Saturday • May 18 • 2024
Vol.XVI • No.XX
Manchester, N.H.
If you are committed to calling your political opponents fascist, you might want to take a moment to understand what that means.
Democracy, for its own sake, as an example, is much closer to fascism than the Constitutional Republic to which most Republicans pay lip service. And saying someone is a threat to Democracy is not the insult you suggest unless you have evidence that their inclinations are more authoritarian than mob rule.
Remember that there is no right, left, or center when measuring for the authoritarian tick. There is more personal or individual liberty or less.
Fascists believe a few things, but all of them centralize authority. There is no fascist mind that would embrace individual choice over government preference. If you think the Federal Government is the best arbiter of things outside the few enumerated in the US Constitution, you are on your way to being a fascist.
Perennial one-party rule is fascist, especially when you use the State FBI, CDC, NIH, NSA, IRS, DOJ, DHHS… to secure or ensure it.
And yes, there are budding fascists across the spectrum, but the majority are center-left because that’s where centralizing power and authoritarianism find the most support.
If you object to that and are looking for the right sort of Republican to support in the upcoming primary, general election, or any election, ask them this question.
On what should our elected or appointed public officials be most focused when considering legislation, orders, or actions of any kind? Public Health, Public Safety, Public Order, Social Justice, Women’s Health, Gender Justice, or protecting liberty*?
If you didn’t say protecting liberty, grab a mirror.
*Note: I’m not referring to the extreme Liberatrain notion. Anarchy (as an example) does not protect liberty.
The post If You’re Looking for Fascists May I Suggest a Mirror? appeared first on Granite Grok.
(Concord, NH – Sept 7, 2022) The New Hampshire Right to Life Political Action Committee (NHRTL PAC) is proud to make available a list of recommended candidates for NH voters who value the basic human right to life for the Sept 13, 2022 primary.
In total, over 120 candidates were recommended, spanning the offices of Governor, Executive Council, State Senator, and State Representative. This does not include candidates in uncontested primaries.
“I am encouraged to see so many candidates this year who believe in rights for all humans. It’s especially important that voters who value Life get to the polls this year, as we had multiple life-related bills that succeeded or failed this past session by 1 or 2 votes” said Kurt Wuelper, Chairman of NHRTL PAC.
The list may be accessed by going to the NHRTL PAC website: nhrtlpac.org.
NHRTL PAC is a registered NH Political Action Committee promoting the right to life for all humans. Contact:###
The post NHRTL PAC Publishes List of Recommended Pro-life Candidates for 2022 Primary appeared first on Granite Grok.
The New York Post is reporting that Irish authorities arrested a teacher on charges originating in his refusal to use alternate pronouns for a student. Enoch Burke, a self-described devout Christian, and teacher at Wilson’s Hospital School in the community of Westmeath, was first suspended from teaching and appearing on campus for not using the pronoun “they” instead of “he” for a student.
Despite the injunction to stay away, Burke continued showing up to school, citing his religious beliefs to believe and speak the truth. Eventually, he was found sitting in an empty classroom before police hauled him away.
The New York Post writes:
A teacher in Ireland has been suspended from work and then jailed for contempt of court after he refused to use the correct pronouns to address a transgender student.
The teacher remained defiant in the face of jail time, telling the judge that “it is insanity” that he would be led out of the courtroom and taken to prison for refusing to give up his Christian beliefs.
“I love my school, with its motto Res Non Verba, ‘Actions not words,’ but I am here today because I said I would not call a boy a girl,” Burke told the court.
Burke was not short of logic, reason, and conviction when addressing the court. THe Post went on to note his continued refusal to bow to the woke mob.
Burke was taken into custody at the school on Monday and taken directly to court, where he told the judge he could not comply with the injunction because it would violate his conscience.“I am a teacher and I don’t want to go to prison,” Burke told the court. “I want to be in my classroom today, that’s where I was this morning when I was arrested.”
He added: “Transgenderism is against my Christian belief. It is contrary to the scriptures, contrary to the ethos of the Church of Ireland and of my school.”
It obviously goes without saying that Burke is 100% correct. It is pure insanity that he was suspended from campus, let alone arrested and sent to jail. The radical left hates individual freedom and it hates Christianity, two of the most fundamental roots in Western Civilization that made life and society so good and decent. Instead, they love ruling with an iron boot on our necks and punishing anyone who dare step out of line.
And while many are commenting that it is only a matter of time before this happens here, we need only look at the fate of so many protests from January 6th who are de facto political prisoners of The Regime. Whereas murderers and repeat violent offenders are released without bail throughout the nation, those entrapped by the Fedsurrection have been rotting in decrepit D.C. prisons without even a trial yet.
Still, at least on the pronoun front, some sanity prevails. A teacher who was suspended from a Kansas middle school last spring for an identical issue as Burke just recently won a court order that her suspension was wrong and that she was entitled to a financial settlement from the district. Similarly, a few years ago a college professor was award several hundred thousands dollars for having his rights to speech curtailed by woke academics.
Hailey Sanibel writes for The Blue State Conservative
The post European Teacher Arrested And Jailed For Refusing To Use Student’s Preferred Pronouns appeared first on Granite Grok.
