented nothing less than the physical manifestation of God’s covenant with Israel.

For centuries, it resided in the Holy of Holies within Solomon’s Temple–until history went dark.

When Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC, the Ark vanished.

What followed has been one of history’s greatest mysteries.

Now, archaeologist Dr. Chris McKinny is proposing a compelling new direction: the Ark may still lie hidden beneath the ancient landscape of the City of David, just south of the Temple Mount.

But this isn’t a theory driven by shovels and guesswork. It’s powered by cutting-edge science.

Technology Meets Scripture

Unlike past generations of explorers, today’s researchers are turning to tools that border on science fiction.

Muon detectors–devices that track subatomic particles created by cosmic rays–are now being used to peer deep beneath the earth without disturbing it. These detectors can reveal hidden voids, chambers, and even dense materials like gold.

Early scans in Jerusalem have already uncovered previously unknown underground structures.

That matters.

Because if the Ark still exists–and if it remains gold-plated as described–it could, in theory, be detected without ever turning a single stone.

Alongside muon imaging, researchers are increasingly relying on ground-penetrating radar, seismic scanning, and electrical resistivity tomography. These tools are opening up what McKinny calls one of archaeology’s greatest blind spots: the forbidden underground world beneath the Temple Mount.

It’s a place too politically and religiously sensitive for traditional excavation.

But technology is changing the rules.

Ancient Clues, Modern Direction

While science is advancing, the roadmap may still lie in ancient texts.

McKinny highlights three enduring traditions, each offering a different possible fate for the Ark.

The first, often called the Mount Legend, suggests it was hidden beneath the Temple Mount itself–concealed in tunnels by priests before the Babylonian invasion.

The second, tied to the prophet Jeremiah, describes the Ark being hidden in a remote rocky location between mountains–a theory sometimes linked to wilderness regions near Jerusalem.

The third, claims Jeremiah transported the Ark to a cave on Mount Nebo–the very mountain associated with Moses’ death.

Different paths. Different locations.

But one striking consistency.

All three traditions insist the Ark was not destroyed.

It was hidden–intentionally, carefully, and with purpose.

Why This Moment Matters

It would be easy to dismiss all of this as speculation. After all, countless expeditions have chased the Ark before.

But something is different now.

The same technological advancements helping researchers identify possible remains of Noah’s Ark are now being applied to Jerusalem–arguably the most archaeologically complex and restricted site on earth.

And beyond McKinny’s work, other researchers are echoing similar optimism. Studies using remote sensing in Israel have already uncovered hidden tunnels and chambers dating back thousands of years. Meanwhile, independent teams continue to explore Ethiopian traditions claiming the Ark resides in Aksum–guarded and hidden in plain sight.

No single theory has won the day.

But the convergence of ancient testimony, modern technology, and renewed global interest is creating something we haven’t seen before:

Momentum.

More Than a Discovery

If the Ark of the Covenant were found, it wouldn’t just be an archaeological breakthrough.

It would be a spiritual earthquake.

This is not merely a relic. It is a symbol of divine law, covenant, and presence. It represents a moment when heaven and earth intersected in a tangible way.

And perhaps that’s why its story has endured.

Because deep down, the search for the Ark isn’t just about finding gold beneath the ground.

It points to something far deeper than history alone.

It confronts a truth that refuses to stay buried:

What if these discoveries are not just revealing the past–but calling this generation to account?

A Final Thought

From the frozen ridges tied to Noah’s Ark to the hidden chambers beneath Jerusalem, a pattern is emerging that is difficult to dismiss.

History is not fading.

It is resurfacing.

And with it comes a quiet but undeniable tension–one that suggests these ancient accounts are not merely stories, but signals.

Whether the Ark of the Covenant lies beneath the Temple Mount, rests in a sealed cave near Mount Nebo, or remains hidden beyond current understanding, one truth stands firm–

This search is no longer just about discovery.

It is about revelation.

Not only of what was.

But of what still is.

And perhaps… what is still to come.

The Ancient World is Stirring Again


The ancient world is stirring again.

