Category: blaze media

Former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina blamed the horrific stabbing of a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee on the lack of funding for law enforcement, even though the alleged perpetrator has over a dozen prior arrests.

Cooper, who is now running to replace retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, finally acknowledged the brutal death of Iryna Zarutska over three weeks after she was victimized on August 22. But rather than addressing the lawlessness that led to Zarutska’s death, Cooper said “cynical DC insiders” are using the tragedy to score political points.

‘They will not take responsibility for their misguided reforms that let psychotic murderers run wild.’

“The murder of Iryna Zarutska is a horrible tragedy and we must do everything we can to keep people safe,” Cooper said in a post on X. “Only a cynical DC insider would think it’s acceptable to use her death for political points, especially one who supported cutting funding to law enforcement in NC.”

The alleged murderer, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown, notably had been arrested 14 times for various offenses prior to the stabbing and was convicted of armed robbery and felony larceny among other crimes.

RELATED: Mainstream media turns a blind eye to vicious stabbing of young Ukrainian woman

Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

Immediately after accusing Republicans of using Zarutska’s death to advance their political agenda, Cooper took the opportunity to fire shots at his Republican challenger, Michael Whatley.

“I’ve been Attorney General and Governor, dedicating my career to putting violent criminals behind bars and keeping them there,” Cooper said in a subsequent post on X. “It’s time Michael Whatley and the GOP get serious in Washington about funding our law enforcement, and that’s what I’ll do as Senator.”

RELATED: Jasmine Crockett’s jaw-dropping defense of criminals: ‘They literally are trying to survive’

Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Cooper’s response to the tragedy was promptly met with outrage on the right, who pointed the finger at his leadership instead.

“Roy Cooper is blaming a supposed lack of police funding on the death of Iryna Zarutska’s murder when her killer was arrested 14 times, yet was still roaming the streets,” Fox contributor CJ Pearson said in a post on X. “The police did their job. You did not.”

“Both Roy Cooper and Josh Stein are implicitly blaming Iryna Zarutska’s death on a lack of police funding — when police arrested the perp 14 times,” Will Chamberlain, senior counsel of Article III Project, said in a post on X. “They will not take responsibility for their misguided reforms that let psychotic murderers run wild.”

“Their careers need to end.”

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Roy cooper, Thom tillis, Michael whatley, Donald trump, Trump administration, North carolina, Iryna zarutska, Decarlos brown, Soft on crime, Josh stein, Will chamberlain, Cj pearson, Stabbing, Politics 

The brutal murder of Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte train shocked the city and the nation. Yet, the reaction from Mayor Vi Lyles revealed something deeper — and more troubling — about the worldview now shaping our institutions.

Instead of calling it what it was — a violent crime committed by “a mentally deranged lunatic” and “well-known career criminal,” as President Trump described the suspect — Lyles chose to label it a “tragic event.” The tragedy, she suggested, was not the victim’s death so much as society’s failure to provide resources for the killer.

We cannot blame ‘the system.’ We cannot blame God. Facing consequences for our actions is not oppression — it is humanizing.

That rhetorical move matters. It echoes the same radical philosophy that has taken over higher education and increasingly influences our politics. In this worldview, criminals are not moral agents. They are victims of circumstance.

The death of free will

As a humanities professor, I have heard this refrain for decades. Subjects meant to explore the human condition and the pursuit of wisdom have been hijacked by an ideology that insists “marginalized” individuals cannot be held responsible for their actions.

The logical problem should be obvious. If the “oppressed” are not responsible for their actions, then they lack free will. That is a dehumanizing philosophy. It strips away moral agency and reduces people to products of “the system.”

Yet, radical professors advance this philosophy because it props up political causes that would collapse under scrutiny. Their favorite tool is the fallacy of appealing to pity: “Don’t hold me accountable, I had a hard life.” But if failure is always the system’s fault, then so is success. The DEI professor will tell you that bad outcomes come from oppression — and good outcomes come from privilege. Individual responsibility vanishes.

Crime ‘happens’ to the criminal

In this view, crime happens to the criminal. The system, not the sinner, makes the choice. The remedy? Education and therapy. Punishment for evil is rejected outright.

Take two examples.

First, Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson (D). Listen to him describe gun violence and you’d think guns sprout legs and walk into the city from other states. Who are the human beings pulling the triggers? That question is avoided, because the system supposedly forced them into crime.

Second, watch the recent Jubilee video featuring Patrick Bet-David. Anti-capitalist students invoked the plight of the single mother. To hear them tell it, single motherhood simply “happens.” No choices, no responsibility. Just victims of capitalism who have no choice but to work four jobs. The notion that having unprotected sex outside marriage is a choice is brushed aside.

This isn’t compassion, let alone justice. It’s a simple refusal to acknowledge reality.

Complaints against God

Charlotte’s racial equity policies rest on this same rejection of free will. And beneath that rejection lies something even deeper: complaints against God Himself.

Christianity teaches that God created men and women with real differences and that He governs the circumstances into which we are born. Radical critics call this unfair. Why can’t Bet-David be a single mother? Why should people be born rich or poor? Why does God still hold us accountable?

RELATED: Trump DOJ takes action against violent thug accused of savagely murdering Ukrainian refugee

Maxiphoto via iStock/Getty Images

The apostle Paul anticipated this very objection in Romans 9:19: “Then why does God still find fault? For who resists His will?” The ultimate complaint is against divine providence.