According to its campaign finance filings, Granite PAC was fully funded in the fall of 2021 and has received no donations since then. Exactly $225,000.00 was raised in one calendar month in 2021: ten addresses but only five donors.
Related: Sununu-Supporting Super PAC Spends Over $25,000.00 Attacking NH Republicans in House Races
Gemini Electric – $50,000.00
Peter Napoli – $50,000.00
S&S Hotels – $50,000.00
Anton Melchionda – $25,000.00
Michael Kane – 50,000.00 (?) and why the question mark?
The six ‘contributors’ with an address as a business name are owned by The Kane Company, and Michael Kane donated a total of 50,000.00 to Granite PAC.
231 Corporate Drive, LLC
230 Corporate Drive, LLC
130 International Drive, LLC
166 Corporate Drive, LLC
325 Corporate Drive, LLC
162 Corporate Drive, LLC
And good on him. It’s his money. He can do what he wants with it, but why the six addresses? Why not just write a check like the other donors? Is the money from Kane or someone else?
Maybe someone will let me know.
Related: State Rep. Melissa Blasek Must be Doing it Right – The GOPe is Attacking Her with Negative Mail
So, we have ten addresses, five donors, and $225,000.00 to Granite PAC, which was registered to support Chris Sununu until Sept 9, 2022, when the PAC ‘decided’ to attack incumbent Republicans in primaries for the NH house who happen to have rubbed His Excellency the wrong way.
Politics.
Oh, and a lot of real-estate /developers.
The post A Look at Who is Paying the Sununu-Supporting Super PAC to Attack NH House Republicans appeared first on Granite Grok.
Our divider-in-chief has set the tone for the midterms and probably 2024 with all of the verbal assaults on Republicans, precisely what he calls MAGA Trump or Trumpies. The man who claimed he was the great unifier has pulled a 180 and is showing there are no limits to this rhetoric.
I have always believed that Democrats are based on emotions while Republicans depend more on facts and reality. That is one of the reasons that this verbal battle started by Biden appears to be gaining momentum. You always see polls closing as you get closer to an election, but in the case of the midterms, many are questioning if the Republicans can cash in on Biden’s lack of popularity.
Biden had been in seclusion for weeks and on vacation in Delaware every weekend since he was in office. With his popularity at record lows, there was little that Biden could take on the road to message. That changed with the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act. That was considered a huge win for the President and gave him the impetus to hit the campaign trail for many Democrats struggling to hold onto their seats in Congress. The problem for Joe is that the crowds at his rallies are small, and many Democrats do not want to be seen on stage with the President.
This weekend, Joe Biden was in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, where it is conceivable that these two swing states may turn Red. These appearances were on the heels of the controversial prime-time speech last Thursday. In that speech, flanked by two Marines in dress uniform, that President dropped the gauntlet on Republicans. In an address that was supposed to be healing, the President went full “divider” and pushed both sides further apart. This tactic is embarrassing, and what message does the President give to insult half of his country?
We see two different visions of America drawn by our two major parties. The America of Joe Biden is authoritarian, dictatorial, devoid of truth, and more divisive than anything we can imagine. The House Republicans are rolling out the Commitment to America plan that focuses on four points: a strong economy, a safe nation, a free country, and government accountability. I challenge any Democrat to show how any of those four points makes us an enemy of the state.
This plan is the message we need to get out before November and drown out the rhetoric and noise spread by the Democrats. We see what the Biden plan has done for America in the last two years. We might not survive another twenty-four months of Biden’s America. The money and media are on their side, but the facts and truth are on ours.
Elections are a marathon of campaigning, primaries, and finally, Election Day. With about sixty days left, the pace has quickened, and we are in the sprint phase. Every decision and every word is critical, as a misstep could be fatal. I am not confident that we will see a tsunami in November, but I am optimistic that people will vote with their wallets and the safety of their families in mind and do the right thing. We need to replace some of these liberal and radical Democrats with conservative Republicans who still see the Constitution as the roadmap for our country.
The post While Biden and Democrats Feast on Failure, Do Republicans Have a Plan? appeared first on Granite Grok.
1) The way the event was managed. The decision to have the training was decided in Feb. Materials to be used by the trainer were brought to the SAU in August.
Outside organization’s messaging was not thoroughly analyzed or presented to the School Board members for their approval. No survey of parents to determine if this was needed. Administration never told the provider what was required of them or needed. The materials were never supervised by district administrators. What are the main problems that warranted this training? What are the objectives?
2) Is this mandatory for teachers/staff or not? Article 5 NH Constitution [Religious Freedom Recognized.]
Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and reason; and no subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his person, liberty, or estate, for worshipping God in the manner and season most agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience; or for his religious profession,sentiments, or persuasion; provided he doth not disturb the public peace or disturb others in their religious worship.
It marginalizes the faith community working in the school district. No other training scheduled that addresses the religious families in the school.