From the rugged slopes near Mount Ararat to the buried secrets beneath Jerusalem, a renewed wave of archaeological curiosity is sweeping across biblical history. Recent reports surrounding possible structural anomalies linked to Noah’s Ark have reignited global fascination–not just with one ancient relic, but with the broader question: What else might still be hidden?

Now, attention is shifting to something even more sacred, more mysterious, and arguably more significant–the long-lost Ark of the Covenant.

And for the first time in generations, serious researchers believe we may be closer than ever to finding it.

A Mystery Buried Beneath Time–and Stone

According to the Bible, the Ark of the Covenant was constructed under the direction of Moses around the 13th century BC. Overlaid with gold and designed to house the Ten Commandments, it represented nothing less than the physical manifestation of God’s covenant with Israel.

For centuries, it resided in the Holy of Holies within Solomon’s Temple–until history went dark.

When Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC, the Ark vanished.

What followed has been one of history’s greatest mysteries.

Now, archaeologist Dr. Chris McKinny is proposing a compelling new direction: the Ark may still lie hidden beneath the ancient landscape of the City of David, just south of the Temple Mount.

But this isn’t a theory driven by shovels and guesswork. It’s powered by cutting-edge science.

Technology Meets Scripture

Unlike past generations of explorers, today’s researchers are turning to tools that border on science fiction.

Muon detectors–devices that track subatomic particles created by cosmic rays–are now being used to peer deep beneath the earth without disturbing it. These detectors can reveal hidden voids, chambers, and even dense materials like gold.

Early scans in Jerusalem have already uncovered previously unknown underground structures.

That matters.

Because if the Ark still exists–and if it remains gold-plated as described–it could, in theory, be detected without ever turning a single stone.

Alongside muon imaging, researchers are increasingly relying on ground-penetrating radar, seismic scanning, and electrical resistivity tomography. These tools are opening up what McKinny calls one of archaeology’s greatest blind spots: the forbidden underground world beneath the Temple Mount.

It’s a place too politically and religiously sensitive for traditional excavation.

But technology is changing the rules.


The ancient world is stirring again.

From the rugged slopes near Mount Ararat to the buried secrets beneath Jerusalem, a renewed wave of archaeological curiosity is sweeping across biblical history. Recent reports surrounding possible structural anomalies linked to Noah’s Ark have reignited global fascination–not just with one ancient relic, but with the broader question: What else might still be hidden?

Now, attention is shifting to something even more sacred, more mysterious, and arguably more significant–the long-lost Ark of the Covenant.

And for the first time in generations, serious researchers believe we may be closer than ever to finding it.

A Mystery Buried Beneath Time–and Stone

According to the Bible, the Ark of the Covenant was constructed under the direction of Moses around the 13th century BC. Overlaid with gold and designed to house the Ten Commandments, it represented nothing less than the physical manifestation of God’s covenant with Israel.

For centuries, it resided in the Holy of Holies within Solomon’s Temple–until history went dark.

When Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC, the Ark vanished.

What followed has been one of history’s greatest mysteries.

Now, archaeologist Dr. Chris McKinny is proposing a compelling new direction: the Ark may still lie hidden beneath the ancient landscape of the City of David, just south of the Temple Mount.

But this isn’t a theory driven by shovels and guesswork. It’s powered by cutting-edge science.

Technology Meets Scripture

Unlike past generations of explorers, today’s researchers are turning to tools that border on science fiction.

Muon detectors–devices that track subatomic particles created by cosmic rays–are now being used to peer deep beneath the earth without disturbing it. These detectors can reveal hidden voids, chambers, and even dense materials like gold.

Early scans in Jerusalem have already uncovered previously unknown underground structures.

That matters.

Because if the Ark still exists–and if it remains gold-plated as described–it could, in theory, be detected without ever turning a single stone.

Alongside muon imaging, researchers are increasingly relying on ground-penetrating radar, seismic scanning, and electrical resistivity tomography. These tools are opening up what McKinny calls one of archaeology’s greatest blind spots: the forbidden underground world beneath the Temple Mount.

It’s a place too politically and religiously sensitive for traditional excavation.

But technology is changing the rules.


The ancient world is stirring again.

