Category: News
Trump Rages As Jack Smith Accidentally Exposed The Partisan Scam Behind The Jan 6 Probe
Trump Rages As Jack Smith Accidentally Exposed The Partisan Scam Behind The Jan 6 Probe
Jack Smith’s testimony before Congress did more than expose weaknesses in his own case against President Trump. It also laid bare just how partisan the entire January 6th investigation had become—and how willing Democrats were to elevate sensational claims they knew could never survive real scrutiny.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan zeroed in on one of the January 6th Committee’s most infamous moments: the prime-time hearing on June 28, 2022, built almost entirely around the committee’s star witness, Cassidy Hutchinson.
Jordan reminded Smith that Hutchinson was “their star witness” in what he described as a “staged and choreographed hearing” produced by a former ABC News president.
She was the only witness that night, and her testimony delivered a Hollywood-ready storyline.
Among Hutchinson’s claims was the outlandish assertion that President Trump “lunged across the back seat, grabbed the steering wheel, tried to drive the car to the Capitol.”
Jordan pressed Smith directly. “I just want to know, you think she was lying?”
Smith’s response immediately deflated the J6 committee’s narrative.
“My recollection of her testimony about that is that it was secondhand,” Smith said, explaining that she “said she’d heard that from somebody.”
Jordan then walked Smith through the basic facts the January 6th Committee chose to ignore. Tony Ornato, the White House deputy chief of staff for operations, denied the incident ever happened. So did Bobby Engel, the Secret Service agent who was actually in the car when Hutchinson claimed the incident occurred. Both men said they first heard the story when Hutchinson told it on national television.
Jordan asked the obvious question: “Did you ever confirm her testimony about this particular incident?”
Smith danced around it before conceding the truth.
After Jordan cut him off and demanded a clear answer, Smith admitted, “We interviewed … another firsthand witness, uh, who was in the car, uh, who did not confirm, uh, that that had happened.”
That admission alone undercut one of the January 6th Committee’s most viral claims. It also raised a larger issue about prosecutorial judgment. Jordan reminded Smith of his own sworn deposition testimony, where Smith had acknowledged serious credibility problems with Hutchinson. Smith had told the committee at the time, “My recollection with Ms. Hutchinson was a number of the things that she gave evidence on were secondhand… hearsay.”
Jordan went further, quoting Smith’s own words about how a competent defense attorney would handle Hutchinson. Smith had said, “If I were a defense attorney and Ms. Hutchinson were a witness, the first thing I would do is seek to preclude her testimony because it was hearsay.”
Smith confirmed that statement under oath. “Yes, that’s correct, sir.”
The exchange became even more revealing when Jordan asked whether Smith still planned to put Hutchinson on the witness stand at trial. Smith refused to rule it out, saying only that prosecutors had “a large choice of witnesses.”
Jordan then cited reporting from Washington Post journalists Carol Leonnig and Aaron Davis, whose book detailed internal doubts within Smith’s own team. According to the book, “Jack Smith had wondered whether some of Hutchinson’s claims might be relied upon at trial.” It continued, “Ultimately, however, Trump administration officials uniformly fiercely disputed her accounts under oath. Prosecutors on your team told Smith they wouldn’t want to use Hutchinson as a witness in court, and Smith agreed.”
In short, Democrats built a prime-time spectacle around Hutchinson and cited her hundreds of times, while Smith admitted her claims were hearsay, unverified by firsthand witnesses, and too unreliable for his own prosecutors to use at trial.
🚨Jim Jordan confronts Jack Smith about Cassidy Hutchinson’s repeatedly discredited testimony about Trump on Jan. 6:
“You didn’t rule out using her, putting her on the witness stand, when everybody knows she wasn’t telling the truth. That says it ALL.
That’s the degree the… pic.twitter.com/iKGyFshNXm
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 22, 2026
The message was unmistakable.
Democrats were willing to put an unreliable witness with unsubstantiated allegations front and center to push the narrative they wanted to sell to the American public.
At the same time, the special counsel tasked with bringing criminal charges could not even vouch for the star witness or her allegations.
In trying to defend his investigation, Jack Smith instead confirmed that the January 6th investigation was more about pushing a narrative than getting the facts.
President Trump has his own views, as always…
Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/22/2026 – 17:20
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/jack-smith-accidentally-exposed-partisan-scam-behind-jan-6-probe
Hobart council plans to invest $47 million future contribution from Amazon
A proposed Amazon data center at 61st Avenue and Colorado Street once again took center stage at the Hobart City Council meeting.
The city council approved an ordinance setting in motion a plan to invest a $47 million future contribution from Amazon Data Services.
And No Data Centers spokesperson Angelita Soriano announced, during public comment, that she and three other homeowners had filed a second lawsuit against city officials regarding action taken by city officials on Jan. 7, which included approval of the $47 million contribution by the city council.
Soriano at the city council meeting on Wednesday said she and other residents are continuing to seek a town hall informational-type meeting at which site plans for the data center would be outlined.
“You’re not slowing down; you are fast tracking and the public doesn’t have a full picture,” Soriano said.
The city council, in a 6-0 vote, approved an ordinance authorizing the investment of public funds, a $47 million contribution expected to be given to the city by Jan. 31 from Amazon Data Services, per an agreement approved on Jan. 7 by city officials.
Clerk-Treasurer Deborah Longer said the ordinance, which was approved on second reading, paves the way for the city to make long-term investments from the funds Hobart will be receiving from Amazon.
Participants wearing “No Data Center” shirts applaud a fellow speaker during a public hearing on a resolution to declare a 725-acre parcel in Hobart as an Economic Revitalization Area on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. (Kyle Telechan/for the Post-Tribune)
Opposition to city officials going forward with any plans by Amazon to construct data centers in Hobart dominated the public comment portion of the meeting, including notification by Soriano that a second lawsuit had been filed against city officials on Tuesday in Lake Superior Court.
Hobart Mayor Josh Huddlestun, after the meeting, said he hadn’t read the lawsuit and couldn’t comment until he had.
“The city believes the case lacks merit, as does the first case filed by these four residents in December. We’re confident everything was approved properly,” Hobart City Attorney Heather McCarthy said Thursday.
Soriano, Albina Vegegas-Roman, Barbara Koteles and Joseph Conn in early December filed a lawsuit seeking to vacate multiple actions by Hobart city officials that have “prepared” the way for the possible construction of an Amazon data center on more than a square mile of farmland within city limits.