But denying free will is absurd. Many born into hard circumstances have learned to be wise and seek God. Many born into privilege have chosen evil. Our choices define us.

The humanizing truth

We cannot blame “the system.” We cannot blame God. Facing consequences for our actions is not oppression — it is humanizing. It reminds us that we have the dignity of free will and the responsibility to choose between good and evil.

And here is the one solution the radical professor will never offer: There is forgiveness for our sin, freely given in Christ. That is the antidote to a culture that excuses evil and denies accountability.

​Opinion & analysis, Opinion, Iryna zarutska, Decarlos brown, Decarlos brown jr, Soft on crime, Blue city crime, Justice for iryna zarutska, Crime, Murder, Mental illness, Evil, Oppressor, Oppressed, Privilege, Systemic racism, Police 

Tom Bancroft remembers the moment when the Disney magic began to wear off.

During his career at the studio, the veteran animator had helped create characters from some of Disney’s biggest ’90s hits: Mushu the dragon from “Mulan” and Simba from “The Lion King,” to name a few. He was living every aspiring animator’s dream.

‘It hit me so strongly … when kids pray from that point forward, this might be the Jesus they see in their heads.’

He also defended the company from critiques that it was indifferent or even hostile to Christianity, saying Disney simply stayed true to the story and followed it wherever it might go.

‘Uncomfortable’ truth

Then he worked on a 2000 short film called “John Henry,” a tale of U.S. slaves who endured the “peculiar institution.”

Faith, Bancroft tells Align, was “such an intrinsic part of that story,” something his storyboard animatics reflected. Disney brass disagreed.

“’This makes me feel uncomfortable,’” he recalls the president of animation saying at the time about its spiritual themes.

“It hit me like a ton of bricks,” recalls Bancroft. “I didn’t see that coming. … I’ve been telling everybody for years we were just staying true to the story … we can have Mulan pray to her ancestors because that’s what they did in ancient China in that culture.”

“Now, we come to Christianity, and you’re not comfortable. It was the first time I said, ‘There’s another side to this story,’” he said.

“I didn’t know it then, but six months later, I [would leave] Disney … I need[ed] to go use my talents and abilities for God more directly,” he says.

Seeing the ‘Light’

Bancroft went on to work on the popular “Veggie Tales” franchise, as well as shows on the Christian Broadcasting Network. He’s also written acclaimed books on animation, while co-hosting a popular animation podcast with his fellow animator — and twin brother — Tony.

Now, he’s brought his Disney skills to a 2D animated feature film that captures the life of Jesus Christ in a bold new way.

“Light of the World,” in theaters now, follows Christ’s story through the eyes of the youngest apostle, John (voiced by Benjamin Jacobson). That allows young viewers to experience Christ’s mission from a fresh, relatable perspective.

The film may not hail from the Mouse House’s iconic studio, but critics are praising both its sensitive storytelling and gorgeous animation. Bancroft was able to glean critical tips from the “nine old men,” the core Disney animators who helped bring the studio’s inimitable artistry to life.

“We get to put that emotion and that knowledge that we learned there [into the film] … they were still passing down that wisdom to people like me and my brother [in the 1980s],” he says.

Finding Jesus

Bancroft played a role in bringing beloved Disney characters to life. Bringing Jesus to the big screen offered another, far more critical challenge.

“I honestly would wake up in the middle of the night … it hit me so strongly … when kids pray from that point forward, this might be the Jesus they see in their heads,” he says, adding his team created a Jesus figure with a skin tone darker than some previous screen incarnations.

The “Light of the World” Jesus posed another problem as a storyteller.

“Thematically, as a character in a film … [Jesus] doesn’t really work. You want to have arcs to a character … he’s going to question himself, he’s going to try, and he’s going to fail, and then he’s going to succeed later … you don’t have that with Jesus,” he says. “Thankfully, we had that with John.”

RELATED: ‘Elio’ was lame. Making him gay wouldn’t change that

Pixar/Disney

Bible stories on a budget

Working with Disney gave Bancroft access to money and resources that smaller, independent films can’t match.

“We had at least 10 at-bats … we can miss a few times, maybe even nine times, and get it on the 10th at every level,” he says, meaning storyboard creation, vocal performances, and animation.

“I would do scenes over and over again until it was just right or just what the director wanted,” he says. “In an independent film, you have to get it right within the first one or two tries. You don’t get that many at-bats.”

The benefits, as he sees them, are considerable.

“You get to make the film you want to make,” he says, adding the film’s key financer, Matt McPherson, gave his team few guidelines beyond staying true to the Bible.

“I’ve never in 35 years had that freedom to make a movie,” he says. “We were off to the races and were loving every minute of it.”

Faith on the fast track

And he thinks more films like “Light of the World” are coming our way.

The faith-friendly genre has expanded in recent years, from “The Chosen” to 2024’s “Sound of Freedom.” Major streamers like Amazon Prime and Netflix have embraced spiritual stories, partly due to positive reactions from customers.

It’s show business, after all.

Another big difference, he says, is financial. Now, experienced storytellers who may have found themselves outside Hollywood’s creative bubble like Bancroft are getting back in the game on their terms.

“The money getting to the right people, honestly, has been the biggest difference. People don’t like to talk about that, but honestly, that’s how you make a change in Christian film,” he says.

