Category: blaze media

A 65-year-old male working as a substitute classroom assistant at a Florida elementary school was arrested for child abuse last week, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.

David Jones was assigned to a special-needs classroom at Oakhurst Elementary School in Largo, deputies said.

‘As a special-needs mom, I’d probably be in a lot of trouble if that was my kid.’

After lunch on Sept. 15, a 6-year-old — who has autism and is semi-verbal — was hitting and kicking as a sign of communication, deputies said.

Jones swung a lunch box containing a metal canister, striking the victim in the face and causing a welt on the victim’s forehead, deputies said.

On Sept.16, deputies said Jones admitted to the incident and stated it was a “knee-jerk” reaction when dealing with the victim, whom he knew has special needs.

Jones was charged with one count of child abuse and taken to the Pinellas County Jail, deputies said.

Jail records indicate that Jones — who stands 6’1” and weighs 280 pounds — was booked into jail Sept. 16 and released on his own recognizance Sept. 17.

RELATED: Arrested school district superintendent resigns amid claims that teachers mentally, verbally abused special-needs students

WTSP-TV said in a Sept. 16 broadcast that Pinellas County Schools fired Jones.

“Pinellas County Schools has zero tolerance for staff behavior that jeopardizes student safety or the integrity of our schools. The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority, and we are committed to ensuring that every child is treated with kindness, dignity, and respect,” the district told the station in a statement.

Numerous individuals were livid over the incident. Here’s a brief sampling:

“I am beyond over seeing this type of behavior from adults,” one commenter said. “Granted special-needs child[ren] can be challenging, but it’s the school’s responsibility to ensure proper training and to protect all children in their care. I am a mom of a special-needs adult now, and this really hits hard! Glad they have done the right thing!””Schools need to do better screening teachers and staff,” another commenter noted.”As a special-needs mom, I’d probably be in a lot of trouble if that was my kid,” another commenter admitted. “There is absolutely no reason for that.”

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​Child abuse, Florida, Arrest, Lunchbox, Special-needs victim, 6-year-old student, Autism, Physical attack, Fired, Crime 

As all of us at Blaze Media continue to grapple with the heartbreaking loss of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, we are compelled to reflect on his most powerful moments on BlazeTV over the years.

Since 2019, Charlie has been a regular guest on the shows of several BlazeTV hosts.

In years past, he and Glenn Beck have nerded out over history, celebrated American exceptionalism, and lamented the corruption of academia. Together, they dismantled the leftist argument that America is a democracy rather than a constitutional republic, defended the Electoral College, and speculated about the encroaching threat of socialism.

He and Allie Beth Stuckey explored the dynamics of young conservative America, where faith, family, and patriotism are making an extraordinary comeback (largely thanks to TPUSA). In 2020, they courageously exposed the deep corruption in the Black Lives Matter movement, fully aware that they would face backlash.

Charlie also appeared alongside Sara Gonzales, where he unapologetically confronted the existential threat of China, the effectiveness and necessity of Trump’s tariffs, and the atrocious reality of abortion.

He and Jason Whitlock navigated the complex legacy of the civil rights movement, examining how efforts to address inequality contributed to the breakdown of the black family, the ongoing race war, the disturbing trends in the LGBTQ+ community, and discriminatory policies like DEI and affirmative action. They scrutinized Martin Luther King Jr., raising tough questions about whether he truly merits the honor the nation has bestowed upon him. They also boldly criticized conciliatory pastors who avoid addressing cultural wars with scripture, opting instead to appease and preach the secular world’s definition of “love.”

No matter who he was speaking with or what topic he was examining, Charlie was always Charlie — bold, brilliant, patriotic, and deeply devout.

In this special tribute, we revisit our favorite Charlie moments — reminiscing on the qualities that made him irreplaceable, not only in our nation but also in our hearts.

​Blazetv, Blaze media, Charlie kirk, Glenn beck, Allie beth stuckey, Jason whitlock, Sara gonzales, Patriot, Turning point usa 

The assassination of Charlie Kirk left many Americans stunned, angry, and grieving. For those who loved him, admired his courage, or relied on his voice in the public square, the loss feels personal and almost unbearable.

Christians face a sharper question: How do we respond to the killer who took his life?

Forgiveness does not excuse evil. It does not mean the legal system should look away. It does not erase grief. But it does keep hatred from having the final word.

The human heart cries out for justice. We want the killer to feel the pain he caused. Scripture acknowledges that longing. In Psalm 13, David pleads, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” It is a lament, an honest cry from a wounded soul. God hears that anger.

Yet in Gethsemane, Christ redirected such impulses. When Peter lashed out and cut the high priest’s servant’s ear, Jesus stopped him: “No more of this!” (Luke 22:51) He healed the man who had come to help arrest Him. The cycle of vengeance broke under His touch.

That choice now confronts us.

At Charlie’s memorial in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday, his widow, Erika, gave a stunning example of what it means to walk that path. Standing before thousands, she said through tears:

My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men just like the one who took his life. … That young man — I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do.

She added, “The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love — love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.”

Erika refused revenge: “I do not want that man’s blood on my ledger. Because when I get to heaven, and Jesus is like: ‘Eye for an eye? Is that how we do it?’ And that keeps me from being in heaven, from being with Charlie.”

Her words challenge us: If the wife of a murdered man can forgive, why not us?

Forgiveness does not excuse evil. It does not mean the legal system should look away. It does not erase grief. But it does keep hatred from having the final word. Christians are called to stand apart from the world’s rage.

That calling is not easy. On our own, it is impossible. But through the Spirit of Christ, we can echo His command: “No more of this.” We entrust justice to God while extending the mercy we ourselves received.

RELATED: Why Charlie Kirk’s murder feels personal — even if you never met him

Paul’s life proves that no sinner is beyond reach. Before his conversion, Saul approved of Stephen’s stoning and hunted Christians (Acts 8:1). By every human measure, he was an enemy of the church. Yet Christ met him on the Damascus road and transformed him into the apostle who carried the gospel to the nations. If God’s mercy could reach Saul, it can reach anyone.

The church’s witness matters now. Will we mirror the world’s anger, or will we display Christ’s mercy? That will require prayer, tears, and the daily work of the Holy Spirit. But the command is clear: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

So let us grieve Charlie Kirk. Let us lift up his family and friends. Let us pray even for the man who killed him, while still pursuing earthly justice. In doing so, we honor Christ’s call to mercy and the God-given duty to uphold righteousness.

Forgiveness is not optional. It is the very heart of Christian faith. On the cross, Jesus looked at His executioners and said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

That is our charge now.

​Opinion & analysis, Religion, Christianity, Forgiveness, Assassination, Charlie kirk, Erika kirk, Charlie kirk memorial, Jesus christ, Christians, Mercy 

Disney temporarily suspended the poorly performing “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” show from its ABC television network on Sept. 17 after the show’s eponymous host suggested that the homosexual leftist arrested for allegedly assassinating Charlie Kirk is a Trump supporter and a member of the MAGA movement — an assertion that has no factual basis.

In the wake of the suspension, ABC and two key owners of the network’s affiliate stations — Sinclair and Nexstar, the latter of which was first to say it would pull the show — faced significant backlash from a motley crew of Democrat lawmakers, leftist activists, and Hollywood script-readers.

‘They’re next.’

Just days into the left’s temper tantrum over the programming change, a radical allegedly launched an attack on an ABC affiliate station.

On Friday, someone opened fire on the Tegna-owned KXTV/ABC 10 television station in Sacramento while it was occupied. According to the amended criminal complaint, three apparent bullet holes were discovered in a north window of the station’s lobby, and crime scene investigators later recovered a spent projectile from a doorway inside the building.

Tegna said in a statement obtained by KCRA-TV, “We can confirm that shots were fired into our station at KXTV earlier today. While details are still limited, importantly all of our employees are safe and unharmed.”

The Sacramento Police Department arrested Anibal Hernandez Santana shortly after the attack and charged him with assault with a firearm, shooting at an inhabited dwelling, and willful discharge of a firearm in a negligent manner. Police cut him loose on bail the following day.

