For those who don�t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television � and
their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week�s worth of network
and cable news media spin � The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of
what you may have missed.
With less than two weeks to go before Christmas � and just over a month
before President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated to serve a second term in
the White House � the news cycle is as jumbled as ever. Some of the focus
remains overseas, as unrest continues to to rule the day in Syria after the
fall of Bashar al-Assad � but things at home are also quite literally �up in
the air� as rumors swirl about mysterious drone sightings over states along
the east coast.
After multiple reports of the strange aerial phenomena � many of which seem
to be concentrated in northern New Jersey � local officials have admitted to
being completely baffled and federal authorities have done little to dispel
fears that all is not exactly what it seems.
During the week, the FBI released a statement alongside the Department of
Homeland Security, claiming that the majority of the sightings had likely
been manned aircraft operating in a lawful manner � and while they could not
give a definitive answer on what the people were seeing, they were certain
that the public was not at any risk.
On ABC�s �This Week,� Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas admitted
that some of the sightings were, in fact, drones � but again said that he did
not believe anyone was in danger.
�There�s no question that drones are being sighted�There are thousands of
drones flown every day in the United States � recreational drones, commercial
drones,� Mayorkas said, apparently suggesting that the things people were
seeing were not really anything out of the ordinary.
�There�s no question that drones are being sighted�There are
thousands of drones flown every day in the United States �
recreational drones, commercial drones."
DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas responds to numerous aerial sightings
reported across East Coast.
https://t.co/VM1aZSe1W6 pic.twitter.com/7v5CSSjzbe
� This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 15, 2024
Mayorkas also responded to claims that the drones were potentially being sent
or operated by foreign adversaries, saying that he did not have any
information leading him to believe that. Mayorkas told ABC host George
Stephanopoulos that he had heard of �no foreign involvement with respect to
the sightings in the Northeast.�
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tells @GStephanopoulos
that his agency knows �of no foreign involvement with respect to the
sightings in the Northeast� of aerial drones.
�We are vigilant in investigating this matter.�
https://t.co/EyuPQmaS8n pic.twitter.com/KiLQoU8pgU
� This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 15, 2024
But former Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) also weighed in on the issue, and
he pointed out the fact that the longer the American people went without any
definitive answers, the more likely it was that conspiracy theories would run
wild about what they could be seeing.
�I�ve lived in New Jersey my whole life,� the former governor explained.
�This is the first time that I�ve noticed drones over my house.�
�I�ve lived in New Jersey my whole life. This is the first time that
I�ve noticed drones over my house.�
Former NJ Gov. Chris Christie warns that conspiracy theories will
grow if the federal government does not address reported aerial
sightings.
https://t.co/MkRObTfDiQ pic.twitter.com/e206NSI4Se
� This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 15, 2024
Many local officials don�t appear convinced but the explanations offered thus
far, either:
Sheriffs and other local officials in New Jersey are demanding more
action from the federal government following a spate of drone
sightings that has confused authorities and sparked alarm among
residents. @GioBenitez has the latest:
https://t.co/yTqK0GprGa pic.twitter.com/ULsbf3Zx8U
� This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 15, 2024
Rp. Michael Waltz (R-FL) joined CBS News� �Face the Nation� to discuss the
issue as well, and he argued that the failure to address the situation showed
the obvious gaps in the official capacity to handle such things.
�We need to get to the bottom of it,� he said. �And I think the Biden
administration is working to do that.�
Rep. @michaelgwaltz says drones being spotted above some East Coast
states demonstrate �gaps in our agencies, gaps in our authorities,�
saying, "We need to get to the bottom of it, and I think the Biden
administration is working to do that."
But Waltz, President-elect Trump's� pic.twitter.com/VUtPlqpAcj
� Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) December 15, 2024
Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) also joined host Margaret Brennan on Sunday�s
broadcast of �Face the Nation,� and she called for �more transparency� on the
issue.
�This just can�t be, no one knows why this huge drone is over their house,�
she said, promising to work with the incoming administration to get to the
bottom of it.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) says senators "need a briefing" and "more
transparency" on the mysterious drones seen over the East Coast,
though she notes the Biden administration "has repeatedly assured
people that they are safe." She said she plans to work with the
incoming� pic.twitter.com/cAXsNuBuyJ
� Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) December 15, 2024
Klobuchar also took some time to discuss a slew of pardons and commutations
issued by President Joe Biden as his presidency nears its end.
While Biden�s Thanksgiving weekend pardon for his embattled son Hunter Biden
certainly raised the most eyebrows � on both sides of the political aisle �
Klobuchar noted that just by sheer volume, Biden was testing the limits of
what she found to be acceptable.
Klobuchar first said that she was among those who did not like the fact that
Biden had pardoned his son � but then said she also worried about the some
1500 sentence commutations he issued in the past week.
She proposed an �outside board� to aid the president in selecting cases for
pardons or sentence commutations �instead of people just doing it in the
middle of the night, and people in the White House � this makes no sense to
me.�
�This whole process cries out for reform, because otherwise you undermine the
justice system,� she added.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) says she's not comfortable with some of
President Biden's decisions when he commuted the sentences of nearly
1,500 people last week, and also "didn't agree" with Biden's pardon
of his son, Hunter.
She says there should be "some kind of an outside�
pic.twitter.com/KQELzzydm7
� Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) December 15, 2024
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) told NBC anchor Kristen Welker on �Meet the
Press� that Biden had set a �dangerous� precedent when he pardoned Hunter �
and he urged the president to consider the possibility of preemptive pardons
�very seriously.�
BERNIE SANDERS: The pardon of Hunter Biden sets a dangerous
precedent.
pic.twitter.com/6PjpwQtSjO
� Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 15, 2024
But on CNN�s �State of the Union,� retiring Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) said
that despite having often been at odds with Trump himself, he was not overly
concerned that the president-elect might use the Justice Department to attack
those who had opposed him.
�I�m not particularly worried about criminal investigations,� he told anchor
Jake Tapper. �I think President Trump is likely to try and focus on the
future.�
"I'm not particularly worried about criminal nvestigations.
"@SenatorRomney shrugs off concerns he could face retribution
from Trump, telling @jaketapper, "I think President Trump is
likely to try and focus on the future." pic.twitter.com/wtExtxZ1kN
� State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) December 15, 2024
-- Let's go Brandon!
Spin Cycle: Here Come The Drones ... And The Pardons