Louisiana – American Conservative Movement https://americanconservativemovement.com American exceptionalism isn't dead. It just needs to be embraced. Sun, 11 Aug 2024 21:41:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://americanconservativemovement.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cropped-America-First-Favicon-32x32.png Louisiana – American Conservative Movement https://americanconservativemovement.com 32 32 135597105 Woke Judge Gets Suspended for Being an Unhinged Social Justice Warrior https://americanconservativemovement.com/woke-judge-gets-suspended-for-being-an-unhinged-social-justice-warrior/ https://americanconservativemovement.com/woke-judge-gets-suspended-for-being-an-unhinged-social-justice-warrior/#respond Sun, 11 Aug 2024 21:41:10 +0000 https://americanconservativemovement.com/?p=210387 The Louisiana Supreme Court has temporarily removed 19th Judicial District Judge Eboni Johnson Rose from her elected post, citing concerns that she poses a “substantial threat of serious harm to the public” amid a formal investigation by the Louisiana Judiciary Commission. The Court’s decision, made in a 5-2 ruling, comes in the wake of allegations of misconduct in four separate criminal cases.

Among the alleged transgressions, Judge Rose has been accused of accusing the District Attorney’s office of targeting young black men and using a racial slur during a sidebar conversation. In response to these allegations, Rose’s attorneys have described her as “exceptionally remorseful” and claimed that her actions were an “extreme aberration” from her character.

The Louisiana Judiciary Commission has expressed deep concern over Judge Rose’s alleged succession of legal errors in criminal cases and her use of a racial slur, stating that these actions may pose a threat to the public and the administration of justice.

Judge Rose has acknowledged that she performed poorly in some of the cases in question, but has maintained that her actions were the result of unintentional mistakes and oversights rather than deliberate indifference or bad faith.

The investigation into Judge Rose’s conduct is ongoing, and her attorney, James Clary Jr., has stated that she will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation.

“We have nothing but respect for the Supreme Court’s processes and rules,” Clary said. “At the end of this, we want to be better.”

The Louisiana Supreme Court’s decision to suspend Judge Rose is a rare move, with the Court acknowledging that there is no direct precedent for such an action under similar circumstances. However, the Court has determined that the allegations against Judge Rose are serious enough to warrant her removal from the bench on an interim basis.

Judge Rose’s suspension will remain in effect until the investigation by the Louisiana Judiciary Commission is complete and a final decision is made regarding her conduct.

Article generated from corporate media reports.

]]>
https://americanconservativemovement.com/woke-judge-gets-suspended-for-being-an-unhinged-social-justice-warrior/feed/ 0 210387
Firm Tied to China’s Military Industrial Complex Plans to Roll Out Massive Battery Chemical Plants in US https://americanconservativemovement.com/firm-tied-to-chinas-military-industrial-complex-plans-to-roll-out-massive-battery-chemical-plants-in-us/ https://americanconservativemovement.com/firm-tied-to-chinas-military-industrial-complex-plans-to-roll-out-massive-battery-chemical-plants-in-us/#respond Mon, 18 Mar 2024 14:41:14 +0000 https://americanconservativemovement.com/?p=202016 (DCNF)—The Chinese manufacturer of chemicals for electric vehicle batteries planning to build two U.S. factories has long-standing ties to China’s military industrial complex, a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation found.

Capchem Technology USA, the wholly-owned subsidiary of China-based Shenzhen Capchem Technology (Capchem), plans to build factories in both Ohio and Louisiana that would produce components for electric vehicle batteries. Chinese government documents reveal the Chinese chemical giant was selected over a decade ago to conduct aerospace research for China’s military industrial complex as part of a program overseen by a blacklisted Chinese government agency.

Corporate reports show the company, as recently as 2023, received payments from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology — a government agency spearheading the Chinese government’s so-called “Military-Civil Fusion” efforts.

“This network of [Chinese Communist Party] military-linked companies proliferating across the United States is a great example of why blind economic engagement with China is a national security threat,” Bryan Burack, senior policy advisor for China and the Indo-Pacific at the Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center, told the DCNF.

The DCNF’s investigation is based, in part, on information provided by the Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action.

Capchem specializes in manufacturing chemicals for electric vehicle batteries, and for years, the firm has advertised its products’ military uses in annual reports and online. Indeed, until very recently, the firm’s website boldly stated its products were used in “high-end military equipment.”

Yet, Capchem denied supplying the Chinese military, and the reference to “high-end military equipment” was scrubbed from the firm’s website within 24 hours of the DCNF reaching out for comment.

Capchem “does not have products used by Chinese military, or any other military organizations,” a spokesperson told the DCNF.

“When the English/U.S. website was developed, the ‘military’ reference was inadvertently included,” the spokesperson said. “You brought it to the company’s attention, and it was removed just as it had been in the Chinese version in 2020.”

However, the military reference also appeared on Capchem’s Chinese-language website when the DCNF reached out for comment. The reference on Capchem’s Chinese-language site appears to have been removed around the same time as their English-language was being scrubbed.