​Tom bancroft, Animation, Hollywood, Culture, Entertainment, Disney, Mulan, The lion king, Christianity, Abide, Align interview 

Hamas’ barbaric October 7 massacre of Israelis — including children and the elderly — was driven by hatred, yes, but it was also enabled. Governments, organizations, and media outlets all played a role. Israel, Arab states, the United States, the United Nations, and especially Qatar share responsibility. Now, as Israel nears victory and “day after” debates begin, the international community needs to rethink its approach to both Gaza and Doha.

Qatar has long styled itself as a mediator. In reality, it has become a saboteur.

Qatar must face consequences. Gaza must be freed from Hamas. And America must stop funding its own adversaries.

Qatar has provided safe haven to Hamas leadership for years and continues to do so, depending on how many survived Israel’s decapitation strike in Doha on Monday. Despite reports suggesting the United States asked Qatar to host Hamas leaders for negotiation purposes, the relationship long predates October 7 and any such arrangement.

Qatar also hosted Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the Muslim Brotherhood’s spiritual leader, until his death in 2022. Its most powerful media arm, Al Jazeera, has functioned as a Hamas mouthpiece, even providing journalistic cover to operatives like Anas al-Sharif.

The emirate’s interference doesn’t stop there. It funds radical movements across the region, destabilizing neighbors and prompting a Gulf Cooperation Council blockade in 2017. That blockade responded to Qatar’s ties with Iran, support for terrorist groups, and meddling in other nations’ internal affairs.

Closer to home, Qatar has poured billions into American universities. Between 2021 and 2024 alone, it gave more than $2 billion, fueling a surge of “illiberal, anti-democratic sentiment” on campuses. At the same time, the United States maintains its largest Middle East air base, Al Udeid, in a country that bankrolls terror.

That’s a strategic liability. Iran’s 2021 missile strike on Al Udeid — and later attacks during Operation Midnight Hammer — showed the base’s vulnerability. Meanwhile, thousands of U.S. troops and families stationed there effectively subsidize Qatar’s radicalism.

President Trump’s February 4 proposal to relocate Gazans out of Gaza broke the stalemate. Critics howled, but the plan remains the only one that secures Israel, dismantles Hamas, and opens a path to reconstruction under new governance.

Temporary relocation of Gazans to Qatar is the most viable option. This is not forced displacement. It recognizes that civilians cannot live in a war zone and that years of Qatari-backed Hamas indoctrination require deliberate de-radicalization. Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have refused refugees for exactly that reason. Qatar — the principal sponsor — should shoulder the burden.

RELATED: The genocide that isn’t: How Hamas turned lies into global outrage

Photo by Thierry Monasse/Getty Images

At the same time, the United States should withdraw from Al Udeid and construct a state-of-the-art base in a rebuilt Gaza.

That move would be more than symbolic — it would be strategic. A U.S. base in Gaza would guarantee security during reconstruction, prevent Hamas 2.0 from rising, and inject jobs, contracts, and services into the local economy. Gaza’s Mediterranean location also offers direct access to Africa, where China is expanding at America’s expense.

This isn’t fantasy. It’s a workable blueprint: Arrest remaining Hamas leaders in Doha; relocate civilians to safety; rebuild Gaza free of terror-backed regimes; and establish a permanent U.S. presence that stabilizes rather than inflames.

Protests will erupt. Denunciations will come. But serious problems demand serious solutions. Qatar must face consequences. Gaza must be freed from Hamas. And America must stop funding its own adversaries.

​Air base, America first, Donald trump, Foreign policy, Gaza, Gaza city, Hamas, Iran, Israel, Israel hamas, Israel hamas war, Israel palestine, Israel palestine conflict, Israel-hamas war, National defense, National interest, Opinion, Opinion & analysis, Qatar, Terrorism 

A disturbing video of the murder of a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, Iryna Zarutska, has been making the rounds on social media — leaving citizens frustrated that crime is so out of control in America.

However, the mainstream media doesn’t view the attack the same way.

“Let me tell you the angle that the mainstream media took. It wasn’t, ‘Horrible criminal who should have been behind bars murders innocent woman in Charlotte, North Carolina.’ It wasn’t that,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales says.

Rather, publications like Axios have chosen to write headlines like, “Stabbing video fuels MAGA’s crime message.”

“Yep, it’s those pesky MAGA Republicans once again. Those MAGA influencers. It might as well have said, ‘MAGA pounces on stabbing video to fuel their crime message.’ Like, make this make sense. So, in the article, the problem is not that we have crazy psycho murderers roaming the streets,” Gonzales says.

“The problem is just MAGA influencers are drawing repeated attention to elevate the issue of urban crime and accuse mainstream media of uncovering shocking cases,” she continues, noting that it gets worse.

“You only thought that that was the bottom. I haven’t hit the bottom yet. There is no bottom typically when it comes to these people, these despicable mainstream media hacks. … It’s not just that they say that MAGA is elevating the issue of urban crime. It’s not that urban crime is elevating itself because it’s happening too frequently. That’s not it,” she explains.

“The problem is security cameras,” she says, shocked.

The Axios article reads, “The rising number of surveillance cameras in public spaces, including on Charlotte’s light rail, has become a big accelerant in these cases.”

“The video is easily shared or leaked, and can instantly pollinate across social media — a visual counterpoint to statistics showing crime decreases,” a bullet under the article’s previous point reads.

“So, the problem really is that surveillance cameras exist, and we shouldn’t have surveillance cameras because then … if a tree falls in the woods and nobody hears it, does it actually happen?” Gonzales mocks.

“Or is the problem you for deciding that we should have things like law and order in this country? Is the problem you for expecting too much, average citizen, who doesn’t like all of this crime happening around them?” she continues. “Maybe the problem is you. Certainly not the murderer, according to Axios.”