RELATED: ‘Rest in peace, wheezy’: Jimmy Kimmel’s legacy of late-night demonization and hatred

Photo by David Russell/Disney via Getty Images

Detectives with the Sacramento Police Department subsequently searched Santana’s vehicle and discovered a handwritten note that allegedly read, “For hiding Epstein & ignoring red flags. Do not support Patel, Bongino, & AG Pam Bondie [sic]. They’re next. – C.K. from above,” said the complaint.

Just hours after his release on Saturday, the FBI arrested Santana and slapped him with federal charges..

The apparent critic of the Trump administration faces three counts: possession of a firearm within a school zone, discharge of a firearm within a school zone, and interference with a radio communication station.

If convicted on the federal counts, Santana, presently being held on a federal hold at the Sacramento County Main Jail, faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the charge of discharging a firearm within a school zone. He also faces up to a year in prison and a $10,000 fine for the charge of interfering with a radio communication station.

Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho reportedly indicated that the evidence suggests the shooting was a politically motivated crime but did not say whether prosecutors believe the suspect targeted the ABC affiliate over Kimmel’s suspension.

An X account that allegedly belongs to Santana is replete with liberal memes and anti-Trump commentary.

On Sept. 18, the X user Al Hernandez Santana wrote, “Where is a good heart attack when we need it the most?? Please Join in my thoughts and prayers for the physical demise of our fearful leader.”

‘He’s an unrepentant liar, and affiliates have every right to demand accountability.’

A week earlier, the X user wrote, “Our thoughts and prayers are with Charlie Kirk and his family. May the prudence of his cost-benefit analysis for 2A rights vs. school shootings live on forever.”

“The authoritarian oligarchy is now complete. CBS+ caving, big law firms in DC, the subservients FBI and AG, university presidents stepping down, fan boys SCOTUS, public radio, ICE goons. We are going to have to ‘fight like hell’. Rules don’t apply if election was stolen. FIGHT,” the user tweeted in July.

Blaze News has reached out to Disney, Nexstar, and Sinclair for comment regarding whether threats have played a role in recent programming decisions. Blaze News has also reached out to the FBI for comment.

The day of the Sacramento shooting, Sinclair announced that it would “continue to air ABC network programming as scheduled in the late-night time period.”

While Sinclair initially planned to run a Charlie Kirk special in Kimmel’s time slot on Friday, the company opted instead to run the special on “The National News Desk” YouTube channel.

Despite wavering on the Kirk special, Sinclair announced on Monday evening that it “will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming.”

Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” lauded Sinclair for blocking Kimmel’s show and noted that “Kimmel has yet to apologize for saying the assassin was MAGA, and he was reportedly going to double down. He’s an unrepentant liar, and affiliates have every right to demand accountability.”

It’s presently unclear whether Nexstar — set to acquire Tegna, which owns the shot-up affiliate ABC station — will similarly keep Kimmel off the air.

Disney, which owns ABC, announced just days after a suspect shot up the affiliate station that it was bringing Kimmel’s show back.

“Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country,” read the statement from Disney.

“It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive,” the company added. “We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”

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​Abc, Sinclair, Nexstar, Jimmy kimmel, Charlie kirk, Suspension, Propaganda, Leftist, Left, Liberal, Violence, Shooting, Crime, Politics 

Walking, the original mode of technological carriage, is also the original meditative, curative, and social technology. Every medical, psychological, and even religious outlook today fails if it doesn’t factor in the myriad dimensions and incredible gifts granted to us by this ambulatory form.

The overlooked, underappreciated act of walking involves multiple feats of engineering genius rivaling, or exceeding, our most advanced scientific comprehension. It is also the fastest, cheapest, most accessible means of ensuring collective well-being.

In terms Marshall McLuhan might accept, walking is man’s experience of the world without extension. It reverts human bodies back into orientation with themselves and the laws of nature. It’s a stunning thing if you wake up to it fully: our cities, routines, living and working spaces are not built to allow for the one physical operation we are inarguably built to perform day after day. The fundamentals of the economic machine are dependent upon our not walking, in fact. It isn’t just the phone or the internet. It’s the whole endeavor of global, just-in-time, dispersed industrial society.

Our minds and our senses of well-being and freedom are attached irrevocably to the operation of walking.

The few small towns in Europe that are built for walkers are usually also built around churches, and these lucky citizens routinely outlive their neighbors and report higher levels of happiness and well-being.

The central nervous system is wired to initiate unconscious anxiety when the body doesn’t move properly. If the body doesn’t move enough, it compensates by shortening muscles, which adds more anxiety, and limits strength. All of this shortens lifespans. The whole of our beings is indivisible from walking. It catalyzes digestion, moves lymph. And breathing, particularly while walking, pumps spinal fluid up into the brain — flushing, repairing, retiming.

RELATED: Science’s God-denying narrative just got crushed again

Photo by BSIP / Contributor via Getty Images

The theorist Paul Virilio remarked that the progression from carriage in the womb, to mother’s back, to horse, and then to car is characterized all through the chain by an increase in speed. Technological additions to the workplace and to our homes all revert back to speed. The trade-off is evidently human health, happiness, and increasingly it seems, sanity. Another famous theorist, Jean Baudrillard, had a great bit where he pilloried the American runner, the jogger burning his way across the empty landscape, ignorant of every other face, just speeding toward his own death.

How to walk

From a engineering perspective, the human body is not built to sit or lift heavy weight. We can do these things, no problem. The body, however, isn’t fundamentally designed or optimized for such things. It’s built to walk, fundamentally. Every system in the body supports this activity: endocrine, cardiovascular, psychic.

The Postural Restoration Institute has studied the mechanics, made some prescriptions, and while it’s rather simple stuff, it isn’t entirely intuitive, and it’s worth watching a few videos before you begin a practice of walking. A couple tips: heel to toe, every step. Eyes up to the horizon. The arms and legs work via complex arrangement of fascia built into slings. We use muscle to walk, sure. But to actually hit a stride, which is where we retime with ourselves independent of mechanical technology, requires reacquaintance with these slings. It’s easier than it may sound.

Walking is sort of the ultimate example of humans taking ourselves, our gifts, and the unity of our experience for granted. We used to walk all day, all the time. We walked for the mundane and the sacred — we called the latter pilgrimage, and while the destination (God) was important, every monk and layperson understood the actual walking aspect was sort of the point.

Last tip: Walking upright allows for perfect, proper engagement of the diaphragm. This flat muscle, in concert with the intercostals woven into the ribs, works as a bellows to pull air in, as you may realize. What isn’t so widely understood is that this muscular action is also what makes the exchange, renewal, of spinal fluid happen. You can force it when seated, but it’s subpar.

The kicker is that our minds and our senses of well-being and freedom are attached irrevocably to the operation of walking. Almost everyone has had the experience of taking a walk to solve a problem. Or just to clear our minds of trivia and the day’s tedium. We seem to have built an entire civilization, replete with advanced social and political devices, and overlooked an essential basic human need. How much longer are we willing to ignore the image, the actual purpose of the form of our construction, before that form demands we return?

​Return, Walking, Health 

A retired firefighter who was being investigated for allegedly possessing “horrific” child sex abuse material was shot and killed by Florida police when he pulled a gun on officers.

Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma said 68-year-old Gary Guckenberger came out of his home on Hatfield Court in Longwood and refused to follow orders from officers who were surveilling him.

‘It included bondage, sexual batteries, and the most horrific examples of abuse and neglect that any human being could ever imagine.’

Sheriff Lemma said the police department received a tip about Guckenberger and performed a search at his home before finding the material on his devices. The incident unfolded later as police were surveilling him.

“As we were conducting surveillance, Gary Guckenberger came out of his house,” Lemma said. “He was on a walker. He walked down to the middle of the driveway. … He immediately reached to his waistband, pulling a .38 revolver out of his waistband and start raising it up.”

Lemma said officers gave clear instructions to the man and then opened fire. Guckenberger was struck by two gunshots from deputies, according to Lemma. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

He said that Guckenberger possessed more than 100 very explicit videos and images of children between the ages of 3 and 9 years old.

“It included bondage, sexual batteries, and the most horrific examples of abuse and neglect that any human being could ever imagine,” Lemma said.

“We know at least on one occasion where he communicated with another woman about engaging in sexual activity with her child. And at this point, we don’t believe that that has ever occurred,” he added.