From the rugged slopes near Mount Ararat to the buried secrets beneath Jerusalem, a renewed wave of archaeological curiosity is sweeping across biblical history. Recent reports surrounding possible structural anomalies linked to Noah’s Ark have reignited global fascination–not just with one ancient relic, but with the broader question: What else might still be hidden?

Now, attention is shifting to something even more sacred, more mysterious, and arguably more significant–the long-lost Ark of the Covenant.

And for the first time in generations, serious researchers believe we may be closer than ever to finding it.

A Mystery Buried Beneath Time–and Stone

According to the Bible, the Ark of the Covenant was constructed under the direction of Moses around the 13th century BC. Overlaid with gold and designed to house the Ten Commandments, it represented nothing less than the physical manifestation of God’s covenant with Israel.

For centuries, it resided in the Holy of Holies within Solomon’s Temple–until history went dark.

When Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC, the Ark vanished.

What followed has been one of history’s greatest mysteries.

Now, archaeologist Dr. Chris McKinny is proposing a compelling new direction: the Ark may still lie hidden beneath the ancient landscape of the City of David, just south of the Temple Mount.

But this isn’t a theory driven by shovels and guesswork. It’s powered by cutting-edge science.

Technology Meets Scripture

Unlike past generations of explorers, today’s researchers are turning to tools that border on science fiction.

Muon detectors–devices that track subatomic particles created by cosmic rays–are now being used to peer deep beneath the earth without disturbing it. These detectors can reveal hidden voids, chambers, and even dense materials like gold.

Early scans in Jerusalem have already uncovered previously unknown underground structures.

That matters.

Because if the Ark still exists–and if it remains gold-plated as described–it could, in theory, be detected without ever turning a single stone.

Alongside muon imaging, researchers are increasingly relying on ground-penetrating radar, seismic scanning, and electrical resistivity tomography. These tools are opening up what McKinny calls one of archaeology’s greatest blind spots: the forbidden underground world beneath the Temple Mount.

It’s a place too politically and religiously sensitive for traditional excavation.

But technology is changing the rules.

Fox News poll reports ‘atrocious’ approval rating on key election pledge for Trump and the Republicans

A new Fox News poll reveals President Donald Trump and Republicans are facing abysmal ratings on their handling of the economy — once one of their strongest issues.

In the survey, released on Wednesday, 52 percent of registered voters said that Democrats would do a better job on the economy, while 48 percent said the same of the GOP.

It marked the first time in 16 years that a Fox News poll showed Democrats holding a 4-point advantage on the issue, CNN’s Kaitlin Collins reported on Thursday.

At the same time, Trump’s own approval rating on the economy was far worse: 66 percent of respondents said they disapproved, while 34 percent said they approved, resulting in a net negative rating of 32 points.

“This is a siren sign for Republicans,” CNN’s data analyst Harry Enten said.

“These numbers are just downright atrocious; they’re the worst ever.”

He noted that no president in modern history has recorded a net negative 32 point approval rating on the economy. The previous lows were set by former President Joe Biden at negative 25 points in 2022 and former President George W. Bush at the same level in 2006.

Trump’s plummeting numbers are largely due to independents, Enten said, who gave Trump a net negative 55 point approval rating in the latest Fox News poll. By comparison, in January 2025, they gave the Republican president a net positive one point rating.

“If these numbers hold in the midterm elections, wave adios amigos, kiss it goodbye, to that Republican majority in the House, and maybe the Senate as well,” Enten said.

Those unenviable figures come as the war in Iran — and the resulting blockades in the Strait of Hormuz — have sent fuel prices soaring. On Thursday, the national average price for a gallon of gasoline stood at $4.03, up from $2.98 two days before the conflict began, according to AAA.

A Quinnipiac poll released earlier this month showed that over half of registered voters blame Trump “a lot” for the recent spike in gas prices.

Trump campaigned on lowering gas prices for voters by “unleashing American energy.”

On Thursday, the president said Americans should prepare to pay higher gas prices “for a little while” as a result of the war, though he didn’t specify a timeline. The White House previously said that higher costs would only be a short-term problem.