3) Hostile Work environment /LegalityThose who are required to attend may consider this a hostile work environment that brings up potential legal issues. Because the training does not take into consideration traditional religious families served in SAU21, if those who are participating do not agree with the viewpoints expressed by Seacoast Outright, will get the message that they cannot speak freely, even in a “safe place.” There is no diversity in the viewpoints that are conveyed by the trainer or Seacoast Outright. (Catholic Diocese on Gender Identity)(Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVhUoiXGWx8 )(FDA : Warning on puberty blockers) (Respect Project/ U.S. Dept of Ed: Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer and Religious Expression in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools : January 16, 2020)(Orange County Department of Education: Religious Expression in Public School, 2 videos)
4) Content of the material Erik Erikson Stage 5: Critics of Erikson’s theory say that his theory is more applicable to boys than to girls, and that more attention is paid to infancy and childhood than to adult life, despite the claim to be a life-span theory. However, many have found Erikson’s theory offers a useful framework for analyzing developmental histories.**2 Videos Jessica said she’d be showing? Where are they?
( I did not bring this up during the meeting, but I felt it should be mentioned since Erikson is mentioned as a source from Seacoast Outright)
(B) What is mentioned in some of the slides from the Seacoast Training slideshow: My comments in red (notes)
What is Seacoast Outright: There is a call to allyship. Parents need to know that their morals and religious views, will be respected in this.
Today’s Agenda: Breaking down the binary of sex assigned at birth: is more of a political view and not based in scientific facts.
Understanding the role of privilege and stereotypes: Could violate the anti-discrimination law in NH, and is a political viewpoint that is not inclusive.
Group Norms: What is said here stays here, what is learned here leaves here: Leaves parents wondering what is hidden from them.
Foundational Concepts: The Gender Elephant : One political viewpoint, not inclusive of other views.
Gender Expression: Pronouns: No description of compelled speech which could open the district up to lawsuits.
Sexual and Romantic Orientation: US Holidays to consider: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day: Parents want to know what will be advised when it comes to US Holidays. Will they promote the elimination of holidays? Mother’s day? Father’s day?
Identity Development in Young Children: Many parents do not want any of these discussions with their young children. That needs to be respected and should be conveyed in this training.
Coming Out: There is nothing about the children who are dealing with underlying issues of self esteem, abuse or even sexual abuse, and may also be acting out. Teachers need to know that some of these kids have serious underlying mental health issues. It would be better to add something about these other cases that teachers may not be aware of, and that parents and mental health providers would be able to guide them.
LGBTQ+ Discrimination and Mental Health Outcomes : Statistics that leave out information because it’s coming from a political source rather than a non-biased source. See additional information on how these statistics are manipulated by political organizations below. (C)
Strategy 1: Acknowledge Privilege and Stereotypes: Provide details on Privilege. This will most likely be requested after the training in a 91-a/Right to Know Request. Have this information documented so it can be available to those seeking information through a 91-a.
Strategy 2: Utilize Gender Neutral Language: Using gender neutral terms is becoming the accepted way to make all people feel recognized and respected: This has actually angered mothers and fathers, so widely accepted may not necessarily be true. Address your classes with gender neutral greetings ex. “Good morning folks!”: This is a political agenda to move society to a genderless society. This is exclusive political jargon not inclusive at all.
Practice using they/them pronouns as singular terms during class: Nothing in here about respecting the conscience of your teachers who may hold sacred religious values. This is more of a political agenda that is exclusive versus inclusive.
Strategy 3 Ask and Tell Pronouns: Nothing in here about respecting the conscience of your teachers again, and is exclusive versus inclusive.
Empowering Your Students: Celebrate Pride Week in October, Ensure representation in books, PUt a few small LGBTQIA + flags or stickers in a visible spot on your desk or lanyard: This is exclusive and not inclusive unless this is advice to teachers so that they are doing the same for your Muslim, Jewish and Christian students. How many books on Christian, Jewish or Muslim Children are in the class?
Taking Action Beyond the Classroom: (Sports / Gender neutral and/or private bathrooms and changing areas: This is a political call to action for your teachers from an organization that we are told is not a political organization. How was this approved for the training?
Resources and Sources: Not diverse in any way. Nothing from the Jewish/Muslim/or Christian community that provide sources on the LGBTQ+ children. Statements, resources, ect.
5) Authority of the staff to execute: What authority will individual employees have going forward to implement these concepts? Open up liability. Will guidance counselors develop plans? Will all of this be made public and transparent? Board members can attend, but for transparency purposes, an audio or video tape should be made and posted on the website.
To the Board Chairs: (Notes)
Do you watch the enrollment numbers?
Do you ever survey parents on the culture/climate?
EXIT interviews of parents?
Bedford/TrinityAre there exit interviews of teachers and do you get ALL of those results?
Do you get a list of teacher training each year?
If not, that should be provided to you with a brief explanation on each training. That should include cost/time away from class. Is it focused on academics?
Do you authorize each training ?
Check registry is displayed on SAU25 website each month. Transparency on monthly expenditures
(C)***Additional information: A recent study, published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy by Dr. Stephen B. Levine, found that transgender activists are misusing the issue of suicide for the purpose of pushing “gender affirmation”:
Suicide among trans-identified youth is significantly elevated compared to the general population of youth (Biggs, 2022; de Graaf et al., 2020). However, the “transition or die” narrative, whereby parents are told that their only choice is between a “live trans daughter or a dead son” (or vice-versa), is both factually inaccurate and ethically fraught. Disseminating such alarmist messages hurts the majority of trans-identified youth who are not at risk for suicide. It also hurts the minority who are at risk, and who, as a result of such misinformation, may forgo evidence-based suicide prevention interventions in the false hopes that transition will prevent suicide.
