Category: blaze media

The United States suffered a costly and deadly “invasion” at its southern border during the Biden administration.

Over the course of Joe Biden’s tenure as president, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded roughly 11 million border encounters with illegal aliens and other inadmissible migrants — encounters that in many cases ended with the release of border jumpers into the homeland.

The Trump administration has, however, turned things around.

‘These bans affected half of all legal immigrants coming from abroad.’

Whereas, for instance, in fiscal year 2024 there were over 2.9 million border encounters nationwide, last year there was a total of 691,906 encounters. If the pattern shaping up over the past several months continues until September, this year will see far fewer. After all, the number of border encounters from October through March was 531,301 in fiscal year 2025 but only 182,585 during the same stretch this fiscal year.

More important than the decline in border apprehensions is the total drop in releases. On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security announced U.S. Border Patrol’s 11th consecutive month of zero releases at the southern border.

The Trump administration has, apparently, also succeeded in greatly reducing the number of legal migrants entering the nation.

David Bier, the director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, endeavored in a new report to take the wind out of President Donald Trump’s sails on the issue of immigration control, not only claiming that Trump’s success in curbing illegal alien entries was a gift from the previous administration, but complaining that Trump has significantly reduced legal migration.

RELATED: Oracle files for thousands of H-1B visas amid mass layoffs: ‘Today is your last working day’

John Moore/Getty Images

While framing the reductions in legal immigration in negative terms, Bier — a libertarian who previously attempted to blame Trump for the immigration crisis and aided the effort to thwart the president’s executive order requiring Border Patrol to immediately send any border crosser packing — has unwittingly provided strong indications that the president has delivered a result that 55% of Americans said they wanted the year he was re-elected.

According to the Cato Institute report, the number of monthly southwest border legal entries by asylum seekers dropped 99.9% from December 2024 to February 2025, which Bier credited to the Trump administration’s elimination of the CBP One scheduling app and restrictions on asylum.

The leading countries of origin for refugees admitted in the final year of the Biden administration were Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, and Venezuela.

The Trump administration also reduced the number of refugees admitted into the country. There were, for instance, 96,635 admissions from Feb. 2024 to Jan. 2025, but only 2,157 admissions from Feb. 2025 to Jan. 2026. The president has capped admissions in fiscal year 2026 at 7,500 refugees.

Bier’s frustration with what he has dubbed the “most anti-legal immigrant administration in American history” wasn’t limited to the curbs on asylum seekers and refugees.

In light of the administration’s denial of immigrant visas and visa issuances to foreigners from scores of countries and the State Department’s suspension of the Diversity Visa lottery, Bier projected — absent the relevant data on visa issuances since September 2025 — that immigrant visas for legal permanent residents have fallen by roughly half.

RELATED: ‘H-1B workers ONLY’: DOJ punishes company Sara Gonzales exposed for illegal hiring practices

SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

“These bans affected half of all legal immigrants coming from abroad, including half of all spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens, based on 2024 immigrant visa processing,” Bier wrote. “However, it’s possible some of this flow could be replaced with immigrants from other countries, but that did not happen when President Trump enacted a narrower ban on certain categories of immigrants from 19 countries in June.”

In addition to sparing the taxpayer from shouldering the cost of more welfare dependents and American labor from foreign competition, Bier faulted the administration for bringing down the number of international student visas.

A Pew Research Center poll conducted in September revealed sizable American support for restricting the number of foreign college students from various countries, particularly the countries that have historically sent the most students to U.S. universities.

Fifty percent of respondents said they supported restricting the number of Chinese students; 44%, Indian students; 42%, Nigerian students; 41%, South Korean students; and 34%, Canadian students.

Comparing issuances in summer 2024 versus in summer 2025 — the “peak months when students typically get visas” — Bier concluded that student visas had fallen by 40%. He projected that the number of issuances in 2026 will be a tiny fraction of 2025’s anticipated total of international student visas.

Bier also had some good news for critics of the much-abused H-1B visa program, which enables U.S.-based employers to temporarily hire foreign workers into specialized positions that American citizens supposedly can’t do.

The libertarian estimated that in the wake of Trump’s September executive order adding a $100,000 fee to H-1B visa applications, H-1B visa issuances had likely dropped “by a quarter.”

After trying sympathy — “these cuts to legal immigration are harming U.S. citizens seeking to reunite with their spouses, fiancés, children, and other relatives” — Bier’s libertarian reflexes kicked in, such that he emphasized that “they are also undermining U.S. prosperity and increasing the U.S. deficit.”

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​Asylum seekers, Biden administration, Cato institute, Customs and border protection, Department of homeland security, Donald trump, H1b visas, Illegal aliens, Trump administration, United states, Refugee admissions, Asylum, Immigration, Illegal, Illegal immigration, Politics 

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom probably regrets trying to pin high gas prices on Chevron after getting nuked by a community note on the X social media platform.

Californians are suffering the highest gas prices in the nation as a result of the blowback from the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran as well as high state taxes and overregulation.

‘Dollar Tree PeeWee and his Playhouse friends weigh in again. And as usual we have to correct them.’

On Thursday, Newsom suggested that the pain at the pump was solely due to profiteering by the gas companies.

“While America suffers, Chevron profits,” the governor’s press office wrote on social media.

The governor’s office cited a report from Chevron saying the company expected a windfall between $1.6 billion and $2.2 billion from rising gas prices from the war.

The attempt to deflect from Democratic policies was completely undermined by a community note.

“The State of California collects more in taxes per gallon of gasoline than refineries such as Chevron, Shell or Valero collect in profit per gallon,” the note read.

The Automobile Association of America showed that, as of Tuesday, Californians are paying $5.88 on average for regular gas while the national average for the same is only $4.12. That comes out to be about 43% more than the national average.

The U.S. Oil and Gas Association piled on the left-wing governor.

“Ah. Dollar Tree PeeWee and his Playhouse friends weigh in again,” the organization responded.

“And as usual we have to correct them. The correct version reads like this. ‘While California suffers, Chevron profits props us up.’ Fixed it for you.”

RELATED: Newsom’s wife explains how to raise children to ‘deconstruct’ ‘limiting narratives’ on gender

Newsom is widely considered to be maneuvering to enhance his national profile in anticipation of a run for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.

He has tried to redefine California as the foremost opponent of President Donald Trump’s policies while admitting that his office has tried to copy the president’s success on social media.

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​Gavin newsom vs chevron, California gas prices, Us-israel strikes on iran, Community note nukes newsom, Politics 

Investigative journalist Nick Shirley, made famous after his viral Minnesota day care fraud video that exposed the “Quality Learing Center” and millions of dollars of alleged fraud, appears to have ruffled the feathers of Democrats in California.

A Republican lawmaker raised the alarm on a bill in California that would drastically clamp down on investigations like those conducted by Shirley.

‘The enemy truly is within.’

On Monday, Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio issued a press release warning about AB 2624, a bill he dubbed the “Stop Nick Shirley Act.”

“California Democrats are trying to intimidate citizen watchdog journalists and protect waste and fraud happening in far-left-wing NGOs. AB 2624 can only be described as the ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’ — a bill designed to silence citizen journalists exposing fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars,” DeMaio said in the press release.

RELATED: ‘Minnesota was big but California is even bigger’: Nick Shirley uncovers staggering alleged fraud right under Newsom’s nose

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

“AB 2624 would allow activists and taxpayer-funded organizations to demand the removal of video evidence — even if it captures misconduct in plain view — and threatens journalists with massive financial penalties,” DeMaio added. “That’s not about public safety — it’s about protecting powerful interests.”

AB 2624 was proposed by Democrat Assemblymember Mia Bonta earlier this year. Bonta’s husband, Rob Bonta, is the Democrat attorney general of California.

Attorney General Bonta has been targeting hospices and other facilities for possible fraud, overlapping with Shirley’s investigations in many respects. On Monday, Bonta wrote on social media that “in California, we’ve been cracking down on fraud for years.”

AB 2624 is framed as a privacy and anti-doxxing measure specifically for immigration service providers, their associates, and their clients. The bill is written with the following context in mind, directly calling out President Trump and his “anti-immigration” policies:

Persons working in the organizations that provide immigration support services have faced doxxing, courthouse targeting, online harassment, anti-immigrant vigilante threats, and coordinated campaigns and death threats. These acts have risen to alarming levels in 2025 and will continue due to the current federal administration’s anti-immigration attitude and policies.

The bill prohibits the posting of the “personal information or image” of a “designated immigration support services provider, employee, or volunteer, or other individuals residing at the same home address” “with the intent that another person imminently use that information to commit a crime involving violence or a threat of violence.”

Those found in violation of this section of the bill would face a fine of up to $10,000, one year of imprisonment, or both.

Additionally, if bodily injury were to come to anyone protected by the bill as a result of an investigation, the person responsible for the post would have committed a felony punishable by up to $50,000, imprisonment, or both.

The other key provision of the bill is more obscure:

A program participant may request that state and local agencies use the address designated by the Secretary of State as the participant’s address. When creating a public record, state and local agencies shall accept the address designated by the Secretary of State as a program participant’s substitute address.

In other words, the addresses of program participants and immigration service providers, which are presumably public, would be obscured with another address, thereby possibly blocking investigations into these programs.

Interested journalists and opponents of the bill view the potential obscuring of addresses and the steep punishments for disseminating information about these services, even without the intent to cause harm, as impediments to investigation and accountability.