The plaintiffs allege the two municipal bodies, the Hobart City Council and the Hobart Plan Commission, violated their “due process rights under the constitution of the United States and the State of Indiana.”
In the most recent complaint, the four homeowners took action “appealing the designation of 725 acres of property at 61st Avenue and Colorado Street as an Economic Revitalization Area (ERA) and are seeking to vacate two city council resolutions awarding real property tax abatements and a council resolution approving an enterprise information technology exemption for entities who have said that they intend to develop data centers on property within the ERA.”
The plaintiffs, in their complaint, said the Hobart City Council’s grant of a personal property tax exemption to Amazon Data Services was “arbitrary, capricious, not in accordance with law and not supported by substantial evidence because the council did not validly declare the subject property an ERA.”
The plaintiffs are seeking a declaratory judgment that the tax exemptions granted to the Amazon Data Services are null and void and that the resolutions passed by the Hobart City Council be declared null and void.
Huddlestun has called the $47 million upfront cash payment Hobart is expected to receive as “record-breaking.”
“Hobart secured the largest publicly known upfront cash payment ever for a private development on private land in the country. The developer (Amazon) will pay $47 million in community enhancement payments. These dollars are not part of the levy and not part of any TIF (Tax Increment Finance) district. They go straight to the city and can be used to serve the whole community,” Huddlestun said.
Mayor Josh Huddlestun, on left, speaks during a public hearing on a resolution to declare a 725-acre parcel in Hobart as an Economic Revitalization Area on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. (Kyle Telechan/for the Post-Tribune)
Huddlestun was asked on Wednesday by resident Jessica Gadberry if information will be shared with Hobart citizens on where the $47 million will be used.
She said she had heard through social media that Hobart police officers were going to receive huge raises as a result of the $47 million.
Huddlestun said no to those social media rumors and that everything spent by the city goes through a public process, including the Board of Works approving any raises of city officials.
“We have to get it (the money) first; there’s a process,” Huddlestun said, noting, “We haven’t pinpointed every dollar.”
Huddlestun said the money could be used to purchase in-house equipment, such as for the fire department or address flooding issues or other infrastructure needs.
“We want people to be engaged. The goal is to pass relief onto residents,” Huddlestun said.
City officials in late November announced they were in negotiations with Amazon, the giant online shopping service and data storage and computer services provider, for a data center project.
The city took its first steps at the Dec. 3 City Council meeting toward creating a 725-acre Economic Redevelopment Area that encompasses the two revealed data center project areas and more.
The tax-abatement area includes about 158 acres that were rezoned in 2022 to M-1 at the behest of industrial park developer Becknell Industries.
In addition to the $47 million contribution, the city will receive $10 million when the first building permit is issued and another $45 million when the first building walls go up, Huddestun said previously.
That means in the first year alone, Hobart could receive more than $102 million with building permits, he said.
The developer is also paying 100% of the infrastructure costs.
Deborah Laverty is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Blake Lively and Taylor Swift’s texts exposed in lawsuit against Justin Baldoni
A trove of text messages and emails sent by Blake Lively, including exchanges with her longtime friend Taylor Swift, have been made public by actor-director Justin Baldoni ‘s lawyers as they prepare for trial.
Lively sued Baldoni and his hired crisis communications expert alleging harassment and a coordinated campaign to attack her reputation after she complained about his treatment of her while filming the 2024 romantic drama “It Ends With Us.”
The documents were unsealed ahead of Thursday’s arguments before a federal judge in New York City about whether to end their acrimonious yearlong litigation, which has threatened to suck in other actors, musicians and celebrities and raised questions about the levers of power, influence and gender dynamics in Hollywood.
Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios production company countersued Lively and her husband, “Deadpool” actor Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of defamation and extortion. Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed that suit last June. Liman did not indicate Thursday when he would rule on Lively’s case.
At this point, the trial remains scheduled for May 18, and could be star-studded. A document from Lively’s legal team says people likely to have information about the case, besides Swift, include model Gigi Hadid, actors Emily Blunt, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera and Hugh Jackman, influencer Candace Owens, media personality Perez Hilton and designer Ashley Avignone.
Swift appears to criticize Baldoni in texts
Many of the text messages and emails unsealed Tuesday night were included in filings by Baldoni’s lawyers, who argued that they show Lively was strategically manipulating Baldoni’s public image by leveraging connections with her powerful and famous friends.
Swift’s messages show that before and after their feud became public, she was advising Lively how to use Hollywood’s power dynamics to her advantage.
In April 2024, Lively sent Swift a message containing a link to the “It Ends With Us” trailer — which would be released publicly weeks later, featuring Swift’s song “My Tears Ricochet.”
“Wow I love how they use the song,” Swift replied. “Welcome to hollywood Justin.”
The women then speculated about how the public would interpret the song’s inclusion in the film.
“If Justin was strategic/He would be like no Taylor Swift in the trailer/Because that gives you more power over the film, that’s your ally not his,” Swift wrote.
Lively responded: “You are so right. And so wickedly smart to call it. He should’ve run from your music. I never thought about that. But holy s(asterisk)(asterisk)t. How stupid. This was his only shot at having the appearance of an upper hand.”
After the hearing, Lively’s attorney Sigrid McCawley told reporters that the text exchange isn’t relevant, and that Lively has done “everything she can to protect her friends from not being brought into that.”
“What’s relevant is her claims that she was sexually harassed in the workplace and the witnesses that were there to see that,” McCawley said.
Attorneys for Baldoni and Swift did not respond Thursday to emailed requests for comment.
The stress of public scrutiny
In another text exchange, Dec. 4, 2024, Lively checked in with Swift, writing that she felt “like a bad friend lately because I was such a sad sack” who only talked about her own problems “for months.”
“You were generous to not only be the key person there for me during all of it, but also to let me off the hook for being so in it,” Lively wrote. “But still have a feeling something may not be right.”
Swift replied that she did perceive a shift in Lively’s language.
“I’ve been through things like this before and I know how all consuming it is,” Swift wrote. “It’s more like… and I feel really bad saying anything about this because your texts have been so nice in their intent but your last few… it’s felt like I was reading a mass corporate email sent to 200 employees. You said the word ‘we’ like 18 times.”
