John Thune – Freedom First Network https://freedomfirstnetwork.com There's a thin line between ringing alarm bells and fearmongering. Tue, 19 Nov 2024 13:29:39 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cropped-Square-32x32.jpg John Thune – Freedom First Network https://freedomfirstnetwork.com 32 32 178281470 The Four Paths for Matt Gaetz to Become the Next Attorney General https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/the-four-paths-for-matt-gaetz-to-become-the-next-attorney-general/ https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/the-four-paths-for-matt-gaetz-to-become-the-next-attorney-general/#respond Tue, 19 Nov 2024 13:29:39 +0000 https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/the-four-paths-for-matt-gaetz-to-become-the-next-attorney-general/ Former Congressman Matt Gaetz is facing strong headwinds as Donald Trump’s pick for Attorney General. It’s not just the usual suspects like Democrats and legacy media. He’s being hit hard by some in both conservative media and Republican lawmakers in Washington, DC.

Personally, I wholeheartedly support him for the role, and perhaps if it becomes necessary I’ll make the case for why I believe he’s ideal to take on the UniParty Swamp as the top law enforcement leader in the nation. But for now I just want to add clarity to the conversation because there seems to be a lot of confusion about what happens from here.

I discussed it in detail in a segment of my show (apologies for the backup YouTube link but I don’t have it posted on my Rumble channel yet):

For those who prefer to read rather than watch, here are the four paths for Gaetz to become Attorney General. I’ve put them in order from least to most ideal.

“Forced” Recess

There has been a lot of buzz about Speaker of the House Mike Johnson “forcing” the Senate into recess if upcoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune is unwilling or unable to adjourn for the required 10 days so Trump can make recess appointments.

What Johnson was referring to was a resolution calling for both chambers to adjourn. If the Senate does not want to adjourn, they can send back their edits to the resolution. If Johnson then denies the edits, the chambers are in a “state of disagreement” over adjourning. If that happens, then President Trump would decide when they adjourn and for how long.

If it sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is. This has never happened in Congress for a reason. All Thune has to do is… nothing. If he does not reply to Johnson’s resolution, it goes into limbo. Nothing happens other than Johnson being able to say he gave it his best shot.

Temporary Appointment

The Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 allows President Trump to appoint Gaetz as Attorney General in an “acting” role. This will give him full power over the Department of Justice and does not require the Senate’s advice or consent.

But it only lasts for 210 days. If President Trump nominates someone else during that time, then Gaetz can remain in the role until the Senate confirms the new Attorney General, but not longer than another 210 days.

This would give us 7-14 months with Attorney General Matt Gaetz. It’s better than nothing and a lot can be done in that time. But obviously it’s not ideal for those of us who want him to fill the role for at least four years.

Planned Recess

The option that most seem to be hoping for is a recess appointment made with a cooperative Senate and Senate Majority Leader adjourning for 11 days. This is what Trump called for before the secret GOP Senate leadership vote and all three contenders agreed to some extent.

Fast forward to today and this seems less likely, but I still think it could happen if Thune really is on Trump’s side and if he doesn’t see a path to confirmation. Gaetz can only afford to lose three GOP votes and some are saying ten or more Republican Senators are not committed to voting for him.

The reason this isn’t the most ideal scenario is because even though it’s faster than going through the confirmation process, it also opens the doors for lawfare to slow or even stop it. Trump wants the option available but he would prefer…

Senate Confirmation

A SPEEDY confirmation process for Gaetz and everyone else Trump appoints is the ideal scenario. Trump knows this which is why he’s been hitting the phones to stir up support among Republican Senators.

The risk here is if Thune works at Mitch McConnell’s speed. During Trump’s first term, McConnell was only able to confirm one of Trump’s picks before Inauguration Day. Compare that to Barack Obama and George W. Bush who both had key people in place with double-digit confirmations before they even stepped foot in the Oval Office.

I neither like nor trust Thune but he’s who we have so I’m going to give him the opportunity to prove me wrong about him. I hope and pray that he can buzz through confirmations and have Trump’s team in place early. If he can unify the caucus behind Gaetz, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and any of the other controversial picks, then Thune will earn my respect for now. If he pulls a McConnell and acts to subvert Agenda 47, then he will prove to be the UniParty Swamp creature that I believe him to be.

]]> https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/the-four-paths-for-matt-gaetz-to-become-the-next-attorney-general/feed/ 0 227698 Senate Majority Leader Disaster in the Making https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/senate-majority-leader-disaster-in-the-making/ https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/senate-majority-leader-disaster-in-the-making/#respond Mon, 11 Nov 2024 21:02:50 +0000 https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/senate-majority-leader-disaster-in-the-making/ Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is the UniParty Swamp’s last level of defense against MAGA. He’s the snake that slithers his way into conversations by pretending to be a Republican while subverting President Donald Trump’s agenda along the way. He’s one of the reasons Trump’s first term faced headwinds even with GOP control of the House, Senate, and White House.