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.

​Video, Video phone, Camera phone, Sharing, Upload, Free, Youtube.com, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Sara gonzales, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Iryna zarutska, Ukrainian refugee murder, Crime rates, Charlotte stabbing, Charlotte north carolina, Maga, Maga influencers, Make america great again 

Washington state police said they were able to thwart a mass school shooting plot by a teenager who had access to a large stockpile of guns and was preparing to pull the trigger on his scheme.

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said they received an “intelligence communication” about the alleged plot late on Friday and arrested the teenager on Saturday at a residence on 20th Ave.

‘It is clear it was only a matter of time before a tragic incident occurred.’

Police performed a search warrant at the home with a SWAT team.

“The search has produced a large quantity of firearms that were both secured and unsecured. Loaded magazines with school shooter writings on them, and clothing and writings that would support a typical mass shooting scenario, were confiscated,” the statement reads.

They said the teenager had been enrolled at the Franklin Pierce School District in 2021 but is not currently an active student at any school district.

Deputy Carly Cappetto told KING-TV that officials found 23 firearms and several ammunition boxes at the house. In addition, many of the firearms were illegal because they did not have serial numbers.

“It appeared the suspect had everything ready to go to commit a mass shooting type of incident,” Cappetto explained while citing a “go bag” in the teen’s bedroom with ammunition and AR-style magazines.

RELATED: 2 thugs who kill man during robbery get shot by fourth man at apartment complex, police say

“It is clear it was only a matter of time before a tragic incident occurred,” she added.

They also said that he posted images of himself on social media showing off guns.

The teenager has been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree, unlawful possession of fireworks, and attempted threat to bomb or injure a school.

The teen’s parents have not been charged with anything, but the prosecutor may consider charges based on improper storage of firearms. Police said the investigation is ongoing.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​13 year old school shooter, Pierce county sheriff’s department, School shooting thwarted, Seattle washington, Crime 

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

RELATED: If Tim Kaine’s right, America’s founders were wrong

Photo by John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

Want more from Glenn Beck? Get Glenn’s FREE email newsletter with his latest insights, top stories, show prep, and more delivered to your inbox.

​Opinion & analysis, Opinion, Tim kaine, Senator tim kaine, Declaration of independence, Iran, Sharia law, Natural rights, American founding, Thomas jefferson, Theocracy, Progressives, God-given rights, Liberty, Tyranny 

As the mainstream media and leftist politicians rush to sympathize with the alleged murderer of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock is pointing out how real Americans are feeling — and it’s far from the same way.

“As someone that understands the power of social media and that the social media deal drove the entire Black Lives Matter movement, and it’s very influential, that even with this legacy media blackout, this incident I’m calling the death knell for black culture, the image of black Americans,” Whitlock says.

“It feels like irrevocable harm to the reputation of black people. Everybody is posting videos. Everybody’s posting stats about black-on-white crime. And none of this should be surprising,” he continues.

While Black Lives Matter relied on their “fact” that black men needed to live in fear of being gunned down by white police officers every day, Americans are now waking up and realizing that wasn’t exactly the truth.

“At some point, we’re going to show you what black criminals are doing to white people. And there’s far more examples of this than white police officers behaving inappropriately. And there will be far more video showing white police officers defending themselves from aggressive black criminal suspects,” Whitlock says.

“And the question I’m asking today, among other things, it’s like the people that supported Black Lives Matter, when are they going to apologize? When are they going to publicly acknowledge that their Black Lives Matter movement has created this backlash that has put black people’s reputation at the lowest point?” he continues.

“Our reputation is at the lowest point in American history. And the Black Lives Matter movement created this, created the racial idolatry, and helped drive this new form of racial tribalism,” he says, adding, “a form of tribalism that America was moving away from.”

Want more from Jason Whitlock?

To enjoy more fearless conversations at the crossroads of culture, faith, sports, and comedy with Jason Whitlock, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Camera phone, Free, Sharing, Upload, Video phone, Video, Youtube.com, Fearless with jason whitlock, Fearless, Jason whitlock, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Black lives matter, White lives matter, Blm, Black culture, Black criminals, Iryna zarutska, Say her name, Jason whitlock harmony 

Climate change activist Greta Thunberg is facing ridicule after a Gaza-bound flotilla she joined claimed to be attacked by a drone before the embarrassing truth came out.

Thunberg is a part of the Global Sumud Flotilla on the way to Gaza in an attempt to sail supplies to the war-torn area against the wishes of the Israeli government. There are about 20 boats in the flotilla.

‘There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies.’

The flotilla group claimed Tuesday that one of the boats had caught on fire after being attacked by a drone near the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou Said.

“Last night, I was on the deck on the back part of the ship, and I heard a drone,” said flotilla activist Miguel Duarte, who claimed other members witnessed the event.

“Two of us stood there with the drone above our head, then we saw the drone move to the forward part of the deck. It stood a few seconds on top of a bunch of life jackets and then dropped a bomb,” Duarte continued.

Tunisian officials said there was “no basis in truth” for the attack claim and said the fire was likely started by someone aboard the flotilla, possibly from a cigarette. They also said that “no drones have been detected” in the area.

Video from the incident led many to believe that one of the flotilla members might have accidentally fired a flare gun and caused the fire himself.

The video was posted to social media, where it quickly went viral and garnered over 8 million views.