Elon Musk weighed in on the news, and DeMaio reposted his comment: “California legislators are trying to make investigating fraud illegal.”

Nick Shirley, responding to DeMaio’s press release, said in part, “The enemy truly is within. When our politicians would rather protect fraudsters and illegal migrants, it’s time for us to stand up or face mass oppression from the traitors who ‘rule’ over us.”

Shirley added in a subsequent post that he was thinking of moving on to exposing fraud in another state, but the news of this bill changed his mind: “I’ve helped save America millions and billions of dollars by exposing fraud across the country. I was thinking about exposing another state but I think I will now go back to California[. N]ew exposé coming soon.”

Blaze News contacted California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) and Assemblymember Mia Bonta for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

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​California democrats, Fraud and abuse, Fraud video, Hospice fraud, Investigative journalist, Minnesota daycare, Nick shirley, Politics, Rob bonta, Secretary of state, Exposing fraud, Doxxing, California, Carl demaio, Quality learning center 

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s visit to the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, in late March drew overwhelmingly positive reactions from truckers and other industry professionals.

“Truckers are the BACKBONE of our great country,” Duffy wrote in a post on social media. “I am so impressed by every one of them at the Mid-America Trucking Show! I promise to fight as hard as the truckers do to MAKE TRUCKING GREAT AGAIN.”

‘We have a long way to go and a lot of work ahead, but for the first time in a long time, it feels like the right people are finally listening.’

A press release from MATS following the completion of its event, which over 53,000 people attended, called Duffy’s participation “a major highlight,” noting that the secretary “met with industry leaders, exhibitors, and professional drivers to discuss the importance of trucking to the nation’s economy, supply chain, and infrastructure.”

“The visit underscored the federal government’s recognition of trucking as a critical pillar of American commerce and mobility,” MATS wrote.

Duffy delivered a speech at the event, promising to advocate for American truckers.

“You make up what is great about America. The work you do, makes our country great,” he told attendees.

RELATED: End of the road: 200,000 foreign truckers could lose their CDLs as Trump’s rule takes effect

Sean Duffy. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Industry professionals like Danielle Chaffin shared their video interviews with Duffy and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Derek Barrs, who spoke to truckers on the show floor.

“So you guys do pay attention to us?” Chaffin asked Duffy and Barrs.

“100%,” Duffy responded.

“Even when I think we’re doing great things, I get a little hard time from those on X. But I do appreciate the feedback, and we see it’s a very loud voice — a vocal industry. And I think that’s fair because, if you’ve been forgotten, you felt like you’re screaming into the storm. Well, you’re not screaming into the storm anymore because we’re actually listening, and you see the work that we’re doing.”

“We are watching because that’s some of the ways that we can actually make some of the changes that we’re making is because of X and people on social media,” Barrs told Chaffin.

“This industry has spent years shouting into a void. Finally, years later, our voices and concerns are being heard,” Chaffin told Blaze News. “Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs stood in a room full of truckers and treated them as the experts they are. They spoke with genuine concern and care for the people who actually move this country. They made it very clear they are paying attention to the operators, the owners, and those of us who have been sounding the alarm on X.”

“We have a long way to go and a lot of work ahead, but for the first time in a long time, it feels like the right people are finally listening,” Chaffin continued. “Not only are they listening, but they are taking action. We are making progress to save the American trucking industry!”

Charles Gracey, who hosts SiriusXM’s “Trucking Sense” and FreightWaves’ “Brake Check,” gave Duffy and Barrs high praise for their attendance at MATS.

“When an administration is truly paying attention to the people it represents, there will be signs,” Gracey wrote. “One of those signs is showing up where those people actually are, and that is exactly what U.S. @USDOT @SecDuffy and @FMCSA @BarrsDerek did at the Mid-America @truckingshow in #Louisville.”

“What makes it even more powerful is that they did not just show up for optics. They showed up, they engaged, and they took time to hear our thoughts about the industry we know and love, and the very same industry they say they are working to protect for us and for the future of trucking,” Gracey added.

RELATED: ‘Use my daughter as an example’: Trump DHS cheers as bill to stop illegal alien truck drivers crosses major hurdle

Sean Duffy. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Duffy and Barrs were joined at MATS by Dalilah Coleman, a young girl who sustained critical and life-altering injuries as a result of a 2024 car wreck involving an illegal alien truck driver.

Dalilah’s Law, a bill named after Coleman, was introduced in the Senate in February. If passed, it would prohibit states from issuing commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens, allowing them to be issued only to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and holders of specific work visas. Additionally, the bill mandates the revocation of existing CDLs held by individuals who do not meet these eligibility criteria.

“Proud to see Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy standing in the gap for Dalilah at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, KY,” the American Truckers United wrote. “Stand with Secretary Duffy. Stand with Dalilah. Pass Dalilah’s Law!”

Justin Martin, a trucking industry professional who goes by SuperTrucker on X, called on government leaders to attend MATS more frequently.

“DOT/FMCSA leadership should be at MATS every year to hear from drivers in the industry directly. Thanks for coming out this year,” Martin wrote.

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​News, Sean duffy, Department of transportation, Dot, Treasury department, Mid-america trucking show, Mid america trucking show, Louisville kentucky, Louisville, Kentucky, Mats, Danielle chaffin, Derek barrs, Federal motor carrier safety administration, Fmcsa, Charles gracey, Dalilah coleman, Dalilah’s law, American truckers united, Atu, Supertrucker, Justin martin, Trucking, American trucking industry, American trucking, Commercial driver’s licenses, Commercial driver’s license, Cdls, Cdl, Politics 

Apple offers several privacy-focused perks with its iCloud+ subscription, including an email anonymization tool called “Hide My Email.” While this feature appears to promote online anonymity by hiding subscribers’ real email addresses behind random aliases, one user found out the hard way that Apple will give users’ real identities to law enforcement, especially when lobbing threats at the girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel.

What does ‘Hide My Email’ actually do?

If you pay for more iCloud storage outside of your free 5GB plan, you also have access to “Hide My Email.” As the name implies, this feature lets you create anonymous email addresses — known as aliases — that all forward emails back to your main iCloud account without revealing your real Apple ID or name to the receiver.

The story raises serious questions around Apple’s purported privacy policies.

This feature especially comes in handy when signing up for new online services. You get to create an account without giving your personal name or email to developers, advertisers, or marketers, ensuring they can’t target you or sell your data to their partners.

The ‘Hide My Email’ loophole

Up until now, it wasn’t clear whether or not Apple had a system in place to link anonymous addresses to their real counterparts. This case proves that such a loophole exists, even if Apple’s dedicated copy within the “Hide My Email” menu suggests otherwise.

The menu states, “Keep your personal email address private by creating unique, random addresses that forward to your personal inbox and can be deleted at any time.” That makes it sound like these aliases are completely private from everyone, not just advertisers.

Zach Laidlaw

Unfortunately, while third-party companies can’t access your real identity, Apple can trace “Hide My Email” addresses back to their original owners and share that information with law enforcement in the event of a crime.

The crime

Around February 28, a 26-year-old man named Alden Ruml allegedly sent an email to Alexis Wilkins — country singer and girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel — stating that he would be “happy” to see her face “canoed by an assault rifle.” The address Ruml used to contact Wilkins was one of 134 aliases attached to his iCloud account. Ruml reportedly sent the email after reading that Patel deployed the FBI as a security detail for Wilkins.

RELATED: Google agrees to PAY $68 million to end this lawsuit

400tmax/Getty Images

Following the threat, the FBI issued a subpoena to Apple, requesting the user’s primary email address, resulting in the identification of Alden Ruml. If convicted, Ruml faces five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a hefty fine of $250,000.

A lesson for the rest of us

The story raises serious questions around Apple’s purported privacy policies. Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, has long held the position that “privacy is a fundamental human right,” and Apple has largely championed that stance through its products and services.

Case in point, there are many instances where Apple can’t acquiesce to law enforcement requests due to its stringent end-to-end encryption policies. As part of Apple’s legal process guidelines, the company states, “Apple does not receive or retain encryption keys for customers’ end-to-end encrypted data,” therefore this data is inaccessible to either access or hand over to third parties, including the government.

However, while iCloud emails themselves are encrypted, plain text email addresses — including primary Apple accounts and email aliases — are not encrypted. In this case, Apple had no choice but to comply with the FBI and turn over Ruml’s basic credentials that led to his arrest.

There are also questions about whether Ruml’s email to Wilkins is a credible threat of violence or simply a crude statement sent in poor taste. Some could see Kash Patel’s use of the FBI to arrest and charge Ruml as an overreach of power, simply because the target of the email was his girlfriend. Others may argue the charges against Ruml don’t go far enough after harassing a rising country artist. All of this, of course, will be hashed out in a court of law.

As for the rest of us, Ruml’s ill-fated email is a stark reminder that privacy is never guaranteed online, even when using products and services that promise to hide your identity.

​Tech, Apple, Hide my email, Icloud, Fbi, Kash patel 

The university where Charlie Kirk was shot and killed is facing intense scrutiny for a tone-deaf choice for commencement speaker.

Just hours after his death, educator Sharon McMahon accused Kirk of harming minorities, but she will be given the honor of addressing graduates at Utah Valley University.

‘To many Americans, especially if you are Black, LGBTQ or Muslim, Charlie Kirk was not a person who simply engaged in good-faith debates on college campuses.’