Seattle could lose hundreds of millions in tax revenue as Starbucks expands in Tennessee

Seattle could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue as Starbucks expands operations in Tennessee, a local outlet estimates.

Fox 13 Seattle reported Tuesday that the Emerald City “could lose up to $750 million in tax revenue in the coming years as Starbucks expands in Tennessee instead of Washington.”

In a press release Tuesday, Starbucks announced it will invest $100 million and bring 2,000 new jobs to Nashville.

“Starbucks has major plans for its newest business location, where it will employ up to 2,000 people over the next several years to serve in a variety of corporate-related operations,” the announcement said.

“The Nashville office will directly support continued coffeehouse expansion and rising customer demand, particularly in the southeastern U.S., while working closely with the company’s global headquarters in Seattle.”

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee welcomed the announcement Tuesday, writing in a post on X, “​​Great to welcome @Starbucks’ continued investment in TN as it establishes its new Southeastern hub in Music City.

“This iconic global company’s $100 million investment — a testament to our strong economy & unmatched workforce — will create 2,000 new jobs for Tennesseans.”

Fox 13 Seattle called Lee’s attitude “sharply different from Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson when she encouraged a crowd to boycott the company shortly after she was elected mayor,” noting that Wilson’s remarks were given to a crowd during a Starbucks union workers rally in November.

“I am not buying Starbucks, and you should not too,” Wilson said.

Remember Ilhan Omar’s Winery? Something Very Peculiar Just Happened to It

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is attributing her alleged inflated net worth to an accounting mistake. Earlier this year, reports showed that Ms. Omar had accumulated significant wealth, with a net worth in the millions, which raised questions about possible fraud. Subsequently, Nick Shirley’s investigation into a web of Somali-led scams brought new attention to her financial dealings.

If that’s a true accounting error, then I’m Somali, too. Are you kidding me, lady? There was an error that inflated your assets to $30 million? Please, also, one of the ventures that The Washington Free Beacon investigated in January, a winery, is now closed, days after she supposedly fixed her financial disclosure forms.

The backstory via the Free Beacon:

Omar reported in her latest financial disclosure that she and her husband, former political consultant Tim Mynett, accumulated a net worth at the end of 2024 ranging from at least $6 million to $30 million. Their wealth is derived almost entirely from the value of Mynett’s ownership stake in his two companies that, together, were worth no more than $51,000 at the end of 2023. The exact value of Omar’s personal fortune at the end of 2024 is unclear—lawmakers disclose the value of their holdings and debts in ranges. Still, the figures in Omar’s latest disclosures show that her and her husband’s net worth skyrocketed by at least 3,500 percent in just one year. 

Omar’s extraordinary accumulation of wealth in 2024 could raise uncomfortable questions for the Minnesota Democrat, who in February told Business Insider that she has been the subject of a “coordinated right-wing disinformation campaign” that falsely claims she’s worth millions of dollars. Omar said any insinuation that she’s worth more than a few thousand dollars was “ridiculous” and “categorically false.” She also took to X in February, challenging her followers to “maybe try checking my public financial statements and you will see I barely have thousands let alone millions.” 

Omar has her husband to thank for catapulting her to multimillionaire status in 2024. Mynett’s California-based winery eStCru LLC and venture capital firm Rose Lake Capital both achieved remarkable financial turnarounds in 2024. At the end of 2023, Mynett’s combined stake in both companies was worth no more than $51,000, the firms had less than $700 across all their bank accounts, and Mynett and his business partner, former DNC adviser Will Hailer, were saddled with lawsuits from investors claiming they defrauded them out of millions of dollars. 

But by the end of 2024, Mynett’s combined stake in the two firms ballooned to anywhere between $6 and $30 million, and he and Hailer settled the lawsuits with cash settlements, the Washington Free Beacon has learned. 

Mynett’s business activities have long been a thorn in Omar’s side ever since they married in March 2020. They were both married to other people when they met, but the pair began an affair while Mynett served as a political consultant for Omar’s campaign, which paid his firm a whopping $2.9 million during the 2020 election cycle. But that was a fleeting arrangement. The financial ties between Omar’s campaign and her new husband’s firm drew intense public scrutiny, and by the end of 2020, Mynett had exited the political consulting business and teamed up with Hailer to branch out into the winery and venture capital industries.