Capchem business filings and corporate announcements from 2023, along with Chinese financial service research reports from as recent as January 2024, also note the firm’s products had military applications.

Capchem’s work with China’s military industrial complex extends back to at least 2012. That year, the Guangdong province Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced Capchem was one of 70 companies selected to serve as a “Guangdong Provincial National Defense Science And Technology Industry Military-Civil Fusion Superior Work Unit.”

The work unit focused on “critical components within the aerospace field,” including “space flight-grade, high-reliability and core electronic components, high-end general chips, base software, etcetera,” the 2012 Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announcement reads.

The project was overseen by China’s Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, which is “under direct supervision of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology,” and responsible for “nuclear weapons, aerospace technology, aviation, armament, watercraft and electronic industries,” according to China’s State Council.

China’s “Military-Civil Fusion strategy supports the modernization goals of the People’s Liberation Army by ensuring it can acquire advanced technologies and expertise developed by PRC companies, universities, and research programs that appear to be civilian entities,” according to the U.S. Defense Department.

Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi recently sent a letter to the Treasury and Defense departments noting the U.S. government’s blacklist of Chinese military companies extends to companies working with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

“Among other qualifying considerations, a company is a ‘military civil fusion contributor’ if such company is ‘affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, including research partnerships and projects,’” the lawmakers wrote in January 2024. “The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology was formed in 2008 and is key to the PRC’s military-civil fusion strategy.”

Capchem’s annual reports show the firm has received millions of dollars in payments from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology since 2017. The ministry paid the firm approximately $1.5 million for an “Industrial Foundation Project” in 2017, according to Capchem’s annual report for that year.

Capchem’s most recent annual report shows the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology had a subsidy of just under $1 million earmarked for the firm at the end of the 2023 mid-term reporting period.

Despite this, Capchem initially denied getting any “money/subsidies/donations from the Chinese government” in an email to the DCNF, though a spokesperson did say the firm had received “economic development tax incentives.”

However, the spokesperson changed their tune when the DCNF pointed to the firm’s own annual reports.

“The last time the company received any Chinese government subsidies besides standard incentives or awards provided for all eligible companies was between 2016 and 2018,” the spokesperson said. “Any reference to subsidies in company reports apply to those received during that time. The company has received no such subsidies since 2018.”

Capchem’s corporate reports list $26 million in subsidies from various Chinese government entities. The company’s 2023 mid-term report lists roughly $10 million worth of new government subsidies in a section labeled “Programs Involving Government Subsidies.”

Heritage’s Burack said Capchem has been “subsidized by the Chinese government” and “manufactures for China’s military.”

“There’s no question who these companies really work for,” Burack said. “There’s no such thing as a private Chinese company.”

‘Aerospace And Military Industries’

Capchem has long advertised the dual military-civilian use for its products. For instance, Capchem’s 2009 annual report touted how the company’s products are used in “aerospace and military industries.”

The vice president of Capchem’s research institute, Liu Zhongbo, discussed the military application of the company’s sodium-ion batteries at a July 2023 battery forum in Jiangsu province.

“Lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion batteries are representative of new battery types serving as an important foundation for supporting the wide application of new energy sources in the domains of electricity, transportation, communication, military, etcetera,” Liu said during the event, according to Capchem’s website.

“In the future, Capchem will closely follow the national strategy to support the mass production of sodium-ion batteries,” Liu said.

More recently, a January 2024 research report from Chinese financial service firm Huaan Securities identified Capchem’s “fluorinated polyimide” product as being used in the nuclear industry and by the military, and the firm’s “perfluoropolyether oil” product’s use in aerospace landing gear, rudders and aircraft control mechanisms.

‘Security Risks’

Capchem’s plans to expand their U.S. footprint come as federal and state officials move to prohibit the ownership of U.S. land by Chinese entities. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson recently issued an executive order in January 2024 banning entities tied to China from purchasing agricultural land within 10 miles of any “critical military facilities” in the state.

Capchem USA is planning on building an approximately $120 million factory in Lawrence County, Ohio, Capchem announced in June 2023. County commissioners recently approved a 50% tax abatement for Capchem USA’s facility, the Herald Dispatch reported. The facility will serve as a “production facility for the manufacturing of battery chemicals,” according to Capchem.

Capchem USA is also considering a $350 million plant in Louisiana, according to Louisiana Economic Development, a government agency.

Ohio Republican Rep. Brad Wenstrup’s congressional district includes Lawrence County. Barbara Boland, Wenstrup’s press secretary, told the DCNF that the congressman has “warned of the potential security risks to our supply chains, intellectual property and national security posed by Chinese-owned companies operating in the U.S.”

“Congressman Wenstrup recommends local governments and those pursuing economic development opportunities to fully vet any companies seeking to establish a footprint in their communities,” Boland said.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].

