Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting false U.S. intelligence claims that Russia placed bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan:

“It was all a lie. Politically motivated claims out of the US intelligence community published by their house organ, the New York Times, that Russia paid the Taliban bounties to kill US troops were lies.  These lies were used by the left with the Grey Lady’s imprimatur to politically attack then-President Donald Trump for his inaction against Russia.  The irresponsibility of this lie in particular is stunning as military escalations based upon deliberately false political attacks emanating from our spy agencies could have easily snowballed into a new nuclear cold war or worse – all due to the internal corruption and political weaponization of these agencies.

“Now, Joe Biden is escalating sanctions and taking other aggressive actions against the Russian government. Given the recent history of our politically motivated intelligence bureaucrats, Congress better demand full and complete briefings and if not 100 percent satisfied, tie Biden’s hands from taking any precipitous action.  We live in dangerous times, and the fact America cannot trust anything our spy agencies say makes it much more so.  Unfortunately, former CIA leaders like John Brennan have done incalculable damage to the agencies they were entrusted to lead as they pursued the political destruction of former President Donald Trump at any cost.  They cannot come back to us now with any credibility.”

For media availability, contact Catherine Mortensen at 703-478-4643 or cmortensen@getliberty.org

Fairfax, Va. – In response to congressional Democrats introducing legislation today that would add four more justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, boosting the number of justices on the bench from nine to 13, Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning issued the following statement:

“Today’s announcement that Democrat congressional leaders are going all-in on packing the Supreme Court is more evidence that the very slender, far-left Democrat majority intends to seize and maintain power using any tactic available, even if it means destroying the independence of the judicial branch of government.

“Given that court packing is now actively in play, every GOP Senator and House Member along with any rational Democrat members of Congress must push back by cosponsoring the Keep Nine constitutional amendment by Senator Ted Cruz (SJR 9) and Rep. Dusty Johnson (HJR 11).

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“The Keep Nine amendment has more than 100 House cosponsors and has gained unanimous support from the Republican National Committee, along with support from Rep. John Katko (R-NY), chair of the liberal Republican Governance Group as well as the support of Freedom Caucus Chairman, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and Republican Study Committee leader Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN). This broad-based conference-wide support demonstrates there is no disagreement about the need for the Keep Nine amendment which simply states, ‘The Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of nine Justices.’

“To date, not a single Democrat member of the House or Senate has cosponsored the amendment even though one of its original supporters was former Representative Colin Peterson (D-MN).

“This is important because Keep Nine is not a partisan issue. Recent polling by John McLaughlin shows that the Keep Nine amendment enjoys 62-18 percent support. Among voters with an opinion, overwhelming majorities of both Republicans and Democrats support the Keep Nine amendment.

“While many politicians are likely to publicly express skepticism about court packing that is not enough. Americans expect action rather than hollow words and there simply is no excuse not to cosponsor Senator Cruz ad Representative Johnson’s amendment.

“Americans for Limited Government strongly urges each Member of Congress, regardless of partisan affiliation, to reject this blatant politicization of the Supreme Court by taking a stand opposing court packing by cosponsoring the Keep Nine constitutional amendment.

“You cannot say you oppose court packing and not cosponsor of Keep Nine, a clear, straightforward amendment to the Constitution to prevent current and future attempts to politicize the Court by manipulating it’s make-up.”

For media availability contact Catherine Mortensen at 703-478-4643 or cmortensen@getliberty.org.

‘Co-sponsoring this legislation is the world’s biggest no-brainer’

Fairfax, Va. – Representative Jeff Duncan (R-SC) along with Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) have introduced legislation to remove Major League Baseball’s (MLB) federal antitrust protection in response to their hyper-partisan decision to move the 2021 MLB All-Star game and draft out of Atlanta, Georgia.

Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning issued the following statement today urging every member of Congress to co-sponsor the legislation:

“Americans for Limited Government supports ending the absurd exemption that Major League Baseball has from our nation’s antitrust laws, and every Member of Congress should immediately co-sponsor this important reform.

“Co-sponsoring this legislation is the world’s biggest no-brainer as the anti-trust exemption stems from a 1922 Supreme Court case where it was granted because Major League Baseball was viewed as a game rather than a business.  Ninety-nine years later, MLB has morphed into a business supported by a game with corporate advertising, licensing deals, broadcast rights, and taxpayer funded stadiums being primary drivers of the thirty cartel members (franchises).

“The value of these teams varies widely based upon their location and broadcast rights and stadium deals but the lowest valued (Miami Marlins) is still worth a billion dollars and the most valuable (New York Yankees) is worth nearly five billion dollars.  This cartel engages in profit sharing where both national broadcast rights fees are distributed, visiting teams get a portion of the ticket sales generated by their appearance, and those teams which exceed a set total player salary amount pay into a fund which is distributed to the teams which pay the least in salaries.  Additionally, the League negotiates with a players union without any fear of outside competition for player services by a competitive league due to the anti-trust exemption.

“Politics aside, there is no reason for Major League Baseball to retain this special exemption that only they enjoy and every American should embrace re-establishing competition into the marketplace of what was once America’s pastime.”

Currently, Lee, who serves as the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Antitrust Subcommittee has been joined by Cruz, Hawley, Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) as original co-sponsors.

