June 28, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement concerning Democrats and media becoming suddenly aware of President Biden’s incapacity.

“If Democrats and the left-wing media are really concerned about the ability of President Biden to perform his duties as president, they should join the House of Representatives in demanding that Attorney General Merrick Garland release the complete, unedited tape of Biden’s interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur. Hur concluded based upon this interview that Biden was unfit to stand trial. The American public has an absolute right to hear this tape, and given how Biden’s condition has been covered up by the White House to date, the presumption should be that Hur is correct in his analysis that Biden is unfit.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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June 27, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising the Supreme Court’s ruling in Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) v. Jarkesy:

“The Jarkesy 6-3 ruling upends one of the administrative state’s central powers, to enforce regulations and fines without any trial or due process, specifically ending SEC’s decades-long practice of levying fines for securities fraud without jury trials. The right to be tried by a jury of your peers is a fundamental American freedom, and for decades, bureaucrats have served as prosecutor, judge and jury for those caught in their regulatory web. George Jarkesy fought back and as a result today, America is a little more free and closer to our constitutional principles.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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First Amendment in Peril

June 26, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting the Supreme Court’s ruling in Murthy v. Missouri:

“It is appalling that the Supreme Court failed to rein in the intelligence and law enforcement agencies’ abuse of individual First Amendment rights in the Murthy v. Missouri case. The contorted logic that those in the federal government who abused their power with the worst censorship operation in U.S. history should be protected under the guise that they did not voluntarily release enough details of their abuse for the plaintiffs to achieve standing, gives jet fuel to these agencies’ unchecked power to continue abusing the Constitution. Under former President Donald Trump, resisters in these same departments and agencies refused to release materials that the President ordered released via declassification with dire consequences.

“As it relates to the facts of this case, Trump should he win the election should order the release of all pertinent materials that enable will plaintiffs to incontrovertibly prove their censorship occurred, and if the agencies refuse, fire everyone involved. Additionally, the House of Representatives should subpoena all involved government parties and compel them to provide further documentation and testimony under oath. We agree with Justice Samuel Alito’s dissent which noted that the record had sufficient evidence to uphold the injunction, and that ‘The Court… shirks that duty and thus permits the successful campaign of coercion in this case to stand as an attractive model for future officials who want to control what the people say, hear, and think.’ The Supreme Court’s cowardice in the face of a direct assault by the federal government on First Amendment rights using Silicon Valley cutouts is a black mark on an institution that the left is seeking to destroy. We can only hope that when the case continues in the lower courts, the record can be further established as to be uncontestable.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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June 14, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to reports that Saudi Arabia beginning to accept payments in other currencies besides the U.S. dollar for oil:

“It is being widely reported that Saudi Arabia will begin accepting multiple different currencies in exchange for oil, presumably ending the U.S.-Saudi petrodollar agreement. Why does this matter? Because for the last fifty years, the Saudis only accepted the U.S. dollar for oil, forcing world governments to in part accumulate U.S. treasuries in order to purchase the one commodity that makes the world go round, black gold, Texas tea, as an old 60s sitcom called it.

“What is the practical effect? As the need to have U.S. dollars rather than Chinese yuan or Indian rupies or euros is negated, the world demand for U.S. Treasuries will go down. Each year, we sell around $9 trillion of treasuries to buyers around the world. The market for these is at least partially driven by the demand to purchase them with that demand partially created by the need to have them to transact business around the world.

“Now that the artificial oil demand is lessened, the allure of U.S. treasuries will be significantly more tied to the interest rate they pay. Less demand, more supply — due to an on-going $2 trillion deficit and rolling over maturing treasuries — equals higher interest payments on the debt. Higher interest payments on the debt equals higher annual deficits and more inflation due to the increased cost of borrowing. Needless to say this vicious cycle is bad for our nation’s short and mid-term economic outlook.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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June 12, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging that FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg be removed from his position immediately by President Joe Biden:

“Americans for Limited Government agrees with House Financial Services Committee Chairman McHenry that FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg must be fired immediately due to the widespread malfeasance and mismanagement at the agency detailed in the 200-page plus independent report requested by the FDIC Board of Directors.

“Gruenberg’s callous response that he will resign once someone else is put in place misses the entire point that system-wide change at the Agency is needed right now, not whenever someone else is approved to take the helm. When a ship is stuck on the shoals of employee abuse, the captain doesn’t get to call the shots – the captain gets replaced immediately. Gruenberg’s refusal to participate in today’s House Financial Services Committee hearing is a slap in the face to Congress and a sign of true cowardice in his refusal to face and respond to an inquiry about the abuse of employees at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under his watch as Chairman. Gruenberg is the problem and not the solution.

“It is telling that the Biden White House, which virtue signals non-stop on whatever is the latest social issue of the day, has failed to follow the President’s day-one promise to fire anyone immediately who disrespects – let alone abuses – their colleagues. As today’s hearing is proving, it is time for Gruenberg to go in order to begin reestablishing trust amongst the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation workforce. This is a test of whether Joe Biden will fire someone immediately who has overseen what Sen. Joni Ernst called an Animal House-like atmosphere at an agency that Americans trust to oversee our banking system. Failure to fire Gruenberg would mark just one more sad example of Joe Biden’s administration talking a big game, and shrinking back when it comes time to back it up. Martin Gruenberg should be fired today.