Germany Unveils Plan to Become ‘Strongest Conventional Army in Europe’ by 2039

Germany announced a new military strategy with the goal of building “Europe’s strongest conventional army” by 2039.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius revealed the proposal speaking to the German parliament on Wednesday, and detailed a public outlining for the “future direction” of the Bundeswehr, the German Armed Forces. One of the goals of the plan, the German Defense Ministry said in a statement, is for Germany to take “more responsibility” within NATO.

“We are developing the Bundeswehr into the strongest conventional army in Europe. In the short term, we are increasing our defense and resilience, in the medium term we are aiming for a significant increase in overarching capabilities and in the long term we will establish technological superiority,” Pistorious said, per Politico.

According to Politico, the new German military plan states that while the United States is indispensable for NATO, it notes that “Washington is increasingly oriented toward the Indo-Pacific.”

The Defense Ministry said that the new German military strategy calls for a “fundamental rethink” on the “overall concept of military defense” consisting of the military strategy and capability profile of the German Armed Forces, a personnel growth plan for the Bundeswehr, and a new strategy for the nation’s military reserve in addition to a new agenda that amins to “reduce bureaucracy and modernize the system.”

“The starting point for this is a fundamentally changed international environment. The security situation has deteriorated significantly—especially since Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” The Ministry’s statement read in part.

Christian Caruso

New Records Reveal FBI Cooked Up Another Fake Investigation To Spy On Republicans

Months after opening Rampart Twelve, the FBI and DOJ still had no evidence to indicate that Lauren Boebert and Paul Gosar were guilty of the allegations against them.

Partisan prosecutors at the Biden administration’s Department of Justice charged forward with an investigation into Republican members of Congress after privately saying the primary evidence lacked credibility, new records show.

The documents, released by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, on Tuesday, show the beginnings of “Operation Rampart 12.” The operation, which the FBI launched to investigate multiple Republican members of Congress based on claims that they assisted Jan. 6 Capitol rioters, is believed to be a predecessor case to the get-Trump lawfare operation Arctic Frost.

Biden’s FBI opened Rampart Twelve on Jan. 22, 2021. Then-Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s accusations against congressional colleagues formed the primary basis of the investigation, which was carried forward by several DOJ and FBI officials whose private communications reveal there was no legitimate basis for it. Sherrill is now the Democrat governor of New Jersey.

“The Democrats have supported these fired former Biden Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI officials. But, as the records show, these fired officials weren’t protecting our country,” Grassley wrote in an opening statement for a Senate hearing on Arctic Frost on Tuesday. “They were literally trying to destroy it.”

J.P. Cooney and Molly Gaston — both of whom later worked with Jack Smith on his anti-Trump legal campaign — were the “two partisan prosecutors” who decided to move forward with the investigations into Reps. Lauren Boebert, Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs, and Mo Brooks. The move came after Sherrill alleged on a Jan. 12, 2021, Facebook Live stream that some Republican members had led “reconnaissance” tours of the U.S. Capitol prior to Jan. 6 in order to allow them to map out the forthcoming riot.

The corporate media trumpeted Sherrill’s allegations at the time, and she led a group of more than 30 House Democrats in sending a letter to the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms demanding information about Jan. 5 visitors. The FBI obtained phone toll records for Boebert and Gosar, according to the documents, much in the same way that Arctic Frost fraudulently obtained phone records of other Republicans on Capitol Hill.

“What you’ll find in the available records is that the evidence to support the investigation didn’t exist,” Grassley wrote.

In a Jan. 13, 2021, text to Cooney, Gaston stated, “so mickie [sic] sherrill has such important groundbreaking information that she has agreed to talk to amanda … friday.”

Cooney said of Sherrill, “that is embarrassing … appalling,” to which Gaston replied, “i hate politicians.”

Cooney then said, “me too … makes her allegations completely incredible.”

On Jan. 16, Cooney texted Gaston regarding video footage of Boebert in the Capitol, noting that Boebert was “near Sherrill.” But she was “not with others,” Cooney confirmed to Gaston.