“I just kinda miss my dark, normal-speaking friend who talks to me as herself, not like. A plural unit,” Swift wrote.
The following day, Swift sent Lively a link to a People magazine story with the headline “Justin Baldoni Reveals He Was Sexually Traumatized by an Ex-Girlfriend When He Was ‘Hoping to Save Myself for Marriage.’” Swift wrote: “I think this b(asterisk)(asterisk)(asterisk)(asterisk) knows something is coming because he’s gotten out his tiny violin.”
Weeks later, Swift told Lively, “You won” and “You did it,” while sharing an article saying Baldoni had been dropped by his talent agency.
“Never has a cancellation been reversed so fast,” Swift wrote, after telling Lively that she “helped so many people who won’t have to go through this ever again.”
“I love you so much,” Lively responded. “I would not be ok through any of this if it weren’t for you.”
Judge considers dismissal
In court Thursday, Baldoni attorney Jonathan Bach accused Lively of filling her lawsuit with “trivial and petty grievances” that fall short of legal standards for a hostile workplace claim.
“A whole bunch of little things can add up to a big thing,” the judge responded.
Lively’s lawyer, Esra Hudson, countered with her allegations of repeated unwanted physical touching or humiliating incidents on the set, including an unscripted moment when she said Baldoni leaned in and kissed Lively, putting his face on her face.
“She’s clearly having her boundaries crossed in that moment. It was a surprise. No one discussed it before,” Hudson said.
When the judge said he was “still having trouble” determining how the question of consent fits on the set of a movie, Hudson urged him to look at the “totality of circumstances,” including when Lively was unexpectedly made to “crawl on all fours” and simulate a sex act.
Associated Press Writer Larry Neumeister contributed from New York City.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/22/blake-lively-taylor-swift-texts/
Booming US Firearms Industry Could Get 2026 Deregulatory Boost From Trump Administration
Booming US Firearms Industry Could Get 2026 Deregulatory Boost From Trump Administration
Authored by John Haughey via The Epoch Times,
Record sales made the first year of the second Trump administration a profitable one for the nation’s $92 billion firearms industry, but the potential for federal regulatory rollbacks in his second year could provide manufacturers and retailers with long-term assurances they need to thrive.
That is why state lawmakers need to act fast, South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden said, calling on Republicans in state capitols nationwide to “seize the opportunity we see right now with Trump” in the White House to adopt bills that protect gun owners’ rights.
“We were just playing defense” for years, said Rhoden, one of seven Republican governors to participate in a Jan. 21 Governors’ Forum on the firearms industry during the second day of the Jan. 20–23 Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show at the Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.
“We’ve taken the lead in South Dakota” by adopting a bill that bans “coding firearms,” he said. “We have an opportunity, and we need to retake advantage of it” right now before the midterms to “move the needle” on such issues as deregulating suppressors and interstate firearms commerce, he added.
The Trump administration has not been as aggressive in addressing firearms reform as it has in other realms, but White House Counsel David Warrington said that’s about the change.
He noted Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche is at the annual show, which is projected to draw more than 55,000 industry executives and sales staff from all 50 states and more than 126 countries to tour 2,800 vendors offering wares on “13.9 miles of aisles” sprawled across 19 acres on The Strip.
Among changes expected to be forwarded by the administration in 2026 include proposals to ease private gun sales, ship firearms interstate via mail, export firearms overseas, trim fees for licensed retailers, and simplify the 4473 Form required when purchasing a firearm, including requiring applicants list their biological sex at birth.
President Donald Trump recognizes gun owners are among his most ardent supporters, Warrington said, adding the president checks with him and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who leads the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division’s Second Amendment group, to ensure gun owners’ rights are secure and to ask about initiatives to further strengthen them.
“He tells me, ‘The people that stuck with me through the toughest and hardest times are the same people who believe in the Second Amendment,’” Warrington said.
Industry In Demand
There are more than 10,000 U.S. companies that manufacture, distribute, and sell firearms, ammunition, and hunting equipment. They directly employ nearly 151,000 people and generate an additional 232,327 supplier/ancillary jobs, earning more than $26 billion in wages while contributing $91.65 billion in activity to the nation’s economy in 2024, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) documents in its Firearm and Ammunition Industry Economic Impact Report for 2025.
That’s nearly a 400 percent increases compared to the $19.1 billion it generated in 2008, the foundation notes, adding the industry’s average $68,300 annual salary is above median workforce ranges, and that the industry and its employees paid nearly $11 billion in local and state taxes, and $941.8 million in excise taxes paid to Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Fund in 2024.
The industry is boosted by millions of new gun owners over the last five years who have undergone review on the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), although the number of background checks—an indicator, but not verified documentation, of a sale—declined by 4 percent in to 14.6 million in 2025 from 15.38 million in 2004, the foundation documents.
The foundation, whose 9,000 members include manufacturers, distributors, retailers, shooting ranges, and publishers, is the nation’s largest gun owners’ rights lobbying presence in Washington. According to Open Secrets, it spent $5.5 million on DC lobbying in 2025 and nearly $7 million in 2024. During those same two years, the National Rifle Association spent $2.2 million and $4.9 million, respectively, on federal lobbying.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaks with firearms industry representatives on Jan. 21, 2026, after participating in a Governors’ Forum at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, where 60,000 people are expected to view and purchase outdoors and law enforcement gear from more than 2,800 companies during the three-day annual trade show. John Haughey/Epoch Times
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said her state has targeted firearms manufacturers because they produce quality products and pay employees well with benefits. She offered advice to companies unhappy with the regulatory environment they are now in, such as those in leading firearms manufacturer states like California.
“First thing, operate in a red state. One of the reasons is blue states make so many regulations,“ she said, adding that manufacturers are ”looking for a new place to go” where development codes are manageable, energy is available, and the industry is appreciated.
“Arkansas is a red state. It is the best red state,” Sanders said, noting it is third in the nation in per capita industry impact.
“The only reason we aren’t number one is so many people in Arkansas are buying these products and keeping them in-state.”
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte said the state’s economic development agency receives “three to six” calls a week from firearms manufacturers about relocating to Montana. He recently heard about a company having issues with Colorado regulations and “cold-called them,” he said. “I have a simple pitch: ‘Come back to America,’” which the state has turned into a marketing video.