RELATED: Campaign office for Ocasio-Cortez vandalized with far-left message

Israel has previously mocked efforts by the activists to break the Gaza blockade.

“There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies,” said a spokesperson from the Foreign Ministry for Israel.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Gaza flotilla with greta thunberg, Gaza flotilla drone attack, Flare on flotilla flare, Greta thunberg, Politics 

The murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska has horrified many on social media, but much of the mainstream media has been lambasted for ignoring the terrifying incident that undermines liberal crime narratives.

At least one outlet, Axios, ventured to cover the incident, but they are facing outrage for trying to frame the killing in a manner to criticize conservatives.

‘It’s not journalism. It’s partisan propaganda.’

“The gruesome video of the fatal knife attack on Iryna Zarutska on a light-rail car in Charlotte is drawing attention from MAGA influencers seeking to elevate the issue of violent urban crime — and accuse mainstream media of under-covering shocking cases,” reads the social media post from Axios with a link to their article.

They faced immediate backlash.

“Making the story about the reaction instead of the story is vile and transparent,” Minnesota state Rep. Walter Hudson (R) responded.

“It’s not journalism. It’s partisan propaganda,” Hudson continued.

“Axios, in an absolute race to the bottom, becomes one of the first left leaning outlets to write a story about the brutal murder of Iryna Zarutska — and they blame CCTV cameras and conservatives,” Club for Growth president David McIntosh replied.

“You waited almost 3 days to report on it, and when you finally decided to report on it, you use the murder to vilify conservatives. Screw you. This is why everyone hates you,” another popular response reads.

“Thanks for reminding us all that @axios is nothing more than shameless @DNC propaganda,” another reply reads.

RELATED: Trump DOJ takes action against violent thug accused of savagely murdering Ukrainian refugee

On Tuesday, the White House commented on the lack of coverage for the attack and displayed large photos of the victim and the suspect.

“This is pure evil on full display,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a press briefing. “The most enraging and unacceptable part of this story is that her death was entirely preventable. Decarlos Brown never should have been on that train that night.”

Brown had been arrested for over a dozen other crimes, including armed robbery and larceny convictions before the allegedly random attack on Zarutska on a public bus.

“Perhaps most shamefully of all, the majority of the media, many outlets in this room, decided that her murder was not worth reporting on originally because it does not fit a preferred narrative,” she added.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Iryna zarutska, Media malfeasance, Stabbing murder ukrainian migrant, Charlotte bus murder, Politics 

If you’re among those pushing back against the idea of government-run grocery stores being peddled by NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, Bernie Sanders has some words for you.

“What a radical idea to say that working-class families should be able to go into a grocery store, in an area where there are food deserts, and be able to afford decent quality food for their children,” Sanders says, before mocking, “Oh man! What a radical guy he is!”

BlazeTV host Pat Gray is not amused.

“Absolute buffoon!” Gray yells. “This is what they go to, is ‘food deserts.’ They were doing this under Obama, and they’re doing it all over again. All of a sudden, food deserts are back. That was disclaimed and debunked a long time ago.”

“In virtually every hamlet of Manhattan, there are grocery stores. There are restaurants. There are plenty of places,” he continues.

“Pat Gray Unleashed” co-host Jeffy interjects, “At one time, I don’t know if they’ve been arrested and deported, but at one time, you could get a bicyclist just to bring your food right to you. Fresh food. Right there in Manhattan.”

“Manhattan, New York City, that’s not a desert for anything,” executive producer Keith Malinak chimes in. “Anything you want.”

“You can get it in moments,” Gray adds.

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.

​Video phone, Video, Sharing, Upload, Camera phone, Free, Youtube.com, Pat gray unleashed, Pat gray, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze online, Zohran mamdani, Socialism, Government grocery stores, New york city, Manhattan, Communism, Bernie sanders, Radical, Radical left 

A 19-year-old Bronx male is accused of hitting his girlfriend’s baby in the head, after which the 1-year-old victim had to go on a ventilator and then died about a week later, the New York Post reported.

Imani Mitchell was taken to Harlem Hospital in critical condition after Jerome Thomas — who was watching her on Aug. 28 — allegedly “struck the child twice on the side of the head with a ‘heavy hand,'” the Post noted, citing police and prosecutors.

The neighbor added to the Post that the couple argued and fought ‘every night since they moved here. … ”F**k you …” and ”Get the f**k out.” Several times she put his clothes out, but they’d be back together the same day.’

The victim suffered “extensive subdural hemorrhaging on the right side of her head resulting in swelling and intracranial pressure causing brain herniation,” which necessitated surgery to remove part of her skull, the paper added, citing a criminal complaint.

Imani also was placed on a ventilator while other life-support measures were initiated, but the toddler was pronounced dead at the hospital Friday, the Post reported, adding that the New York City Police Department has ruled her death a homicide.

RELATED: Florida man brutally beat to death his 4-year-old daughter, according to police: ‘No remorse. No emotion, nothing’

Thomas was arrested Aug. 29 — the day after the alleged attack — and charged with felony assault, reckless endangerment, and endangering the welfare of a child, the paper said, citing court documents.

What’s more, the suspect has been ordered to be held without bail on Rikers Island as charges against him may be upgraded pending a grand jury indictment, law enforcement sources added to the Post.

Thomas is not the victim’s father, law enforcement sources told the New York Daily News.

The alleged attack occurred around 9:30 p.m. inside an apartment on Union Avenue near East 152nd Street after Imani’s mother left her in Thomas’ care, the Post said, citing the complaint.