“There is a maga hat group about a minute behind her … but it’s a family — with kids,” Cooney said.

There was another person in the tourist group taking pictures, whom Cooney described as “weird” but “not … suspicious.”

Gaston wanted to focus on “figur[ing] out what time the goasar [sic] thing happened … and get that video.”

Cooney replied, “i’m telling you though — this tour/map thing has legs … this makes perfect sense to me … proving the member’s intent might be impossible … but i am fairly confident that we are going to put a map or some other information relevant to coordinated activity in the hands of an extremist group, and trace it back to a congressional office.”

In the text messages, despite admitting that the video evidence contradicted claims that Boebert led a “reconnaissance” tour through the Capitol because she was not even with the group in question, Cooney and Gaston appeared to be persistently disappointed and frustrated by the lack of evidence to justify an investigation, while persisting in the belief that “the information is out there.”

Grassley noted that within months of opening Rampart Twelve, the FBI still had no evidence linking Boebert and Gosar to the allegations against them. A document drafted by “partisan anti-Trump FBI Agent Timothy Thibault” says the FBI reviewed the representatives’ toll records and “video footage from key areas of the Capitol,” again confirming that the FBI lacked evidence on Boebert and Gosar.

Normally, preliminary investigations remain open for about six months before being closed due to lack of evidence, Grassley noted. But when FBI Public Corruption Unit agent Leanna Saler notified Thibault that Rampart Twelve “expires on July 22,” Thibault decided to “extend and cite we are awaiting HQ guidance,” while providing zero justification for the decision. “Cooney, Gaston, Saler and Thibault’s partisan, weaponized investigation would continue until it was shut down by FBI Headquarters January 27, 2022, a full year after it was opened,” Grassley wrote.

The released documents also reveal that Cooney and Gaston also schemed on how to “circumvent” Congress’s Speech or Debate Clause in Article I, Section 6 of the U.S. Constitution, and the statutory barriers put in place to protect congressional toll records.

“The conversation between these two — where they’re trying to circumvent the law — creates more questions about Jack Smith, J.P. Cooney and Molly Gaston’s secretive efforts to obtain Member toll records,” Grassley said. “All these records, taken together, show partisan prosecutors and FBI agents used dubious allegations to pursue political investigations against Republican Members of Congress.”

‘I’ve decided to bite the bullet’: Alan Dershowitz switches parties for this one reason

Famed civil liberties attorney Alan Dershowitz says he has abandoned the Democratic Party.

Dershowitz wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that Democrats have become far too anti-Israel for him to continue voting for the party. As a result, he has switched his party registration.

The Harvard Law School professor emeritus said he opposes Republicans on policies of abortion, taxes, immigration, and health care, but he will throw his support to them because of Israel.

“I am a lifelong Democrat. I started campaigning for the party’s local candidates as a teenager in Brooklyn, N.Y., have been a registered Democrat for 67 years, made speeches for John F. Kennedy as a college student, and can count on one hand the number of Republicans I’ve ever supported for any office,” he wrote. “Yet I’ve decided to bite the bullet and register as a Republican.”

“I intend to work hard to prevent the Democrats from gaining control of the House and Senate,” he continued.

“I will contribute money to Republican candidates, campaign for them, make speeches at Republican events, and urge pro-Israel Americans to change party affiliation or at least vote against Democrats,” he added. “Until something changes, I will vote Republican for representative, senator, and president.”

Dershowitz left the Democrats and became an independent in 2024, but it appears he has gone further after the party became “the most anti-Israel party in U.S. history.”

Dershowitz represented Jeffrey Epstein and was part of the team that obtained a controversial plea deal in 2008 for the convicted pedophile. He admitted to receiving a massage at Epstein’s home but vehemently denied that it was a part of the pedophile’s trafficking of young women.

He also taught at Harvard University, represented President Donald Trump in his first impeachment, and was on the team representing Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

Could There Be Any Idea More Ignorant Than Government-Run Grocery Stores?

When I consider our new Mayor Mamdani and his legions of committed followers, the thought I can’t get away from is “How is it possible to be this ignorant?”