The biggest obstacle to the industry’s growth, the governors agreed, is the availability of a workforce with skills in needed crafts such as CMC (Computerized Machining Center) operators, welders, and gunsmiths, with all touting state programs that link companies with high school and community college vocational education programs.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/22/2026 – 17:00
Extreme cold brings wave of cancelations to Aurora area: ‘Too frosty for Frosty Fest’
Extremely cold weather sweeping across the region heading into the weekend is causing a wave of cancelations in the Aurora area, including at schools and parks.
Friday morning, temperatures are expected to drop to minus 11 or minus 12 degrees, with windchills up to minus 30 or minus 35, according to National Weather Service Meteorologist Zachary Yack. He said that the coldest temperatures are expected just before daybreak on Friday, and the high that day is expected to be zero degrees with windchills around minus 20 to minus 25.
At those temperatures, Yack said, people can get frostbite in five to 10 minutes and can get hypothermia “pretty quickly.” The recommendation is that people stay inside at least until Saturday afternoon, he said, but if people absolutely have to go out for short periods of time, they should wear multiple layers of loose fitting clothing covering as much skin as possible, including gloves, scarves, hats and face-coverings like ski masks, he said.
Temperatures will begin to rise through the weekend and early part of next week, Yack said, but the area is still set to see lower than normal temperatures throughout the week.
Some school districts and private schools across Aurora have announced that classes will be canceled or moved online on Friday because of the extreme cold.
East Aurora School District 131 will have an e-learning day on Friday. All school buildings plus the district office will be closed, and students should log on to their online platforms at 8:30 a.m. for further instructions, according to a district spokesperson.
All of the district’s after-school and evening activities are canceled, except high school boys’ and girls’ wrestling practices, the spokesperson said.
West Aurora School District 129 canceled classes and is set to close all schools on Friday, with no e-learning. The time will be made up on April 6, the district’s first emergency make-up day of the year, according to a statement from Superintendent of Schools Michael Smith.
All extracurricular activities scheduled for Friday are also canceled, and parents should stay tuned for further communication from their child’s school about weekend activities, the superintendent’s statement said.
Indian Prairie School District 204 is having an e-learning day on Friday, and students should check Google Classroom for their assigned materials, a post on the district’s website says. All district schools and buildings will be closed Friday, plus all before-school activities and athletics are canceled that day.
Batavia School District 101 is moving to e-learning on Friday, and all school buildings will be closed to in-person learning.
Oswego School District 308 is also having an e-learning day on Friday, as the extreme cold will create “serious safety concerns for students walking, waiting at bus stops and during transportation,” a post on the district’s Facebook page says.
Kaneland School District 302 announced on Facebook it too will be having an e-learning day on Friday, and that all of its schools will be closed.
Aurora Central Catholic High School, Marmion Academy and Rosary College Prep are also having remote learning days on Friday. There will be no school Friday at Aurora Christian Schools, according to its website.
Rosary’s Fine Arts Showcase, which was originally scheduled for Saturday, has been rescheduled to Feb 1. It will be held at 4 p.m. on Feb. 1 at the McEnroe Auditorium at Rosary, and all tickets will be honored for the new date.
Another event originally planned for Saturday but now canceled is the annual Frosty Fest, which was set to be held at the Fox Valley Park District’s Red Oak Nature Center.
“We’re really disappointed that it was too frosty for Frosty Fest this year,” Red Oak Facility Manager Christy Graser told The Beacon-News.
The event revolves mainly around two self-guided trail experiences plus an outdoor campfire, Graser said. So although it was a difficult decision to cancel, she said, families wouldn’t have been able to have the kinds of experiences staff wanted them to have.
Plus, staff and volunteers would have needed to set up for it on Friday, the coldest day, so it made more sense just to make sure everyone stayed home where its warm, according to Graser.
Despite Frosty Fest’s cancelation, she said the Red Oak Nature Center will remain open, and anyone looking to warm up can come into the wildlife room that’s kept toasty warm for the reptiles and amphibians hosted there. The park district is not closing any parks or trails due to the cold, except that the Gregory Island Dog Park is closed all winter because of accessibility concerns, a district spokesperson said.
Aurora’s Phillips Park Zoo will be closed Friday to keep animal exhibits safe and warm, according to a city spokesperson.
The city and community partners are providing temporary warming centers during the cold weather, including an overnight warming center at 712 S. River St. that is expected to see more use this weekend because of the extreme cold. A list of these warming centers can be found at www.aurora.il.us/WarmingCenters.
Kane County Circuit Clerk’s Office locations and courthouses will be physically closed on Friday for the safety of court-goers and staff, the county announced Thursday. All court proceeding for the Kane County 16th Judicial Circuit Court will be held remotely on Zoom, and more information can be found at www.kanecourt.org.
Those looking to visit Kane County government buildings on Friday are encouraged to call ahead, as in-person services may be limited or unavailable depending on the office or department. Many non-emergency county operations will be conducted remotely for safety reasons, a county spokesperson said.
The Illinois Tollway will have around-the-clock patrols through Monday to more quickly find and help drivers who need roadside assistance. Drivers whose cars have mechanical problems or who are stranded along the tollway during the upcoming dangerously cold weather should immediately dial *999 for roadside assistance and remain inside their vehicles until help arrives, tollway officials said in a news release.
There is a chance for some snow on Saturday night into Sunday, with around one to four inches expected in Aurora, according to meteorologist Yack. Regardless of the amount, he said, snow during these cold temperatures will probably result in slippery travel conditions.
The extremely cold weather is being caused by a cold front on Thursday evening that came from the Arctic, Yack said. That’s going to “hang out” for at least a few days, he said, until another system from off the Pacific coast moves into the area later in the weekend and in the early parts of next week.
rsmith@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/22/extreme-cold-cancelations-aurora/
Hundreds honored at College of Lake County graduation: ‘Access to high-quality education empowers individuals’
Faviola Ceja took a major step toward her goal of a career as a healthcare professional late last year. It was a significant accomplishment for a Waukegan woman who was never promoted from middle school to high school.
Now 35, Ceja is a single mother with four children, ranging in age from 4 to 17. A lack of a high school diploma did not prevent her employers at Walmart in Waukegan from recognizing her ability. She was hired as a cashier and quickly became a supervisor.
Just over a year ago, Ceja decided that she wanted her children to do better than her in life, but she had to set an example. She enrolled at the College of Lake County, with the goal of earning a high school diploma and getting on a professional career path.