RELATED: Children were drugged and raped in underground bunker, stunned police say: ‘Most horrible thing I’ve ever seen’

“We have a responsibility as a society and as a profession to protect our most vulnerable. Our children, who are the victims of these heinous crimes, are at the top of that list,” Lemma said.

A Facebook post from the Seminole County Fire Department in 2013 congratulated Guckenberger for retiring from the department after 28 years.

“I would imagine that the members of the fire department and the fire chief are incredibly concerned about this,” Lemma added.

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​Gary guckenberger, Florida firefighter sex abuse, Police kill firefighter, Horrific child sex abuse material, Crime 

ABC announced last week that it was indefinitely pulling “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” The network cited his dishonest remarks about MAGA and the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk. Then on Monday, the network reversed itself. Kimmel is expected to return to the air on Tuesday night.

The original decision outraged the left. Activists immediately claimed it was a violation of free speech, pretending Kimmel was a victim of “cancel culture.” The network’s change of heart likely won’t please anyone, except for Kimmel and his staff. The irony? Kimmel himself cheered when others lost their platforms.

I still live with the fallout of his lies. Many others do too. For once, at least, Kimmel faces consequences.

This isn’t a man who deserves sympathy. I know from experience.

How Kimmel targeted me

Five years ago, while working for the California Republican Party, I promoted the party’s legal ballot collection efforts online. That one tweet turned into a smear campaign. Politicians and left-leaning groups smeared and defamed me. My own employers abandoned me.

Media figures amplified the false narrative. None did more damage than Jimmy Kimmel. Days after the controversy began, he ran a segment featuring my full name and photo. He falsely claimed my work was illegal and added a grotesque line suggesting that someone should stuff me into a ballot collection box. The box was too small to fit a person. The implication was obvious.

He wasn’t joking. The segment was a televised incitement that smeared my reputation and put my safety at even greater risk.

Living with the fallout

The consequences came fast. Threats filled my inbox. Law enforcement advised me to leave my apartment and lay low. Police guarded my parents’ home after they were harassed.

When my short-term contract with the California Republican Party ended, I couldn’t find work. Despite my clean record, military service, and two master’s degrees, doors kept closing. They still do. Kimmel wasn’t the only one who defamed me, but his national broadcast magnified the lies and hardened the damage.

Unlike Kimmel, I didn’t have millions in the bank or a network behind me. I was a junior staffer, recently out of the military, scraping by on less than $60,000 a year. His words carried a weight mine never could.

Kimmel’s hypocrisy

In 2023, NFL star Aaron Rodgers joked that Kimmel didn’t want the Epstein client list released. Kimmel threatened to sue him. Yet when Kimmel broadcast falsehoods about me — and encouraged violence against me — no apology ever came.

Kimmel even lectured Rodgers from his monologue: “When I do get something wrong, which happens on rare occasions, you know what I do? I apologize.” That’s an obvious lie. He certainly never apologized to me.

And I’m not the only one. He has encouraged vandalism against Tesla owners and, most recently, pushed the outrageous lie that Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin was a MAGA Republican — a smear made after evidence proved otherwise.

RELATED: The market fired Jimmy Kimmel

Randy Holmes/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

Why ABC pulled the plug

Contrary to the left-liberal narrative, ABC’s move was not political interference. It was business. Kimmel’s audience had been shrinking for years. Just this month, his ratings fell another 11%. His rant about Kirk’s assassination would only have accelerated the collapse.

Networks have every right to act when a host becomes a liability. The First Amendment does not entitle Jimmy Kimmel to ABC’s airwaves.

Consequences at last

So, in reality, Kimmel’s return to late night may be short-lived. His career decline is his own making. But unlike his targets, he’ll be fine. He will walk away with a $50 million net worth. He’ll find plenty of work again.

I, on the other hand, still live with the fallout of his lies. Many others do too. But for a moment, at least, Kimmel faced consequences. And to borrow a favorite line from his liberal supporters: Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences.

​Opinion & analysis, Free speech, First amendment, Defamation, Jimmy kimmel, California, Republican party, Death threats, Ballot box, Voter fraud, Cancel culture, Lies, Aaron rodgers, Epstein files, Social media, Doxxing 

Republicans might finally take me seriously after years of warning: America suffers not from mass incarceration, but from mass under-incarceration. The system needs tougher sentences, not softer ones.

The brutal murder of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, allegedly at the hands of career criminal Decarlos Brown Jr. on a Charlotte commuter train, didn’t reveal anything new. It shocked the nation precisely because it put on camera what has become routine in our cities since the bipartisan “criminal justice reform” wave dismantled Reagan-era tough-on-crime policies.

Legislators will have a choice when they reconvene: Pass strong reforms like these or watch more innocent people die.

For every man like Brown who slipped through the cracks, at least 10 more walk free when they should be locked up for life.

Brown had been arrested 14 times since 2007. His record included assault, felony firearms possession, robbery, and larceny. He didn’t see the inside of a prison until 2014, when an armed robbery conviction earned him a mere four years. He racked up more arrests after his release in 2020, but neither prison nor psychiatric commitment followed. The justice system looked the other way.

The result was predictable. Brown’s obvious mental instability made him even more dangerous than an ordinary criminal. Yet over the last 15 years, Republicans and Democrats alike embraced “reform” that made second chances for the violent and insane a top priority. They weakened sentencing, gutted mandatory minimums, downgraded juvenile crimes, eased up on drugs and vagrancy, and abandoned broken-windows policing. Hard-won gains against crime and homelessness evaporated.

The final insult: Brown was last released on cashless bail by North Carolina Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes, allegedly affiliated with a pro-criminal “second chances” group. But violent offenders don’t just get second chances. They get third, fourth, and 15th chances. Most criminals never even face charges. Prosecutors downgrade cases. Convicts skate on early release. The cycle spins on.

Look at the numbers. In 2024, the FBI’s incident-based reporting system logged over 12.2 million crimes. Strip away drug and gun cases, and the picture remains grim: 2.4 million violent crimes with no arrest. Another 1.25 million serious property crimes — arson, burglary, motor vehicle theft — with no arrest. Every year, more than a million offenders escape justice. Meanwhile, the nation’s prison and jail population sits at roughly 1.9 million.

Even when police make arrests, punishment rarely follows. In 2021, only 15,604 people went to prison for robbery despite 121,000 reported incidents. Just 4,894 went away for car theft out of 550,000 cases. Even homicide convictions lag far behind — just 6,081 murderers entered prison against more than 15,000 killings.

This isn’t a statistical fluke. It’s a system that fails to punish violent crime year after year.

RELATED: Iryna Zarutska’s name should shame the woke

Screenshot/Charlotte Transit Authority

So what needs to change? Here’s a checklist every state legislature should adopt in the next session:

Ban public encampments on streets, sidewalks, and public property; allow lawsuits against localities that fail to enforce.Elevate porch piracy penalties, following Florida’s lead.Impose stiff punishments for organized retail theft and flash mobs.Tighten “truth-in-sentencing” laws to ensure violent offenders serve their full terms.Pass anti-gang statutes that cross county lines, fund prosecutions, and mandate enhanced sentences for gang-related crimes.Let prosecutors, not judges, decide whether to try violent juveniles as adults.Set mandatory minimums for carjackings, especially for repeat offenders.Impose harsh sentences on felons caught with firearms, and harsher still when they use them.Require parole violators to finish their sentences.Hold repeat offenders without bond; revoke pretrial release when new crimes are committed.Fund prosecutors’ offices to clear the backlog of violent felony cases.Strengthen “three strikes” laws to eliminate loopholes.Apply the death penalty to fentanyl traffickers.Mandate quarterly public reporting of judges’ sentencing records in a searchable database.Criminalize squatting and streamline removal.

Legislators will have a choice when they reconvene: Pass strong reforms like these or watch more innocent people die.

Social media outrage won’t fix this crisis. Neither will empty calls for “accountability.” As Iryna’s grieving family warned, “This could have been anyone riding the light rail that night.”

That’s the truth — and unless lawmakers act, it will be the truth again tomorrow.