“The ‘transition or die’ narrative regards suicidal risk in trans-identified youth as a different phenomenon than suicidal risk among other youth,” Levine and his colleagues noted. “Making them an exception falsely promises the parents that immediate transition will remove the risk of suicidal self-harm.”
This meeting concluded on one final note. All of those in attendance and those who are for/against this training share one common view, we want all of the students in a safe and joyful environment. One where all children can thrive. LGBTQ+ students deserve to be treated with kindness, respect and dignity. I think this kind of training could have been handled far better than what has been presented to the board and community. There has been no consideration made towards the religious families you serve or those who share a different viewpoint than one coming from Seacoast Outright. You serve a diverse community of families, and when children walk into a school, they should know that all are welcome. Bulletin boards, flags or any other displays need to include all students, not just some of one identity. The same holds true for this kind of training. There is nothing on the calendar that suggests any training will be scheduled so teachers know how to better interact with their religious students and families. Inclusive should truly mean inclusive. That has not been demonstrated in any way in this training on September 13, and by the mere fact that there is no scheduled training for children in the religious protected class.The post SAU21 WOKE Leftist Political Teacher Training: Email to School Board Members appeared first on Granite Grok.
Adam Trump-Voters-Are-White-Supremacists Sexton … grudgingly and for the sake of trying to not appear as a NH-Democrat operative, which he is … asked some questions not about abortion at the recent so-called “debate” he “moderated” for the GOP CD-1 candidates. One such question involved impeaching Herr Biden:
Every candidate … EXCEPT MOWERS … gave the correct answer, that Herr Biden should be impeached immediately.
The border is wide open; the DOJ and FBI are Herr Biden’s personal Stasi; Herr Biden’s regime has been caught asking Twitter to censor WrongThink on COVID … to name but a few examples of impeachable offenses … and yet Mowers wants to hold hearings! What a joke!
Mowers is no conservative. He is as uni-party as it gets.
The post Matt Mowers Would Be Just Another RINO Biden-Enabler appeared first on Granite Grok.
I’ve been writing a few (ahem!) Right To Know demands lately and starting to get some of the results (i.e., “The Responsive Records”). What I’m finding is that for each one put in, the Responsive Records returned to me just keep handing me more questions.
Sidenote: That is, except for the Drone/UAV usage one – hey, you always end up with some dead ends as not all tips prove out. It is what it is.
I’ll add to that “more questions” thought – sometimes, even for the most mundane document demands, some things show up and make you think “er, really?” or “something’s missing here”. That’s exactly what I found when I demanded one of the most mundane documents that a govt agency/non-profit/practice/LLC/company generally has:
HR Manual
Yes, Human Resources explanations. For most people, the only “touchpoint” they have with it is when they “onboard” (join a company) during their first couple of days of employment. Many are just copies of millions of others with very slight differences between them all. Sure, there are always slight differences between them all but, in general, they do one thing: set expectations for employee behavior.
That is if that’s all you are looking for.
But that’s not what I do – I read such documents like I’m reading code (am a retired software engineer) as in:
“Will it do what it is supposed to do? where are the holes? Where can this go awry? Can this section go haywire given the proper (rather, IMproper) inputs? What are the designer’s assumptions – and how can they kick them back in their faces? How robust is this and can it adapt to sub-optimal conditions?”
In short, I can be a pain in the patootie. So, can you see the things I found out from this Right To Know (minus my usual boilerplate):
From: “Skip” <Skip@granitegrok.com>
To: “Jade L. Wood” <JWood@gunstockcommissioners.org>; “dstrang@gunstockcommissioners.org” <dstrang@gunstockcommissioners.org>; “Douglas Lambert” <dlambert@gunstockcommissioners.org>; Dconroy@gunstockcommissioners.org
Sent: 8/29/2022 3:10:03 PM
Subject: RSA 91A demand – HR Manual(s) and signature pagesCommissioners,
Please find, attached to this email, a Right To Know demand for Gunstock Mountain Resort’s Human Resources manual(s). Failing that there may not be a single compendium of such materials, I would be looking for such materials that ordinarily would be part of a single manual. Further, for all salaried employees, I am looking for the signature pages of salaried employees, denoting acceptance of and having read, that manual or analogous materials.
Kindest regards,
-Skip
The “Payload”:
This request is for the Gunstock Mountain Resort’s Human Resources (“HR”) manual(s) and/or such assorted materials not combined into a single manual that is given to new hires or ongoing employees on a regular basis that outlines employee expectations and regulations (e.g., such as but not excluding others: job descriptions, behavior codes, certification requirements, pay scales, grievances, benefit descriptions, et al.). This would include:
An actual manual/booklet that condenses all such HR directives/regulations
If no single HR manual exists, then all other materials that would be considered of an HR nature that would be given to employees.
Additionally, if such is a part of Gunstock Mountain Resort’s HR procedures, for the period of August 29, 2020, to August 29, 2022, copies of the signed signature pages that signify that GMR salaried employees:
have received such a Gunstock Mountain Resort HR manual and/or HR materials.
have read such materials they have received.