Right now here in New York, Mamdani is moving forward with his plan to open a chain of government-owned grocery stores, at least one for each of our five boroughs. The underlying concept is that groceries have become too expensive for low income people to buy, undoubtedly due to evil capitalists siphoning off vast profits somewhere in the system. In the latest iteration of his proposal, Mamdani has said that the government stores will sell “basic” products like bread, milk and eggs at “guaranteed cheaper” prices. From the New York Post, April 14:

“When it comes to the products that we will be selling at the city-run grocery stores, there will be an essential basket of goods that will be guaranteed a cheaper price, and cheaper than what they’re being sold at currently,” Mamdani said during a news conference at La Marqueta in Harlem.

And yet, in the collection of real world evidence that has been accumulated over the last 100 years or so as to whether socialism can ever work, there is no case of more overwhelming evidence of socialism’s failure than the case of grocery stores. Do Mamdani and his sycophants not know about this?

The Soviet Union was famous for its sad empty grocery stores, often with little or even no inventory, and long lines that would form every time there was a rumor that some food would be available. This was universally known (among those who paid attention) to be the case into the 1980s, going on seventy years since the Communist state had been formed on the promise of abundance for all.

In 1989 Boris Yeltsin — then a rising star in Soviet politics and a new member of the Politburo, just as the state was beginning to fall apart — made a trip to Houston, Texas. The main purpose of the trip was to visit the Johnson Space Center, but somehow Yeltsin made an impromptu visit to a Randall’s supermarket. Pictures of that visit were widely circulated at the time. Here is one:

In his autobiography “Against the Grain” published the next year (1990), Yeltsin wrote:

“When I saw those shelves crammed with hundreds, thousands of cans, cartons and goods of every possible sort, for the first time I felt quite frankly sick with despair for the Soviet people. . . . That such a potentially super-rich country as ours has been brought to a state of such poverty! It is terrible to think of it.”

OK, Mamdani was born in 1991. But can he just maintain complete ignorance about everything that happened before that year, even universally-known things that happened just two years previously?

And it’s not like the phenomenon of empty grocery stores in socialist countries has gone away. Look around on the internet, and there are hundreds upon hundreds of images available of empty grocery store shelves in socialist paradises like Cuba and Venezuela. But even that’s nothing compared to North Korea, where they have periodic famine years where hundreds of thousands of people (or maybe it’s millions) starve to death.

It’s no mystery why goods disappear from grocery store shelves when the prices are subsidized. As soon as goods are being sold for below-market prices, then everybody who works in the system can enrich themselves by buying at the subsidized prices (before the public gets a chance) and re-selling on a black market. All the store clerks, delivery people, cashiers, shelf stockers, and so forth, get to the goods before the public can, and the goods disappear. The system insiders then consume the goods themselves, or sell to their friends. This is natural human behavior, and nobody has yet figured out a way to stop it. Mamdani won’t do better than anyone else.

For more on this subject, I recommend my post from August 2016 titled “Why Capitalism Works And Socialism Doesn’t: Arbitrage.” Excerpt:

If you can buy something cheaply and immediately turn around and sell it for more, chances are you will do it. Why shouldn’t you? Is there something wrong with that? This is completely normal and pervasive human behavior. This behavior is also a source of a very large percentage of the wealth in wealthy countries where such behavior is permitted. It is also the reason why, in market economies, comparable things almost always trade for very comparable prices.

It goes on from there. I would recommend the piece to Mamdani, but of course he won’t read it.

Francis Menton, Manhattan Contrarian

Trump expects U.S. to make ‘great deal’ with Iran

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he believes the United States is “going to end up with a great deal” with Iran to end the weeks-long war.

“I think they have no choice,” Trump said during an interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” when asked what he expected to come out of a second round of peace negotiations with Iran.

“We’ve taken out their Navy, we’ve taken out their Air Force, we’ve taken out their leaders,” the president said.

“We’ve taken out their leaders, frankly, which does complicate things in one way, but these leaders are much more rational,” Trump said. “It is regime change, no matter what you want to call it, which is not something I said I was going to do, but I’ve done it indirectly.”

Daniel Mangan, CNBC