​Opinion & analysis, Crime, Jailbreak, Murder, Larceny, Rape, Mental health crisis, Iryna zarutska, Decarlos brown jr, Decarceration, Defund the police, Public safety, Public transportation, Assault, Mental illness, Prison, Recidivism, Gangs, Squatters, Three strikes, Loophole, Second chances, Truth in sentencing, Law and order, Accountability, Judges, Transparency 

Streamer Destiny, whose real name is Steven Bonnell, has made a name for himself over the past couple of weeks after saying horrible things — including openly mocking Erika Kirk — in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s tragic assassination. And he just can’t seem to stop.

“This Charlie Kirk ‘memorial’ is indistinguishable from a Nazi rally and f**k anyone who wants to pretend it’s not,” Bonnell wrote in a post on X.

“We need conservatives to be afraid of getting killed when they go to events so that they look to their leadership to turn down the temperature. The issue is, right now they don’t feel like there’s any fear,” Destiny said in another clip after Charlie Kirk’s murder.

“That was after?” BlazeTV host Pat Gray asks on “Pat Gray Unleashed,” adding, “Holy cow.”

However, Destiny’s vile rhetoric was around far before the shooting.

“Conservatives have been disgusting for years, which is why I don’t give a f**k about anybody that winds up at any of these rallies and gets shot or whatever the f**k. Okay? Because they had no problem making fun of Paul Pelosi,” Destiny said in an interview before the shooting.

“The entire world would be better off if these people were permanently removed from these platforms. Like, there is no downside and only upside to see people like Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, Tim Pool never be allowed to publicly broadcast their opinions ever again. It’s exclusively bad stuff that happens,” he added.

While Destiny seems to have no problem spewing divisive and violent rhetoric at conservatives in the wake of a serious tragedy — and his leftist fans eat it up — he hasn’t gotten away without some consequence.

Destiny held an event where he opened the floor to debate, much like Charlie Kirk once did, and not only was he heckled by fans that yelled, “Charlie Kirk’s life mattered,” but he was humiliated by better debaters.

“You know, it’s so interesting as a black man,” one man said to Destiny. “One thing I noticed about Charlie Kirk’s death, there wasn’t rioting in the streets like it was after George Floyd. And that’s the one thing that I noticed about Charlie Kirk’s death.”

“And it’s so interesting that you want to cherry-pick and nitpick and use odd examples that benefit you, but you deliberately want to have blind vision to see that the radical-left ideology that has been influencing this country for the past 20 years led to the death of Charlie Kirk,” he continued.

Destiny then stumbled on his words and brought up an irrelevant amendment to the DOJ’s website.

While Charlie Kirk’s events would draw thousands of supporters, Gray points out that there appears to be “maybe 24 people at the event.”

Executive producer Keith Malinak laughs, “And I think most were there to disagree with him actually.”

Want more from Pat Gray?

To enjoy more of Pat’s biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Sharing, Camera phone, Free, Video, Upload, Video phone, Youtube.com, Pat gray unleashed, Pat gray, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Charlie kirk, Nazi rally, Destiny, Charlie kirk assassination, Charlie kirk murder, Charlie kirk memorial, Erika kirk 

President Donald Trump noted in his order establishing the Make America Healthy Again Commission that “autism spectrum disorder now affects 1 in 36 children in the United States — a staggering increase from rates of 1 to 4 out of 10,000 children identified with the condition during the 1980s.”

The MAHA Commission’s chairman, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., subsequently indicated that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that the rate of autism among American children has gotten even worse.

“The autism epidemic is running rampant,” Kennedy said. “One in 31 American children born in 2014 are disabled by autism. That’s up significantly from two years earlier and nearly five times higher than when the CDC first started running autism surveys in children born in 1992. Prevalence for boys is an astounding 1 in 20, and in California it’s 1 in 12.5.”

‘So taking Tylenol is not good.’

Kennedy promised during a Cabinet meeting in April that “by September, we will know what has caused the autism epidemic, and we’ll be able to eliminate those exposures” — an ambition the Autism Society of America said was “harmful, misleading, and unrealistic.”

Despite pre-emptive criticism by medical establishmentarians and the protest of the interim CEO of Tylenol maker Kenvue, Kennedy joined President Donald Trump and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz on Monday in formally identifying one of the alleged drivers behind the rise in American autism: the use of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, during pregnancy.

Kennedy, who indicated that his agency is also looking closely at the potential link between vaccines and autism, noted, “The FDA is responding to clinical and laboratory studies that suggest a potential association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and adverse neurological outcomes, including later diagnoses for ADHD and autism.”

RELATED: Trump’s health revolution: RFK Jr. takes aim at chemicals, junk food, and overmedication

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The health secretary indicated that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration kicked off the process on Monday for a label change for acetaminophen to indicate that the use of the drug by pregnant women may be associated with an increased risk of neurological conditions like autism and ADHD in children.

The Department of Health and Human Services will also launch a nationwide public information campaign to alert parents and families to the possible risks of taking Tylenol during pregnancy, Kennedy said.

“The safety of acetaminophen against the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in young children has never been validated,” Kennedy said. “Prudent medicine therefore suggests caution in acetaminophen use by young children, especially since strong evidence also has associated it with liver toxicity. Some studies have also found the use of acetaminophen in children can potentially prolong viral illnesses.”

“So taking Tylenol is not good,” Trump said. “I’ll say it: It’s not good.”

White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement to Blaze News, “President Trump pledged to address America’s rising rate of autism, and to do so with gold-standard science. Today’s announcement will make historic progress on both commitments.”

Ahead of the announcement, a spokesperson for Kenvue — whose company stock price took a nosedive on Monday — told Blaze News, “We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism. We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers.”

The company spokesperson suggested further in the statement: “The facts are that over a decade of rigorous research, endorsed by leading medical professionals and global health regulators, confirms there is no credible evidence linking acetaminophen to autism.”

Christopher Zahn, chief of clinical practice at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, similarly suggested in a statement to Blaze News prior to the Trump administration’s announcement regarding autism that “there is no clear evidence that proves a direct relationship between the prudent use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and fetal developmental issues.”

‘Failure to implement change in medical practice currently constitutes disregard for the ample evidence of harm.’

While Kenvue, the ACOG, and other outfits have suggested that there is no causal link between acetaminophen use and autism, there is at the very least an apparent association.

In a National Institutes of Health-funded 2019 study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, researchers led by Dr. Xiaobin Wang of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health collected umbilical cord blood from 996 births and measured the amount of acetaminophen and two of its byproducts in each sample.

The researchers found that “cord biomarkers of fetal exposure to acetaminophen were associated with significantly increased risk of childhood ADHD and ASD in a dose-response fashion.”

Acetaminophen, often sold under the brand Tylenol in the United States and Canada, is the most common over-the-counter pain and fever medication used during pregnancy and is reportedly used by well over 50% of pregnant women worldwide.

A 2023 scientific review published in the Swiss peer-reviewed journal Children concluded “without reasonable doubt and with no evidence to the contrary that exposure of susceptible babies and children to acetaminophen (paracetamol) induces many, if not most, cases of autism spectrum disorder.”

The review, led by Dr. William Parker, CEO of WPLab and visiting scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, also concluded that “the very early postpartum period poses the greatest risk for acetaminophen-induced ASD, and that nearly ubiquitous use of acetaminophen during early development could conceivably be responsible for the induction in the vast majority, perhaps 90% or more, of all cases of ASD.”

When asked about Kenvue’s apparent denial of a causal link between acetaminophen and autism, Dr. Parker told Blaze News:

Technically, the company is correct. Acetaminophen alone absolutely does NOT cause autism. Susceptibility to injury is absolutely required for acetaminophen to induce autism. Without susceptibility, which is caused by a very complex mixture of genetics, epigenetics, and environment, acetaminophen cannot induce autism. Almost all scientists working in the field are aware to some extent of the complex mix of genetic and environmental factors involved in the induction of autism.

In his response, Dr. Parker also referenced a 2024 study that he worked on which was published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics. The study noted that “careful examination reveals no valid objections to the conclusion that early exposure to acetaminophen causes neurodevelopmental injury in susceptible babies and children.”

“Changes in medical practice should be implemented that effectively weigh the risks and benefits of neonatal and pediatric APAP use,” the study reads. “Failure to implement change in medical practice currently constitutes disregard for the ample evidence of harm despite the absence of any valid rationale for the view that APAP might be safe for neurodevelopment.”

