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Author: Mike LaChance

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Mike LaChance

Mike LaChance has been covering higher education and politics for Legal Insurrection since 2012. He has also written for American Lookout, Townhall, and Twitchy.

Since 2008 he has contributed work to the Daily Caller, Breitbart, Gateway Pundit, the Center for Security Policy, the Washington Free Beacon, and Ricochet.

Mike is a Generation X, New England lifer who describes his political views as conservative and libertarian.

You can find him on Twitter @MikeLaChance33

Posted by Mike LaChance on May 10, 2015 9 Comments
Are you looking for a special place to visit on your summer vacation? You're in luck. ISIS has opened a luxury hotel in Iraq. Heather Saul of the Independent:
Isis opens 262-room luxury hotel in Mosul Isis has purportedly opened its own luxury hotel in Iraq's second city Mosul for members of the extremist group to stay in while visiting. Pictures circulated by Isis-affiliated social media accounts show members tending to a well-maintained garden, polishing floors and cleaning windows, expansive swimming pools and two black Isis flags flying at the front of the multi-storey building. The hotel is believed to be the Ninawa International Hotel, which received a number of positive reviews on TripAdvisor before being overtaken by militants and stripped of its branding. It has 262 rooms, two restaurants, two ballrooms and a gymnasium, among other facilities.
Paul Detrick of Reason TV produced this promotional video for the hotel:

Posted by Mike LaChance on May 09, 2015 7 Comments
Bill Clinton spoke on behalf of the Clinton Foundation at an event in Morocco this week and made a rather revealing comment about the standards applied to people in politics compared to average Americans. Transcript via Real Clear Politics:
MOROCCAN BILLIONAIRE MO IBRAHIM: I opened the newspaper and I was shocked to see these attacks on the foundation... I didn't see anybody from the foundation standing up and really having a go at that... Because you should have stand up and really take issue. What is this money for? What have you done with it? And that's what people should ask.... BILL CLINTON: I just work there, I don't know... You do, look, there is one set of rules for politics, and another set for real life, you just have to learn to deal with it...
Watch the exchange below: The Clintons certainly seem to enjoy living by rules not afforded to other people.

Posted by Mike LaChance on May 08, 2015 32 Comments
By now, you've no doubt heard that Pamela Gellar hosted a free speech event in Texas which focused on cartoon images of Mohammed and that an Islamist terror plot to kill attendees was foiled. Many in media - and not just liberals -have gone out of their way to blame the victim, Geller and those attending the event, and have even gone so far as questioning the limits of free speech in America. A writer at the Washington Post wondered why Geller didn't apologize. CNN's Chris Cuomo argued that 'hate speech' isn't protected by the First Amendment which was so dumb he was even called out by the far left site Salon. Geller appeared on the Sean Hannity show Wednesday night and confronted the British Muslim cleric Anjem Choudary, who openly called for her death on national television. If you watch the Hannity show, you're probably familiar with Choudary. Allahpundit of Hot Air jokes that Choudary has probably appeared on the show more times than Alan Colmes. The exchange is over 10 minutes long but you should watch the whole thing: Despite threats Geller has received, she said federal security agencies haven't contacted her.

Posted by Mike LaChance on May 07, 2015 7 Comments
The Clintons and their defenders are trying to ignore the fact that Hillary used a private email server during her time at the State Department but despite their best efforts, the scandal isn't going away. Josh Gerstein of Politico:
State Dept. official: Hillary Clinton’s email practices ‘not acceptable’ A senior State Department official testifying at the first congressional hearing focusing on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email account for official business called such an arrangement “not acceptable” and said other employees have been warned against it. “I think that the action we’ve taken in the course of recovering these emails have made it very clear what people’s responsibilities are with respect to recordkeeping,” Assistant Secretary of State for Administration Joyce Barr told the Senate Judiciary Committee. “I think the message is loud and clear that that is not acceptable.”
Some people in the media are beginning to realize that the Clintons have a transparency problem and that it's impossible to prove their guilt or innocence without the thousands of emails Hillary decided to delete. Meet Jonah Goldberg, political psychic:

Posted by Mike LaChance on May 06, 2015 33 Comments
Remember when any criticism of a black man running for president was indisputable proof of racism? MSNBC doesn't. Progressives have forgotten everything that happened since the 2008 election and they think we have too. It's already obvious that Dr. Ben Carson, a renowned pediatric neurosurgeon, is not going to get the respect the left gave to America's most successful community organizer. Ken Shepherd of News Busters:
MSNBC Pundit Suggests Ben Carson an Affirmative-Action Case Who Drank the GOP's 'Kool-Aid' According to MSNBC pundit Michelle Bernard -- best known at NewsBusters perhaps because of her insistence that there is a "war on black boys" in America -- savaged newly-announced GOP presidential aspirant Dr. Ben Carson tonight by alleging his success is all owed to "affirmative action." She also suggested that he's a disgrace to his enslaved ancestors and to the black community in Baltimore, where he's lived throughout his career as an acclaimed neurosurgeon...
MICHELLE BERNARD: It is absolutely horrifying. You take one look at him and you say to yourself, well, your ancestors didn't come here on their free will, so how is the Affordable Care Act in any way comparable to slavery? Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina have the same problem. People are going to say, who is the real Ben Carson? The person who probably went to Yale and University of Michigan for medical school because of affirmative action and because of social problems and didn't end up like many of the black men that we see in prison today in Baltimore, where he came from, because of these same social problems.
Here's the video: You don't have to be a brain surgeon to know why Democrats will never be fair to Dr. Carson.

