RINGSIDE POLITICS – FEBRUARY 25, 2021

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Welcome to another edition of Ringside Politics with Jeff Crouere

Today’s Hot Topics:

1) A former top aide to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has accused him of intimidation and sexual harassment, expanding on allegations she first made in December. In an essay posted to Medium on Wednesday, the former staffer accused the governor of going “out of his way” to touch her “lower back, arms and legs,” and kissing her during a one-on-one meeting.

Lindsey Boylan, the former chief of staff at New York’s state economic agency, claimed that the governor took an “uncomfortable” interest in her after she was appointed to the role in 2015. “My boss soon informed me that the Governor had a ‘crush’ on me,” she wrote, saying she was told by the director of the governor’s offices that Cuomo suggested she “look up images of Lisa Shields — his rumored former girlfriend — because ‘we could be sisters’ and I was ‘the better looking sister.'”

“The Governor began calling me ‘Lisa’ in front of colleagues,” she wrote. “It was degrading.”

2) All the groceries spoiled and the water was out for days. Then Melissa Rogers, a believer in the Texas gospel that government should know its place, woke up to a $6,000 energy bill before the snow and ice even melted.

“The roads were awful, but we were running around town trying to get money from every single bank we could possibly think of,” said Rogers, 36, whose Fort Worth family of four was left with $80 after the charges drained her accounts and took her husband’s paycheck.

3) House Republicans are requesting that FBI Director Christopher Wray hold a briefing on Rep. Eric Swalwell’s, D-Calif., past ties to an alleged Chinese spy — asking that lawmakers be informed of the “full extent” of Chinese targeting members of Congress.

“As our nation faces a growing security threat from the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) attempts to infiltrate and undermine the United States Government, we write to request a full briefing regarding counterintelligence threats to Members of Congress, including information related to Rep. Eric Swalwell’s ties to a suspected Chinese intelligence operative,” says the letter from 14 House Republicans, including Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C. and Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member John Katko, R-N.Y.

4) Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) held a nomination hearing for Xavier Becerra, President Joe Biden’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Today, the Senate Finance Committee will hold its nomination hearing.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins made the following comments:

“The Department of Health and Human Services has the largest budget of any federal agencies, overseeing twenty-seven different National Institutes and Centers of Health. Xavier Becerra, President Biden’s nominee to head the mammoth health-focused agency has zero health care experience. Mr. Becerra is an attorney that has amassed an extensive record of hostility toward religious freedom and appears to be fixated on promoting extreme pro-abortion policies. This was evident in his testimony yesterday before the Senate committee, in which he refused to explain his past support for the barbaric practice of partial birth abortion.

“As Attorney General of California, he specialized in singling out private individuals and faith-based organizations for special harassment, aggressively prosecuting them without cause, and miring them in lawsuits even after he was rebuked by the Supreme Court.

Today’s Guests:

1) Col. Allen West, Chairman of the Texas Republican Party – calls in the state of affairs in the Republican Party and the nation as a whole.

2) John O’Connor, Legal Analyst and Author of “Postgate: How the Washington Post Betrayed Deep Throat, Covered Up Watergate, and Began Today’s Partisan Advocacy Journalism” – joins the show to talk about his book and the issues with today’s mainstream media.

3)  Phil the Patriot/ Cajun Buccaneer – regular Ringside caller joins us to talk about his connection to the recent tragedy at the Jefferson Gun Outlet.

4) Steve Konos, Ringside Politics Creative Director; Ringside Politics Parody of the Week – joins the show to share and discuss his weekly political parody.

5) Josh Bernstein, Ringside All-Star – joins the show to opine with callers and discuss the events of the week.