“Millions of people feel they were harmed, and the murder that was horrific and should never have happened does not magically erase what was said or done,” McMahon wrote about Kirk soon after his death. “To many Americans, especially if you are Black, LGBTQ or Muslim, Charlie Kirk was not a person who simply engaged in good-faith debates on college campuses.”

Turning Point USA chapter president at Utah Valley University Caleb Chilcutt lashed out at UVU while speaking on “Fox & Friends” Monday.

“They could have brought any other speaker. If they liked Charlie, didn’t like Charlie — I honestly don’t really care. But the fact they brought someone who was so critical, literally days after his assassination, on my campus is just shameful for me,” Chilcutt said.

Former Republican Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz called McMahon a “liberal hack” that was a “horrific choice” for commencement speaker.

“Look, there’s still time to correct this. This hasn’t happened. And if the university is gonna step up and do the right thing, they’re gonna cancel her and put in somebody like an astronaut or an athlete or somebody, anybody,” Chaffetz said on Fox News.

RELATED: Unhinged student who flipped Turning Point USA table gets arrested and faces 5 charges

“But this person, this partisan hack, she should not be addressing the students, not at the commencement,” he added.

TPUSA students weighed in on social media.

“After Charlie Kirk’s murder, Sharon McMahon chose to explain the hate, not condemn it,” TPUSA’s statement reads. “A commencement speaker is more than a guest, they’re a reflection of what a university stands for.”

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​Charlie kirk, Sharon mcmahon, Utah valley university, Commencement speaker, Uvu backlash, Politics 

A Republican is following in California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell’s footsteps by resigning from Congress after sex scandals imploded their respective political ambitions.

Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) announced his imminent resignation Monday, shortly following Swalwell’s statement after several lawmakers led a bipartisan effort to expel the two lawmakers from the House of Representatives. Rather than wait to be expelled, Gonzales vowed to resign from Congress, weeks after admitting to an affair with a former staffer who took her own life by self-immolating.

‘Everybody knows where one another’s bodies are buried.’

“There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all,” Gonzales said in an X post on Monday. “When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas.”

Swalwell’s resignation came just days after new bombshell reports revealed that several ex-staffers have accused the Democrat of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior, prompting him to drop out of the California governor’s race and out of political life altogether.

RELATED: Democrats dump Eric Swalwell after sexual assault allegations implode his career

Win McNamee/Getty Images

“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell said in a statement. “I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make. I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members.”

“Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong,” Swalwell added. “But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.”

Both scandals were considered open secrets, and the timing of Gonzales’ and Swalwell’s statements suggests their resignations may have been part of a backroom deal. The next pair of scandal-ridden lawmakers rumored to be on the chopping block are both from Florida: Republican Rep. Cory Mills, who has a flurry of allegations against him ranging from stolen valor to blackmail, and Democrat Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who was federally indicted for allegedly stealing millions in FEMA funds tied to COVID.

“It’s mutually assured destruction,” Len Foxwell, a Maryland-based Democrat strategist, told Blaze News. “Eric Swalwell is just the latest guy who got caught. Tony Gonzales was the latest guy who got caught across the aisle.”

RELATED: ‘The appropriate decision’: Scandal-ridden Tony Gonzales ends re-election bid after admitting to affair

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc./Getty Images

Although lawmakers were quick to throw Swalwell under the bus, Democrat strategist and pollster Dheeraj Chand suggested that the only reason they did so was because their open secret became a PR problem.

“I think it shows a seriousness on this side that we decided Swalwell could not continue,” Chand told Blaze News. “It shows we do take it seriously when it becomes unavoidable. They do try to protect people sometimes, but very rarely.”

“For every person who gets caught, there are, in all likelihood, a few dozen more who are engaged in inappropriate behavior with their subordinates,” Foxwell told Blaze News. “Everybody knows where one another’s bodies are buried.”

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​Congress, Cory mills, Covid relief funds, Eric swalwell, House democrats, House of representatives, House republicans, Sex scandal, Sexual assault, Sheila cherfilus-mccormick, Tony gonzales, Expulsion, Politics 

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert managed to steal the focus away from her league on draft night.

The WNBA received premium treatment by airing on ESPN’s flagship channel in prime time on Monday night, but it was actually the pre-draft press conference that has made a lasting impression with viewers online.

‘As women, we get asked different questions than men do.’

With just one simple question from New York Post reporter Madeline Kenney, Engelbert went viral for her odd response.

“How much longer do you anticipate to be in this role?” Kenney asked.

Engelbert immediately attacked the premise:

“I do crack up how everybody’s focused on me,” the commissioner began. “And you should be focused on the hundreds of amazing women and thousands of women who run this league outside of myself … my whole team of, you know, diverse women and men who are working hard every day to get the 30th season tipped off by May 8,” she went on.

Bizarrely, Engelbert then asked if the reporter would dare question a male commissioner the same way.

“I wonder whether you would ask that of a man, by the way. But I realize, as women, we get asked different questions than men do.”

“I would,” the reporter quickly affirmed.

However, those siding with Engelbert were few and far between online, with fans and reporters alike pointing out how often major sports commissioners do receive questions about their tenure and even face calls for resignation.

RELATED: Angel Reese TRADED — but Chicago Sky isn’t being honest about why, Jason Whitlock says

– YouTube

“Its [sic] always asked of men. Like, all the time,” one fan responded on X.

“Has she not seen people calling for the heads of every commissioner of every sport?” a Brooklyn Nets fan wrote.

A New York Yankees fan replied, “There is literally nothing wrong with asking that. Give me a break.”

Sports journalists did not offer much solace for the commissioner either. Even Jemele Hill, a reporter from the Athletic known for her frequent political commentary from the left, chimed in:

“If a man had her track record, absolutely” he would be asked, Hill wrote.

There was really no shortage of sports reporters who disagreed with the WNBA boss, including female reporters.

“This would be asked of a man and has,” wrote Front Row Sports’ Annie Costabile. “Her response was a failed attempt at diverting from the discussions about her job security.”

As well, NBC Sports’ Nicole Auerbach noted that “male pro sports commissioners get asked questions about their future all the time.” Auerbach called it a “totally valid question” that garnered a “fascinating, super-defensive response.”

RELATED: UConn star Tarris Reed praises Jesus ahead of national championship: ‘He changed everything about me’

Greg Wyshynski, senior NHL writer at ESPN, wrote on X that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman “gets asked this question so often that he’s taken to preemptively answering it before it’s asked.”

Less than a month ago, Bettman was asked directly whether he had plans to step down.

“Absolutely not,” Bettman said, per Sports Illustrated. “You keep trying to get rid of me. No such luck.”

In February, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver faced calls to be fired, while NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is routinely asked if he will step down, typically following an embarrassing incident in his league.

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​Adam silver, Basketball, Cathy engelbert, Espn, Fearless, Gender politics, Jemele hill, New york post, Nfl commissioner, Politics, Viral response, Wnba, Wnba commissioner, Woke, Womens questions, Sports 

On April 12 (Orthodox Easter Sunday), President Trump posted an AI-generated image on Truth Social depicting himself in a white tunic and red robe healing a sick person, which many interpreted to resemble a Christ-like figure. The post came shortly after a lengthy Truth Social post criticizing Pope Leo XIV, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy” over the pope’s opposition to the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.

The image sparked widespread outrage and accusations of blasphemy even from some evangelical and conservative Christian supporters, leading Trump to delete it the next day. He later claimed it was meant to show him as a doctor, not Jesus.

Liz Wheeler, BlazeTV host of “The Liz Wheeler Show,” offers what she believes is “the best Catholic” response to the post.

Liz, who labels herself “a Catholic Trump supporter,” says she does not think the post was “wise or prudent” from a spiritual or political perspective.

“It’s not prudent spiritually for himself, and I care about his eternal soul. I’m a Christian. And it’s also obviously not a political winner of a post, as you can tell from the backlash,” she says.

At the same time, Liz doesn’t buy into the idea that Trump is some evil spiritual figure trying to convince the world he’s powerful like Jesus.

“Do I think that President Trump is some kind of Antichrist figure who actually views himself as a messiah, like so many people online are saying in outrage?” she asks.

“No, I don’t think that. I don’t think Trump views himself as a messiah. I don’t think that he is an antichrist figure.”

“But do I think that our God should be mocked?” she asks. “No, I don’t. Do I think that you should claim to be or portray yourself as the son of God when you are not? No, I don’t.”

Liz believes that the post was most likely a distasteful joke coined by someone on Trump’s social media team.

“My guess is that some male Gen Z member of Trump’s team, someone who is probably in one too many offensive meme group chats and got a little desensitized to offensive memes, suggested this to Trump as a post,” she speculates.

“Perhaps this meme was a misguided attempt to remind people that President Trump … is fighting evil on an institutional level,” she continues.

And while Liz knows that Trump “is not perfect,” she does wholeheartedly agree that he is standing up against evil in a truly admirable way.

“He’s fighting against transgender ideology; he’s fighting against critical race theory; he’s fighting against radical Islam; he’s fighting globalism; he’s fighting socialist dictators. He is securing our border, our nation’s sovereignty, to protect our country, our Christian nation. He’s reducing crime in cities across the country to protect your family and mine. He is reordering the global financial system in order to better serve you,” she says.

“Obviously, that meme he posted didn’t land for obvious reasons, and it shouldn’t have landed because of what it seemed to portray, and Trump did the right thing by deleting it because if it was intended to portray him as Jesus versus just reminding people that Trump’s policies generally serve humanity, then it never should have been posted in the first place,” she concludes. “It’s as simple as that.”