“I wanted to break the cycle,” Ceja, the daughter of Mexican immigrants who cannot read or write very well, said. “I wanted to encourage my kids to go to school and do what I didn’t do. I had to do it for myself and for them.”
Ceja was one of 350 College of Lake County students who earned a degree or a professional certificate on Dec. 16 at the Grayslake campus, setting them on a path to a career or to further their education.
Though some CLC students arrive on campus directly from high school seeking a two-year associate’s degree before continuing to a four-year university to earn a bachelor’s degree, others are looking for career skills to find a good-paying, meaningful job.
Faviola Ceja and her two youngest children take a moment together at the College of Lake County’s midyear graduation ceremony, where she was one of 350 students to receive a degree or a certificate. (College of Lake County)
CLC President Lori Suddick said in an email Wednesday that one of the school’s goals is access for anyone seeking a hand up to a better life because the college is an “engine of social and economic mobility.”
“CLC meets our students exactly where they are and gets them where they want to go by providing personalized support along the way,” Suddick said. “Access to high-quality education empowers individuals to apply their talents in ways that transform their lives, their families’ opportunities and strengthens communities.”
A high school diploma is not an entrance requirement. Tasha Shell, CLC’s dean of adult education and ESL, said people matriculate to the school to get their high school diploma. Some are a course away, while others have a longer road.
“A lot of our students are looking for a different job or advancement at their current job,” Shell said. “They enroll in a certificate program, which we pay for.”
Some College of Lake County students take an academic route to an associate’s degree, while others pursue a certificate leading directly to the workforce, like these students at the Advanced Technology Center. (College of Lake County)
As Ceja walked across the stage in December, she received her certificate as a certified nursing assistant. Completion of her high school diploma is coming soon, and eventually she plans to become a nurse. Her road to becoming a healthcare professional had its turns.
While a sixth grader at Robert Abbott Middle School in Waukegan, Ceja was in an automobile accident and missed three months of class. She healed but was left with a scar. Classmates were not welcoming, she said.
“I got bullied, they called me ‘scarface,’” Ceja said.
Taking two years to complete sixth grade and another two years for seventh, Ceja said one of her teachers, whom she called “amazing,” took an interest and told her about Waukegan Community Unit School District 60’s Alternative Optional Education Center.
“What a difference it was,” Ceja said. “I felt more understood. I passed eighth grade and ninth grade. Then I got pregnant and started working.”
From time to time, Ceja said she thought about finishing high school. She finally made the move to enroll at CLC when she decided to set an example for her children. All four were with her at graduation as she received her CNA certificate. The diploma is coming soon.
Jeet Saini, CLC’s dean of biological and health sciences, said the CNA is a first step for people who want a career in the healthcare field. Many of the jobs are at long-term care facilities. There is help for job placement as well.
Jeet said a two-year degree in nursing has a variety of requirements, including a 2.0 grade point average at CLC and a number of science courses. There is also a medical assistant program, surgical technology, medical engineering, phlebotomy and health information technology.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/22/college-of-lake-county-graduation/
Illinois ramping up REAL ID campaign before TSA’s $45 fines begin Feb. 1
SPRINGFIELD — Illinois is expanding efforts to convince residents without a REAL ID to finally get one before airport travelers face a $45 penalty beginning Feb. 1.
The Illinois secretary of state’s office will have its REAL ID supercenter in downtown Chicago at 191 N. Clark St. open for the next two Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to make it easier to obtain the identification before the Transportation Security Administration’s planned $45 fine for all air travelers without one goes into effect.
In addition, in partnership with the secretary of state’s office, the Cook County clerk’s office will extend its Saturday hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to help Illinoisans get the documents they need to obtain a REAL ID, such as marriage or birth certificates. People can walk in or schedule appointments online with the clerk’s vital records office in downtown Chicago at 118 N. Clark St.
The partnership’s first taste of Saturday document and identification distributions resulted in more than 1,100 REAL IDs processed and more than 400 vital documents issued on Jan. 17, the secretary of state’s office said in a Thursday press release. REAL ID compliance has also jumped to 44% from 29% this time last year, with the state having issued more than 5 million REAL IDs.
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said at a Jan. 14 news conference that his office was adding more than 500 additional appointments to 15 Chicago-area Department of Motor Vehicles facilities.
“Our message is simple: Deadline is coming, help is available and getting a REAL ID has never been more accessible,” Giannoulias said at the news conference.
He added that, depending on the demand, the supercenter’s Saturday openings may be extended into February for a limited time. The supercenter space is leased by the office through 2026.
Travelers pass by signage at Chicago’s Midway Airport informing them that they may be denied access or subject to additional security measures if they do not have a REAL ID on May 7, 2025. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
The increased opportunities for Illinoisans to get their REAL ID come as the state and federal governments slowly ramp up pressure on people to obtain their REAL ID. Beginning Feb. 1, airline passengers without a REAL ID or a valid passport for a domestic flight will be charged a $45 fine and face extra airport security scrutiny.
Congress passed the REAL ID Act over two decades ago in 2005, after the 9/11 Commission recommended the U.S. adopt stricter federal standards around state-issued IDs to make it harder for terrorists to counterfeit them. The measure mandated that federal agencies begin accepting only IDs that meet the new federal standard by May 2008, but implementation has been pushed back numerous times.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/22/illinois-real-id-campaign-before-feb-1/
Intel Plunges On Another Quarter Of Dismal Guidance
Intel Plunges On Another Quarter Of Dismal Guidance
Intel is back to its old bag of post earnings rugpull tricks.
The stock, which for some bizarre reason is up 50% in 2026 and almost 3x higher since August (it’s actually not bizarre at all, with Trump pumping it at every opportunity but ultimately the fundamentals have to take over), tumbled after hours on an earnings release which was a tale of two parts.