But as bad as he is, Senator John Thune would be worse if he is selected as McConnell’s replacement. The secret ballot to determine who will lead the Senate next year is happening Sunday.

On today’s episode of The JD Rucker Show, I will explore why Thune is so bad, why Senator John Cornyn is almost as bad as Thune, and why Senator Rick Scott needs to be the guy. Scott isn’t perfect. Far from it. His embrace of Red Flag Gun Laws is conspicuous and concerning. But compared to his opponents, he’s exponentially better.

]]> https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/senate-majority-leader-disaster-in-the-making/feed/ 0 227585 In One Short đť•Ź Post, Rogan O’Handley Explains Why John Thune Must NOT Be Senate Majority Leader https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/in-one-short-%f0%9d%95%8f-post-rogan-ohandley-explains-why-john-thune-must-not-be-senate-majority-leader/ https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/in-one-short-%f0%9d%95%8f-post-rogan-ohandley-explains-why-john-thune-must-not-be-senate-majority-leader/#respond Mon, 11 Nov 2024 09:34:48 +0000 https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/in-one-short-%f0%9d%95%8f-post-rogan-ohandley-explains-why-john-thune-must-not-be-senate-majority-leader/ Senator John Thune appears to be in the driver’s seat to be the next Majority Leader, replacing his mentor and fellow compromised RINO Mitch McConnell. This would be disastrous for Donald Trump’s second term and therefore disastrous for America.

But it’s often hard to quantify for the general public why one Republican is better or worse than another. Senator Rick Scott appears to be the the consensus choice for MAGA influencers from Elon Musk to Dan Bongino, but we don’t get to vote. Instead, only Republican Senators vote and their votes are kept secret. Thus is the way of The Swamp.

MAGA influencer Rogan O’Handley posted an image on đť•Ź. The caption is spot on and the message couldn’t be more clear.

One of these men is an anti-Trump warmonger who wants to drag America into WW3.

The other is Zelensky.

Contact any and all Republican Senators whether in your state or not and tell them that John Thune (and John Cornyn, for that matter) would be horrible for Agenda 47. They already know this. They just need to know that YOU know this.

]]> https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/in-one-short-%f0%9d%95%8f-post-rogan-ohandley-explains-why-john-thune-must-not-be-senate-majority-leader/feed/ 0 227579 McConnell 2.0: Leaked Whip Count Points to Business as Usual for RINO-Controlled Senate https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/mcconnell-2-0-leaked-whip-count-points-to-business-as-usual-for-rino-controlled-senate/ https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/mcconnell-2-0-leaked-whip-count-points-to-business-as-usual-for-rino-controlled-senate/#comments Mon, 11 Nov 2024 03:10:57 +0000 https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/mcconnell-2-0-leaked-whip-count-points-to-business-as-usual-for-rino-controlled-senate/ It was fun while it lasted. After a series of feel-good news pieces since Election Night, we have what may be our first bit of major bad news.

A list purported to be the internal Whip numbers for GOP Senators voting for Senate Majority Leader was leaked Sunday night and paints the worst-case scenario for MAGA. If it’s real, then John Thune, the man Mitch McConnell has been grooming as his replacement for years, is in the driver’s seat to become the most powerful Senator.

Many MAGA influencers, including Elon Musk and Dan Bongino, have backed Rick Scott as the Trump ally to take the role. RINO Senators John Thune and John Cornyn are the Establishment’s picks. Some of us have hoped that they would split the Establishment vote and leave Scott in the lead, but apparently there are even fewer patriots in the Senate than some of us thought.

According to a post by Benny Johnson:

A GOP Senate Source has leaked the internal whip-count for the Leadership Vote. The final votes will be on a secret ballot Wednesday.

Here is where the race stands now…

  • Cornyn (18)
  • Scott (11)
  • Thune (24)
  • Banks – Thune
  • Barrasso – Thune
  • Blackburn – Thune
  • Boozman – Cornyn
  • Britt – Cornyn
  • Budd – Cornyn
  • Capito – Cornyn
  • Cassidy – Thune
  • Collins – Thune
  • Cornyn – Cornyn
  • Cotton – Thune
  • Cramer – Thune
  • Crapo – Cornyn
  • Cruz – Thune
  • Curtis – Thune
  • Daines – Thune
  • Ernst – Cornyn
  • Fischer – Cornyn
  • Graham – Cornyn
  • Grassley – Cornyn
  • Hagerty – Scott
  • Hawley – Cornyn
  • Hoeven – Thune
  • Hyde-Smith – Cornyn
  • Johnson – Scott
  • Justice – Thune
  • Kennedy – Cornyn
  • Lankford – Cornyn
  • Lee – Scott
  • Lummis – Thune
  • Marshall – Scott
  • McConnell – Thune
  • McCormick – Cornyn
  • Moran – Cornyn
  • Moreno – Scott
  • Mullin – Thune
  • Murkowski – Thune
  • Paul – Scott
  • Ricketts – Cornyn
  • Risch – Cornyn
  • Rounds – Thune
  • Rubio – Scott
  • Schmitt – Scott
  • Scott (FL) – Scott
  • Scott (SC) – Thune
  • Sheehy – Thune
  • Sullivan – Thune
  • Tillis – Thune
  • Thune – Cornyn
  • Tuberville – Scott
  • Vance – Scott
  • Wicker – Thune
  • Young – Thune