To hear more, watch the episode above.

Want more from Liz Wheeler?

To enjoy more of Liz’s based commentary, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Aigenerated image, Antichrist figure, Blasphemy accusations, Catholic trump supporter, Christlike figure, Controversial jesus post, Evil spiritual figure, Gen z member, Liz wheeler, Offensive memes, Orthodox easter sunday, Pope leo xiv, President trump, Spiritual perspective, Truth social, Usisrael war, The liz wheeler show 

Most Americans assume that if their deposits are insured, their banking relationship is stable.

For decades, that assumption has been reasonable. Large national banks offer scale, convenience, and integration across checking, credit cards, mortgages, investments, and digital tools. For many households and businesses, they remain the default choice — for many good reasons.

Regional and community banks typically face fewer reputational signaling incentives and fewer reasons to police customers’ lawful beliefs.

But in recent years, some lawful customers have found accounts restricted or closed not for fraud or criminal conduct, but because the financial institution decided internally that the customer is a risk to the institution’s reputation or political standing. In other words: They have been canceled.

These cases are often hard to prove — and that difficulty is itself the problem. First lady Melania Trump revealed in her memoir that a bank decided to “terminate” her account. The reasoning was frustrating to pin down, since decisions on account restrictions are shielded from public verification by opaque risk explanations and confidentiality rules.

Other cases were clearer. In 2023, internal documents revealed that U.K. private bank Coutts closed the account of British politician Nigel Farage after deciding his political views posed “reputational risk” — a disclosure that ultimately led to the resignation of National Westminster Bank’s chief executive.

“If they can do it to me, they can do it to you, too,” Farage proclaimed after the dispute.

The risk

Your money may be insured, but access to it is governed by institutional judgment. For some consumers, understanding where that judgment lies is now part of responsible financial planning.

That’s where this guide comes in. It’s not a broadside against megabanks. It is a road map for readers who want to understand the trade-offs that come with scale — particularly when account access is governed by broad, centralized risk frameworks rather than personal relationships or clearly defined misconduct.

Regulators have since moved to clarify standards governing account closures and risk assessments. But for consumers who watched large institutions end financial relationships under ambiguous or shifting rules, the question remains straightforward: Why assume that risk if alternatives exist?

There are no guarantees. But there are differences — rooted in structure, incentives, and how close a branch is to customers — that can meaningfully affect how ideological risk is handled.

Ideological risk is not evenly distributed. It tends to correlate with scale, distance, and discretion, rather than with partisan labels.

This guide organizes banks into categories based on structure and incentives, not ideology.

How this list was compiled

All banks listed below meet the following baseline criteria:

FDIC-insured (or equivalent federal backing).No public record of ideologically motivated account closures.Standard modern banking services, including online and mobile access.Responses to Align’s inquiries, where available.Institutional cultures or policies emphasizing lawful, viewpoint-neutral customer treatment.

Banks to consider

1. Regional and community banks

They are often safer. Regional and community banks typically operate on relationship-based models, with decision-making closer to customers and local markets. They face less national activist pressure, fewer reputational signaling incentives, and fewer reasons to police customers’ lawful beliefs.

Here’s what to look for:

FDIC insurance.Rigorous underwriting standards.Focus on local business, agriculture, manufacturing, or regional commerce.Long operating histories.Knowing exactly who to talk to next if your problem isn’t fixed.

Warning: Not all community banks are equal. Some rely heavily on third-party compliance vendors or adopt national risk frameworks wholesale. Size alone is not a guarantee.

Here are some strong options.

Woodforest National Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.8 (32.2K reviews); Apple 4.8 (47K reviews)
Region/States: 730+ branches in 17 states
ATM: MoneyPass network

Woodforest National Bank is a privately owned, community-focused financial institution headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, that has provided banking services since 1980, operating hundreds of branches across multiple states and offering products for both personal and business customers. It offers a full range of financial services including checking and savings accounts, loans, debit cards, online and mobile banking, and other products designed for everyday banking needs. The bank emphasizes customer relationships, convenient access — including retail locations and digital tools — and a commitment to serving the communities where its customers live and work.

First Premier Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes (via Premier Bankcard)
App: Yes — Google 4.5 (1.48K reviews); Apple 4.4 (1.4K reviews)
Region/States: 13 branch locations in South Dakota
ATM: Fee-free access to 37,000+ MoneyPass ATMs nationwide

First Premier Bank is an independently owned, FDIC-insured community bank headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It offers a full range of financial products and services, including personal, business, and agricultural checking and savings accounts, loans and mortgages, wealth management, and digital banking. The bank also operates Premier Bankcard, a nationally recognized issuer of Mastercard credit products. First Premier emphasizes strong capitalization, customer support, community investment, and accessible online and mobile banking tools for managing finances nationwide.

American National Bank of Texas

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.7 (987 reviews); Apple 4.8 (9.7K reviews)
Region/States: 24 locations in Dallas-Fort Worth
ATM: ATMs at nearly all branches

American National Bank of Texas is a long-established, independently owned, FDIC-insured community bank headquartered in Terrell, Texas, with more than 30 branches serving North Texas. It offers a full suite of financial products and services including personal and business checking and savings, loans and mortgages, digital banking, and wealth management. The bank emphasizes local relationship-driven service, community involvement, and comprehensive financial solutions tailored to individuals and businesses alike.

Liberty National Bank (Midwest)

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.9 (15 reviews); Apple 4.6 (192 reviews)
Region/States: 18 locations in Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska

Liberty National Bank (Midwest) is an independently owned, FDIC-insured community bank headquartered in Sioux City, Iowa, founded in 2003. With approximately $600 million in assets, it serves customers across Iowa, South Dakota, and Nebraska, including Sioux City, Sioux Falls, and surrounding communities. The bank emphasizes local decision-making, relationship-based service, and support for families, businesses, and agricultural clients in the markets it serves.

Liberty National Bank (Texas/Oklahoma)

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.5; Apple 4.9
Region/States: ~10 locations in Oklahoma and North Texas
ATM: 20 local ATMs

Liberty National Bank (Texas/Oklahoma) is an independently chartered, FDIC-insured community bank headquartered in Lawton, Oklahoma. Originally established in 1902 as the Bank of Elgin, it adopted the Liberty National name in 2002 and has since expanded across Oklahoma and into North Texas, with assets exceeding $1 billion. The bank remains under Green family ownership and emphasizes long-standing ties to local communities, regional growth, and personalized banking relationships.

F&M Bank (Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California)

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.6 (322 reviews); Apple 4.8 (1.1K reviews)
Region/States: 33 locations in California
ATM: Pulse & Cirrus (400,000 ATMs)

Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California offers personal and business banking services, including a variety of checking and savings accounts, loans, and agricultural financing tailored to individuals and companies across numerous California communities. The website emphasizes secure 24/7 online and mobile banking so that customers can manage accounts, transfer funds, pay bills, and access eStatements from anywhere. It also highlights local branch access, community roots dating back over a century, and a commitment to serving customers’ financial needs.

New Peoples Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 2.8 (82 reviews); Apple 4.6 (790 reviews)
Region/States: 18 locations in Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina
ATM: Allpoint (55,000 locations)

New Peoples Bank is a community-focused financial institution with multiple branches serving individuals and small to medium-size businesses across Southwestern Virginia, Southern West Virginia, Northeastern Tennessee, and Western North Carolina, offering a full suite of personal and business banking products including checking, savings, loans, and online services. Through its website, customers can open accounts, apply for mortgage or personal loans, manage finances with online and mobile banking tools, and access additional services like identity protection and ATM networks. The bank emphasizes local decision-making, Golden Rule customer service, and technology that supports secure, convenient banking experiences.

First United Bank & Trust

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 3.8 (51 reviews); Apple 4.8 (431 reviews)
Region/States: 7 locations in Kentucky
ATM: MoneyPass

First United Bank and Trust Company is a community-oriented, FDIC-insured bank offering a full range of personal and business financial services, including checking and savings accounts, loans, digital banking, and trust solutions accessible online or at local branches. The bank emphasizes convenient 24/7 access to accounts, tools for managing finances, and solutions like credit cards and business services tailored to local needs. Its website highlights personal service, community engagement, and products designed to support customers’ financial goals with trusted relationships and modern banking technology.

Arbor Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.4 (132 reviews); Apple 4.8 (399 reviews)
Region/States: 6 locations in Iowa and Nebraska
ATM: MoneyPass

Arbor Bank is a community FDIC-insured bank offering a wide range of personal and business financial products, including checking and savings accounts, online/mobile banking, lending solutions, and mortgage services. It also provides business banking tools like treasury management, SBA loans, and positive pay fraud protection, along with card solutions and insurance options. The website emphasizes secure digital access, personalized service, and support for customers’ financial growth.

First Command Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google: 3.6 (82 reviews); Apple: 4.6 (1.5K reviews)
Region/States: Over 750 First Command Bank advisers in over 175 offices in 45 states and Guam
ATM: MoneyPass ATM network and NYCE network; reimburses non-FCB ATM surcharges up to $10 per statement cycle

First Command’s banking section highlights personal banking products tailored for military personnel, veterans, and their families, including competitive checking and savings accounts, CDs, car loans, and debt consolidation options. These services come with convenient online and mobile access so that customers can manage funds, pay bills, and transfer money securely from anywhere, backed by the FDIC-insured protection First Command Bank offers. The emphasis throughout is on helping service members and their families manage everyday finances and build solid financial habits.