“Protecting our nation’s banking system is a big job.  It is a job that needs to be done without the distraction of sexual harassment, abuse of disabled employees, and intimidation. It is time for the Biden White House to fire Martin Gruenberg immediately and stop putting their political and policy agenda ahead of the need for a functioning Agency overseeing the nation’s banking system.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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June 7, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to the latest jobs numbers:

“Almost 30% of the nation’s job growth over the past twelve month comes from the growth of local, state and federal government hiring even though government only makes up 15% of everyone with jobs.  That’s right, out of the 2.1 million new jobs created over the past year according to the U.S. Department of Labor, 617,000 of them were government jobs.  According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, total government employment in May of 2024 reached an all-time high of 23,319,000, up about 1.5 million since Joe Biden took office with federal employment alone up more than 1.1 million.

“Hiring non-productive paper pushers and armed Internal Revenue Service agents don’t create wealth, but instead are a drag on the overall economy.  The irony is that one impact of draining the swamp in DC would be a jump in reported unemployment as the bloated federal bureaucracy would be trimmed. One thing no one should be surprised about is that Biden has significantly grown the size of the government workforce pouring money into the coffers of his government employee union benefactors.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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June 6, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting the imprisonment of Steve Bannon:

“The decision to revoke Steve Bannon’s bail and require him to report to prison by July 1 with his sentence set to end in early November is a stark reminder of the two-tier justice system.  Bannon’s ‘crime’ was filing an appeal based upon the mainstream legal theory that counselors to the President have a legal shield when it comes to providing official advice.  This shield is important as without it, outside advisors on foreign policy would be required to testify under penalty of perjury about whatever was discussed between them and the President. It is common and necessary for presidents to seek consultation with people outside of their administration, particularly as it pertains to political matters. After the Court ruled against Bannon’s immunity from interrogation, he agreed to appear before the laughable and reprehensible January 6 Committee of the House of Representatives, only to be told that they didn’t really want to hear from him, they wanted to jail him. Imagine a world where David Axelrod went to jail for not appearing before Congress to discuss political discussions he had with Barack Obama. That is the world that is being thrust upon us, as Steve Bannon’s decision to have the Court determine whether he was compelled to testify has resulted in his conviction and imprisonment.

“As someone who has cautioned against an eye for an eye approach to these political prosecutions, the imprisonment of top Trump White House advisor Peter Navarro, impending imprisonment of Steve Bannon, along with the kangaroo court conviction of former president Donald Trump demonstrates that those responsible for weaponizing the criminal justice system against their political enemies must be held to account.  The dangerous game being played by those who clearly have no fear of legal consequences due to their elite status protecting them from prosecution by their friends and wealthy neighbors is shredding any semblance of a politically blind justice system. Trust in an honest the judicial system is the most important American social contract holding our nation together and the Bannon imprisonment will provide more evidence that the very fabric that holds our nation together has been breached. As every person who has ever recited the Humpty Dumpty rhyme knows, once something is broken, it is impossible to put back together.

“For those who embrace ‘fundamental transformation’ of a country that valued a blindfolded justice system the damage done by the Obama-Biden lawfare may be their crowning achievement as the country which once had a judicial system that was the envy of the world has made banana republics shrink in horror at what it has become.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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May 30, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting the guilty verdict at the trial of former President Donald Trump in New York City:

“There is a statement that a prosecutor could indict a ham sandwich, but in New York City, the saying should be changed to a prosecutor and judge can convict a former president without presenting charges or allowing testimony to counter those charges.  The presumption of innocence does not apply to people doing business or living in New York City if they are not politically compliant. The rule of law which holds together the thin veneer of civilization has been shredded, let’s hope not permanently for the sake of what used to be American ideals.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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May 30, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising the unanimous Supreme Court decision in NRA v. Vullo:

“The left has used lawfare as a means to silence their political foes. The various cases against former president Donald Trump put an exclamation point on the abuse of this power.  But a little discussed, but almost as damaging to our republican form of government which depends upon debate amongst people with diverse opinions to thrive, was the effort by the state of New York to intimidate corporate partners with the National Rifle Association. The Supreme Court today unanimously decided in favor of the National Rifle Association in National Rifle Association v. Maria T. Vullo finding that the state of New York Department of Financial Services unlawfully disrupted and used intimidation to trample the NRA’s ability to partner with insurance companies who had exclusive rights to underwrite insurance products for NRA members.

“In an amicus brief by Advancing American Freedom which Americans for Limited Government joined, we argued that the government cannot accomplish by proxy what it cannot accomplish directly and the Court agreed.  It is hoped that the state of New York is hit with penalties that dwarf the absurd bail requirements imposed on former president Trump to send a message to all state and local government’s that there will be a massive price to pay for using their coercive powers to deny the rights of their political opponents.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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May 16, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging Congress to reject legislation by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.) that would sunset Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act:

“Congress is treading into dangerous territory with the announced sunset of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act being considered. Section 230 guarantees free speech on the internet. Without it, old-style bulletin boards like Free Republic and other alternative voices would have never been allowed to exist in the first place.

“Section 230 allows interactive computer services including e-commerce stores and other small businesses to operate without fear of liability from their user networks collectively consisting of millions of individuals, who also can freely post content, products and communicate with their peers. This is essential infrastructure for interstate commerce and for the free and open internet that the bill fails to offer any alternative for consideration.

“Before Congress acts, they need to understand that neither Truth Social, X nor Rumble would survive in their current forms if this bill passes. Passage of this legislation would have a chilling effect on free speech by demanding censorship of all non-government-sanctioned points of view.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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