LeNesha Mitchell told police that she returned from a 45-minute shopping trip and found her little girl semi-conscious and struggling to breathe with her face and head badly bruised, especially around her left eye, the Daily News added in a separate story.

Thomas’ next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 18, the Post reported, citing the district attorney’s office.

RELATED: Florida couple charged with manslaughter after 3-year-old died while ‘rotting in the bed,’ sheriff: ‘I have never, ever seen anything as sad, as bone-chilling, and as sickening’

Neighbor Nicole LaCroix previously told the Post that the couple and the baby were new to the building.

“I spent a little time with the mother, and I guess the boyfriend one night, just because they were new to the area, and we were just showing them where some of the stores are and different things like that,” LaCroix told the paper. “Being helpful, as a neighbor, because I’m a little older than the young lady.”

The neighbor added to the Post, “I held the baby, you know, because we spent a little time with each other. She was playing with my phone — she was an active 1-year-old.”

However, LaCroix also told the paper that her daughter heard “arguments” coming from the apartment where the couple and the toddler lived — and now she wishes she would’ve “stepped in and helped.”

The neighbor added to the Post that the couple argued and fought “every night since they moved here. … ‘F**k you …’ and ‘Get the f**k out.’ Several times she put his clothes out, but they’d be back together the same day.”

Commenters underneath WPIX-TV’s Facebook post about the toddler’s death were saddened and outraged by the tragedy:

“This world is getting so wicked,” one commenter said. “Just heartbreaking.””Terrible. Too bad someone couldn’t beat him to death,” another user noted. “So sorry poor little child.””A f**king monster did this,” another commenter stated. “Cuff him.”Another user answered the latter commenter with the following: “Don’t cuff him. Burn him.”

Blaze News on Tuesday spoke to Kristina Coleman — vice president of child advocacy and mental health programs at Safe Horizon (800-621-HOPE), which helps those affected by violence — and Coleman offered advice for those who may find themselves in similar situations as the little girl’s mother or the neighbor who noticed signs of trouble.

Coleman told Blaze News that “recognizing signs” is important, as an extreme situation like the attack on the little girl “usually is not something out of the blue.”

“We encourage people to listen to their ‘inner voice’ for signs of trouble, as we have the tendency to brush things off,” Coleman shared with Blaze News. She also emphasized the importance of “community support,” noting that such bonds can make a difference, and that perhaps someone in the community can step in and help with something even as basic as providing last-minute childcare during a time of struggle.

Coleman also told Blaze News that it’s important to know one’s sources of support, whether that means family members or those from places of employment. She also emphasized how crucial communication is, adding to Blaze News that “if you see someone struggling,” it’s important to continue building that relationship, to listen, and to “notice” what that person might be going through.

Coleman also told Blaze News that sometimes people just “need to talk,” and often in our “go go go society” we don’t realize when that moment is right in front of us.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Man accused of hitting toddler girl, 1-year-old girl, Boyfriend of mother, New york city, The bronx, Arrest, Hospitalization, Emergency surgery, Rikers island, Safe horizon, Ventilator, Crime 

Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who aspired to become a veterinarian assistant, was savagely murdered on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 22. Her suspected killer was charged with first-degree murder but now faces a federal charge that could land him the death penalty.

Footage of the slaying shows Zarutska enter a train on the Lynx Blue Line in Charlotte, sit down in front of a black male in a red-hooded sweatshirt, and then look at her phone.

‘We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence.’

The man behind her, who has been identified as repeat offender Decarlos Brown, can be seen in the footage taking what appears to be a small knife out of his pocket, standing up, then bringing the apparent blade down in a striking motion. The killer can subsequently be heard saying, “I got that white girl,” surveillance footage appeared to reveal.

A federal criminal complaint was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Charlotte, charging Brown with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in statement, “Iryna Zarutska was a young woman living the American dream — her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people.”

“I have directed my attorneys to federally prosecute Decarlos Brown Jr., a repeat violent offender with a history of violent crime, for murder,” the attorney general continued. “We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence — he will never again see the light of day as a free man.”

RELATED: Van Jones claims there’s ‘NO EVIDENCE’ of racial animus in Charlotte stabbing. Audio in murder footage suggests otherwise.

AzmanL/Getty Images

If convicted, the Department of Justice said that Brown could face life in prison or the death penalty.

FBI Director Kash Patel, who indicated in an X post on Monday that the “FBI has been investigating the Charlotte train murder from day one,” noted that “the brutal attack on Iryna Zarutska on the Charlotte Light Rail was a disgraceful act that should never happen in America.”

‘Federal charges are necessary to protect the public and ensure confidence in our transportation systems.’

When pressed earlier Tuesday for comment on whether the FBI was treating Zarutska’s murder as a hate crime, the FBI referred Blaze News to Patel’s Monday statement and declined to add anything further.

The federal criminal complaint reiterated that Zarutska died at the scene as the result of multiple stab wounds and noted that a pocketknife was collected from the scene.

The complaint also indicated that Zarutska was stabbed just four minutes after she sat down.

“This brutal attack on an innocent woman simply trying to get to her destination is an attack on the American way of life,” said Russ Ferguson, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

“Of course, crimes like this affect the victim the most — Iryna deserves justice, and we will bring justice to her and her family. But crimes like this also affect everyone who relies on mass transportation to get to and from work and go about their daily lives, and federal charges are necessary to protect the public and ensure confidence in our transportation systems,” Ferguson added.