Citizens First Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: No (mobile app offers free credit report updates weekly)
App: Yes — Google: 4.7 (1.24K reviews); Apple: 4.8 (3.1K reviews)
Region/States: 19 locations in Florida (The Villages and surrounding counties)
ATM: On-site ATMs at most branch locations; part of the Publix Presto! ATM Network (1,300+ surcharge-free ATMs across the Southeast); additional access through regional shared ATM arrangements (fees may vary depending on network)

Citizens First Bank is an FDIC-insured community bank serving The Villages and surrounding counties in Florida. It offers personal and business checking and savings products, robust online and mobile tools including bill pay and eStatements, and an ATM network focused on surcharge-free access. The bank merged with Seacoast Bank in October 2025 following the acquisition of its parent company, with conversion of accounts tentatively scheduled for July 2026.

Emigrant Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: No
App: No dedicated mobile app; online account management via EmigrantOnline®
Region/States: 2 locations in New York; 1 location in Miami, Florida
ATM: On-site ATMs at branch locations; The bank refers to participation in ATM networks, though specific network details and surcharge policies are not prominently disclosed on its website. Prospective customers should confirm ATM access and fee policies directly with the bank.

Emigrant Bank is a privately owned U.S. financial institution offering high-yield savings, checking accounts, CDs, and mortgage lending. It emphasizes competitive deposit products and online/telephone banking access rather than a large retail branch footprint. Emigrant also provides mortgage lending through its direct lending division and support for account holders with tools to handle funds and financial needs securely.

2. Credit unions

Credit unions are member-owned, less PR-sensitive, and historically focused on service rather than signaling. Because there are thousands of local credit unions with varying eligibility rules, this guide does not list specific institutions.

How to find a good one:

Confirm NCUA insurance.Look for long operating histories.Favor credit unions with business or agricultural lending.Ask directly about account-closure policies and escalation.

3. Explicitly viewpoint-neutral banks

This is the smallest and most visible category — and the one that requires the most due diligence before joining.

The claim here is not that these banks are “conservative,” but that they have made explicit commitments to viewpoint neutrality and have no public record of ideological account closures.

What qualifies:

Public neutrality policies.Leadership statements emphasizing lawful activity over belief.Clear articulation of when accounts would be restricted.No documented ideological de-banking cases.

Old Glory Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.6 (940 reviews); Apple 4.8 (1.5K reviews)
Region/States: Nationwide digital access; one physical branch
ATM: MoneyPass (40,000+ ATMs)

Old Glory Bank is a full-service, FDIC-insured American bank headquartered in Elmore City, Oklahoma, offering personal and business checking and savings accounts, loans, certificates of deposit, and modern digital tools like mobile and online banking with nationwide access. It positions itself as a nationwide online bank built around traditional American values and strong commitments to privacy, security, and customer autonomy. Customers can bank digitally from all 50 states while also accessing features such as ATM networks, cash deposit options, and advanced debit card controls.

Co-founded by John Rich, Dr. Ben Carson, Larry Elder, and former Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R), Old Glory is guided by what it calls the Banking Bill of Rights. A statement to Align from the founders makes the bank’s stand against de-banking central to its mission: “Not only does Old Glory Bank have a policy on de-banking, it is the very reason we exist! We were founded in direct response to the growing and troubling practice of de-banking Americans for their lawful, constitutionally protected beliefs. We saw the alarming trend in January 2021 and got to work years before it became newsworthy. We stand firm on the belief that this practice is morally, legally, and fundamentally incompatible with the freedom upon which our nation was built.”

Regent Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.8 (21 reviews); Apple 4.9 (523 reviews)
Region/States: 7 locations in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri
ATM: 10 free out-of-network transactions monthly

Regent Bank is a regional, FDIC-insured, full-service bank headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with multiple branches in Oklahoma, Texas, and Missouri, offering personal and business banking products including checking, savings, loans, digital banking, and treasury services. It emphasizes personalized, concierge-style service tailored to entrepreneurs, small and mid-market businesses, and specialized niches like health care, agriculture, and nonprofits. The bank combines traditional community banking values with modern tools and solutions, supporting clients’ financial needs through dedicated local relationships and digital access.

A Regent Bank spokesperson told Align that the institution identifies as a “Christian, faith-based organization in terms of [its] mission and values” and that its “approach is grounded in relationship-driven banking and serving clients based on lawful activity — not political or religious beliefs.” Regent’s spokesperson added that de-banking is a frequently discussed issue at the executive level of the organization.

4. Large regional and super-regional banks

Regions Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google: 4.5 (128K reviews); Apple: 4.9 (521K reviews)
Region/States: 1,445 locations across 15 states spanning the South, Midwest, and Texas
ATM: No-fee access at Regions ATMs

Regions Bank is a large, FDIC-insured, full-service financial institution and subsidiary of Regions Financial Corporation, offering a broad range of personal banking products including checking and savings accounts, loans and mortgages, digital banking, and wealth management solutions. It serves millions of customers through an extensive branch and ATM network across the South, Midwest, and Texas, while also providing online and mobile tools for everyday account management The bank combines traditional community-oriented service with modern digital convenience to support a wide spectrum of consumer financial needs.

Zions Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google: 4.6 (6.8K reviews); Apple: 4.7 (29K reviews)
Region/States: ~20 branches in Utah and other Western markets
ATM: No-fee ATM network serving Western U.S.

Zions Bank is a full-service, FDIC-insured regional bank operating as part of Zions Bancorporation, offering personal banking products such as checking and savings accounts, loans and mortgages, credit cards, and robust digital banking tools including online and mobile access. It serves individuals and small businesses through an extensive network of full-service branches across multiple Western states and emphasizes community-focused service with modern financial solutions. Founded in the 19th century and rooted in local market relationships, Zions Bank combines traditional banking values with convenient digital access for everyday financial management.

Synovus Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google: 4.7 (10.6K reviews); Apple: 4.8 (50K reviews)
Region/States: 40+ locations in Alabama and Georgia
ATM: Unlimited fee-free Pinnacle Financial Partners ATMs

Synovus is a large, FDIC-insured financial services company and bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Georgia, offering a full range of commercial and personal banking products including checking and savings, loans, mortgages, credit cards, and digital banking. It also provides specialized services such as wealth management, trust and investment solutions, treasury management, and mortgage and capital markets services through its subsidiaries. Synovus operates an extensive branch and ATM network across the Southeast and emphasizes personalized client relationships alongside modern digital tools.

Arvest Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google: 3.6 (12.5K reviews); Apple: 4.9 (252K reviews)
Region/States: 310 locations in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma
ATM: Offers ATMs with live teller drive-thru services

Arvest Bank is a regional full-service bank offering personal and business financial products including checking and savings accounts, loans and mortgages, credit cards, wealth and treasury management, and secure online and mobile banking tools. Through its extensive network of branches across Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas, the bank emphasizes local community commitment while providing modern digital conveniences like 24/7 account access and mobile deposits. Its mission centers on partnering with customers to deliver tailored financial solutions that support everyday banking needs and long-term financial goals.

PlainsCapital Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.5 (1.3K reviews); Apple 4.9 (8.7K reviews)
Region/States: 55 branches across Texas, including Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock, San Antonio, and the Rio Grande Valley
ATM: Branch and regional network ATM access (confirm surcharge policies directly with bank)

Founded in 1988 in Lubbock, Texas, PlainsCapital Bank has grown into one of the largest independent banks in the state, with approximately $12.4 billion in assets and more than 1,000 employees. A subsidiary of Hilltop Holdings Inc., it operates a statewide branch network and offers commercial banking, treasury management, private banking, wealth management, and consumer banking services. While emphasizing relationship-based banking, PlainsCapital functions at the scale of a large regional institution with centralized infrastructure and enterprise-level risk management.

What to approach with caution

Not every “alternative” bank actually reduces ideological risk.

Fintech apps without their own bank charter: Many rely on sponsor banks and payment processors, meaning account access can be restricted upstream with little notice.Institutions with expansive “reputational risk” clauses: Banks that reserve broad discretion to sever relationships for social or political reasons introduce uncertainty.Ideological startups without federal backing: Branding is not a substitute for FDIC insurance, balance-sheet transparency, or regulatory oversight.

Questions to ask your bank

If ideological or reputational risk is a concern, you don’t need to announce your politics or interrogate your bank. You’re simply trying to understand process, discretion, and escalation — the same way you would with fees, fraud protection, or data security.

These are reasonable, neutral questions.

1. Under what circumstances can my account be restricted or closed?

Listen for clear references to fraud, illegality, or operational risk. Be cautious if you hear broad or undefined references to “reputational,” “social,” or “values-based” concerns.

2. Will I receive notice before an account is restricted or closed?

Ask:

How much notice is typical? Are there circumstances under which notice is not provided?

Advance notice reduces risk regardless of ideology.

3. Is there an appeal or escalation process if a decision is made?

Important follow-ups:

Can decisions be reviewed by a human committee?Is there a relationship manager or ombudsman involved?

The ability to appeal matters as much as the rule itself.

4. Who ultimately makes account-closure decisions?

You’re listening for local or relationship-based decision-making versus centralized compliance teams or third-party vendors. Distance often correlates with opacity.

5. Do you rely on third-party compliance or risk vendors?

This matters because:

Upstream vendors can impose restrictions that the bank itself did not initiate.Vendor changes can alter outcomes without warning.

6. How do you define “reputational risk”?

A strong answer ties reputational risk to concrete financial, legal, or operational exposure.

