Guardians of churches sought in midst of attacks

NEWS AND OPINION:

CatholicVote, a national faith-based advocacy organization, has launched a seven-figure TV and digital ad campaign that the group says highlights “President Biden’s failure to protect Catholic churches and pregnancy centers that are under widespread attack.”

The organization is very specific about what kind of attacks it’s referring to. They include “fire bombings, property destruction and death threats,” the group said.

“In the months following the leaked draft Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, attacks on churches and pregnancy resource centers have multiplied. Pro-abortion domestic terrorists have claimed responsibility for many of the 64 incidents against pro-life organizations and 69 incidents against Catholic churches. To date, not a single person has been arrested and Biden’s DOJ has prosecuted zero individuals responsible for these attacks,” the organization said in a statement shared with Inside the Beltway.

The new ad campaign — titled “Churches Burning” — will be posted online and broadcast in Arizona, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.

The organization also directed a letter of concern about this destructive trend to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.

“We call on you to publicly condemn these unlawful attacks; to commit to vigorous efforts to prevent them, and to investigate and prosecute them; and to proactively engage with the affected faith communities to ensure their concerns and security needs are being met,” the letter said.

It was signed by 26 high-profile, pro-life leaders, including Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote; Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America; Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation; Ben Carson, founder and chair of the American Cornerstone Institute; Star Parker, president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education; Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life Education & Defense Fund; Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life Action; Brent Bozell, founder of the Media Research Center, Parents Television Council, and CNSNews.com; Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch; Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council; Jordan Sekulow, president and CEO of ACLJ Action; and Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots.

AMONG THE YOUNG REPUBLICANS

Let’s enjoy a brief update from the Young Republicans Club, established in New York City in 1911 — and an organization that counts three GOP lawmakers among their membership and columnist Michelle Malkin among its lengthy list of advisers. The organization has a busy week.

On Thursday, its formal speaker series will feature R.C. Maxwell, who is press secretary of Project Veritas. To usher summer off the calendar, the club will stage a Miami Vice Rooftop Party from its headquarters in Manhattan, advising its members to don their neon-colored clothes and white jackets.

None other than Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene will be the guest of honor at the annual black-tie gala.

“We will hold our 110th Annual Gala, just as we have done through every major world event, including both World Wars and COVID-19,” the club advised in its invitation.

MUCH ADO ABOUT CHENEY

So Rep. Liz Cheney, Wyoming Republican, lost her bid Tuesday to stay in office. The press is very interested, and also interpretive about this matter. Here are a few headlines from the last 24 hours:

“The winning defiance of Liz Cheney” (Washington Post); “Liz Cheney vows to carry on fight against Trump after conceding defeat in Wyoming primary” (CNN); “Liz Cheney: Trump critic blasts Republican ‘personality cult’ after defeat” (BBC News); “How Team Trump systematically snuffed out Liz Cheney’s reign in Congress” (Politico); “What Liz Cheney’s Lopsided Loss Says About the State of the GOP” (New York Times); “Liz Cheney to battle Trump, may run for U.S. presidency” (Reuters); and “Liz Cheney Was Defeated by the Extremist Movement She Helped to Empower” (Mother Jones).

THOUGHTS FROM THE FOREST

Our old friend “Deep Woods,” a political sage who indeed lives in the far Northeastern woods, offers this thought about past and present:

“Remember when then-President Barack Obama said that we needed a national police force? Do 87,000 new IRS agents willing to use ‘deadly force’ qualify as such? Just saying,” Mr. “Woods” advised.

Here’s what Mr. Obama said in a wide-ranging campaign speech in Colorado Springs on July 2, 2008:

“We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set.”

“We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded,” he advised.

POLL DU JOUR

• 48% of U.S. adults have tried marijuana at some time in their lives; 55% of independents, 53% of Democrats and 34% of Republicans agree.

• 53% of men and 42% of women also agree.

• 16% overall say they currently smoke marijuana; 17% of independents, 20% of Democrats and 12% of Republicans agree.

• 18% of men and 14% of women also agree.

• 14% overall say they have tried marijuana edibles; 17% of independents, 17% of Democrats and 9% of Republicans agree.

• 14% overall of men and 13% of women also agree.

SOURCE: A Gallup poll of 1,013 U.S. adults conducted July 5-26 and released Wednesday.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.