And here was the returning email:
—— Original Message ——
From: “Rebecca LaPense” <RLaPense@gunstock.com>
To: “Skip@GraniteGrok.com” <Skip@granitegrok.com>; “Tom Day” <TDay@gunstock.com>; “dlambert@gunstockcommissioners.org” <dlambert@gunstockcommissioners.org>
Sent: 9/1/2022 4:50:34 PM
Subject: RSA 91A demand – HR Manual(s) and signature pages
I’ve removed a couple of next “bits” for their security:
Gunstock Mountain Resort ShareFile
Expires September 8, 2022Good afternoon,
This email is in response to your RSA 91A request dated 08/29/22.
The Gunstock Employee Handbook is a public document and can be found on our website, on the Employment page. The direct link is here for anyone to view:
https://www.gunstock.com/upload/photos/page_150_gmr-ee-handbook-rev-11.30.21__1.pdf
At the time of hire, all employees are provided with an offer letter, which they must sign before their first day of work, that details their compensation and benefits. Included with the offer letter are links to the Employee Handbook and a copy of the Benefit Summary which details applicable insurance benefits and employee discounts. I have attached a copy of the Benefit Summary document for PY 21/22 for year-round/salaried employees.
We do not collect signatures acknowledging receipt of the employee handbook.
____________________________________________________
Rebecca LaPense, SHRM-SCPDirector of Human Resources
Direct: 603-737-4305
719 Cherry Valley Road, Gilford, NH 03249
Here are the two manuals. Hover over them and you can start to scroll through the documents.
HR Manual:
Gunstock HR manual page_150_gmr-ee-handbook-rev-11.30.21__1and the Benefits Manual:
Gunstock 2021-22 GMR Benefit Booklet GROUP 1
So I noticed a few things: if you read them, what did you see?
The post Gunstock – Another Day, Another Right to Know. I’m Beginning to See Why Commissioner Doug Lambert Shut Down the Investigations appeared first on Granite Grok.
NH Resident Dan Richard has been granted an Emergency Hearing by the Rockingham County Superior Court, this Friday, September 9, 2022, at 1pm to seek a temporary and permanent injunction to prohibit the use of voting machines and to hand count ballots. This hearing is open to the public.
Mr. Richard’s complaint brings multiple charges, which include:
Mr. Richard will argue:
As reported by the Gateway Pundit, a second lawsuit was filed by NH Resident Brenda Towne in federal court. Mrs. Towne’s complaint seeks the removal of voting machines in NH. It also names Harri Hursti and LHS Associates as plaintiffs, alleging that they were responsible for the destruction of election evidence that was to be maintained and kept under state and federal mandates.
Mrs. Towne’s lawsuit seeks the following relief:
You can read more here.
The post TWO NH Election Lawsuits Filed to Ban Voting Machines – One State, One Federal! appeared first on Granite Grok.
Grenell began by reminding the audience that many of the great nations have lasted roughly 250 years and America has been around for over 300 years. These once great nations are almost never destroyed by foreign attacks, they are taken down from within, and America stands on the edge of the progressive-induced abyss.
Grenell related how he had worked with Matt Mowers in President Trump’s White House and at the State Department. Matt was smart and DC-savvy. He would be ready on day one to represent New Hampshire and tackle the national problems brought on America by woke progressives elected officials. Loss of energy independence, the southern border catastrophe, and massive inflation led the list.
Ambassador Grenell’s command of the room was not a surprise. Several hours earlier this author was privileged to be a member of a small group who had breakfast with the Ambassador. Grenell demonstrated a keen intellect, depth of knowledge, and an amazing total recall of very complicated world events.
He answered all questions without hesitation and with obvious candor.The first question the ambassador fielded was, why did he get involved in the unstable region of Balkans?” He explained, that when he was the German Ambassador, representatives from the Balkan nations sought him out. They essentially begged him for U.S. help because there were no American representatives in their part of the world with a direct connection to the President of the United States. Ambassador Grenell, with no personal upside, decided to try to help out. He contacted President Trump and asked if he could intervene. Trump noted that there had been conflict for over 500 years, but if Grenell thought he could make a difference, he was supportive. Ambassador Grenell engaged and was able to successfully negotiate 4 economic normalization agreements and the region is better off for it.
It was clear Ambassador Grenell was sincere and honest, and in front of me was a good man.The conversation shifted to when Grenell was DNI, and he declassified Russiagate documents. Initially, AG Barr and FBI Director Wray stood in the way of the declassification. The usual excuses were given, possibly revealing sources and national security issues.
The problem was Grenell had read the documents and it didn’t make any sense that the information should be classified. Grenell set up a meeting with Director Wray, AG Barr, and the FBI agents who had authored the document redactions to make their case before him. Director Wray and AG Barr didn’t engage, but the FBI agents did. When each agent was asked why they redacted the information they unanimously responded they didn’t do it. The redactions were done by their superiors and the agents were dutifully obliged to agree. When the agents were asked if the redacted information compromised national security or exposed any sources, they unanimously answered in the negative.
AG Barr didn’t appeal. Director Wray never responded, and Grenell declassified the documents.