Posted by Mike LaChance on May 03, 2015 60 Comments
A vital debate is taking place in New York City right now. According to Seth Barron of City Journal, the City Council is considering the decriminalization of minor crimes:
Who Needs Quality of Life, Anyway? Last week, the New York City Council announced that it was preparing legislation to reduce the penalties for a host of “minor crimes.” Open urination, drinking alcohol in public, riding bikes on the sidewalk, and other public-order infractions like subway fare-beating would no longer be considered criminal violations but rather civil offenses, akin to parking near a crosswalk. Instead of receiving a summons to appear in court, violators could pay a fine through the mail. Proponents offer a simple explanation for why the changes are necessary: the negative effect that interaction with the criminal justice system has on those who receive summonses. Council Member Jumaane Williams has separately bemoaned the arrest of people for “minor infractions” in the subway on the grounds that “an arrest can cause significant stress” for the arrestee, as well as imposing “financial hardship.”
The public urination proposal is turning into something of a pissing contest among politicians:

Posted by Mike LaChance on May 03, 2015 16 Comments
You can tell 'Clinton Cash' author Peter Schweizer has touched a nerve by the amount of push back he's getting from the media. U.S. News & World Report wonders if the book is just a hatchet job, while Newsweek has written an "Everything you need to know" piece on the book. Schweizer appeared on the FOX News program Media Buzz this morning, and Howard Kurtz grilled him about assertions made in the book. Towards the end of the interview, Kurtz makes an issue out of Schweizer's political affiliations as evidence of his inability to be objective. That never seems to be an issue on the other side, even though the Obama administration has been a virtual revolving door for members of the media. Watch the entire exchange below:

Posted by Mike LaChance on May 02, 2015 8 Comments
President George W. Bush has been quiet about politics since leaving office but has remained active in his dedication to members of our armed forces. This weekend, Bush joined a group of wounded warriors for his annual W100K, a 100 kilometer bike ride meant to honor their service and remind others of their bravery. The Fox News Insider reports:
Hear From President Bush as He Starts His Bike Ride With Wounded Warriors President George W. Bush is hosting his fifth annual bike ride for Wounded Warriors in Texas. Fox News' own Dr. Marc Siegel is riding along with the former commander-in-chief and our nation's heroes on the three-day journey. "They're injured and yet they refuse to allow their injury to consign them to a dull, meaningless life," Bush told Siegel. The W100K ride involves about 20 injured service members on a 100-kilometer mountain bike ride near the Bush family's Crawford ranch. Siegel noted that for injured soldiers, it's important for them to successfully transition back to normal life, something many veterans struggle with.

Posted by Mike LaChance on May 02, 2015 9 Comments
Carly Fiorina visited New Hampshire this week and according to WMUR News, she received a warm reception:
Fiorina moves closer to possible presidential announcement MANCHESTER, N.H. —Republican Carly Fiorina is reportedly set to officially enter the presidential race, and she's crediting New Hampshire with helping her make the call. The announcement could come as soon as Monday, and the former Hewlett-Packard CEO has spent a lot of time in the Granite State. Despite growing criticism from Democrats about her record as an executive, she appears to be gaining some traction. After almost a week of drawing increasingly large crowds in New Hampshire, Fiorina appears poised to make her candidacy official, though she won't confirm it yet. "New Hampshire has helped a lot because I have gotten a huge amount of encouragement," Fiorina said. Although she has never held elected office, Fiorina has been set up as a counterpoint to another female presidential candidate, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Posted by Mike LaChance on May 01, 2015 9 Comments
Vermont senator Bernie Sanders has announced his bid for the Democratic nomination in 2016 and the left couldn't be happier about it. After all, who needs a socialist in disguise like Elizabeth Warren when you can have a candidate who openly identifies as one? Sanders has come out swinging at Hillary Clinton and some far left publications are making legitimate points about his candidacy. Patrick Caldwell of Mother Jones:
Bernie Sanders Has Already Taken More Press Questions Than Hillary Clinton Unlike Hillary Clinton, his rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Bernie Sanders didn't use a splashy, big-budget video to announce his campaign. Instead, the Vermont senator opted for a series of one-on-one television interviews Wednesday followed by a low-key launch event outside the US Capitol Thursday morning. "I believe that in a democracy, what elections are about are serious debates over serious issues," he said Thursday. "Not political gossip, not making campaigns into soap operas. This is not the Red Sox vs. the Yankees, this is the debate over major issues facing the American people."
Watch Sanders talk about his challenge to Hillary Clinton in the clip below: Progressives are fired up.