On the House side, Rep. Duncan has secured 29 original co-sponsors: Jim Jordan (OH), Ralph Norman (SC), William Timmons (SC), Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA), Austin Scott (GA), Jody Hice (GA), Buddy Carter (GA), Rick Allen (GA), Andrew Clyde (GA), Chip Roy (TX), Louie Gohmert (TX), Randy Weber (TX), Brian Babin (TX), Pete Sessions (TX), Lance Gooden (TX), Paul Gosar (AZ), Andy Biggs (AZ), Jerry Carl (AL), Barry Moore (AL), Dan Bishop (NC), Yvette Herrell (NM), Greg Steube (FL), Mary Miller (IL), Claudia Tenney (NY), Scott Perry (PA), Rick Crawford (AR), Lauren Boebert (CO), Burgess Owens (UT), and Bob Good (VA).

Americans for Limited Government is urging Americans to contact their Member of Congress and support legislation to remove MLB’s antitrust exemption.

To take action, click here.

Fairfax, Va. – President Joe Biden today called for so-called red flag laws to prevent gun violence. These are laws that would put law-abiding Americans and members of law enforcement at risk.

Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning issued the following statement in opposition to Biden’s latest gun control push:

“Eleven months ago, America was stunned with violent riots in many of our cities after the shooting of Breonna Taylor.  Now the Biden-Harris administration is pushing for the Justice Department to expand so-called red flag laws, which will expand police late night raids on homes of people of all colors justified solely by the allegation that they have a firearm and they are dangerous.  Breonna Taylor died because the Louisville Police Department believed there was a dangerous suspect hiding in the house, causing the early morning raid and the ensuing tragedy.

“On September 23, 2020, candidate Joe Biden issued a statement on the case saying, ‘We know what is necessary. We need to start by addressing the use of excessive force, banning choke holds, and overhauling no-knock warrants.’

“A little more than six months later, President Biden’s red flag directive would expand the use of no-knock warrants and the likelihood of violent exchanges against people who have done nothing wrong and haven’t been afforded the opportunity to confront accusers in a court of law – a fundamental precept of our legal system.

“It is almost as if Biden not only doesn’t remember the name of Breonna Taylor, but has forgotten the very lessons that he lectured the rest of the country that needed to be learned. Of course, anyone surprised by this hypocrisy from the current occupant of the Oval Office hasn’t been paying attention for the past three months.”

For media availability, contact Catherine Mortensen at 703-478-4643 or cmortensen@getliberty.org.

Arizona first in the nation to formally oppose Pelosi’s vote rigging bill in Congress

Fairfax, Va. – Arizona has become the first state in the nation to formally oppose HR1/S1, Nancy Pelosi’s vote rigging bill.   In addition, Arizona is the first legislature to pass a ban on private funding of the administration of elections, something Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg did in 2020 through the Center for Technology and Civic Life.

Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning issued the following statement today in support of both Houses of the Arizona State Legislature passing  HB2569 and HCR2023.

“Americans for Limited Government applauds Arizona lawmakers for their bold action to protect election integrity. After the widespread voter fraud in last November’s presidential election, it is vitally important that we improve election security to restore faith in our elections moving forward.

“By denouncing HR 1, Nancy Pelosi’s Democrat vote-rigging bill, Arizona lawmakers are sending Congress a clear message that the state will not sanction election fraud.

“State Rep. Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) deserves special praise for spearheading this action, which we hope will serve as a model for legislators around the country.”

House Concurrent Resolution 2023 opposing HR1/S1 does not need the governor’s signature. Lawmakers will send a copy immediately to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Sen.  Mark Kelly (D-AZ), all members of the Arizona congressional delegation, and all speakers/presidents of the other 49 legislatures.

HB2569 now heads to the governor. The governor has 5 days to sign or veto the legislation. If he takes no action it becomes law at the end of the 5-day period.

HB 2569: Prohibits private funding of elections activities.

HCR 2023: A concurrent resolution opposing HR1 in the US Congress.

For media availability, contact Catherine Mortensen at 703-478-4643 or cmortensen@getliberty.org

Janet Yellen Has No Authority to Set Global Corporate Tax Rate

Fairfax, Va. – Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is proposing a minimum global corporate tax rate, to avoid, what she called, “a race to the bottom on corporate tax rates.” It is part of President Joe Biden’s broader proposals to raise U.S. corporate taxes from 21 percent to 28 percent. Yellin said, “We’re working with G20 nations to agree to a global minimum corporate tax rate that can stop the race to the bottom.”

Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning issued the following statement in reaction to Yellen’s announcement:

“Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s attempt to unilaterally create a minimum corporate tax around the world reveals a breathtaking ignorance of the separation of powers in the Constitution. The power of taxation is vested in Congress, according to Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. What’s more, one Congress cannot bind a future Congress when it comes to setting tax rates. Yellen has neither the power to impose a tax rate, nor the ability to create a long-term deal unless it is within the context of a treaty which must be ratified by a two-thirds majority of the Senate.

“The idea of setting a minimum tax rate for corporations will not stop corporate flight from high tax countries. One would think the treasury secretary would be busy printing money to cover the Biden spend-orama rather than seeking to make deals she doesn’t have the power to make.”

For media availability contact Catherine Mortensen at 703-478-4643, or cmortensen@getliberty.org.