On the matter of whether health officials should warn pregnant mothers about the increased risk of autism in their children associated with acetaminophen use, Dr. Parker noted that the “answer to this question is nuanced.”

“Evidence indicates that heavy use of acetaminophen during pregnancy may lead to neurodevelopmental problems, including autism and ADHD,” Dr. Parker said. “Heavy use is often associated with chronic pain management. Much less is known about the cost-to-benefit ratio of treating an occasional fever during pregnancy. Such treatments may have a net benefit for the fetus, although more work needs to be done to probe this topic.”

Dr. Parker emphasized to Blaze News that “we are absolutely NOT blaming parents and physicians for this. It is not a mistake for us to do what we are told is best for our children. The science is all about preventing injury in the future, not blaming people who are blameless.”

In an NIH-supported study published in August in the peer-reviewed medical journal Environmental Health, researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles’ School of Public Health, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai systematically reviewed 46 “well-designed” studies incorporating data from over 100,000 participants regarding the relationship between neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and prenatal exposure to acetaminophen.

The researchers found that 27 of the studies reported “significant links” between acetaminophen exposure in the womb and NDDs and noted that “higher-quality studies were more likely to show positive associations.”

“Overall, the majority of the studies reported positive associations of prenatal acetaminophen use with ADHD, ASD, or NDDs in offspring, with risk-of-bias and strength-of-evidence ratings informing the overall synthesis,” the study reads.

When specifically evaluating the studies pertaining to Tylenol use and autism in children, the researchers found “strong evidence of a relationship between prenatal acetaminophen use and increased risk of ASD in children.”

Dr. Andrea Baccarelli, a co-author of the study and a professor of environmental health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, noted in a statement obtained by Blaze News that he believes “caution about acetaminophen use during pregnancy — especially heavy or prolonged use — is warranted.”

Dr. Baccarelli and his colleagues recommended a “balanced approach” regarding acetaminophen use during pregnancy — a recommendation now echoed by the Trump administration: “Patients who need fever or pain reduction during pregnancy should take the lowest effective dose of acetaminophen, for the shortest possible duration, after consultation with their physician about their individual risk-benefit calculation.”

Zahn of the ACOG was among those who railed against Baccarelli’s systematic review.

RELATED: One for the ladies: Educate yourself about the risks of hormonal birth control

Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

“Failing to treat medical conditions that warrant the use of acetaminophen is, at present, understood to be far more dangerous than theoretical concerns based on inconclusive reviews of conflicting science,” Zahn said in a statement to Blaze News. “Maternal fever, diagnosis of severe pre-eclampsia, and appropriate pain control are all managed with the therapeutic use of acetaminophen and can create severe morbidity and mortality for maternal and child health if they are mismanaged based on improper clinical recommendations.”

The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine also rushed to endorse Tylenol use during pregnancy following the publication of the damning review, noting that it “continues to advise physicians and patients that acetaminophen is an appropriate medication to treat pain and fever during pregnancy.”

“Ideally, you don’t take it at all,” Trump said during the press conference on Monday. “If you can’t tough it out or there’s a problem, you’re going to end up doing it.”

In addition to calling out acetaminophen for its alleged role in the explosion of autism cases, Kennedy identified leucovorin, which is also known as folinic acid, as a viable autism treatment.

Leucovorin is already used to treat cerebral folate deficiency, which has been associated with autism.

The same year that a review in the Journal of Personalized Medicine noted that leucovorin “is associated with improvements in core and associated symptoms of ASD and appears safe and generally well-tolerated,” a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was registered. The results of that trial, published last year in the European Journal of Pediatrics, were promising.

Researchers concluded that oral folinic acid supplementation “is effective and safe in improving ASD symptoms, with more pronounced benefits in children with high titers of folate receptor autoantibodies.”

FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary indicated that his agency has initiated the approval of leucovorin calcium tablets for patients with cerebral folate deficiency.

“We have witnessed a tragic four-fold increase in autism over two decades,” Makary said. “Children are suffering and deserve access to potential treatments that have shown promise. We are using gold standard science and common sense to deliver for the American people.”

The biopharmaceutical company GSK promptly noted that it will submit a supplemental New Drug Application for leucovorin to update the label to reflect that it can be used to treat cerebral folate deficiency.

By addressing one of the alleged root causes of autism and mainstreaming a treatment might not only help American families tackle the disorder but spare them from what is, for many, a crushing burden.

Upwards of $60.9 billion are reportedly spent each year on children with ASD, and intensive behavioral interventions can cost anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000 per child annually.

Blaze News has reached out to the American Pediatric Society and to the HHS for comment.

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The Department of Homeland Security said that it would not comply with a ban on masks for agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement from California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).

Newsom included the ban in a handful of new bills meant to interfere with federal efforts to deport illegal aliens in California. Another bill required school administrators to notify parents and students if there are federal operations near school campuses.

‘I’ve directed our federal agencies that the law signed today has no effect on our operations.’

On Monday, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement saying the department would not comply with the order.

“To be clear: We will NOT comply with Gavin Newsom’s unconstitutional mask ban,” the statement reads.

“At a time that ICE law enforcement faces a 1,000% increase in assaults and their family members are being doxxed and targeted, the sitting Governor of California signed unconstitutional legislation that strips law enforcement of protections in a disgusting, diabolical fundraising and PR stunt,” McLaughlin added.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California also rejected the ban.

“The State of California has no jurisdiction over the federal government,” Essayli wrote on social media.

“If Newsom wants to regulate our agents, he must go through Congress,” he added. “I’ve directed our federal agencies that the law signed today has no effect on our operations. Our agents will continue to protect their identities. When can we expect CA to pass a law banning Antifa members from wearing masks while committing state and federal crimes? I’ll wait …”

RELATED: Newsom says California is overwhelmed with migrants after funding social programs for illegal immigrants

Other bills passed by California Democrats include one that prohibits health care officials from disclosing immigration information of a patient without warrant or court order. A similar bill applied to school officials releasing information about students or parents.

Democrat lawmakers in other states have called for similar mask bans, including Tennessee, Michigan, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

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Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) drew the ire of the president when she publicly and proudly made horrific comments regarding Charlie Kirk in the wake of his murder.

“I do believe those of you who are interested in rewriting this hateful man’s history are full of s**t,” Omar told her audience to the shocking sound of applause.

“I don’t know. I think you’re the one that’s full of s**t, Ilhan, because you guys have to keep misrepresenting the things that he said to try to paint him as some sort of hateful person,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales says, disturbed.

President Trump is on the same page as Gonzales.

“I think she should be impeached. I think she’s terrible. Is she originally from Somalia? So, how are they doing this? How’s their government? Do they have a president? Do they have a council? Do they have anything? Do they have police? I love these people. They come from a place with nothing. Nothing. No anything. And then they tell us how to run our country,” President Trump told reporters on Air Force One.

“She should be impeached. And it should happen fast,” he added.

But Trump wasn’t done. He went on to attack the “squad” member on Truth Social, writing, “Ilhan Omar’s Country of Somalia is plagued by a lack of central Government control, persistent Poverty, Hunger, Resurgent Terrorism, Piracy, decades of Civil War, Corruption, and pervasive Violence.”

“All of this, and Ilhan Omar tells us how to run America! P.S. Wasn’t she the one that married her brother in order to gain Citizenship??? What SCUM we have in our Country, telling us what to do, and how to do it,” he added.

Omar wasn’t the only member of “the squad” to go after Kirk following his assassination.

“We should be clear about who Charlie Kirk was. His rhetoric and beliefs were ignorant, uneducated, and sought to disenfranchise millions of Americans, far from the working, quote, ‘working tirelessly to promote unity,’ unquote, asserted by the majority in this resolution,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y.) said.

“This bitch was serving up, like, jack and cokes 10 years ago, and she’s going to talk about Charlie Kirk being uneducated,” Gonzales says.

“I’m just done with these people. But you know what?” she asks. “There is one thing that I am so happy about … which is that the masks are off.”