First, the historical data which was not terrible, but certainly not great. This is what the once glorious chipmaker reported for Q4:
Revenue $13.67 billion, down -4.1% y/y, but beating sandbagged estimates of $13.43 billion
Intel Products revenue $12.93 billion, -1.4% y/y, beating estimate $12.79 billion
Client Computing revenue $8.19 billion, -6.6% y/y, missing estimate $8.3 billion
Datacenter & AI revenue $4.74 billion, +8.9% y/y, beating estimate $4.42 billion
Intel Foundry revenue $4.51 billion, +3.8% y/y, beating estimate $4.36 billion
All Other revenue $574 million, -48% y/y, missing estimate $658.9 million
Intersegment eliminations revenue -$4.34 billion, -0.6% y/y
Adjusted gross margin 37.9% (down sharply from 42.1% y/y) but beating estimate 36.5%
R&D expenses $3.22 billion, -17% y/y, berow estimate $3.31 billion
Adjusted operating income $1.21 billion, -12% y/y, estimate $878.8 million
Adjusted operating margin 8.8% vs. 9.6% y/y, estimate 6.29%
Adjusted EPS 15c vs. 13c y/y, beating estimates of 8.7c
But while beating on most income statement items may sound good, stepping back to look at the historical results the trends is, well, meh at best.
But if the historical numbers were fine, it was the company’s forecast that was once again the weakest link, and what sent the stock tumbling after hours. Here is what the company said to expect for Q1, a quarter in which everyone is – if one believes the rumors – buying any and every chip and tech component that isn’t nailed down. Apparently every, except for Intel’s that is:
Sees revenue $11.7 billion to $12.7 billion, the midpoint missing estimates of $12.56 billion
Sees adjusted EPS $0, missing estimates of 8c (and that’s even with a projected tax rate of 11%, below the estimate 12%).
Sees adjusted gross margin 34.5%, missing estimate 36.5%
And the cherry on top: the company may be dragging on sales but at least it’s overly generous in how it gets there:
Sees adjusted operating expenses about $16 billion, estimate $15.93 billion
So what happened and why was the guidance once again so piss poor? Apparently, it’s not us, it’s them, or some other excuse – according to Intel, supply shortages have made it harder to meet customer demand. But wait, what supply: doesn’t Intel control its own supply chain. Why yes, yes it does.
As Bloomberg notes, Intel is struggling with its manufacturing yields — the percentage of usable chips coming out of its factories — hampering a comeback bid, or rather making a mockery of the stock surge which took place in a vacuum, completely disconnected from the fundamentals which are the same old.
Demand is “quite strong,” and the company is working hard to fix its manufacturing problems, CEO Lip-Bu Tan said in an interview. But Intel used up much of its inventory in the fourth quarter, he said.
“Our yield and production manufacturing are not up to my standards,” Tan said. “We need to improve that.”
Which is amazing because Intel has now been a ward of the US state for almost six months: how it couldn’t have improved that until now is a mystery, but one thing is certain – if it hasn’t improved by now, it won’t. Unless Trump takes (without paying) another 10% of the company’s equity.
Remarkably, Intel stocks has unjustifiably soared in recent months, rising 3x since its decade lows in August, and riding a wave of Wall Street enthusiasm. Investors poured money into the stock in recent months, betting that new products would further bolster finances.
That has not happened… and it probably never will: Intel’s annual revenue of $53 billion last year was roughly $25 billion shy of the company’s peak revenue, achieved in 2021.
Intel also attracted high-profile investments from the US government, Nvidia and SoftBank. Those, also, have not helped.
Earlier this month, Intel announced that the Panther Lake design for processors was now available in devices — with Tan touting their capabilities at the CES trade show in Las Vegas. Intel is locked in a race with rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. and would-be interlopers such as Qualcomm Inc. for leadership in what they hope is a new era of AI-capable personal computers.
The only problem: with memory prices now at nosebleed levels, who needs the latest and greatest CPU if they can only afford half (or less) of the RAM they needed before. Maybe it’s time for Wall Street analysts to finally flow that through their income statement models
As Bloomberg concludes, “the once-dominant semiconductor company has spent years trying to restore its technological edge and recover from market share losses, and this is one more setback.”
Ultimately, Intel faces an execution challenge, Tan said in the interview. “We are laser-focused as a team to improve that,” Tan said. “To be candid, its just our execution needs to improve.”
And the stock agrees: Intel shares fell 5% after hours following the report. And unless something materially improves, they have a long way to go.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/22/2026 – 16:44
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/intel-plunges-another-quarter-dismal-guidance
Massive Winter Storm Puts 230 Million Americans At Risk As Panic Buying Begins
Massive Winter Storm Puts 230 Million Americans At Risk As Panic Buying Begins
“If you’re younger than 40 years old, then you may be experiencing the worst winter weather of your lifetime depending upon where you are over the next 10-14 days,” meteorologist Ryan Maue warned on X, as Winter Storm Fern and a dangerous polar blast line up to deliver what could soon be a historic, winter storm event across the South, Midwest, and Northeast of the Lower 48 from Friday through Monday.
Parts of Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi that will see potentially crippling “ice accumulation” will also experience severe and prolonged cold … temperatures in some places near 0°F. pic.twitter.com/hryQhSYIQx
— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) January 22, 2026
While climate alarmist Al Gore warned about global warming at the World Economic Forum for globalist billionaire elites in Davos, Switzerland, this week, roughly 230 million Americans are grounded in reality and facing what could be a historic snow and/or ice event. This figure represents about two-thirds of the nation’s population, with weather models suggesting the impact area spans 33 states, from Arizona to the Midwest, the South, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Northeast.
As of Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service has issued winter storm alerts from the southern Rockies across much of the eastern half of the US, covering dozens of major cities including Dallas, Houston, Nashville, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York City, and Boston.
Fox Weather reports that Texans are already beginning to panic-buy food and other supplies, as the winter event could lead to travel delays and power grid risks involving the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. Fresh on residents’ minds is the 2021 catastrophic ERCOT grid collapse.
WINTER STORM PREP: Residents in Burleson, Texas, are starting to prepare for the historic winter storm that will impact the region starting Friday. Photos show the bread aisle of a local grocery store completely cleaned out. pic.twitter.com/NTPHkpT5VO
— FOX Weather (@foxweather) January 22, 2026
Our reporting this week has outlined the rising risks of NatGas production disruptions across Appalachia that could pressure already tight power grids in the Mid-Atlantic and or Northeast.
Appalachian NatGas Output Faces “Intense Losses” As Arctic Blast Drives Power Grid Risk Higher
NatGas Jumps 75% As Extreme Cold, Blizzard Risks Threaten Appalachian Gas Supply
Winter is Coming for Appalachia
This week’s Appalachian nat gas production is already down 1.1 Bcf/d versus last week, and the extreme cold is just getting started.
