Melinda Bales

Former Huntersville Mayor, wife, mother, independent thinker, animal lover, coffee enthusiast

[Principles First @Principles_1st]

As we approach Memorial Day Weekend, the average price of gas is $4.53 per gallon compared to $3.18 a year ago.

We deserve leaders who prioritize our cost of living over retribution against colleagues with dissenting opinions.

[Principles First @Principles_1st]

Americans never quit. We do the hard things—and there’s work to do.

Join us at the #PrinciplesFirst Summit: https://t.co/V5wJXuG8xA

[Principles First @Principles_1st]

.@BillKristol: "I was not a fan of [Tim Walz]…Tim Walz has behaved in an exemplary way in Minnesota. He has not been partisan. He has talked on the phone to Susie Wiles every day to try to tamp things down, to try to get her to tell the president to pull in Bovino, to stop the insanity, to stop the provocations."

[Republicans against Trump @RpsAgainstTrump]

GOP Rep. Thomas Massie on Trump:

He can not deny being part of the cover-up at this point. I’m the leading Republican pressing for the release of the Epstein files. That’s why he’s attacking me.

[Brian Allen @allenanalysis]

🚨 Massie just said what GOP leadership has been terrified to admit:

“The Speaker, the Attorney General, the FBI Director, the President, and the Vice President could’ve spared our party months of humiliation if they’d done the right thing four months ago.”

They knew.
They delayed.
They protected themselves.

Now the cover-up is collapsing in real time.

[Thomas Massie for Congress @MassieforKY]

I was attacked for exposing Bondi, but I noticed something...

He says I’m “fighting aimlessly AGAINST a hopeless agenda of Hate and Stupidity”

If I’m fighting against an “agenda of Hate and Stupidity” isn’t that a good thing?

Let’s go! Help me fight!
https://t.co/AgJY01JuFj

[Thomas Massie @RepThomasMassie]

@HasanKhxnx I am not suicidal. I eat healthy food. The brakes on my car and truck are in good shape. I practice good trigger discipline and never point a gun at anyone, including myself. There are no deep pools of water on my farm and I’m a pretty good swimmer.

[David French @DavidAFrench]

Horrible. This is a remarkably irresponsible statement. It is vile to cast such remarkably negative aspersions on a dead man in the absence of evidence. Lawful concealed carry (police have said he had a carry permit) is not evidence of a desire to commit mass murder.

[Principles First @Principles_1st]

🚨🚨 #PrinciplesFirst alert:

Powell: “This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions; or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation.”

[Federal Reserve @federalreserve]

Video message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell: https://t.co/5dfrkByGyX

[Principles First @Principles_1st]

🚨🚨 #PrinciplesFirst alert:

Indiana Republican Mike Bohacek takes a stand for family and for human decency.

We’re with you, Mike.

[Principles First @Principles_1st]

Many on the right are now coming to see what many of us have seen all along about Trumpism, but our red line remains the same: if you were a public official who continued to support Donald Trump after the events of January 6th or if you ever otherwise denied the results of an election, you abandoned your fundamental commitment to the Constitution and are not welcome as a speaker on the Principles First Summit stage.

[Principles First @Principles_1st]

Principles First is hiring!

We are seeking an experienced Digital Manager or Digital Director with knowledge of political campaigns and advocacy organizations to lead our digital strategy and online communications to keep up with our growth and to help champion principled leadership in the United States in the years ahead.

Apply here: https://t.co/ziadNaJDUm

[Cato Institute @CatoInstitute]

We should stop thinking about tariffs as just national statistics. It’s also about real people, real livelihoods, and real consequences.

“For small businesses, this is life or death," highlights @scottlincicome.

[Rebecca Noel @RebeccaNoel98]

Breaking: The US Dept of Education has frozen $12 million for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools indefinitely. The CMS Board is asking it to reverse its decision.

My latest for @theobserver

https://t.co/eZNQyVKdoS

[Andrew Desiderio @AndrewDesiderio]

NEWS — Sen. Tillis handed this flyer out during the Senate GOP meeting. Made the point that North Carolina is set to lose the most under the Senate’s provider tax proposal.

“Medicaid coverage for over 600,000 North Carolinians will be at risk”

[NC Emergency Management @NCEmergency]

Hazardous Weather Update:
• Periods of moderate to heavy rainfall over the weekend is expected, with the heaviest expected across the southern mountains.
• Strong to severe storms are possible Sun across the state, capable of producing damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes.

[NCDOT @NCDOT]

@futurefarmer246 We do not recommend any non-emergency travel, and with changing conditions we cannot provide a suggested route. If you have essential travel, check https://t.co/Pbux7IDYBi first.

[NCDOT @NCDOT]

Despite the current weather, #Helene-related dangers are still very much a factor in Western NC.

⚠️ ~300 road incidents remain - including +50 on main roads.

Please refrain from travel for non-emergency purposes.

📸 - US 70 near Silver Creek
📸 - I-40 near Black Mountain

[NC Emergency Management @NCEmergency]

⚠️NO se dirija rumbo al oeste de NC. Rescatistas siguen trabajando en las áreas afectadas. Cuadrillas de servicios públicos están restableciendo los servicios de electricidad, telefonía y de otras infraestructuras vitales; mantenga los caminos sin obstrucción para ellos.