Double Standards
What to know: A federal judge has called out the Biden Justice Department’s “blatant double standards,” allowing Hunter Biden to go free while jailing people accused of similar crimes.
The TPPF take: Politicized prosecutions are a poison to civil society—and a warning shot across the bow for all Americans.
“The broader effect of politicized prosecutions is clear — Americans are increasingly convinced we live in a nation with a two-tiered justice system,” says TPPF’s Robert Henneke. “This affirms what Americans learned from the prosecution of Trump for the alleged mishandling of classified documents, while Biden (like Hillary Clinton before him) got a pass for the same thing. And the list goes on.”
For more on politicized prosecutions, click here.
Woke—And Broke
What to know: The Texas State Board of Education has pulled $8.5 billion from investment giant BlackRock over its environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies, which include boycotting fossil fuel companies.
The TPPF take: Texas isn’t the first state to divest from BlackRock, but this fund is likely the biggest blow to the company so far.
“The idea that one can simply cherry-pick investments that align with a single political agenda without sacrificing any financial opportunity flies in the face of decades, even centuries, of investing wisdom,” says TPPF’s Jason Isaac. “Diversification of investments has always been the name of the game. ESG’s insistence on compliance with its climate, gender, and racial agendas necessarily excludes not just specific companies but the entire energy industry, with deeply disturbing long-term effects on the energy resources we all rely on.”
For more on ESG. click here.
Government Gravy Train
What to know: Austin’s new city manager “will be paid a base salary of $470,017.60, almost a $50,000 increase from his salary in Dallas.” In addition, he’ll also receive a $1,600 cellphone allowance, a $5,000 monthly housing allowance for 6 months, a $7,000 annual executive allowance, generous healthcare and retirement benefits, and more.
The TPPF take: Public sector elites are getting rich at taxpayer expense.
“People are struggling to afford gas, groceries, and rent. And yet, public sector elites are getting filthy rich from their time in public service. That’s wrong on a host of different levels,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “It’s time to reform public sector compensation in Texas and better protect taxpayers from the predations of an elite few.”
For more on city manager salaries and local spending, click here.