Washington Free Beacon

Democrats Were Right: The Benghazi Committee Hearing Was Partisan, By Daniel Bassali
After last week’s hearing, Democrats are no longer considering quitting the Benghazi Committee due to the perceived partisan nature of its investigation into Hillary Clinton, which they have referred to as a witch hunt.   Instead, House Democrats plan to keep their positions so they can “defend the truth.” “We have decided to stay on the committee because somebody has to be in the room to defend the truth,” Rep. Elijah Cummings (D., Md.) told Chuck Todd Sunday on Meet The Press. “You really did need to have Democrats in the room … to make sure the complete picture was painted.”   Todd called out the Benghazi Committee Democrats for not taking the investigation seriously and instead using their time to attack committee Republicans and defend the witness, who the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for president.   “We tallied up 68 total questions to Secretary Clinton [from Democrats],” Todd said. “Sixteen of them, at best, could we call challenging. Why did you guys choose a strategy of shield rather than a strategy of, really what Tammy Duckworth did, probably the one Democrat that did it the most, of conducting a hearing, asking questions about the security situation?”...

Pennsylvania Unions Flood Judicial Races with Millions, By Bill McMorris
Pennsylvania unions are pouring millions into the campaign coffers of Democratic judicial nominees, including the brother of one of the state’s most powerful labor leaders.  Voters will elect three new judges to the seven-member court in November. Democrats are spending big money on the races, raising more then $7 million for its three favored jurists. Unions alone have raised $2.9 million for these candidates—topping the $1.9 million total haul for Republican candidates.   Megan Sweeney, a GOP state party spokeswoman, said that the massive donations demonstrate that unions and their allies are attempting to buy the election.  “Liberal special interests groups are desperately trying to buy this Supreme Court election,” she said in a release. “By pouring millions of dollars into this Supreme Court race, these extreme liberal special interest groups are trying to ensure that our highest court is filled with activists judges who will legislate from the bench.”  The state Democratic Party did not respond to a request for comment…..

Plaintiffs Ask for Summary Judgment in Seattle Gun Tax Case, By Stephen Gutowski
Plaintiffs in the case against Seattle’s gun sales and ammunition tax have asked the court to issue a summary judgment.  Lawyers representing the National Rifle Association, the Second Amendment Foundation, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and local gun owners filed the motion for summary judgment with King County Superior Court on Friday. By filing the motion, the plaintiffs are arguing that the facts of the case are settled and the court should issue its decision.  They say the city’s tax is illegal since Washington state law “fully occupies and preempts the entire field of firearms regulation within the boundaries of the state.” Additionally, the plaintiffs argue, Seattle “is well aware of this restriction on its legislative power, in part because its most recent attempt to regulate firearms was emphatically struck down by the Court of Appeals.”…

CEO of Healthcare Company, Dem Donor Admits $1.8M Medicare Fraud, By Joe Schoffstall
The chief executive of a healthcare company who donated thousands to Democrats pleaded guilty to fraudulently bilking nearly $2 million from Medicare.  Dike Ajiri, the former CEO of the Chicago-based Mobile Doctors, admitted in a plea deal that he fraudulently ran up Medicare bills by manipulating patient files to collect the maximum amount of money from the system. Ajiri’s actions cost Medicare and the Railroad Retirement Board a total of $1,854,000, the Justice Department announced.  “Beginning no later than 2007 and continuing through August 2013, in the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, and elsewhere, Dike Ajiri did participate in a scheme to defraud a health care benefit program affecting commerce, as defined by Title 18, United States Code, Section 24(b), namely Medicare, and to obtain, by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, money under the custody and control of that program in connection with the delivery of and payment for health care benefits and services,” the plea agreement reads…..

CEO of Healthcare Company, Dem Donor Admits $1.8M Medicare Fraud, By Joe Schoffstall
The chief executive of a healthcare company who donated thousands to Democrats pleaded guilty to fraudulently bilking nearly $2 million from Medicare.  Dike Ajiri, the former CEO of the Chicago-based Mobile Doctors, admitted in a plea deal that he fraudulently ran up Medicare bills by manipulating patient files to collect the maximum amount of money from the system. Ajiri’s actions cost Medicare and the Railroad Retirement Board a total of $1,854,000, the Justice Department announced.  “Beginning no later than 2007 and continuing through August 2013, in the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, and elsewhere, Dike Ajiri did participate in a scheme to defraud a health care benefit program affecting commerce, as defined by Title 18, United States Code, Section 24(b), namely Medicare, and to obtain, by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, money under the custody and control of that program in connection with the delivery of and payment for health care benefits and services,” the plea agreement reads….

Obama Anti-Islamic State War Strategy Failing, By Bill Gertz

The Obama administration’s strategy for Iraq and Syria came under harsh criticism from senators on Tuesday as key defense leaders outlined the latest shift in strategy from earlier failed policies and programs. Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Gen. Joseph Dunford, the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that the president’s strategy against Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIS or ISIL) terrorists to date has produced poor results in both Syria and Iraq. “The end-state is to defeat ISIL,” Dunford said.“Without a partner on the ground, Syria has clearly presented the most difficult challenge. No one is satisfied with our progress to date.” In Syria, the administration’s program to create a U.S.-armed and equipped anti-Islamic State rebel force failed to produce a significant number of opposition fighters to battle the terrorist group; despite spending $43 million of $500 million allocated for the program. Only a handful of anti-IS fighters were produced…..