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PA Teachers Union Accused of Laundering $1.5 Million into Democrat Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2022 Campaign

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The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) and the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) are facing serious allegations from the Freedom Foundation, which has filed multiple complaints with state and federal authorities. According to a recent press release from the organization, the PSEA is accused of executing an illegal scheme during the 2022 Pennsylvania general election, allegedly using nearly $1.5 million in teachers’ union dues to support then-candidate Josh Shapiro’s gubernatorial campaign.

The Freedom Foundation claims that Pennsylvania campaign finance and collective bargaining laws explicitly prohibit unions from using their general treasury funds to contribute to political candidates. Despite this, the complaints allege that the PSEA made two significant contributions from its general treasury to the Fund for Student Success (FSS), a political fund operated by the union. These contributions were then purportedly funneled to the DGA in May 2022, which heavily supported Shapiro’s campaign.

Further allegations suggest that these transactions were not publicly disclosed as mandated by the Pennsylvania Election Code. The PSEA reportedly failed to register the FSS as a political committee with the Department of State, thereby not disclosing any contributions or expenditures, including the two significant contributions to the DGA. Although the DGA has registered as a political committee and files the necessary disclosures, it allegedly did not report receiving the two contributions from the FSS.

Maxford Nelsen, the Freedom Foundation’s director of research and government affairs, criticized the PSEA’s actions, stating, “PSEA’s scheme to secretly launder nearly $1.5 million in members’ dues through the Democratic Governors Association to support Josh Shapiro’s 2022 candidacy appears to have violated both an array of Pennsylvania laws and the Internal Revenue Code.” Nelsen added that PSEA executives showed contempt for both their members and Commonwealth law, deceiving Pennsylvania teachers about how their union dues were used.

Filed Complaints

The Freedom Foundation has filed three detailed complaints:

  1. Pennsylvania Election Code Violations: Alleging violations of the Election Code and certain criminal statutes by the PSEA, FSS, and DGA. This complaint has been submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of State, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and the Dauphin County District Attorney.
  2. Public Employee Relations Act Violations: Filed with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board, alleging violations of the Public Employee Relations Act by PSEA.
  3. Fraudulent Tax Return: This complaint, alleging that the FSS submitted a fraudulent 2022 tax return, has been filed with the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Philadelphia field office.

Implications

Josh Shapiro, who is reportedly under consideration as Kamala Harris’s running mate, has not publicly commented on these allegations. The ongoing investigations will likely scrutinize the legality and ethics of the PSEA’s financial maneuvers and their implications for Pennsylvania’s electoral integrity.

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Tim Walz asked Minnesota assassin to kill Senator Klobuchar so he could take seat, FBI letter claims

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In a disturbing twist to last week’s targeted violence against Minnesota officials, sources reveal that a conspiratorial letter left behind by shooting suspect Vance Boelter accuses Governor Tim Walz of orchestrating a political assassination plot. The letter, addressed to the FBI, allegedly claims Walz instructed Boelter to kill U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar so that Walz could seek her Senate seat—a position he has not expressed any intent to pursue.

Two individuals with direct knowledge of the letter described it as incoherent, one and a half pages long, and filled with paranoid ramblings. The letter allegedly outlines unsubstantiated claims that Boelter was trained “off the books” by the U.S. military, and that Walz had enlisted him to assassinate Klobuchar and potentially other politicians, including a veiled reference to Sen. Tina Smith.

Federal prosecutors say Boelter left the letter in a Buick abandoned near his home in Green Isle, Minnesota. It is believed to include a confession to the killings of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, as well as the shootings of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.

Boelter, 57, now faces federal charges including:

  • Two counts of stalking Rep. Hortman and Sen. Hoffman using interstate facilities;
  • Two counts of murder in the deaths of the Hortmans;
  • Two counts of firearm use in the shootings of the Hortmans and Hoffmans.

While federal authorities declined to comment on the letter’s contents, local officials addressed the severity of the situation. Hennepin County Attorney’s Office spokesperson Daniel Borgertpoepping stated they could not comment on an open investigation, but added, “We have seen no evidence that the allegations regarding Governor Walz are based in fact.”

Gov. Walz’s spokesman, Teddy Tschann, called the events “deeply disturbing for all Minnesotans” and praised law enforcement and prosecutors for their swift actions.

Sen. Klobuchar issued a strong response, saying, “Boelter is a very dangerous man and I am deeply grateful that law enforcement got him behind bars before he killed other people.”

Documents obtained by the Minnesota Star Tribune also reveal that Boelter held a valid carry license as recently as 2020, issued while he was still affiliated with his family’s private security firm.