A weak answer uses vague or moralized language without boundaries.

7. Are account decisions based on lawful activity, regardless of belief or affiliation?

Banks that can say this plainly usually mean it.

8. Is my account subject to special monitoring or enhanced review?

This is especially relevant for nonprofits, small businesses, and public-facing individuals.

How to use this checklist

You don’t need perfect answers. You’re looking for a bank that can explain its rules clearly — and show how decisions are reviewed.

​Lifestyle, Consumer, Banking, Debanking, Ideology, Woke, Align guide 

A Florida teen is being prosecuted as an adult in connection with the murder and sexual assault of his stepsister, Anna Kepner, aboard a Carnival cruise ship last year, authorities announced.

In a statement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida said a federal grand jury leveled the indictment against the 16-year-old suspect identified as “T.H., 16, of Titusville.”

‘I couldn’t fathom why anyone would hurt my baby.’

T.H. has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse, the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated.

The suspect faces a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted, according to the statement.

The press release revealed that the defendant was charged as a juvenile on February 2.

U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom ordered the suspect to face adult prosecution, according to the news release.

As Blaze News previously reported, 18-year-old Anna Kepner took a family vacation aboard a Carnival Horizon cruise ship that departed from Miami for a six-day Caribbean trip last November.

Kepner was traveling on the ship with her father, grandparents, stepmother, and her stepmother’s two children, including Anna’s 16-year-old stepbrother accused of killing her.

A cruise ship crew member on November 7 discovered Kepner’s body under a bed in the cabin the siblings shared on the cruise ship.

At the time of her death, the cruise ship was in international waters and on its way back to port in Miami.

Kepner’s death was ruled a homicide.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated, “T.H. allegedly sexually assaulted and intentionally killed Kepner.”

The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office determined Kepner’s cause of death was mechanical asphyxiation.

In November, a source informed ABC News that Kepner’s death may have been caused by asphyxiation from a bar hold — a chokehold maneuver in which the arm is pressed across the neck. The source also noted that there were two bruises on the side of Kepner’s neck.

The FBI is investigating the case because the alleged crimes occurred on the “high seas,” or international waters, and involve the purported victim as a U.S. national.

RELATED: Cheerleading trip to Las Vegas ends in ‘unimaginable loss’ as court docs reveal Utah mom’s dark past before murder-suicide

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida said in a statement:

Our hearts go out to the victim’s family during this unimaginable loss. A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging serious offenses that allegedly occurred aboard a vessel in international waters. We will present the evidence in court and pursue this case with professionalism and care.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra L. López is prosecuting the case against the teen defendant.

On February 6, the suspect made his first appearance in federal court in Miami and was then released into the custody of a family member, a law enforcement official informed People magazine.

Christopher Kepner, Anna’s biological father, on Monday told WTVJ-TV, “He needs to be arrested at this time. He is now an adult, and he needs to be arrested. That is where the family stands. Justice needs to be served.”

The grieving father previously told NBC News, “Our daughter’s life matters, and we will continue to speak out to honor her, to seek accountability, and to ensure that her case is not forgotten.”

As Blaze News reported in February, court documents show that “social media from the Kepner family has indicated that they want the ‘nails in the coffin’ of [the minor], and that both the Kepner family and the respondent ‘want him buried.'”

Anna’s grandmother, Barbara Kepner, told ABC News in November, “I couldn’t fathom why anyone would hurt my baby.”

“We were looking forward to see her grow,” said Anna’s grandfather Jeffrey Kepner. “The cruise itself wasn’t what made me excited. It was the fact that I was gonna get to spend another week with my youngest son and his family and all the grandkids.”

Kepner was described as a “bubbly, funny, outgoing” high school cheerleader who “loved her siblings deeply,” according to her obituary.

Kepner’s obituary describes her as a Christian whose “faith blossomed as beautifully as her smile.”

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The House of Representatives passed articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump in December 2019 over a phone call he had months earlier with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, alleging abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

While the U.S. Senate ultimately acquitted Trump by a vote of 57-43 in early 2020, the stitch-up had by that stage sufficiently muddied the waters and buoyed Democrats’ false narrative in an especially heated election year.

‘It is always worse than we thought.’

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released documents on Monday revealing that hearsay and erroneous claims from a few politicized bad actors who lacked any firsthand knowledge of the phone call were used as the basis to impeach Trump and that elements of the intelligence community were not only aware but happy to advance the false narrative.

The documents — investigative materials used by former Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson, who got the ball rolling on impeachment, and transcripts of his testimony released as the result of a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence vote last month — show that Atkinson skirted standard IG procedures and, embracing a kind of strategic myopia, leaned entirely on what the ODNI described as “politicized, manufactured narratives” without ever once bothering to access the transcript of Trump’s call.

A self-declared “Democrat” whistleblower who worked for the CIA filed a complaint in August 2019 alleging Trump was “using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. elections. This interference includes, among other things, pressuring a foreign country — Ukraine — to investigate one of the President’s main domestic political rivals, former Vice President Biden.”

On the call, Trump reportedly made reference to how Biden threatened to withhold $1 billion in aid to Ukraine unless the prosecutor investigating the corrupt and now-defunct Ukrainian company Burisma, where Hunter Biden was appointed director in 2014, was fired.

The ODNI noted on the basis of the newly released documents that Atkinson — who spun the complaint as “credible” and rushed it to the congressional intelligence committees — had bothered to interview only four individuals whose credibility and political motives were clearly suspect.

RELATED: Democrat says he’s filed articles of impeachment against Trump over social media post

House Judiciary Committee hearing on Dec. 12, 2019. Alex Edelman/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Besides the whistleblower — credibly identified as Eric Ciaramella, the Obama holdover and CIA analyst who reportedly partook in Obama White House discussions regarding Hunter Biden and Burisma — Atkinson interviewed the whistleblower’s friend, “who was a co-author of the January 2017 Russia Hoax Intelligence Community Assessment and close colleague of former FBI Agent Peter Strzok,” and two character references.

Not only did Atkinson rely upon the testimonies of politicized actors, he determined that the complaint must be reported to Congress despite the Justice Department determining there was “no urgent concern” and the whistleblower confirming he had no “direct knowledge of private comments or communications by the President.”

It appears the hearsay-dependent allegations were buttressed by wild speculation.

One of the “witnesses” had admitted after reading a transcript of the call that they “would not have been able to get from ‘point A to Z’ the way the Whistleblower did” and that they had to “read between the lines” in order to conclude Trump was discussing quid pro quo.

The ODNI noted that the newly released “witness” interviews demonstrate that Atkinson’s public assertion that “other information obtained during [his] preliminary review … supports the complainant’s allegation” was false and obfuscated the fact that there was no firsthand evidence of what was being alleged.

The newly declassified documents confirm not only that the whistleblower lied to Atkinson about leaking to congressional Democrats prior to submitting his allegations to the inspector general but that he was, contrary to Atkinson’s characterization, politically biased.

Atkinson testified to Congress that he “never considered the whistleblower to be politically biased.”

He drew this conclusion despite the whistleblower stating in his interviews that he is a “registered Democrat”; had “worked closely with Vice President Biden” and had traveled with Biden to Ukraine; and was the “target of right-wing bloggers … and conspiracy theorists.”

“Deep state actors within the Intelligence Community concocted a false narrative that was used by Congress to usurp the will of the American people and impeach the duly-elected President of the United States,” stated Gabbard.

“Inspector General Atkinson failed to uphold his responsibility to the American people, putting political motivations over the truth. And this, along with the politicization of the whistleblower process by a former CIA employee who was working hand in glove with Democrats in Congress, are egregious examples of the deep state playbook on how to weaponize the Intelligence Community,” continued Gabbard.

In 2019, Gabbard was a Democratic congresswoman representing Hawaii and cast the only “present” vote on both articles of impeachment.

“It was a sham from the start,” tweeted Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). “The only thing we got wrong is that it is always worse than we thought.”

Harvard law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz, who worked to defend Trump at his impeachment trial, told Just the News that Trump could have grounds to expunge his impeachment in the House in light of the new revelations.

“It’s never been done. I don’t see any reason why it couldn’t be done,” said Dershowitz.

“These government officials will probably have to pay a political price, if not a legal price, for violating the Constitution, because that’s what they’ve done. They violated the Constitution,” said Dershowitz, adding that the Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to confront witnesses.

In terms of seeking remedy, Dershowitz suggested Trump could always bring a civil lawsuit.

Trump evidently liked Dershowitz’s suggestions and said on Truth Social, “Alan, one of the greats, should do it!”

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​Abuse of power, Alan dershowitz, Articles of impeachment, Director of national intelligence, Donald trump, Eric ciaramella, Hunter biden, Impeachment, Inspector general, Intelligence community, Justice department, Phone call, President donald trump, Trump, Tulsi gabbard, Ukrainian president, Volodymyr zelenskyy, Whistleblower complaint, Politics 

Whatever hopes Kevin Cichowski had of launching a political career are now likely over after he was arrested in connection with an attack on two elderly individuals in Florida last week.

On Friday morning, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to a 911 call from a residence in Palm Coast about what the office described as “a domestic disturbance with a weapon.” According to the 911 caller, the allegedly armed suspect “had battered two elderly victims in the home — hitting one with a cane and throwing a cellphone at the other.”

‘This is insane.’

