Midday rundown: Deadly winter weather, Santos steps down, US’ No. 1 problem

RAY BOGAN: 40 MILLION PEOPLE ARE UNDER WINTER WEATHER ALERTS; CONGRESSMAN GEORGE SANTOS STEPS DOWN FROM HIS COMMITTEES; AND THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN – THE GOVERNMENT IS THIS COUNTRY’S NUMBER ONE PROBLEM. 

THIS IS STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS. UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS.

WINTER WEATHER GROUNDS PLANES, KILLS 1

MORE THAN 40 MILLION PEOPLE ARE UNDER WINTER WEATHER ALERTS AS AN ICE STORM POUNDS THE MIDWEST. THE SNOW, ICE AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE WORKING THEIR WAY NORTHEAST FROM TEXAS AND ARKANSAS, ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH TENNESSEE TO PENNSYLVANIA. THESE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO LAST FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER 48 HOURS. 

POLICE THROUGHOUT THE REGION ARE WARNING PEOPLE TO STAY OFF THE ICY ROADS. THERE HAVE BEEN HUNDREDS OF ACCIDENTS IN MULTIPLE STATES, INCLUDING ONE FATAL CRASH IN TEXAS. 

FLIGHT DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS ARE ALSO ADDING UP. ACCORDING TO FLIGHT AWARE, MORE THAN 1,200 FLIGHTS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED AND 1,700 DELAYED. DALLAS’ TWO BIG AIRPORTS, D-F-W AND LOVE FIELD, ARE THE MOST IMPACTED. 

SANTOS STEPPING DOWN FROM COMMITTEES

CONGRESSMAN GEORGE SANTOS, WHO ADMITTED TO LYING ABOUT NEARLY EVERY ASPECT OF HIS LIFE, IS STEPPING DOWN FROM HIS CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS. 

HE INFORMED FELLOW HOUSE REPUBLICANS OF HIS DECISION THIS MORNING. BUT THERE IS STILL NO INDICATION THAT HE WILL RESIGN DESPITE CONTINUED CALLS TO DO SO FROM HIS CONSTITUENTS AND MEMBERS OF HIS OWN PARTY. SANTOS IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY PROSECUTORS IN NEW YORK AND THE HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE FOR POSSIBLY LYING ON HIS CAMPAIGN FINANCE FORMS. HERE’S WHAT HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP SAID THIS MORNING. 

REP. ELISE STEFANIK, R-NY: “Again this process is going to play itself out. I’ve already commented on this numerous times and again it’s going to play itself out. But ultimately voters are going to make that decision. Whether it’s in the primary election or general election. “

HOUSE SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY HAD BEEN UNDER PRESSURE TO REMOVE SANTOS FROM COMMITTEES, ESPECIALLY AFTER HE TOOK CONGRESSMEN ADAM SCHIFF AND ERIC SWALWELL OFF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE. 

CHINA WARNS MCCARTHY TO SKIP TAIWAN

ON FOREIGN POLICY, SPEAKER MCCARTHY HAS BEEN WARNED BY CHINA’S FOREIGN MINISTRY NOT TO VISIT TAIWAN. THE CHINESE SAY A VISIT BY THE SPEAKER WOULD VIOLATE THE U-S’S LONG STANDING ONE CHINA POLICY. IT’S BEEN REPORTED THAT THE PENTAGON IS MAKING PREPARATIONS FOR MCCARTHY TO GO THERE LATER THIS YEAR. SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI VISITED TAIWAN IN AUGUST. AFTER HER VISIT, CHINA BEGAN A WEEK OF MILITARY DRILLS THAT SURROUNDED THE ISLAND. 

DEATH TOLL FROM PAKISTAN BOMBING GROWS

NOW AN UPDATE TO A STORY FROM YESTERDAY. AT LEAST 100 PEOPLE ARE DEAD AND 225 ARE WOUNDED AFTER A TERRORIST ATTACK IN PAKISTAN. A SUICIDE BOMBER DETONATED AN EXPLOSIVE VEST INSIDE A MOSQUE. SOME WERE KILLED AND INJURED DURING THE INITIAL EXPLOSION AND WHEN THE ROOF COLLAPSED. THE PAKISTANI TALIBAN INITIALLY CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ATTACK, BUT A SPOKESPERSON LATER WALKED IT BACK SAYING IT IS NOT THEIR POLICY TO ATTACK MOSQUES. THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN VIOLENCE SINCE THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION CALLED OFF A CEASE-FIRE WITH GOVERNMENT FORCES IN NOVEMBER. THE MOSQUE WAS LOCATED INSIDE A SECURE POLICE COMPOUND. MOST OF THE VICTIMS WERE MEMBERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. 

LICENSES FOR UNDOCUMENTED CALIFORNIA IMMIGRANTS

IN 2015, CALIFORNIA ENACTED A LAW THAT ALLOWS IMMIGRANTS IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY TO OBTAIN A DRIVERS LICENSE. NOW, SEVEN YEARS LATER, MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE IN THE STATE HAVE OBTAINED WHAT’S CALLED AN AB60 LICENSE. THE PROGRAM IS BEING EXPANDED THIS MONTH TO ALSO PROVIDE STATE ID’S TO THOSE WHO DON’T DRIVE OR CAN’T TAKE A DRIVERS TEST LIKE THE ELDERLY OR DISABLED. 

THE LICENSES AND ID’S ARE ONLY RECOGNIZED AT THE STATE LEVEL, THEY CANNOT BE USED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. NOR DOES IT GIVE ANYONE THE RIGHT TO VOTE, WORK OR RECEIVE PUBLIC BENEFITS. THEY CAN BE OBTAINED AT THE DMV BY PROVIDING A PASSPORT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS LIKE IMMIGRATION FORMS, MEDICAL BILLS OR EMPLOYMENT PAPERS. CALIFORNIA IS ONE OF 19 STATES THAT ALLOW ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO GET A DRIVERS LICENSE. 

NOW THIS STORY HAS BEEN MAINLY COVERED BY NEWS ORGANIZATIONS THAT LEAN RIGHT, AND HAS NOT BEEN WIDELY PICKED UP BY ORGANIZATIONS THAT LEAN LEFT. ON OUR WEBSITE, WE HAVE A MEDIA MISS TOOL THAT SHOWS WHAT LIBERAL AND CONSERVATIVE OUTLETS ARE COVERING AND WHAT THEY AREN’T. SO IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN CHECKING THAT OUT, HEAD TO STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.COM

AMERICANS: ‘GOVERNMENT IS #1 PROBLEM’

YOU MAY REMEMBER BEFORE THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS, AMERICANS SAID THEIR BIGGEST CONCERN WAS THE ECONOMY. WELL, NOT ANYMORE! ACCORDING TO A NEW GALLUP POLL, THE GOVERNMENT AND POOR LEADERSHIP IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM FACING THIS COUNTRY TODAY. IN A SURVEY OF U.S. ADULTS, 21% SAID THE GOVERNMENT IS THE TOP PROBLEM, FOLLOWED BY INFLATION AND IMMIGRATION. DISPLEASURE WITH LEADERSHIP IS BIPARTISAN, BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS SAID IT WAS THEIR TOP ISSUE.