“At a time where the entire country, the average American, is horrified by everything that they’ve seen, is horrified by the fact that Charlie Kirk would be innocently sitting ready to have a conversation with those who disagree with him and just be picked off like that, publicly executed in front of the entire world. Everyone else is horrified,” she explains.

“These sociopaths in Congress, these Democrat sociopaths are the only ones … who say this stuff,” she adds.

Want more from Sara Gonzales?

To enjoy more of Sara’s no-holds-barred take to news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

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A pair of sisters were allegedly caught on video smiling and cursing as they destroyed a memorial for Charlie Kirk in Arkansas, but they aren’t smiling in the booking photos taken later.

Kirk supporters held a candlelight vigil at the town square in Bentonville on Sunday, and some apparently left a memorial near the steps of the Benton County Courthouse.

‘You’re not just trampling on their freedom of expression; you’re trampling on the memory of a person. You’re trampling on our Benton County values.’

That memorial allegedly became a target for Kerri Melissa Rollo and Kaylee Heather Rollo, who cursed Kirk’s name and flipped off a person recording their actions. They kicked over the candles in the memorial and ripped up the signs. The video recorder anonymously provided the footage to a Benton County justice of the peace.

On Wednesday, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office said police arrested the Rollo sisters.

The Rollos were charged with criminal mischief in the first degree, and Kaylee Rollo was also charged with obstruction of governmental operations.

“Everyone has a right to be able to express their freedom of expression. But what the issue is, is when you trample on someone’s memorial, the human act of grieving,” said Benton County Justice of the Peace Joseph Bollinger. “You’re not just trampling on their freedom of expression; you’re trampling on the memory of of a person. You’re trampling on our Benton County values.”

RELATED: Liberals blame homophobia for man on video tossing brick at NYC gay club. Police arrested a gay man for the crime.

In a GoFundMe page set up for the sisters, Kaylee Rollo said that her sister had been fired from her job over the incident. They have raised over $7.7K for legal fees.

“This is direct violation of their first amendment rights and unconstitutional,” she wrote.

“Please help my sibling while they look for another job and stand against the tyranny that is creeping into the country,” she added.

On Friday, a judge set bail for Kerri Rollo at $15,000 and for Kaylee Rollo at $7,500. The former requested a public attorney, while the latter said she had her own attorney.

The Rollos are scheduled next in court on Oct. 22.

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Hollywood actor Gary Busey in July pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact for inappropriately touching a woman at a horror film convention in New Jersey in 2022.

As part of a plea agreement, three additional counts of criminal sexual contact were dismissed.

‘It was not an accidental touching.’

On Thursday, Superior Court Judge Gwendolyn Blue sentenced the 81-year-old celebrity actor to probation. Busey also was ordered to have no contact with the victims.

Busey appeared at the sentencing hearing in Camden County court through a Zoom video call from his home in California. The Oscar nominee declined to speak during the hearing when the judge gave him the opportunity.

“I’m following my attorney’s advice,” Busey is seen saying on video while responding to Judge Blue.

The Cherry Hill Courier-Post reported that Busey’s defense attorney, Blair Zwillman, requested that his client be punished only by a monetary fine.

The defense attorney cited health issues plaguing his client that included early dementia and mobility problems.

Zwillman told the court that Busey suffered a permanent brain injury from a 1988 motorcycle accident and that his client has “mild cognitive impairments,” hearing loss, and other health issues.

However, the judge highlighted Busey’s prior legal issues. In 2007, Busey was sentenced to probation for charges of trespass and disorderly conduct/fighting. He was sentenced to probation for a hit-and-run accident in 2021.

“He is happy to move on from this circumstance in New Jersey, which has led to extremely negative press for over three years — to no fault of his own,” Zwillman told Page Six.

According to the New York Times, Zwillman on Saturday said that his client “is pleased that the case has been resolved and that he can go on with his life without any continuing, daily public adversity.”

RELATED: ‘King of the Hill’ voice actor allegedly shot dead by neighbor; tributes pour in: ‘A terrible tragedy’

The incident occurred in August 2022 during the semi-annual Monster-Mania Con — a horror film and memorabilia fan convention.

As Blaze News reported in August, the “Lethal Weapon” actor was a featured guest for the three-day event at the Doubletree Hotel in Camden County. He was one of the celebrities who met with fans and signed autographs.

Three women accused Busey of groping them during a photo session with fans at the Monster-Mania Con.

Citing a probable cause statement, the Courier-Post reported that Busey put his face near a woman’s breasts and “asked her where she got them, before attempting to unlatch her bra strap.”

The Courier-Post reported, “He was accused of touching the clothed buttocks of at least two female fans during a photo shoot at the August 2022 show.”

When TMZ asked Busey about the allegations in August 2022, he replied, “None of that happened.”

“It was a partner, a camera lady, and me, and two girls. … It took less than 10 seconds, and they left. Then they made up a story that I assaulted them sexually, and I did not. Nothing happened; it’s all false,” Busey said at the time.

However, Busey told Judge Blue during his virtual court appearance last month, “It was not an accidental touching.”

The actor also is facing a civil suit in state court from two New York women seeking damages from the Monster-Mania Con incident.

Busey is known for appearances in movies such as “Predator 2,” “The Buddy Holly Story,” “Point Break,” and “Under Siege.”

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Press secretary Karoline Leavitt shut down allegations that border czar Tom Homan had accepted a cash bribe from FBI agents under the Biden administration.

Reports from legacy media surfaced over the weekend that the FBI last year recorded Homan taking $50,000 from undercover agents who were posing as business executives. In exchange for the cash, Homan allegedly agreed to help them obtain government contracts once he secured a role with the second Trump administration.

‘You had FBI agents going undercover to try and entrap one of the president’s top allies and supporters, someone who they knew very well would be taking a government position months later.’

Homan became a target of the Biden administration’s FBI after “a subject in a separate investigation” claimed that Homan was “soliciting payments in exchange for awarding contracts should Trump win the presidential election,” MSNBC reported, citing an internal Justice Department summary.

MSNBC accused President Donald Trump of delaying the previous administration’s FBI and Justice Department in the case, ultimately leading to its shutdown.

FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told the news outlet, “This matter originated under the previous administration and was subjected to a full review by FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors. They found no credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing. The Department’s resources must remain focused on real threats to the American people, not baseless investigations. As a result, the investigation has been closed.”

White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson called the investigation “blatantly political,” noting that it found “no evidence of illegal activity.”

RELATED: Tom Homan torches Massachusetts Democrats on MSNBC for protecting illegal aliens

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

During a White House press briefing on Monday, a reporter asked Leavitt about the probe, including whether Homan would be expected to return the $50,000 he allegedly took from the FBI agents.

“Mr. Homan never took the $50,000 that you’re referring to. So you should get your facts straight, number one,” Leavitt stated. “Number two, this was another example of the weaponization of the Biden Department of Justice against one of President Trump’s strongest and most vocal supporters in the midst of a presidential campaign.”

“You had FBI agents going undercover to try and entrap one of the president’s top allies and supporters, someone who they knew very well would be taking a government position months later,” she said.

RELATED: Border czar: Trump built the most secure border in American history

Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

Leavitt noted that Patel’s FBI also looked into the case.

“They found zero evidence of illegal activity or criminal wrongdoing. And the White House and the president stand by Tom Homan 100% because he did absolutely nothing wrong, and he is a brave public servant who has done a phenomenal job in helping the president shut down the border,” Leavitt added.

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A little more than five months after Pfizer discontinued development of its weight-loss drug known as danuglipron, the drugmaker announced its plan on Monday to acquire a biopharmaceutical company for close to $5 billion.

Pfizer published a press release on Monday confirming the unanimous agreement to acquire Metsera, a “clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company accelerating the next generation of medicines for obesity and cardiometabolic diseases.”

‘Obesity is a large and growing space with over 200 health conditions associated with it.’

According to the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will acquire all outstanding shares of Metsera common stock for $47.50 per share in cash at closing, representing an enterprise value of approximately $4.9 billion.

While Pfizer reportedly does not have any obesity drugs on the market, Metsera has “a portfolio of differentiated oral and injectable incretin, non-incretin, and combination therapy candidates with potential best-in-class efficacy and safety profiles,” per the press release.