With more details likely to surface as the investigation unfolds, the letter marks a chilling insight into Boelter’s delusions—and highlights the growing threats facing public officials.

SOURCE: STAR TRIBUNE

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ChatGPT use linked to cognitive decline, MIT research finds

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A new study from the MIT Media Lab has raised concerns about the long-term effects of using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT on human cognition. The research, released this month, suggests that relying on large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT could impair an individual’s critical thinking abilities, especially with prolonged use.

Researchers observed participants over several months as they completed SAT-style essay assignments. The subjects were divided into three groups: one using ChatGPT, another using Google’s search engine, and a third group relying solely on their own thinking—dubbed the “brain-only” group.

To analyze brain activity during the writing tasks, researchers used electroencephalography (EEG) to monitor neural engagement across different regions of the brain. The results showed a stark difference in cognitive involvement among the groups.

According to the study, those using ChatGPT demonstrated the lowest level of brain engagement. Over time, these participants began to rely more heavily on the AI, eventually moving from asking structural questions to simply copying and pasting complete essays. The researchers noted that this group “consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioral levels.”

Participants who used Google showed moderate brain activity, while the “brain-only” group displayed the strongest and most widespread neural activity, indicating deeper cognitive involvement throughout the writing process.

The study’s lead author, Nataliya Kosmyna, emphasized the urgency of the findings, particularly as AI tools become more integrated into education.

“What really motivated me to put it out now before waiting for a full peer review is that I am afraid in 6–8 months, there will be some policymaker who decides, ‘let’s do GPT kindergarten.’ I think that would be absolutely bad and detrimental,” Kosmyna told Time

magazine. “Developing brains are at the highest risk.”

The study highlights growing concerns among educators about how easily accessible AI tools are enabling academic dishonesty and changing how students learn. Despite these concerns, AI integration in classrooms appears to be accelerating.

In April, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order promoting the use of AI in American schools. The policy aims to prepare young students for a future economy shaped by AI advancements.

“The basic idea of this executive order is to ensure that we properly train the workforce of the future by ensuring that school children, young Americans, are adequately trained in AI tools, so that they can be competitive in the economy years from now into the future, as AI becomes a bigger and bigger deal,” White House staff secretary Will Scharf said at the time.

As the debate over AI’s role in education continues, this new research may fuel broader discussions on how to balance technological innovation with cognitive development—especially for younger generations.

SOURCE: MIT RESEARCH

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Kamala Harris Allegedly Covered Up Biden’s Mental Decline, Democratic Source Says

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SACRAMENTO, CA — Former Los Angeles Mayor and current California gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa has publicly alleged that Kamala Harris and Xavier Becerra were involved in concealing former President Joe Biden’s mental and physical decline during his time in office.

Villaraigosa, a Democrat, made the claim amid a heated California gubernatorial race. Becerra, the former Secretary of Health and Human Services, is also a candidate, while speculation continues over a potential Harris bid. The race comes as current Governor Gavin Newsom reaches the end of his second and final term, per California’s two-term limit.

In a statement referencing recent reporting and excerpts from the book Original Sin, Villaraigosa stated:

“What I’ve seen in news coverage and excerpts from the new book ‘Original Sin’ is deeply troubling. At the highest levels of our government, those in power were intentionally complicit or told outright lies in a systematic cover up to keep Joe Biden’s mental decline from the public.”

Both Harris and Becerra previously served as California Attorney General. Villaraigosa emphasized their past leadership roles, stating:

“Now, we have come to learn this cover up includes two prominent California politicians who served as California Attorney General – one who is running for Governor and another who is thinking about running for Governor.”

He added:

“Those who were complicit in the cover up should take responsibility for the part they played in this debacle, hold themselves accountable, and apologize to the American people. I call on Kamala Harris and Xavier Becerra to do just that – and make themselves available to voters and the free press because there’s a lot of questions that need to be answered.”

Becerra responded in a statement, saying:

“It’s clear the President was getting older, but he made the mission clear: run the largest health agency in the world, expand care to millions more Americans than ever before, negotiate down the cost of prescription drugs, and pull us out of a world-wide pandemic. And we delivered.”

Kamala Harris has not issued a public response. Fox News Digital reported that it reached out to the offices of Harris and the Bidens but had not received a reply at the time of publication.

The allegations come as discussions about Biden’s cognitive and physical health continue. Earlier this month, during an appearance on The View, Biden dismissed claims of cognitive decline during his presidency.

In related developments, Biden’s personal office recently confirmed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer characterized by a high Gleason score and metastasis to the bone.

Villaraigosa’s comments are the latest in a growing list of concerns raised within the Democratic Party about leadership transparency and accountability in the final years of the Biden administration.

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