Pittsburgh overnight lows are headed to -6.8°F at their most intense levels next week, with this cold coming in… pic.twitter.com/l2oyl80cfe
— Criterion Research (@PipelineFlows) January 22, 2026
Weather observer Ryan Hall, Y’all warned in a note earlier today about the ice threat:
The Ice Threat
I need to say this clearly. For millions of people from Texas through the Carolinas, the ice is the story. Not the snow.
The National Weather Service is using the word “crippling” in their discussions for parts of Arkansas, northern Mississippi, and western Tennessee. That’s not a word they throw around casually. Here’s what’s happening. A pronounced warm nose aloft between 850 and 700 millibars will override sub-freezing surface temperatures across a huge swath of the Deep South. When precipitation falls through that warm layer and then hits the frozen surface, you get freezing rain. And we’re looking at a lot of precipitation falling through that warm layer.
Two distinct zones of severe icing are now becoming clear. The first runs from northwest Mississippi through southwest Tennessee and into southeast Arkansas along the I-30 and I-40 corridors. The second sits over northeast Georgia and the western Carolinas in the higher terrain where frigid air draining south along the Appalachians will keep the surface locked below freezing even as it warms aloft.
Ice accumulations of a quarter inch to three-quarters of an inch are likely across these corridors. Some localized areas could approach an inch. That’s enough for widespread power outages, significant tree damage, and multi-day recovery timelines.
Over the next few days you’re going to see a lot of maps showing freezing rain QPF amounts. Some of these will look absolutely terrifying, with values of one to two inches or more. Be careful with those maps.
Freezing rain QPF shows how much precipitation falls in the form of freezing rain. That is not the same as how much ice actually accumulates on surfaces. Actual ice accretion depends on surface temperatures, wind speeds, and precipitation rates. Those raw QPF maps will be overdone. A major ice storm is increasingly likely, but don’t take those numbers at face value.
Current weather models are being published on X by private forecasters and observers. Note that with the storm still roughly 36 hours out, these models will continue to be refined, and forecasts may change.
WINTER STORM starts in less than 36 hours!
Here’s the most up to date look at who’s seeing what, and remember today is your LAST CHANCE to make final preparations! pic.twitter.com/ctFmaGOM48
— Max Velocity (@MaxVelocityWX) January 22, 2026
Avoid all travel in the “Moderate” and “Enhanced” areas on Saturday / Sunday. We’re looking at significant FREEZING RAIN and SLEET which will make travel impossible in some areas… pic.twitter.com/eWisIQbfLG
— Ryan Hall, Y’all (@ryanhallyall) January 22, 2026
PREPARE NOW for a dangerous winter storm this weekend!
Get flashlights ready to go, generators prepped, groceries and food, and protect pipes, plants, pets, and people. A ton of snow and ice is likely across the dark purple region. Even if shifts happen, it’s better to be safe… pic.twitter.com/YT2Z5Cu7t4
— Max Velocity (@MaxVelocityWX) January 22, 2026
❄️ Winter storm timeline — here’s how we see it unfolding
We’re getting a lot of questions about when things go downhill. Here’s our current thinking for the D.C. area (timing may shift a bit as we refine):
🕓 4–10 p.m. Saturday
Light snow develops from SW → NE
Temps: 16–20°… pic.twitter.com/DgRULEK1rO
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) January 22, 2026
Weekend Storm Update: It’s not going to be pure snow for Baltimore. It’s going to snow really hard (thumping) Sunday Morning, but it will likely change to sleet or freezing rain. Some of the modeling has over an inch of sleet! With the storm near the Mouth of the Bay by… pic.twitter.com/7fQEdwwdsO
— Tony Pann (@TonyPannWBAL) January 22, 2026
Deep South folks – here’s our MyRadar forecast with numbers. We’re now <36 hours from the event onset, meaning it’s time to prepare. After days of model windshield-wipering, models are coming into closer agreement.
And yes, the ICE and SNOW zones overlap. Yuck.
Firstly,… pic.twitter.com/mMOHIb2Xfc
— MyRadar Weather (@MyRadarWX) January 22, 2026
Besides snow, the cold weather threat appears historic as well…
Over the next week, record low minimum and/or maximum temperatures are possible across parts of 24 states.
Some of these records date back to the 1800s.
This extreme cold is especially concerning for parts of the South where it will follow a major ice storm. pic.twitter.com/OGqPOnF4Kh
— Ben Noll (@BenNollWeather) January 22, 2026
In the days ahead, temperatures are forecast to dip to *minus 40* in the Upper Midwest.
On Friday morning, wind chills may fall to *minus 55* there, when frostbite can occur in just 5 minutes!
In total, 123 million people can expect subzero temperatures through Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/jGiGXkWCzS
— Ben Noll (@BenNollWeather) January 22, 2026
DANGEROUS COLD IS COMING THIS WEEKEND!
Wind chills BELOW ZERO are expected from Texas to the Northeast on Sunday. Protect pipes, plants, pets, and people! pic.twitter.com/HtrQh9EAxS
— Max Velocity (@MaxVelocityWX) January 22, 2026
Meanwhile, the entire “global warming” narrative that allowed Democrats to loot the U.S. Treasury with climate crisis bills, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, etc., has gone bust.
Time to prepare.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/22/2026 – 16:40
Gender, abortion bills pass out of Indiana Senate committees
A bill about assigning inmates by biological sex in prisons and a bill addressing abortion pills passed out of separate committees Wednesday.
Senate Bill 182 defines female, male, gender and sex for all Indiana statutes. The bill states that the Department of Correction has to assign an offender to a facility or program that is based on the inmate’s biological sex at birth.
The bill further states that a local health officer should mark the sex of an individual as male or female on a birth certificate. The bill would allow for amending a birth certificate for a medically verifiable disorder of sex development, external sex characteristics that are irrevocably ambiguous, chromosomal issues or both ovarian and testicular issues.
The bill was amended in the Senate Health and Provider Services Committee Wednesday to include public schools, including charter schools, to designate multi-occupancy restrooms and changing areas for the exclusive use of the male and female sexes.
The amendment also states public schools, including charter schools, can’t force students to share sleeping quarters with a member of the opposite sex, unless the students are family members.
State. Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, who authored the bill, said the main goal of the bill is to ensure that the Indiana Department of Correction “place men in men’s prisons and women in women’s prisons.”
