Worth Knowing, Probably Not Quite Threadworthy 10/14

[SVPete]

Leaked Call Exposes Environmentalists Trying To Deceive Congress And Kill Pro-Energy Agreement

https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-far-left-groups-plotted-to-kill-a-bipartisan-deal-and-hide-strategy-from-dems

Far-Left environmental groups sought to organize opposition to a bipartisan Senate permitting reform bill and keep their strategy from the Democratic lawmakers who negotiated it, according to a leaked transcript of a coalition call.

“We really have to have a pretty clear agreement by all parties that this is an effort to stop this bill, not to make it better,” Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said during the call.

The call, organized in part by the Sierra Club, drew 89 participants as environmental organizations debated how to respond to the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026. The legislation, introduced on September 30, was negotiated by Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) alongside Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

The bill would overhaul federal environmental review and permitting procedures, establish deadlines for reviews and legal challenges, and provide greater certainty for projects that have already secured permits and financing. Its supporters argue that the changes would reduce delays, expand energy infrastructure, and help lower costs while retaining environmental and historic preservation safeguards.
...
Hartl later confirmed the transcript’s authenticity to Punchbowl and defended his remarks.

“I don’t want our strategy being relayed back to them, and now it is,” he told the outlet. “Someone on the call decided to betray all of us.”

Much of the opposition centered on provisions intended to make federal permits more durable and restrict the ability of courts and future administrations to revisit approved projects.
...
... During the call, an advocate with the National Wildlife Federation warned that once a project received authorization and a record of decision, the legislation would sharply restrict subsequent changes.

“Once a project is authorized and there’s a ROD, there are no changes whatsoever, period, to anything. Ever at any time ever,” the participant said, referring to a formal step in the federal environmental review process.

The legislation, however, does not simply prohibit every subsequent change under every circumstance. Its stated purpose is to provide greater certainty for permitted projects, while the sponsors describe exceptions for extraordinary circumstances, violations of law, and court orders.

This bill, as written, looks like it would significantly curtail enviros' ability to obstruct progress, decades overdue.

[SVPete]

California Hides Identity Of ‘High-Ranking’ Cop Who Abused ‘Confidential’ State Database

https://dailycaller.com/2026/10/09/california-hides-identity-high-ranking-cop-who-abused-confidential-state-database/

A state law enforcement officer used a confidential police database to dig up information on coworkers, relatives and local officials.

The unnamed “high-ranking” officer searched the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS) for the home addresses and vehicles of six other employees without a legitimate business need, California State Auditor Grant Parks’ office found in a report released Oct. 1. This follows Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s veto of a bill in Oct. 2025 that would have required public agencies to document employee searches of license plate reader data and cap how long they can keep the data.

“A high‑ranking law enforcement officer misused access to a confidential law enforcement database by looking up information about himself, his family members, agency staff, and vehicles without a business purpose for doing so,” the report stated in the Unnamed State Agency section. “We are not naming the agency that is the subject of this report because doing so may identify or lead to the identification of the individuals mentioned in the report, which would violate state law.”

Using CLETS, this officer also ran searches on a deputy district attorney, a county supervisor and 65 vehicles listed for sale online, according to the report. A family member then bought one of the vehicles.

Why do I think that had this stalker been a white male R his name would have been released or (wink! wink!) leaked.

[SVPete]

Sneering Leftist Mob Comes for Joni Mitchell After Her Proud American Moment

https://redstate.com/terichristoph/2026/10/14/the-left-is-big-mad-that-singer-joni-mitchell-is-now-a-proud-american-n2208118

Legendary folk singer Joni Mitchell is finding out the hard way that the Left has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to loving and appreciating the United States of America.

Mitchell proudly posted Tuesday that, after living in the U.S. for over six decades, she had finally become a citizen. She posted a short video of her name being called at what looked like a small ceremony at a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) office. The singer also posted a photo of her happily carrying a small American flag while posing in front of larger American and DHS flags.

She was clearly thrilled to officially be a U.S. citizen at long last.

But, of course, the Left can't stand anything good, true, or beautiful, so they immediately began responding to her happy news with hateful messages.

"Willingly applying for American citizenship at this moment in history…oh MAGA Mitchell,” one person sneered on X.

“Talk about being tone deaf,” wrote another.

Then came the wounded Canadians.

“I don't think many Canadian are happy for you on this achievement,” one commenter sniffed, before adding, “Though we still love your music.”

Given the inclinations of 1960s-1970s musicians, I would be mildly surprised if Mitchell is not at least non-insane liberal. If so, maybe the Hate-Trumpery-based noises may remind her how far into insanity Progs and many liberals have dived.

And if in her 80+ years she is or has become conservative-ish, great. Either way, welcome, Joni.