President Donald Trump noted in a Truth Social post on Monday that Zarutska’s alleged killer “was a well known career criminal, who had been previously arrested and released on CASHLESS BAIL in January, a total of 14 TIMES. What the hell was he doing riding the train, and walking the streets? Criminals like this need to be LOCKED UP.”

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Crime, Department of justice, Justice department, Fbi, Pam bondi, Decarlos brown, Iryna zarutska, Zarutska, Murder, Leftism, Politics 

BlazeTV’s Liz Wheeler clashed with former Ohio state Senator Nina Turner (D) in a fiery debate during Chris Cuomo’s NewsNation show on Monday.

Wheeler stated that Turner “freaked out” at her on live television.

‘I wanted to say that Iryna Zarutska’s murder was not arbitrary. It was not inevitable. It was the result of Democrat policies.’

The Monday news segment discussed the murder of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian woman who was brutally stabbed while riding a train in North Carolina. The alleged attacker was 34-year-old Decarlos Brown.

When Wheeler mentioned the “brokenness of the black family,” Turner shouted, “Oh no! You’re not going to sit up there and talk about the brokenness of the black family. How dare you?”

“Do not single out the black family,” Turner declared. “The nerve of you.”

Wheeler explained during a Tuesday episode of BlazeTV’s “The Liz Wheeler Show” that she had two points she hoped to make on Cuomo’s show.

RELATED: Do white lives matter? Leaders show compassion for black suspect in brutal murder of Iryna Zarutska

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

“I wanted to say that Iryna Zarutska’s murder was not arbitrary. It was not inevitable. It was the result of Democrat policies — specifically, Democrat policies that encourage, incentivize, or otherwise create so-called racial equity in our criminal justice system,” Wheeler stated.

“The second point that I wanted to make is that this epidemic of crime that we see, especially crime committed by young black men — although it also applies to crime committed by young white men — is a result of broken families, the broken nuclear family,” she continued. “In this particular case, the broken black nuclear family.”

RELATED: Horrific video sparks outrage after young Ukrainian woman is fatally stabbed, allegedly by repeat offender

Ohio state Senator Nina Turner. Photo by David McNew/Getty Images

Wheeler noted that children who grow up without a father are six times more likely to live in poverty and commit crimes.

“In 1960, 75% of black children lived with two parents. By 2020, 37-42% of black children live with two parents,” Wheeler wrote in a social media post. “In 1965, 25% of black babies were born out of wedlock. By 2015: 77.3% of black babies are born out of wedlock. 50% of black children currently live in fatherless homes.”

“I wonder if @ninaturner was triggered when @BarackObama said the same thing about the breakdown of the black family & the impact of fatherlessness on the likelihood of children to commit crimes,” she added.

— (@)

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​News, Liz wheeler, Nina turner, Fatherlessness, Iryna zarutska, Nuclear family, Politics 

The newest jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics included a revision showing a steep drop that confirmed criticism from President Donald Trump that the department needed to be revamped.

The BLS report released Tuesday showed that jobs estimates were too high by 911,000. The revisions were the largest on record for the bureau after the president publicly excoriated the revisions in previous reports.

‘They don’t believe that money supply matters, it’s like the Pope not believing in Jesus.’

“Today, the BLS released the largest downward revision on record proving that President Trump was right: Biden’s economy was a disaster and the BLS is broken,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“This is exactly why we need new leadership to restore trust and confidence in the BLS’s data on behalf of the financial markets, businesses, policymakers, and families that rely on this data to make major decisions,” she added.

Trump had accused the BLS of acting politically when some of the jobs revisions appeared to help Democrats ahead of elections. Critics of the president pointed out that he celebrated revisions when they were in his favor.

Economic expert and Blaze News contributor Carol Roth agreed with the assessment from the Trump administration in a comment to Blaze News.

“The substantial revisions to the jobs numbers for the 12 months ended March 2025 are atrocious but unsurprising to anyone who has been paying attention,” Roth wrote in part.

“The Biden economy was all smoke and mirrors, creating an illusion of strength on a foundation of weakness. These massive revisions bring the cumulative downward revisions to jobs numbers for the past four years to more than 2 million, which underscores what a challenging economic and fiscal situation the Trump administration has inherited,” she added.

“I hope that we can right the ship by changing the way that BLS data is acquired, modeled, and reported so we can have a timely and accurate sense of what is happening in the economy and so policy can be aligned with reality versus fantasy,” Roth concluded.

RELATED: Trump orders Labor Statistics chief to be fired over revisions in weak jobs report

The president has also been berating Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, for refusing to drop interest rates out of caution after indicators pointed to the possibility of growing inflation. Prior to the report’s release, the president had lambasted the Federal Reserve in a post on Truth Social that quoted financial officials from a Fox Business Network show.

“‘If the Fed had followed what we published, they would have raised rates in early 2021. The entire organization is broken. It needs to be fixed. They need to use modern sources of information,'” Trump quoted Infrastructure Capital Advisors’ founder and CEO Jay Hatfield as saying.

“It’s too low, it’s too rigid, they followed data that’s years delayed. They don’t believe that money supply matters, it’s like the Pope not believing in Jesus,” he continued.

Trump issued a statement firing Fed Governor Lisa Cook, but she has argued that he does not have the authority to fire her, despite accusations of mortgage fraud. If he is successful, he would expand his influence over the Federal Reserve and perhaps on interest rates.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Trump vs bls, Jobs numbers, Trump vs powell, New jobs numbers, Politics 

President Trump has been intervening in crime-ridden cities across the country — and now may be looking to deploy the National Guard to Chicago.

