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Jennifer Harper

Jennifer Harper

jharper@washingtontimes.com

Jennifer Harper wrote the daily Inside the Beltway column for The Washington Times.

Articles by Jennifer Harper

"We're not going anywhere. We're just going nationwide," U.S. Army Sgt. Artie Muller said. He's the founder and national executive director of Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom.

Inside the Beltway: In motion: President Trump and Rolling Thunder

Some eight weeks ago, the nation's capital shook with the power of several hundred thousand motorcycles as the Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom came to town for the 32nd time to raise awareness for POW and MIA issues and help military veterans. As it has in the past, the unapologetically patriotic demonstration drew national news coverage for the sheer size and spectacle of the gathering, organized by stalwart volunteers who last year raised $256,276 for vets in need of such basics as rent, clothing and food.

July 23, 2019
The news media is poised for some extensive, no-holds-barred coverage during Robert Mueller's long-awaited testimony this week. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Inside the Beltway: Media ready to rumble over Mueller testimony

Former special counsel Robert Mueller's upcoming testimony before both the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees beginning Wednesday has already mesmerized the news media, who remain fixated with "Russia collusion" and other narratives that are hostile toward President Trump.

July 22, 2019
FILE -- This Monday, May 20, 2019, file photo, shows a marijuana leaf on a plant at a cannabis grow in Gardena, Calif. Utah has chosen eight companies to grow cannabis for its medical marijuana program set to open next year. The state's Department of Agriculture announced the picks Friday, July 19, 2019. The winners include medical marijuana cultivators with businesses in other states and a family-owned greenhouse in northern Utah. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)

The grass grows greener: 10,000 expected at Cannabis Business Summit & Expo

The three-day National Cannabis Business Summit & Expo is now underway, in a 372,754 square foot venue in San Jose, California. The event has drawn 10,000 attendees and was organized by the National Cannabis Industry Association, a trade group which advocates for the responsible cannabis industry."

July 22, 2019
Rep. Tom McClintock is the keynote speaker for an upcoming 'climate realist" conference. (Image courtesy of Rep. Tom McClintock)

Tom McClintock to headline ‘climate realist’ conference

Fair weather could arrive in the nation's capital this week, courtesy of The Heartland Institute's 13th International Conference on Climate Change, to be staged at Trump International Hotel on Thursday. Of special note: the host organization is the planet's leading think tank which remains skeptical about human-caused climate crisis.

July 22, 2019
Republicans who hope to challenge President Trump for the GOP nomination don't stand a chance, according to an academic source. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Inside the Beltway: GOP challengers to Trump don’t have a chance

The list of the few Republicans or semi-Republicans who would challenge President Trump for the 2020 nomination is small. But it exists. So far, assorted press reports suggest the list includes Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, former Rep. Mark Sanford of South Carolina, former Ohio Gov. John Kasich and former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, who was the 2016 Libertarian running mate to Gary Johnson.

July 21, 2019
A Customs and Border Control agent patrols the defining line between the U.S. and Mexico near Nogales, Arizona, — far from the noise of immigration arguments on Capitol Hill and elsewhere. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: Public grows fearful that America could lose its national identity

Amplified by the news media and partisan outcry, immigration has become a melodramatic vehicle for political posturing. This is not a happy thing. Drama usurps both problem-solving and productive compromise between Republicans and Democrats. It also tends to mask significant poll numbers which reveal public sentiments that are often lost in the hand-wringing and public accusations.

July 18, 2019
A voter enters a booth at a polling place in Exeter, N.H. On Sunday, Nov. 27. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)

Inside the Beltway: 2020 election day in 11,387 hours

The voting public may get depressed when it realizes there are 474 days to go until Election Day dawns and the endless 2020 derby finally comes to an end. Timeanddate.com, a handy reference site, indicates the big moment is a mere 11,387 hours away — so be prepared. Until then, the campaign continues. It's getting louder, pitting President Trumpagainst 24 Democrats — punctuated by the squawks of the liberal press and the din of operatives and pundits.

July 17, 2019
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a news conference at U.S. Embassy Kabul, Tuesday, June 25, 2019, during an unannounced visit to Kabul, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool) ** FILE **

Mike Pompeo: America remains ‘a force for good in the world’

Some Democrats have been openly critical of America's role in the world, citing both policy and diplomatic posture. Those critics include presidential hopeful former Vice President Joseph R. Biden as well as "The Squad" -- four freshman congresswomen who have their own progressive ideas about the future of the nation. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will have none of it.

July 17, 2019
Sen. Ted Cruz is slated to take on big tech and its censorship of conservative thought in a Senate hearing Tuesday. Syndicated radio host Dennis Prager will be featured as a witness. (Sen. Ted Cruz)

Inside the Beltway: Conservative censorship: Ted Cruz takes on Big Tech

The event has been planned for weeks. On Tuesday, Sen.Ted Cruz takes on the escalating issue of online censorship of conservatives, via a hearing Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution titled "Google and Censorship through Search Engines."

July 15, 2019
A new litter of Labrador retriever puppies - destined to be trained as highly specialized service dogs by the nonprofit Warrior Canine Connection - will soon have a special designation of their own. The six new arrivals are to be named after American heroes who served on D-Day in "Operation Overlord."

Inside the Beltway: The Labrador pups and the World War II vets

Ready for some happy, straightforward news for a change? A new litter of Labrador retriever puppies - destined to be trained as highly specialized service dogs by the nonprofit Warrior Canine Connection - will soon have a special designation of their own. The six new arrivals are to be named after American heroes who served on D-Day in "Operation Overlord."

July 14, 2019
The Western Conservative Summit is underway in Denver, celebrating faith and freedom — and considered the largest gathering of conservatives outside of Washington, D.C. (Colorado Christian University)

Western Conservative Summit: ‘Stop complaining and take back your country’

Friday marks the start of the two-day Western Conservative Summit, staged in Denver and organized by the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University. Considered the largest gathering of conservatives outside of Washington, D.C., the event both celebrates and advances faith, family and freedom, organizers say.

July 12, 2019
Women's soccer star Megan Rapinoe strikes a pose with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, one of 24 Democratic presidential hopefuls. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway: Megan Rapinoe for president, the media insists

The worlds of politics, sports, celebrity, activism, Trump Derangement Syndrome and the ever-hungry news media collided this week. Fans of U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe want her to run for president, and the press has magnified her role as an outspoken activist for women's rights and other issues, with the clear makings of an insurgent political candidate.

July 11, 2019