RELATED: FDA slaps damning warnings on COVID-19 vaccines; highlights Biden administration’s safety-risk gloss

Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The portfolio includes drug trials at different stages of development, including “two oral GLP-1 RA candidates expected to begin clinical trials imminently.”

“Obesity is a large and growing space with over 200 health conditions associated with it. The proposed acquisition of Metsera aligns with our focus on directing our investments to the most impactful opportunities and propels Pfizer into this key therapeutic area,” Pfizer chairman and CEO Albert Bourla said in the press statement.

“Since our founding in 2022, Metsera has worked tirelessly to reduce the physical, emotional, and economic burdens of obesity with a portfolio of next-generation nutrient-stimulated hormone therapeutic candidates. Our team has invented and developed multiple injectable and oral candidate medicines and a category-leading peptide engineering platform, which together promise class-leading performance in a major sector of population health,” said Whit Bernard, co-founder and CEO of Metsera.

In the press release, neither company mentioned or acknowledged well-known weight-loss techniques like calorie-deficit dieting and consistent exercise as part of a healthy regimen. Blaze News did not receive a response from Pfizer or Metsera when asked to clarify their stance on diet and exercise.

Weight-loss drug production, as it turns out, is a very lucrative business to be in. A Nasdaq article from the beginning of 2024 laid out the pathway for Danish company Novo Nordisk, the producer of flagship obesity drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic, to potentially reach a valuation of $1 trillion by 2030. It’s possible that the explosion of interest in and availability of weight-loss drugs has pushed tried-and-true methods to the side.

“With a number like that, of course this drug is the answer! It has to be the answer,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy said last year on X, referring to the $1 trillion speculation about Novo Nordisk’s obesity drugs. “With a number like that, of course we don’t talk about root causes; and about the need for better food and saner farming.”

Pfizer and Metsera expect the transaction to be finalized by the end of the fourth quarter of 2025.

Blaze News contacted the Health and Human Services press office about the pending acquisition but did not receive a response.

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The Archdiocese of Chicago announced last week that Cardinal Blase Cupich will give Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.) a lifetime achievement award on Nov. 3.

The prospect that a prince of the Holy See will pay honors to a radical pro-abortion activist has prompted significant backlash from prominent Catholic leaders.

‘This decision risks causing grave scandal, confusing the faithful about the Church’s unequivocal teaching on the sanctity of human life.’

According to Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America’s national pro-life scorecard, Durbin, a self-identified Catholic, gets a failing grade for routinely voting in support of virtually limitless abortion.

Durbin voted, for instance, in January against the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which would require health care practitioners to save babies who survive attempted abortions. He has also voted against legislation that would have criminalized abortions for unborn babies 20 weeks along or older; against adding status-quo Hyde Amendment protections to COVID relief funds; against a bill that would prohibit partial-birth abortion; and for legislation expressing support for protecting access to abortions after the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision.

In case there was any doubt about his indefatigable support for abortion, Durbin stated on the third anniversary of the Dobbs ruling in June that “this fight is far from over” and that he plans to keep fighting for mothers’ legal ability to snuff out the lives growing within them.

RELATED: Attacks against American Catholics and churches are out of control

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Image

Concerning abortion, the church holds that abortion is a grave moral sin — the procurement of which incurs an automatic excommunication — and that political leaders have a responsibility to protect the unborn.

“The Catechism of the Catholic Church” clearly states:

“Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception” (2270);”Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law” (2271); “Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life” (2272); and “The inalienable rights of the person must be recognized and respected by civil society and political authority. These human rights depend neither on single individuals nor on parents; nor do they represent a concession made by society and the state; they belong to human nature and are inherent in the person by virtue of the creative act from which the person took his origin” (2273).

For decades, Durbin has been barred from receiving communion in the Catholic diocese where he grew up on account of his radical pro-abortion activism.

Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield, who has long upheld the prohibition, said in a 2018 statement, “Because his voting record in support of abortion over many years constitutes ‘obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin,’ the determination continues that Sen. Durbin is not to be admitted to Holy Communion until he repents of this sin. This provision is intended not to punish, but to bring about a change of heart. Sen. Durbin was once pro-life.”

Despite Durbin’s long-standing efforts to advance policies diametrically opposed to the moral teaching of the Catholic Church, the Archdiocese of Chicago noted in its announcement for the Nov. 3 “Keep Hope Alive Benefit,” subtitled “Light in the Darkness,” that Durbin will receive a lifetime achievement award for his work with immigrants.

The plan is for Cardinal Cupich to give the award to Durbin on behalf of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office of Human Dignity and Solidarity.

Blaze News has reached out both to the Archdiocese of Chicago and to Durbin’s office for comment.

RELATED: Man posted a message in a private Catholic group chat — then the FBI came knocking

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone. Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images.

Illinois Right to Life President Mary Kate Zander was among the first to condemn the planned honors for the abortion activist, stating, “The Church emphasizes that human beings are integrated persons and that we cannot live in spiritual harmony if we are denying even one aspect of the truth of the faith.”

“Presenting Dick Durbin with an award — and from the Office of Human Dignity, no less — is an explicitly inconsistent and un-Catholic choice by Cardinal Cupich,” continued Zander.

“Our shepherds are supposed to proclaim Jesus’ teaching that all human life is sacred,” Dr. Mary Elizabeth Keen of the Catholic Medical Association’s Illinois chapter told CatholicVote. “Senator Durbin has spent his career eliminating protections for the most vulnerable members of the human family.”

Bishop Paprocki said in a statement to the Pillar that he was shocked to learn of the archdiocese’s plans to give Durbin an award.

“Given Senator Durbin’s long and consistent record of supporting legal abortion — including opposing legislation to protect children who survive failed abortions — this decision risks causing grave scandal, confusing the faithful about the Church’s unequivocal teaching on the sanctity of human life,” continued Paprocki. “Honoring a public figure who has actively worked to expand and entrench the right to end innocent human life in the womb undermines the very concept of human dignity and solidarity that the award purports to uphold.”

Bishop Paprocki noted further that such an award might violate the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ guidance that “the Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles.”

The guidance adds that “they should not be given awards, honors, or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of the Archdiocese of San Francisco indicated on Sunday that he stands in solidarity with Bishop Paprocki in urging Cardinal Cupich to reconsider giving Durbin the award.

“Bishop Paprocki, who is Senator Dick Durbin’s bishop, has expressed shock that the Archdiocese plans to honor Senator Durbin who, although a self-professed Catholic, supports access to abortion so radically that he has even opposed legislation to protect babies born after an attempted abortion,” wrote Archbishop Cordileone. “Bishop Paprocki is correct that both clarity and unity are at risk. I hope this will be a clarion call to all members of the Body of Christ to speak out to make clear the grave evil that is the taking of innocent human life.”

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Witness statements from a lethal shooting at a country club in New Hampshire point to a political motivation for the suspect, but police deny evidence of a “hate-based” impulse for the attack.

Hunter Nadeau, 23, walked into the Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua with a handgun and opened fire on the patrons, according to prosecutors. Three people were shot, and one man, identified as 59-year-old Robert Steven DeCesare, was killed.

‘I would say that the evidence leads us to believe this was more likely Mr. Nadeau was simply trying to make a number of statements to create chaos in the moment.’

A wedding reception was under way when Nadeau allegedly shot at patrons and workers. The suspect fled the scene and was arrested in a neighborhood nearby.

Police said that Nadeau previously had been employed at the country club but had not worked there for a year.

Some of the witnesses said the suspect yelled phrases like, “Free Palestine!” but officials rejected the suspicion that he was motivated by hatred.

“We don’t have any evidence at this time that Mr. Nadeau was motivated by hate-based motivation,” said New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella. “In fact, I would say that the evidence leads us to believe this was more likely Mr. Nadeau was simply trying to make a number of statements to create chaos in the moment.”

“We’re aware of statements that were reported that he made. The circumstances, whether he actually made them, under what circumstances he made them, are being investigated,” said Senior Assistant Attorney General Peter Hinckley.

RELATED: Michigan Dem renounces DSA over support of terror attack: ‘There is no place for moral equivocation’

Nadeau was charged with one count of second-degree murder, but Formella’s office said additional charges are likely.