Given the circumstances surrounding the raid on Trump’s Florida home,ostensibly for “classified” documents, one has to wonder if some of the same shenanigans aren’t going on. Documents, with no real national security implications, classified by FBI/DOJ leadership, dutifully signed off on by FBI field agents. This idea is not just conjecture, the latest leak is that some of the documents involve Russiagate. Given the behavior of the FBI/DOJ and their proven capacity to deceive the public, hiding embarrassing information behind “It’s Classified” is not far-fetched.
The conversation in the room moved back to Matt Mower’s NH 1 campaignand Ambassador Grenell asked who Matt’s main competition was. When it was explained the main competition was an inexperienced, 25-year-old Karoline Leavitt, who never had a real job and was still on her father’s healthcare insurance; and whose claim to fame was she volunteered in Trump’s White House, Grenell shook his head. All in the room agreed, that any competent progressive candidate – and the sitting NH 1 Representative, Chris Papas, was definitely that – would crucify the young inexperienced woman.
One thing was for sure. If the NH Republican voters were foolish enough to nominate the inexperienced 25 y/o Leavitt, she would be toast.It is always hard for a male Republican to point out a woman’s faults without the progressive media tarring him as a misogynist. Paradoxically, a progressive candidate can attack a conservative female without fear of media retribution, and they do it with support from their woke progressive female base.
Ambassador Grenell decided it was best to emphasize Matt’s personal life {He is married with a new baby} and his vastly superior political/professional experience and then rely on the voters to figure out who was the best NH1 Republican candidate. Two hours later he did exactly that, and he did it with class.
It is not often a regular person gets a chance to meet people of the caliber of Ambassador Ric Grenell and Matt Mowers. It gives hope and the sense there are still some folks who will try to do the right thing.
This author has a very strong feeling America has not heard the last of Ric Grenell, and that is a good thing.
Reminder: Content about candidates or by candidates is not an endorsement by GraniteGrok.com or its authors.
The post Tales from a Day with Former German Ambassador and Trump Director of National Intelligence, RIC Grenell appeared first on Granite Grok.
Someone just sent me this mailer that started hitting mailboxes yesterday. And a video link. First, the mailer – the front:
And the back:
And the Link:
Loyal readers know that integrity and honesty mean a LOT to me. Just look at my ire and anger against NH State Rep Greg Hough, my new elected Representative by redistricting, when he told me that he WOULDN’T participate in the Belknap County Delegation’s illegally called meeting on August First – and then did (ditto for Harry Bean and the Lang Gang members).
I will NOT vote for either – how can ANY of us truly vote for “Lawmakers” when they show that they don’t care about it personally? At least Bean didn’t tell me that he wouldn’t participate – he just did it after I told him he shouldn’t due to RSA 91A and RSA24:9-d didn’t allow what he was doing. But Hough, and I’ll say it again, lied to me.
Back to the mailer: for those not in the know, Massachusetts had such an abortion clinic “buffer” law as well that kept pro-life people from speaking their minds close to such an abattoir. It was hauled into court, and their buffer law was declared unconstitutional, and it went away.
Sununu has decided that the NH Law, pretty much the same law, needed to be protected. He’s pro-choice after all – in killing innocent babies, and this mailer makes it clear: over the plain and enumerated Free Speech in the Bill of Rights (and NH’s Constitution’s Articles 22 and 30). He wants what he wants, and the Law (and Constitutions) be damned. He’s counting that the Law will stand until some brave soul deliberately breaks the NH Law to have it overturned – that way, he keeps his baby-killing street credibility alive.
It shows his disdain for a new Life; he’s turned sharply Left during these last two terms from a social wokeness point of view. He’s just about into Charlie Bass territory – go ahead, show me where I’m wrong other than on Second Amendment issues.
I find it rather droll and sad that he’s out campaigning for OTHER Republicans nationwide (most of them liberal to Progressive) and yet refuses to reliably act what he claimed to be – a Conservative. In fact, he’s shown his ire against real Conservative Republicans here in NH and his aligned Granite PAC is going after them all over the State (see Steve’s posts).
If you want to see more, go here (thanks, Steve!)
Truth be told, he’s probably going to win the Primary next week. My only wish of wishes is that it would be by such a small margin that it would put a stake into his Presidential ambitions.
After all, he’s not half the politician his Dad is.
The post Cornerstone – Sununu Lied to Voters: appeared first on Granite Grok.
This might make the unity breakfast a bit awkward. Granite PAC, which I mentioned yesterday as the source of the attack mailer on Rep Melissa Blasek, spent money to go after six Republican House reps with primaries.
First, this PAC claimed that it exists for one purpose. To support Chris Sununu.
But in a separate filing, PAC Chair, and Treasurer Alex Stanford notified the Secretary of State that it was spending over 25,000.00 to oppose a handful of NH House Republicans.
Here’s a screen grab of the vital part.
You could buy some support for Republicans (against Democrats) with that sort of cash, but hey, if a pro-Sununu PAC minion wants to go after Republicans who tried to hold the Governor in check when he went off the rails, it’s their money. And we can only assume the donors were good with it, but who were they?