Posted by Mike LaChance on April 30, 2015 23 Comments
According to a new report from FOX News which is sure to generate controversy, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake gave an order for police to stand down during the riots which decimated the city this week:
Source: Baltimore mayor ordered police to stand down Despite a firm denial by Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, a senior law enforcement source charges that she gave an order for police to stand down as riots broke out Monday night, raising more questions about whether some of the violence and looting could have been prevented. The source, who is involved in the enforcement efforts, confirmed to Fox News there was a direct order from the mayor to her police chief Monday night, effectively tying the hands of officers as they were pelted with rocks and bottles. Asked directly if the mayor was the one who gave that order, the source said: "You are God damn right it was." The claim follows criticism of the mayor for, over the weekend, saying they were giving space to those who "wished to destroy."
Bill Hemmer of FOX News asked the mayor to comment but she denied the claim. Watch:

Posted by Mike LaChance on April 29, 2015 12 Comments
If you're wondering why the Democratic Party's presumed 2016 nominee has been quiet lately, you're not alone. Hillary Clinton has answered only seven questions from the media since announcing her run for president. Zach C. Cohen of National Journal:
Here Are All Seven Media Questions Hillary Clinton Has Answered During Her Campaign Most of the media questions Clinton has answered have focused on policy (the exact type of inquiry she recently encouraged reporters to focus on). They've touched on ongoing trans-Pacific trade negotiations, campaign finance, and foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation... Here are all seven: Question 1: "Secretary Clinton, your reaction please to these book allegations? Did foreign entities receive any special treatment for making any kind of donations to the foundation or your husband?"—ABC in Keene, New Hampshire, April 20

Posted by Mike LaChance on April 28, 2015 17 Comments
The Clinton Foundation has admitted that it may have made "mistakes" with regard to their taxes and will refile five years of returns. The admission came after a Reuters report was published on Sunday:
Clinton Foundation admits making mistakes on taxes The Clinton Foundation's acting chief executive admitted on Sunday that the charity had made mistakes on how it listed government donors on its tax returns and said it was working to make sure it does not happen in the future. The non-profit foundation and its list of donors have been under intense scrutiny in recent weeks. Republican critics say the foundation makes Hillary Clinton, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, vulnerable to undue influence. After a Reuters review found errors in how the foundation reported government donors on its taxes, the charity said last week it would refile at least five annual tax returns. "So yes, we made mistakes, as many organizations of our size do, but we are acting quickly to remedy them, and have taken steps to ensure they don't happen in the future," Clinton Foundation acting Chief Executive Officer Maura Pally said in a statement.
Watch Dana Loesch of The Blaze discuss the issue with Dinesh D'Souza. The Clinton Foundation's finances are so questionable that non-profit experts are calling it a slush fund.

Posted by Mike LaChance on April 26, 2015 15 Comments
George Stephanopoulos worked in the Bill Clinton administration as a senior adviser. In what way is he qualified to question the author of a book which seeks to expose alleged corruption of the Clintons? Peter Schweizer holds his own in this interview despite the aggressive and skeptical questions hurled at him throughout the discussion. Stephanopoulos is not so much a journalist, he's a member of the palace guard. It's quite clear which side he's on in this situation.

Posted by Mike LaChance on April 25, 2015 8 Comments
The progressive hosts of MSNBC may like the idea of big government programs, but for some of them, paying taxes seems to be a challenge. Jillian Kay Melchior outlined the issue in a recent column for National Review:
MSNBC’s Touré Has the Taxman on His Case Touré Neblett, co-host of MSNBC’s The Cycle, owes more than $59,000 in taxes, according to public records reviewed by National Review. In September 2013, New York issued a state tax warrant to Neblett and his wife, Rita Nakouzi, for $46,862.68. Six months later, the state issued an additional warrant to the couple for $12,849.87. In January 2014, Neblett tweeted, “Regressive taxation & tax-avoidance & union crushing & the financial corruption of legislation has fueled inequality more than hard work.” In 2012, he also criticized Republican politicians, saying they were “all afraid to vote for a modest tax increase of people who can totally afford it.” MSNBC’s hosts and guests regularly call for higher taxes on the rich, condemning wealthy individuals and corporations who don’t pay their taxes or make use of loopholes. But recent reports, as well as records reviewed by National Review, show that at least four high-profile MSNBC on-air personalities have tax liens or warrants filed against them.
Melchior discussed the issue with Sean Hannity on Thursday night:
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