The 911 caller, who was one of the two victims, claimed the suspect “had threatened to kill them multiple times and stated he would kill law enforcement if they were called,” the sheriff’s office said.

What’s worse, the two victims were holed up in a bedroom of the residence, unable to escape because one of the victims was “bedridden,” the sheriff’s office added. Deputies at the scene managed to help the victims evacuate the residence safely.

The suspect was identified as 46-year-old Kevin Cichowski.

Bodycam footage, obtained and shared by the New York Post, reveals Cichowski rambling about his mother and father during his arrest. The outlet noted that though the sheriff’s office did not verify any relation between the parties involved, the two victims are believed to be Cichowski’s parents.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Cichowski says as a deputy escorts him out of the residence in handcuffs, video shows.

“I haven’t done anything wrong,” he adds. “This is insane.”

RELATED: ‘Die from masturbation’: Days before murdering his parents, Utah ‘trans’ man made eerie complaints about ‘lunatic’ housemate

– YouTube

Cichowski has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of battery on a person over 65, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, tampering with a witness, and two counts of robbery by sudden snatching.

During his trip to jail, Cichowski expressed suicidal ideation, the sheriff’s office said, prompting detention under the Florida Baker Act, which involves detaining those experiencing a mental health episode and who may pose a threat to personal or public safety.

Jail records indicate he remains in custody as of Monday evening. Cichowski was also arrested in 2024 for domestic battery, domestic battery by strangulation, and false imprisonment.

The Facebook post from the sheriff’s office noted Cichowski’s attempted forays into Floridian politics: “Cichowski is running for election for Governor of Florida. Cichowski previously ran for Palm Coast mayor in 2021.”

Cichowski did indeed file for the Florida gubernatorial race as a Democrat on March 24, according to Florida State Department records.

Even before his arrest, however, his prospects were rather dim. The Democratic field is already crowded with former Rep. David Jolly and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings dominating the race. One poll released following Cichowski’s entry has him registering nominal support.

Cichowski’s campaign and the Florida Democratic Party did not respond to requests for comment from Blaze News.

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​Democratic party, Florida, Flagler county, Palm coast, Kevin cichowski, Politics 

Recently, a simple note from Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins wishing staff a meaningful Easter and reminding them that it was a day to celebrate the “foundations of our faith” has caused those in the secular-state industrial complex to rhetorically crucify the secretary.

The right of a U.S. secretary of agriculture — or any public official — to send a pro-Easter message to staff is not only constitutionally permissible, it is deeply consistent with the text, history, and tradition of the First Amendment.

There’s a difference between hearing something and being made to say it yourself.

The First Amendment safeguards the free exercise of religious practice in public while ensuring that there will be no state-mandated religion. Critics often interpret the Establishment Clause as requiring a strict secular silence from public officials, but that interpretation is historically incomplete.

The Constitution does not demand a religion-free public square; rather, it prevents coercion or official establishment of a national church.

This kind of message is not new. It echoes in older scenes: a president bowing his head at the end of a proclamation, members of Congress listening to a morning prayer before debate begins, a phrase stamped quietly onto a coin that passes through countless hands.

Indeed, the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized that government may acknowledge religion as part of the nation’s heritage. From legislative prayers upheld in Marsh v. Chambers to holiday displays permitted in Lynch v. Donnelly, the court affirmed that ceremonial and traditional expressions of faith are compatible with constitutional principles.

A secretary of agriculture sending a goodwill Easter message fits squarely within this tradition.

Religious references have been woven into American governance since the founding. Presidents from George Washington onward have issued proclamations referring to God and religious observances.

Congress employs chaplains. The national motto, “In God We Trust,” appears on currency. These practices demonstrate that the framers did not intend to purge religious expression from public office, but to prevent its abuse.

Easter, specifically, has long been recognized both culturally and institutionally in the United States. Federal employees often receive time off for Easter-related observances, and presidents frequently release Easter messages reflecting on themes of renewal and hope.

A pro-Easter message that is inclusive in tone — perhaps acknowledging the holiday’s themes or extending goodwill to those who celebrate — does not coerce belief or participation. Employees remain free to disregard the message, just as they are free to observe or not observe the holiday.

RELATED: The trial lawyers come for online free speech

Skodonnell/Getty Images

There’s a difference between hearing something and being made to say it yourself. The First Amendment lives in that space. It protects the employee who quietly appreciates the message and the one who deletes it without a second thought.

Suppressing such expressions, on the other hand, risks creating a different constitutional problem: hostility toward religion. The Supreme Court has cautioned against interpretations of the Establishment Clause that demonstrate animus toward faith.

Neutrality does not mean erasure; it means equal treatment. Allowing a pro-Easter message does not privilege Christianity so long as the government does not exclude or penalize other beliefs.

In a religiously pluralistic society, the goal should not be to eliminate religious references from public life, but to ensure that they are expressed in a way that respects freedom for all.

The secretary of agriculture sending an Easter message — grounded in tradition, delivered without coercion, and consistent with historical practice — falls well within those constitutional boundaries.

​Brooke rollins, Radical left, Supreme court, First amendment, Free speech, Religious liberty, Easter, Easter message, Christianity, Opinion & analysis 

We are living in a highly re-mystified world. Today, more people believe in the supernatural than don’t. Major surveys consistently show that belief in God, spirits, souls, life after death, or related concepts far outnumbers strict naturalism or atheism across the globe.

And our entertainment landscape is reflecting that shift. In his new docuseries “Investigating the Supernatural: Angels and Demons,” investigative journalist Billy Hallowell explores the reality of angels, demons, spiritual warfare, and the unseen realm through evidence, testimonies, and biblical perspectives.

Now he joins Glenn Beck to discuss why — in light of the evidence presented in his docuseries — believing in the supernatural is not only understandable, but very reasonable

Even though he’s a “Christian” who “[believes] in the Bible,” Hallowell admits that he can be quite skeptical about supernatural testimonies because “we can make claims all day,” but producing this series has virtually crushed that skepticism.

“I was shocked by the staggering amount of evidence that is there,” he tells Glenn.

The evidence is so convincing and so abundant, in fact, that it’s actually becoming an effective evangelical tool — especially when it comes to younger generations, Hallowell says.

“This supernatural evidence is the thing that could bring [young people] over the line into faith because they’ve been so lied to for so long, so forced into this weird secular worldview that when you see something crazy that has evidence, it brings you into the faith,” he explains.

But sometimes, it doesn’t even take hard evidence for people to cross the line into belief in the supernatural. Glenn argues that many people are becoming believers simply because of the objective darkness they’re witnessing.

“We’re watching good and evil — angels and demons — duke it out all around us right now. And we’re just feeling the aftereffects,” he says.

Hallowell says Glenn’s words reflect Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 6:12: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

“I actually don’t think … that we can really understand fully what is happening in the world around us and in our individual lives if we don’t understand that battle,” he says.

Hallowell’s docuseries is “a quest” to do just that — understand the world around us by examining it through a spiritual lens. And that includes aliens.

To hear how Hallowell’s documentary explores extraterrestrial life from a spiritual perspective, watch the video above.

Want more from Glenn Beck?

To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​The glenn beck program, Glenn beck, Billy hallowell, Angels and demons, Spiritual warfare, Christianity, Aliens, Ufos, Blazetv, Blaze media 

An Atlanta neighborhood is shocked by the brutal killing of a woman simply walking her dog Monday morning, and a witness said she saw the suspect do something even more horrible.

The DeKalb County Police Department said officers responded to a residence on Battle Forrest Drive at about 6:50 a.m. and found the victim with gunshot and stab wounds.

‘I heard 6 to 7 shots, so I ran out the door, and when I ran out the door, I saw the lady across the street with a man standing over her.’

A witness named Tiffany Williams told WXIA-TV that she made eye contact with the suspect after hearing the gunshots outside her home.

“I was getting up, getting my grandbaby ready for school, and I heard six to seven shots, so I ran out the door, and when I ran out the door, I saw the lady across the street with a man standing over her,” Williams said.

“I heard the shooting, but I’m not thinking because as a mother and I’m seeing her lying there, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got to help her,'” she added.

Williams said the suspect was pulling the victim’s pants down when they made eye contact.

“I saw he was wearing all black, and then he ran up the street,” she added.

Neighbors said the area is very quiet and that most of the residents are elderly people.

Later at a media briefing that evening, the Brookhaven and DeKalb County police departments said a 26-year-old suspect named Olaolukitan Adon Abel was arrested after a traffic stop in Troup County.

Police said he was a suspect in a deadly shooting at a Checkers restaurant on Wesley Chapel Road and was tied to the lethal shooting of a homeless person at a Kroger grocery store in Brookhaven.

RELATED: Convicted murderer and rapist killed by cop during parole warrant arrest allegedly refused to drop gun

The victim near Kroger was sleeping at about 2 a.m. when someone shot him multiple times.

The woman shot near Checkers had been shot at about 12:50 a.m. and died at a hospital.

Police said the DeKalb County Medical Examiner will determine the official cause of death of the woman shot while walking her dog.

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​Atlanta woman shot and stabbed, Brutal killing, Woman walking dog, Shooting spree atlanta, Crime 

On the biggest diplomatic night of his second term, Donald Trump mentioned Nigeria.

In a Truth Social post seen by millions — at the precise moment the entire world was watching his Iran ceasefire announcement — he linked a disputed Iranian statement to “a Fake News site (from Nigeria).”

It was only one sentence, but that is how Trump softens the ground.