Between 10/15/2021 and 11/17/2021, “ten” donors, all with NH addresses, funneled 225,000.00 into the PAC. From Amherst, Auburn, Hooksett, Dover, and six addresses in Portsmouth (all of those in office or industrial parks).
None of the Corporate or International Drive addresses have business or donor names..
And for the record, nothing illegal or obviously illict or irregular (people with more experience, by all means, correct me if I’m wrong). But a pro-Republican PAC supporting the governor invested more than $25,000.00 to attack NH House Reps, who are all better Republicans and defenders of the US and NH Constitutions than Chris Sununu.
In 2022 Blasek, Sylvia, Silber, and Terry all have 100% NHHRA scores. Abramson has a 90.8%, and Yokela has an 87.6.
Blasek, Sylvia, and Yokela did sponsor a resolution to investigate impeaching Sununu for abuse of executive and emergency power. I guess his Excellency knows how to hold a grudge – sorry, I meant the guy running the Super PAC supporting him. We wouldn’t want to imply coordination. That would be illegal.
I’ll be back with details on the donor list, so stay tuned.
If you have tips about anyone on the donor list, please pass that along.
The post Sununu-Supporting Super PAC Spends Over $25,000.00 Attacking NH Republicans in House Races appeared first on Granite Grok.
Heh! So if things seem to be a bit slow today when you try to reach GraniteGrok, now you know why. And yes, the ‘Grok DOES have an international readership so it is possible.
Or, it’s just possible that this was just a random DDoS attack-in-the-making site attack because of where we are (in the US).
Groksters Steve and Mike, plus me, woke up to emails like this upon turning on our laptops (it started last night) – abridged for security reasons:
—— Original Message ——
From: <redacted>@granitegrok.com>
To: skip@granitegrok.com
Sent: 9/8/2022 1:30:21 AM
Subject: [redacted] granitegrok.com Increased Attack Rate
This email was sent from your website “Granite Grok” by <redacted> at Thursday 8th of September 2022 at 01:30:21 AM
<redacted>
The <redacted>Firewall has blocked 211 attacks over the last 10 minutes. Below is a sample of these recent attacks:September 8, 2022 5:30am [redacted] (Russian Federation) Blocked because the IP is blocklisted
September 8, 2022 5:30am [redacted] (Russian Federation) Blocked because the IP is blocklisted
September 8, 2022 5:30am [redacted] (Russian Federation) Blocked because the IP is blocklisted
September 8, 2022 5:30am [redacted] (Russian Federation) Blocked because the IP is blocklisted
September 8, 2022 5:30am [redacted] (Russian Federation) Blocked because the IP is blocklisted
September 8, 2022 5:30am [redacted] (Russian Federation) Blocked because the IP is blocklisted
September 8, 2022 5:30am [redacted] (Russian Federation) Blocked because the IP is blocklisted
September 8, 2022 5:29am [redacted] (Russian Federation) Blocked because the IP is blocklisted
September 8, 2022 5:29am [redacted] (Russian Federation) Blocked because the IP is blocklisted
September 8, 2022 5:29am [redacted] (Russian Federation) Blocked because the IP is blocklisted
And I have redacted the IP address. Let me add that it wasn’t just this one email but a whole bunch of emails warning us of the same thing. So yes, there are people who don’t like us, but we generally categorize them as being NH Democrats and Republicans (especially the latter) that don’t measure up to our standards but most of them, I’m sure, don’t have the skills to pull this off.
It’s par for the course, but we’ve not really done much, if anything, writing about the Ukrainian-Russian war provoked by that old white guy (smirk) Putin. Perhaps, in recognition that they are placing this “title” on us, we should.
After the primary and after the general election (and for me, “after Gunstock”), perhaps….we have much more local stuff that’s much more important.
Thanks for understanding!
The post Quick Thought: So, Putin’s Minions Don’t Like GraniteGrok? appeared first on Granite Grok.
A ninth Grade Merrimack High School “English” teacher (SAU 26) gave students a sheet with some expectations for the class. It included contact information, supplies needed, a course description, and a section titled ‘Class Policies.’
Let’s be clear. Being polite seems innocent enough, and a teacher asking kids to honor the wishes of fellow students on this subject is hardly compelled speech or an excessive request, but no one has a right to be called by the name of their choosing. Try it when asked by a police officer, the TSA, the bank, a Federal agent, or a thousand other likely scenarios (like on your college admissions or a student loan application).
Wanting to be called something else is not a right. It is a privilege, and your expectation may not meet up with reality. Get used to it, life is like that.
But you do have rights. No one can compel you to use a preferred pronoun. It is against the law and school policy to use intimidation or peer pressure (bullying) to make you do it.
When Mrs. Webster-Scribner (a totally awesome name for an English teacher, by the way) writes that “You are expected to use the names and pronouns of your classmates that they indicate,” she is implying that your speech can be compelled. You are expected to do it. Or what?
What does the student do, or the teacher, the class, or the school?
Are you made to feel different, weird, or outcast because you refuse to conform to someone else’s worldview about sex or gender (pronouns)?
Does that sound suspiciously like the argument they use to justify making you use preferred pronouns?
There are plenty of problems, but the default setting here is that it is acceptable to compel the speech of others. It is expected.