]]>
https://americanconservativemovement.com/firm-tied-to-chinas-military-industrial-complex-plans-to-roll-out-massive-battery-chemical-plants-in-us/feed/ 0 202016
Red State Legislature Kills Bill That Targets CRT, Diversity Initiatives in Schools https://americanconservativemovement.com/red-state-legislature-kills-bill-that-targets-crt-diversity-initiatives-in-schools/ https://americanconservativemovement.com/red-state-legislature-kills-bill-that-targets-crt-diversity-initiatives-in-schools/#respond Thu, 01 Jun 2023 18:36:06 +0000 https://americanconservativemovement.com/?p=193151 DCNFLawmakers in the GOP-controlled Louisiana State Legislature killed a bill on Wednesday that would have required K-12 schools and higher education institutions to submit a report to the state detailing all its critical race theory (CRT) and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

The Louisiana state House Committee on Education voted 6-5 against House Resolution 13 which would mandate that K-12 schools and higher education institutions report how much they spend on CRT and DEI programs. The legislation aimed to examine what resources were being spent on such initiatives because “activities offered by the state’s education institutions merit further examination,” Republican state Rep. Valarie Hodges, the sponsor of the bill, told The Associated Press.

Opponents of the bill called the legislation “unnecessary” and questioned why some lawmakers want to crack down on CRT and DEI initiatives, the AP reported. “Forget the money,” Democratic state Rep. Tammy Phelps said to Hodges, according to the AP. “What is your problem with inclusion?”

Monty Sullivan, president of Louisiana’s Community and Technical College System, testified against the legislation calling it a “racist instrument,” the Gambit, a Louisiana-based outlet, reported.

“I cannot go against something that I was a part of establishing,” Republican state Rep. Vincent St. Blanc, who helped hire Sullivan for his role at the college system, said, according to the Gambit. “I have a big problem with this [resolution], and I’m going to do the right thing.”

 Throughout the nation lawmakers are pushing bills that limit CRT and DEI in K-12 schools and higher education institutions; in Texas, lawmakers have entered a special session to consider several bills after a CRT ban failed in the regular session. The North Carolina General Assembly is considering a bill that would prohibit lessons on the tenets of CRT from being taught in the state’s K-12 public schools.

“Basically all it does… it’s seeking transparency and clarification on how, if at all, the concepts of DEI, SEL [social emotional learning] and CRT are being implemented,” Hodges told the Daily Advertiser, a Louisiana-based outlet. “Basically the report is just requesting that we could have this information to have a clearer picture of what’s being done.”

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].

]]>
https://americanconservativemovement.com/red-state-legislature-kills-bill-that-targets-crt-diversity-initiatives-in-schools/feed/ 0 193151
‘It Would Destroy the Economy’: State Divests From ‘Woke’ BlackRock https://americanconservativemovement.com/it-would-destroy-the-economy-state-divests-from-woke-blackrock/ https://americanconservativemovement.com/it-would-destroy-the-economy-state-divests-from-woke-blackrock/#respond Fri, 07 Oct 2022 05:56:48 +0000 https://americanconservativemovement.com/?p=182650 Blasting BlackRock’s promotion of green energy as an economy killer, Louisiana Treasurer John Schroder informed CEO Larry Fink that the state planned to liquidate the company’s investments and divest nearly $800 million from its money market, mutual and exchange-traded funds.

“Your blatantly anti-fossil fuel policies would destroy Louisiana’s economy,” Schroder wrote to Fink in the letter first obtained by FOX Business.

“This divestment is necessary to protect Louisiana from actions and policies that would actively seek to hamstring our fossil fuel sector,” Shroder said.

The treasurer said BlackRock’s investment in ESG – environmental, social and governance – “is inconsistent with the best economic interests and values of Louisiana.”

“I cannot support an institution that would deny our state the benefit of one of its most robust assets,” he continued.

“Simply put, we cannot be party to the crippling of our own economy.”

Ultimately, he said, BlackRock will “take food off tables, money out of pockets and jobs away from hardworking Louisianans.”

Oil is Louisiana’s largest sector, drilling the second-most oil and third-most natural gas in the nation, according to the Energy Information Administration. The primary objective of the ESG movement is push companies to a “net-zero” transition from oil to alternatives such as wind and solar.

But Will Hild, the executive director of Consumer’s Research, told FOX Business “the seeds of today’s energy crisis were planted by BlackRock and others in their reckless abandonment of their fiduciary duty to cozy up to radical, woke politicians.”

“We are glad to see the Treasurer working to put an end to their economic vandalism.”

West Virginia led the way, in July, in punishing banks that pursue ESG standards. And, along with Louisiana, 11 other states told FOX Business are planning to take similar actions. Asked for comment, BlackRock pointed FOX Business to a letter it sent to 19 Republican attorneys general Sept. 7.

“We are disturbed by the emerging trend of political initiatives that sacrifice pension plans’ access to high-quality investments – and thereby jeopardize pensioners’ financial returns,” the firm wrote to the state officials on Sept. 7.

Content created by the WND News Center is available for re-publication without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].

Article cross-posted from WND News Center.

]]>
https://americanconservativemovement.com/it-would-destroy-the-economy-state-divests-from-woke-blackrock/feed/ 0 182650