Two hundred US troops have been at Bauchi Airfield since February. MQ-9 Reaper drones were deployed in March.

Most Americans can’t find Nigeria on a map, but it is the sixth largest nation on earth, on track to be the third by 2050 — a quarter of Africa’s entire population. Nigeria is also a top-five oil producer in OPEC and has more than a trillion dollars in untapped minerals.

Whoever shapes Nigeria shapes Africa’s future — and increasingly, the world’s. The radical Islamists understand this. They’ve been actively working in the country for 30 years.

More Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria every year than in the rest of the world combined — more than 125,000 since 2009.

I’ve made 16 trips to the country since 2010, several under State Department Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisories. I documented what I found in my book “Epicenter: Nigeria, Radical Islam, and the War for Global Order.”

Don’t believe the spin: This isn’t a tribal conflict or a climate dispute. It is coordinated, religiously motivated extermination — killers shouting “Allahu Akbar” as they slaughter Christians by the thousands — while elements within the Nigerian government enable the terror.

In congressional testimony in 2025, U.S. Gen. Michael Langley, AFRICOM commander, declared that the region is now “the epicenter of terrorism on the globe” — and that terror networks are actively pushing toward Nigeria’s coastline, building the capacity to strike the American homeland.

The stated agenda of the terrorists, after bringing all of Nigeria under Sharia submission, is to use it as a launchpad for global jihad.

It’s already happening. On March 12, an ISIS operative radicalized in Nigeria walked into an ROTC classroom at Old Dominion University in Virginia, killed Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, and shouted “Allahu Akbar.” Nigeria’s jihad already has an American address.

RELATED: My friend survived the Global War on Terror. Leftist immigration policies got him killed.

Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot/Tribune News Service/Getty Images

Every Nigeria observer has watched in frustration as the Iran war consumed Washington for six weeks. Because Trump had been moving — and the clock was running.

On October 31 of last year, the Trump administration designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern — the most serious religious freedom label the U.S. government issues. Rep. Riley Moore (R-W.V.) was tasked to investigate.

Congress introduced HR 7457 with sanctions language targeting complicit Nigerian officials by name. Christmas night: The USS Paul Ignatius struck jihadist camps in Sokoto State with Tomahawk missiles — the first U.S. strike on Nigerian soil.

The Nigerian government provided the coordinates — in the far north, nowhere near where the genocide is actually happening. Make of that what you will. Then Iran took Trump’s attention. And the killing in Nigeria accelerated.

From November through Palm Sunday, the body count was relentless — more than 400 kidnapped in November, miners slaughtered near Jos in December after specific advance warnings were publicly dismissed.

A New Year’s Eve massacre. Forty-two men tied up and killed at a market in January. More than 160 dead in Kwara State in February. More than 100 dead at Ngoshe in March — Nigerian soldiers retreated without firing a shot.

Then Palm Sunday: 53 Christians murdered across three attacks. Easter Sunday: 17 more killed before dawn in Benue State.

In response, Rep. Moore quoted his boss: “President Trump has been very clear that if the Nigerian government will not address this genocide, we will address it for them.”

The same week, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) announced the U.S. is actively tracking Nigerian officials suspected of sponsoring terrorism.

Meanwhile Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s government has spent more than $10 million on Washington lobbyists — including Trump’s own former State Department adviser, now a registered foreign agent for Nigeria — to manage the narrative.

Tinubu seems to have concluded Washington is manageable and decided to wait out Trump’s term. He may have badly miscalculated.

Two hundred U.S. troops have been at Bauchi Airfield since February. MQ-9 Reaper drones were deployed in March. The USS Paul Ignatius is still in the Gulf of Guinea.

For two months, American eyes have been over northern Nigeria. We know where the terrorists are. Sen. Cruz says we know who funds them, and an Iran ceasefire could free up a president who doesn’t like to lose.

I’ve been saying for years that Nigeria is the epicenter of anti-American global forces — radical Islamists, Chinese mineral extraction, and deep-state protection rackets that have run cover for the killing from Washington for decades.

Trump’s recent mention of Nigeria tells me he already knows it too.

​Nigeria, Trump, Iran war, Nigerian christians, Radical islam, Jihadists, Terrorist attack, Uss paul ignatius, Bola tinubu, Opinion & analysis 

Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California says he will resign from Congress after the Ethics Committee said he would be under investigation for numerous sexual harassment accusations.

Swalwell had already abandoned his hopes to become the governor of California, but on Monday he posted a statement saying he was also going to resign from office.

‘Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong.’

“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make,” he posted on social media.

“I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members. Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong. But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties,” he added.

“Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress,” Swalwell wrote.

He was referring to efforts to expel him along with Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who allegedly had an affair with a staffer who later killed herself; Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) over alleged fraud; and Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) for numerous allegations.

RELATED: Brian Stelter is getting CRUSHED on social media for praising journalism about Swalwell sex allegations

“I will work with my staff in the coming days to ensure they are able, in my absence, to serve the needs of the good people of the 14th congressional district,” Swalwell concluded.

This is a developing story.

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​Swalwell for governor, Swalwell resigns from congress, Swalwell sexual harassment, Swalwell sexual assault, Politics 

President Donald Trump said he will refile his “powerful case” against the Wall Street Journal over a report related to Jeffrey Epstein after a judge tossed out the first filing Monday.

The report claimed that the president sent a “bawdy” greeting card to Epstein in 2003 for his 50th birthday and published an image of what it said was the handwritten message in July 2024.

‘Our powerful case against The Wall Street Journal, and other defendants, was asked to be re-filed by the Judge.’

Trump has vehemently denied that he wrote the greeting and sued the Journal for $10 billion over the story.

Federal Judge Darrin Gayles dismissed the lawsuit because the president had “not plausibly alleged that the Defendants published the Article with actual malice.” However, he allowed for Trump to refile the case and gave a deadline for the end of the month.

Gayles noted that the Journal had contacted Trump, officials from the Justice Dept., and the FBI for comment prior to publishing and had included a statement from the president.

The president said he would refile in a statement on Truth Social.

“Our powerful case against The Wall Street Journal, and other defendants, was asked to be re-filed by the Judge,” he wrote. “It is not a termination, it is a suggested re-filing, and we will be, as per the Order, re-filing an updated lawsuit on or before April 27th.”

A spokesperson for the Journal’s publisher, Dow Jones & Co., said in a statement that the publisher was “pleased” with the decision to dismiss.

“We stand behind the reliability, rigor, and accuracy of the Wall Street Journal’s reporting,” the spokesperson said.

RELATED: Trump denies report of letter and drawing sent to Jeffrey Epstein on his 50th birthday, threatens to sue Wall Street Journal

A spokesperson for the president’s legal team also released a statement.

“President Trump will follow Judge Gayles’ ruling and guidance to refile this powerhouse lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and all of the other Defendants,” the spokesman said.

“The President will continue to hold accountable those who traffic in Fake News to mislead the American people,” the spokesman added.

If Trump indeed sent the card, it would have been before Epstein was officially investigated on charges of sexual assault against minors in 2006 and his 2008 conviction.

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​Trump lawsuit against wsj, Trump letter to epstein for 50th, Wsj trump epstein report, Trump and jeffrey epstein, Politics 

A woman’s serious accusations against federal and local law enforcement officials have allegedly turned out to be a hoax, and a sheriff is suing her for defamation over the claims.

Sundas “Sunny” Naqvi said in March that she and some co-workers had been held for over 30 hours despite being U.S. citizens and got nationwide coverage from sympathetic news outlets.

‘They have not been supported by any — any — verified evidence at all.’

Twenty-eight-year-old Naqvi claimed she arrived at O’Hare airport in Chicago from Turkey on a work trip and was transported to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview and also taken to the Dodge County Jail in Wisconsin.

Her story was amplified by Democratic Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison, who is a friend of the family and a critic of the president’s immigration policies.

“I don’t think they want to own up to the fact that once again they have illegally detained American citizens without due process,” said Morrison days after the alleged detention.

Her story seemed to begin falling apart after the multinational software company she claimed to work for reportedly said she was not an employee and that none of its workers had been detained at O’Hare.

Weeks after the accusations, Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt filed a defamation lawsuit against Naqvi as well as Morrison and explained the evidence that contradicted her claims.

“They have not been supported by any — any — verified evidence at all,” Schmidt said at a media briefing on Friday. “At no point was Sundas Naqvi in the custody of the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office.”

He released video and text messages that he claimed undermined her account and showed that she was able to leave the O’Hare airport less than 90 minutes after landing. He also cited statements made by her boyfriend to the sheriff’s office.

“I don’t have any charges here in Dodge County to bring against her. My only recourse is to make sure that the public knows that she can’t do this,” Schmidt added.

The lawsuit also includes 10 “John Doe” people accused of publication or republication of the false claims against the sheriff. Their names will be added to the suit once they are identified.

The Chicago Sun Times has also documented numerous prior alleged incidents of false accusations made by Naqvi, including a conviction related to lying about sexual assault and a stabbing.

RELATED: GOP ex-aide found with wounds and ‘Trump whore’ written on her — feds say it’s a hoax

Schmidt is seeking $1 million in the lawsuit.

Morrison, meanwhile, has changed his previously strident tone about the case.

“It is my understanding that a lawsuit has been filed. I have not seen it. And if a suit has in fact been filed, I cannot comment on pending litigation,” he said in a statement.

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​Sundas sunny naqvi ice detention, Us citizen detained by ice, Hoax naqvi claims, Dodge county vs naqvi, Politics