“Which they are currently doing, but we are codifying that and clarifying the definitions,” Brown said.
Brown said that there are a variety of definitions of sex and gender throughout Indiana code, so the bill standardizes the definition across the codes.
In the Senate Health and Provider Services Committee, 24 people signed up to testify on the bill; the majority of people were against the bill.
Laura Hanford, with the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., said the bill defines sex accurately, ensures vital records are accurate and protects sex segregated spaces for incarcerated women.
“These three components are essential and they are intertwined,” Hanford said.
Erin Tuttle, a representative for Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, said the office supports the bill because if it passes, “we would be able to successfully defend it.”
Emma Vosicky, executive director of Gender Nexus, said the bill would “enshrine an ideology regarding sex, which doesn’t reflect medical science.” The bill doesn’t consider intersex individuals, she said.
“As a social services agency that works with gender diverse folks, Gender Nexus experiences day in and day out the reality that sex is beautifully complex and nuanced, and that allowing an amendment of a person’s sex marker on their birth certificate immeasurably benefits the individual,” Vosicky said.
Kit Malone, a political strategy consultant speaking on behalf of IYG, said the organization opposes the bill because it would prevent transgender Hoosiers from being able to update their birth certificates, which are used to update other identifying documents.
Bills that strip transgender individuals’ rights lead to harassment and abuse toward the transgender community, Malone said. Allowing transgender individuals to update their identification to match their identity keeps them safe and doesn’t harm anyone else, she said.
“We urge lawmakers to oppose Senate Bill 182 and to redirect the incredibly short time available in this session towards addressing the affordability crisis and other pressing issues that are already harming all families and communities across Indiana,” Malone said.
Senate Bill 182 passed 9-3. It moves forward for consideration by the Senate.
The Senate Judiciary committee heard Senate Bill 236, authored by State Sen. Tyler Johnson, R-Leo, that states a person who manufactures, distributes, mails, transports, delivers, prescribes or provides an abortion inducing drug is jointly and severally liable for the wrongful death of an unborn child or pregnant woman from using the drug and personal injury of an unborn child or pregnant woman from the use of the abortion-inducing drug.
The bill would allow the mother or father of an unborn child to bring a wrongful death action for the wrongful death of the unborn child from the use of abortion inducing drugs.
Further, the bill would require Terminated Pregnancy Reports to go to the Department of Health and the Attorney General’s Office, in part. The initial bill stated the reports would be made public, but the committee amended the bill to state the reports wouldn’t be public.
The bill also redefines abortion to be the “act of using or prescribing an instrument, a drug, a medicine, or any other substance, device or means with the intent to cause the death of an unborn child of a woman. The term does not include birth control devices or contraceptives. An act is not an abortion if the act is done with the intent to save the life or preserve the health of an unborn child, or remove a dead, unborn child whose death was caused by miscarriage or stillbirth, or remove an ectopic pregnancy.”
Johnson said he filed the bill to close “loopholes” in accessing abortion inducing drugs through the mail.
“One of the concerns is the mailing and shipping of chemical abortion inducing drugs for illegal term (abortion) across the state of Indiana, to homes and things like that. It’s really a difficult task to get at, and this is the approach that we’re taking,” Johnson said.
During the Senate Judiciary Committee, 17 people testified on the bill, the vast majority of whom opposed the bill.
Nicole Scott, a doctor who specializes in maternity care for Indiana University Health Obstetricians-Gynecologists Coleman Center, said she opposes the bill because it redefines abortion, which does not align with pregnancy complications, like hemorrhage or infection.
“What this bill does is it changes the definition of abortion and is in direct conflict with the Department of Health,” Scott said. “It further criminalizes and creates an incredible gray and muddy area, which is very dangerous and will cause more emergencies and catastrophes for women,” Scott said.
Scott said she believes it’s “inappropriate” for someone without medical experience, like the attorney general, to have access to the Terminated Pregnancy Reports.
Claire Stoll, a resident physician in obstetrics in Indianapolis, said bills like Senate Bill 236 create “uncertainty, chaos and confusion” as doctors try to care for their patients.
“At the very least, it can delay life-saving care, at the very worse it can lead to patients unnecessarily dying,” Stoll said.
Justin Heckel, the director of public affairs for UPS, said shipping organizations are concerned about potential liability for common carriers for transporting abortion inducing medication in Indiana.
“UPS has no practical or lawful way to determine whether any individual shipment follows into one of these allowable categories,” Heckel said.
Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates of Indiana issued a statement stating Senate Bill 236 will put a bounty on providers, pharmacists, manufacturers and private citizens who possess or distribute abortion medications. The bill would allow neighbors, unsupportive family members and abusive partners to bring a lawsuit if they believe someone would like an abortion, according to the statement.
“Ultimately, SB 236 will have a chilling effect on access to medication abortion in Indiana, even when care is legal for those who are entitled to abortion, like survivors of rape and incest,” said Haley Bougher, Indiana State Director for PPAA-IN, in the statement. “This bill is one of the most dangerous pregnancy policing bills we have seen at the state, and possibly across the country.”
Tuttle, who also testified in the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the attorney general’s office would like access to Terminated Pregnancy Reports to monitor if illegal abortions have been performed.
“In most cases, the only time an illegal abortion ever comes to light is when these reports are filed. These reports are the only objective evidence that an abortion has occurred and how it occurred,” Tuttle said.
State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr., D-Chesterton, said he had “a lot of issues with this bill,” mainly the change in definition to abortion and allowing the attorney general access to the Terminated Pregnancy Reports.
“I don’t know how much further we can go down this road in this state and not just see just dire ramifications from it,” Pol said.
State Senator Sue Glick, R-LaGrange, said parts of the bill “should be done,” but “there are many parts of the bill that need work.” Glick suggested the bill be discussed in a summer study committee.
“I think the chilling effect that it has on medical professionals who are in that profession because they want to help people and help women in situations where they have dire consequences, both for themselves and their unborn child,” Glick said.
Brown, who also sits on the Senate Judiciary committee, said the “chilling effect” of the bill will be on providers who conduct abortions illegally and those who send abortion pills into Indiana.
“We’re a pro-life state. We’re always going to be a pro-life state as long as this legislature is the way it is today,” Brown said.
The bill passed 7-4, with Glick joining the three Democrats on the committee to oppose the bill.
akukulka@post-trib.com