“There’s one single charge. The defendant was charged with that because under New Hampshire state law, under that single charge that’s a no-bail charge,” Hinckley said. “We understand and realize there are additional victims. We anticipate there will be additional charges that both relate to those victims who have not been named yet as well as the murder victim.”

Witnesses said DeCesare was shot when he stepped in between the shooter and his family to save them.

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An excessive-force lawsuit by a pardoned former Jan. 6 defendant who was allegedly twice blasted in the face with pepper spray by a guard in the District of Columbia jail will proceed toward trial, a federal district court judge ruled on Sept. 19.

Judge Jia M. Cobb rejected a motion from lawyers for Crystal Lancaster to dismiss the excessive-force lawsuit brought against her and the District of Columbia by Ronald Colton McAbee of Unionville, Tenn.

The judge dismissed the District of Columbia as a defendant, saying McAbee’s claims of municipal liability in the case “are too conclusory for the court to allow those claims to go forward.”

‘I pray that the truth will prevail.’

Citing several U.S. Court of Appeals precedents, Judge Cobb said, “No officer confronting a person who was 1) subdued by officers, (2) had his hands behind his back, (3) was compliant, and (4) was not engaged in any threatening or assaultive conduct could possibly think it would be reasonable to spray that person in his face with a chemical agent.”

“Accordingly, McAbee’s excessive force claims can proceed against Lancaster,” she wrote in a 19-page memorandum opinion and order.

The pepper-spray incident occurred at about 9:45 a.m. on Sept. 5, 2022. McAbee left his cell in the C2B pod at the D.C. Central Treatment Facility to walk to a nearby medical cart to obtain his prescription medications. Witnesses said then-Lt. Lancaster shouted at McAbee to put on a COVID-19 mask.

After McAbee took his medication, the lawsuit alleges Lancaster sprayed him with oleoresin capsicum — a harsh chemical irritant sometimes referred to as pepper spray or pepper gel. After McAbee’s hands were cuffed behind his back, Lancaster allegedly fired another blast of OC spray in his face.

RELATED: Jan. 6 defendant Colt McAbee on presidential pardon: ‘Best day of my life other than my wedding’

Ronald Colton McAbee is struck in the head by a riot stick wielded by a Metropolitan Police officer at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Metropolitan Police Department bodycam/Sarah McAbee

Sarah McAbee said her husband suffered painful aftereffects over the next several days. Even after he was allowed a brief shower, the residue on McAbee’s skin reactivated, causing a painful burning sensation. He was put into a shower with warm water, which she said was like jumping into a hot tub after a third-degree sunburn.

Sarah McAbee told Blaze News that after the spray incident, her husband was put into solitary confinement and not given access to clean clothes or a thorough decontamination for three days.

Judge Cobb allowed the lawsuit to proceed on the two counts of alleged excessive force, saying the second instance of pepper spray to McAbee’s face is a stronger candidate as a violation of constitutional rights.

“It is clear, however, that the Due Process Clause protects a pretrial detainee from the use of excessive force that amounts to punishment,” the judge wrote.

Judge Cobb deferred ruling on which clause — the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment or the Fourth Amendment — applies to each of McAbee’s allegations. She asked both sides to prepare briefs on the issue.

The litmus tests for excessive force are “substantially similar” under both the Fourth Amendment and the 14th Amendment, Judge Cobb wrote.

“Both tests focus on objective reasonableness and direct lower courts to consider factors in assessing reasonableness, including ‘the relationship between the need for the use of force and the amount of force used, the extent of the plaintiff’s injury; any effort made by the officer to temper or to limit the amount of force, the severity of the security problem at issue; the threat reasonably perceived by the officer and whether the plaintiff was actively resisting,” Cobb wrote.

Judge Cobb said she will “allow McAbee’s claims that Lancaster used unconstitutionally excessive force against him.” McAbee “has pled a plausible excessive force claim against Lancaster.”

Judge Cobb rejected Lancaster’s claim of qualified immunity, saying the affirmative defense that shields officers from liability applies only if the conduct in question “does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional law.”

McAbee told Blaze News he was encouraged by the judge’s ruling.

“I think it’s very exciting and telling that maybe we can go through with this case in D.C., where there is a bias against people like me,” he said.

“In reality this is about right vs. wrong. Going forward will bring justice and closure,” McAbee said. “I pray that the truth will prevail and the people that orchestrated this years-long delay and attack on me are put to justice, whatever that may look like.”

The District of Columbia Department of Corrections defied demands from U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) that security camera footage and Lancaster’s bodycam footage be released to the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary. Eventually Nehls was allowed to watch the video at the DOC offices but did not receive a copy.

Now McAbee will have opportunities to obtain the video as the case proceeds to the discovery phase.

RELATED: Tennessee sheriff’s deputy became a January 6 trophy in a lie-filled ‘manifest injustice’

Colt McAbee on his way home after a pardon from President Trump. Photo courtesy of Sarah McAbee

McAbee was prosecuted by the Biden Department of Justice for alleged actions on Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol. Despite bodycam and other video showing he never assaulted Metropolitan Police Department Officer Andrew Wayte, a jury found him guilty of that count and six other criminal charges.

The case was marred by lies, manipulated evidence, and a possibly tainted jury to such a degree that defense attorney and former veteran DOJ prosecutor William Shipley called the result a “manifest injustice.”

McAbee was sentenced in late February 2024 to 70 months in prison. He was serving that sentence at the Federal Medical Center in Rochester, Minn., when President Donald J. Trump signed a pardon declaration that set him free after 1,252 days in government custody.

He walked out of FMC Rochester into minus-18-degree weather and into the arms of his wife, Sarah. “Best day of my life other than my wedding,” he told Blaze News at the time.

McAbee appealed his conviction in March 2024. On March 17, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vacated his criminal conviction and remanded the case to the district court, which dismissed it as moot.

Blaze News reached out to the District of Columbia Office of Attorney General for comment on Judge Cobb’s opinion.

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Yesterday at the NFL Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, roughly 100,000 people gathered for Charlie Kirk’s memorial service. Worship was led by some of the biggest names in the Christian music industry, including Phil Wickham, Brandon Lake, Kari Jobe, and Chris Tomlin. Speakers included high profile names from conservative media, like Tucker Carlson, Benny Johnson, and Jack Posobiec, as well as several Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and President Donald Trump, among others.

But the crowning jewel of the service was the hauntingly beautiful address delivered by Charlie’s widow and the new CEO for Turning Point USA, Erika Kirk, who publicly forgave her husband’s murderer in a display of incredible grace and commitment to Jesus’ command to forgive our enemies.

Glenn Beck was present for this event, which was nothing less than a faith-drenched Christian revival. On today’s episode of “The Glenn Beck Program,” he shared his experience being in the stadium with 100,000 others and the undeniable presence of the Holy Spirit.

Glenn describes the event as “miraculous.” In the first hour, which was a worship service, it was evident that the Holy Spirit was heavy in the stadium. Glenn feared, however, that once the worship ended and the speeches began, its beautiful presence might be “chased out by politics.”

But that’s the opposite of what happened. Every speaker who took the stage proclaimed the gospel, honored Charlie Kirk’s steadfast devotion to Jesus Christ, or centered their remarks on the Christian faith that anchored his life and mission.

“This is what I’ve been praying for for 30 years,” says Glenn.

“I’ve never witnessed anything like it.”

While he anticipated the event to be centered around faith, he had no idea to what level that would be true. More than a memorial service, “it was an altar call,” he says, describing how people were standing up to signify their desire to follow Jesus.

“I think it is the greatest revival moment of my lifetime,” Glenn says, likening the event to the Billy Graham revivals he used to watch with his grandmother.

He calls Erika’s stunning act of forgiveness “one of the most amazing things ever.”

Stu Burguiere, Glenn’s co-host, agrees, adding that her choice to forgive will have far-reaching impacts on the secular world.

“Think of the vision the average, secular, urban reader of the New York Times gets of Christians: They’re evil, they’re hateful, they don’t like people who look different than them … and then when you see [Erika], who just lost her husband, who lost the father of her children, forgive in that moment” — that will show the truth about “who Christians are” and perhaps even convince them to join the faith, he says.

“Amen to that,” says Glenn.

To hear the full details of Glenn’s experience at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, watch the episode above.

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