Proposed “Community Notes” for the post suggest it may not be real because Thune is allegedly not voting for himself and J.D. Vance is on the list. If it’s fake, it’s a very strong fake because there are no surprises on the list. Everyone who has announced their vote for Scott is where they belong. Those listed as voting for Thune or Cornyn jibe with what we know from their histories, including the cowardly, self-serving “patriots” like Tim Scott and Ted Cruz who want to be in the good graces of Thune.

It’s conspicuous that thus far, no Senators have come out to declare the list is inaccurate.

On a personal note, I’m not as bullish about Scott as others. But compared to Thune or Cornyn, he’s far better which is why I support him. In lieu of someone like Rand Paul or Ron Johnson getting the nod, Scott would be fine.

If the list pans out and Thune is selected, it will not bode well for America. He is anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, and fully compromised by every special interest out there. The list of groups who “own” Thune include Big Pharma, Ukraine, and the Military Industrial Complex. Let’s pray Scott can pull off an upset.

]]> https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/mcconnell-2-0-leaked-whip-count-points-to-business-as-usual-for-rino-controlled-senate/feed/ 1 227567 Senator Mike Lee Has an Idea for Senate Majority Leader: J.D. Vance https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/senator-mike-lee-has-an-idea-for-senate-majority-leader-j-d-vance/ https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/senator-mike-lee-has-an-idea-for-senate-majority-leader-j-d-vance/#comments Sat, 09 Nov 2024 05:49:47 +0000 https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/senator-mike-lee-has-an-idea-for-senate-majority-leader-j-d-vance/ With Republicans taking back control of the Senate and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell finally stepping down, three Senators have emerged as possible Majority Leaders.

Two of them are RINOs—John Thune and John Cornyn—while Rick Scott may not have the support to prevent either “McConnell 2.0” from ascending.

Senator Mike Lee has a plan. Well, it’s really just a theory combined with a wish, but it has a lot of conservatives wanting to sprinkle any fairy dust they can find on it so they can make it come true. The “John Adams Plan” would have Vice-President-Elect J.D. Vance ascend to the role of Senate Majority Leader while also fulfilling his duties as President of the Senate.

Crazier ideas have been put forth. Here’s what Senator Lee recently posted on đť•Ź:

Here’s the point I was making:

Regardless of who Senate Republicans elect as the new majority leader, @JDVance will be the president of the Senate, and as such will be in a good position to lead the Senate GOP—to whatever extent and in whatever way he chooses to do so

In that respect, @JDVance doesn’t have to run to be the Senate’s GOP leader

He already did

And he won

So regardless of who might become the majority leader—a position we need to fill from among Republican senators—@JDVance could still “pull a John Adams,” and thus become the highest-ranking & most-influential Republican in the Senate

“Constitutional Scholars” have emerged on đť•Ź to try to shoot down the idea but here’s the thing. The Senate Majority Leader isn’t even a Constitutional role. It is part of the Senate’s own internal rules so giving Vance “side job” as Majority Leader while also retaining his VP role as President of the Senate seems viable.

Having the presidency and retaining control of the House are obviously important if we’re to see Donald Trump’s full agenda fulfilled, but handing the reins of the Senate over to Thune or Cornyn will greatly hamper the agenda. Both have interests that are often opposed to the America First policies Trump wants to sign. With a Democrat-leaning Senate map coming up in the midterms, it appears likely that Trump will only have two years to complete his mission unhampered.

Either Thune or Cornyn would hamper that mission.

Senator Lee’s plan is gaining traction among conservative media heavy hitters. Both Charlie Kirk and Glenn Beck endorsed the plan Friday:

A poll posted by Senator Lee on đť•Ź shows Scott as the favorite among the conservative base.

Meanwhile, leftist corporate media has been attacking Senator Scott. Axios posted an article Thursday claiming that Trump didn’t feel Scott was a good Senate Majority Leader candidate. It cited anonymous sources, of course, but Google searches for Scott taking the role showed the Axios headline up top. That is often enough to spread a false narrative and damage sentiment toward Scott.

Conservative thought leaders on đť•Ź are lining up behind Scott.

President Trump’s first term was subverted by Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan. He will be subverted again if “McConnell 2.0” is running the Senate. J.D. Vance or Rick Scott as Senate Majority Leader would put Trump’s agenda into overdrive.

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