That’s not okay. Neither is being a total douchebag about it, in case you were wondering, but students have rights and should exercise them with polite persistence in the face of subtle acts of tyranny. Parents, school boards, and civics teachers (in particular) need to support and encourage it. Dissent against the system, if I recall, is supposed to be a hallmark of youth.
In this case, you are refusing to have your rights stomped on by someone else’s privilege – another mantra I think I’ve heard from people waving signs with fists painted on them.
Mrs. Webster-Scribner should change her class policy, or the district should do it for her. And if this social-injustice ferret has reared its head anywhere else in the classrooms of taxpayer-funded public educators, they should find and correct those as well.
Parents and lawyers are watching, and it is not the district’s money that will get spent if schools get sued. It is the taxpayer’s money.
Note: The last sentence was edited after publication. As written, it was not clear who was paying for what. I think I have corrected that.
The post Merrimack High School Teacher “Expects” Students to Use Preferred Pronouns appeared first on Granite Grok.
Such a pity Karoline Leavitt doesn’t share the life experience and sagacity of our leaders, say the flyers. Such as wise old Chuck Schumer, who gleefully called for violence against two supreme court judges, such a mature mensch! Or super “experienced” Alejandro Mayorkas, who thinks the border is “under control.”
He’s right, the border is under control –– the control of drug cartels, smugglers, human traffickers, and terrorists—just not his control. And then we have Janet Yellen, who’s actually had “experience” in financial issues but somehow believed that spending $1.9 trillion in a heated market would be “anti-inflationary.” And let’s not forget the dim bulb Jennifer Granholm who believes electricity originates from a wall socket and is, as we speak, searching for a magic wand to solve the energy crisis.
Meanwhile, deep down in the Pentagon, Old Mole Milley, with more fruit salad on his uniform than you’ll find in a Delmonte can, uses his “experience” to root out “white supremacists” in the military while recruitment dwindles along with our stockpile of weapons. And who can forget when Blinken-In-The-Headlights sat in stunned silence while Chinese officials ripped into him about racist America and our human rights record?
We want to thank Denis Lipman for this Op-Ed. If you have an Op-Ed or LTE
you would like us to consider, please submit it to Editor@GraniteGrok.com.
And last but certainly not least, this winning team is led by the nasty Joe Biden, our Janitor-In-Chief, who is using his 50 years of political and foreign policy “experience” to flush our country down the toilet.
So yes, Karoline Leavitt lacks the “experience” of the aforementioned hacks and I say, thank God for it! Unlike them, she has courage, the refreshing honesty of a straight shooter, and the raw energy of a prize fighter. She’ll be in our corner, fighting for Granite Staters from day one. Vote for Karoline on September 13 and vote for someone who won’t be swayed by the “experience” of aged fools.
The post Karoline Leavitt Lacks the Wisdom of the Aged––I Say, “Thank God!” appeared first on Granite Grok.
At first glance, you might not see how focusing on your business’s culture can help your bottom line. Still, changing your focus can help your investments pay off. The trick is to spend time measuring the return on different investments to see which works best for you. There are several ways you can invest in your culture.
Focus on BenefitsWhether it’s big or small, focusing on benefits and perks can make employees feel more valued. You could offer care packages for remote workers, snacks in the office, opportunities for volunteer work, and meals paid for by the business. Even small investments can pay off when made on a regular basis. Still, don’t let them take the place of bigger benefits. Whether it’s insurance or retirement benefits, make sure you are offering a comprehensive package. Many employees consider that part of their salary, and they may look elsewhere if you only offer the required basics. You may consider offering additional benefits they wouldn’t be able to get elsewhere. It can be expensive to focus on employees in this manner, but it’s often less expensive than recruiting new talent. One way of getting funding is by taking out a small business loan. Taking advantage of Accion Opportunity Fund business loans make it easy to build up your company culture.
Make ConnectionsAs remote work becomes the norm, employees have become more isolated and they may feel they lack connections. However, human connection is critical to survival. It’s important to look for ways for everyone to stay connected, even if the team lives in different parts of the world. Connections can build networks, allowing colleagues to bond with each other. When they have these bonds, they are more likely to stay at the organization.
Focus on Diversity, Equity, and InclusionOne of the best ways of investing in the culture is to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Make sure you are hiring people from a variety of backgrounds. When your team consists of people from many areas, innovative ideas will be created. You’ll need to assess your initiatives on a regular basis. Consider using internal surveys and artificial intelligence with your recruitment processes to remove bias and implement employee feedback. In terms of your brand and image create a solid advertising plan for your business that is driven from DEI so that you can show from the inside out, and this is an important initiative for you.
Add Value for EmployeesIt’s critical to help workers build relationships with each other outside the workplace. This can improve retention rates. Plus, when your employees enjoy working with each other, they will have greater overall satisfaction with work. Consider investing in activities to help build the team, even if it’s just engaging in small talk at the start of every team meeting. You don’t have to make a big investment here, but it requires consistency on your part. You should also make employees feel like they have a voice. It’s important to check in with them regularly, not just during the annual review. Consider following up on feedback on a regular basis so they know they are making a difference. It’s also important to focus on the initiatives you know are important to them.
The post Ways to Invest in Your Company Culture appeared first on Granite Grok.