But does he have the authority to do so?

“We have kind of three different ways this is playing out so far. You have, initially, the Los Angeles situation where he was intervening with some National Guard. There’s been a legal ruling on that. They said he’s not allowed to do that anymore. I’m sure that will go to the Supreme Court,” BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere explains on “Stu Does America.”

“You have the D.C. situation, which, of course, there’s legal fights on that, I’m sure, as well, but it has a much more clear path to control over that. It’s a federal district,” he continues.

“And then, finally, you have a potential of this expanding to many more cities like Chicago, Memphis, who knows where else,” he adds.

The Democratic governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, is not pleased.

“The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator,” Pritzker wrote in a post on X, in response to a screenshot of a Truth Social post from President Trump.

The Truth Social post reads, “Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR,” with an image of Trump crouching in front of the city in flames. Text on the image reads “Chipocalypse Now.”

“I’m not a huge fan,” BlazeTV host Pat Gray admits. “I’m not a fan of it at all.”

Gray appreciated the president initially mentioning that he was going to ask the governor of Illinois to send the National Guard, which he says “would be the right way to do it.”

“But he proceeded to say, ‘But I’m going to do it either way. I’m going to do it anyway, whether he agrees to it or not,’” Gray adds. “That’s just not the right way to do it. So I’m not a huge, huge fan of doing things in an unconstitutional way.”

However, Gray sees D.C. slightly differently.

“D.C.’s a little bit different animal because it’s not a state, and so they can federalize there. So I didn’t initially have a huge problem with that,” he says. “I didn’t think it was going to be a national, every city kind of thing.”

Want more from Stu?

To enjoy more of Stu’s lethal wit, wisdom, and mockery, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Video, Video phone, Camera phone, Sharing, Upload, Free, Youtube.com, Stu does america, Stu burguiere, Pat gray, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Truth social, President trump, National guard, National guard chicago 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called out the mainstream media for turning a blind eye to the tragic death of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed, allegedly by a repeat offender.

Zarutska’s life was cut short after 34-year-old Decarlos Brown allegedly stabbed the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee on a train in North Carolina on August 22. Brown was later identified by local law enforcement and has since been charged with first-degree murder.

‘Many journalists in this room spilled plenty of ink trying to smear Daniel Penny … but none of those same reporters lift a finger to write stories about an actual murderer.’

This vicious stabbing was far from Brown’s first alleged offense, having previously been arrested for over a dozen other crimes, including convictions for armed robbery and felony larceny.

“This is pure evil on full display,” Leavitt said during Tuesday’s press briefing. “The most enraging and unacceptable part of this story is that her death was entirely preventable. Decarlos Brown never should have been on that train that night.”

RELATED: Mainstream media turns a blind eye to vicious stabbing of young Ukrainian woman

In the aftermath of the vicious attack, most outlets “shamefully and intentionally failed to report” on the tragedy, which Leavitt argued was because Zarutska’s death was politically inconvenient for the largely liberal media.

“Perhaps most shamefully of all, the majority of the media, many outlets in this room, decided that her murder was not worth reporting on originally because it does not fit a preferred narrative,” Leavitt said.

RELATED: Horrific video sparks outrage after young Ukrainian woman is fatally stabbed, allegedly by repeat offender

Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

“Many journalists in this room spilled plenty of ink trying to smear Daniel Penny for defending a subway car from New York City, but none of those same reporters lift a finger to write stories about an actual murderer,” Leavitt added.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Iryna zarutska, Karoline leavitt, Decarlos brown, Donald trump, Trump administration, White house, Crime crackdown, Daniel penny, Legacy media, Mainstream media, Media bias, Politics 

On his second day back in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to shut down the weaponization of the federal government — but the FBI is still targeting traditional Catholics, defying both the law and his directive.

Americans were outraged after a declassified FBI memo approved in October 2022 revealed that Richmond FBI had begun investigating some “radical-traditionalist” Catholics for their supposed ties to “the far-right white nationalist movement” as well as their opposition to abortion and “LGBTQ protections” in the law.

Why is the FBI ‘snooping on my private chat of 43 Catholic men in South Louisiana?’

Then-Director Christopher Wray insisted in July 2023 that the memo was “a single product by a single field office,” but the Committee on the Judiciary and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government later determined that FBI offices in Portland, Los Angeles, and Milwaukee also contributed to its development.

While the Trump administration has made significant strides in neutralizing the anti-Christian bias pervading federal agencies and the threat of the deep state against law-abiding Christian Americans, it seems that some rad-trad Catholics may still be under surveillance.

Blaze News spoke with Ross McKnight, one of the leaders of La Nouvelle Vendée, a Catholic group comprising mainly men that aims to “resist secularism,” reclaim their “patrimony,” and “restore Christendom in Louisiana by implementing the Doctrine of the Social Reign of Christ the King.”

McKnight said that FBI Special Agent Beau Barker has made contact with him and another member in recent weeks, expressing concerns about some “online” comments.

Living out the Catholic faith, unredacted

McKnight told Blaze News that the group formed two years ago and that he and about 40 other men have a private Telegram chat in which they readily share their views. He made clear that the group holds to traditional Catholic teaching without apology.

“There’s a necessity for Catholic social action towards the social kingdom of Christ,” he said. And to that end, he and his fellow LNV members gather to pray the rosary, especially at events that promote sin, such as Pride parades.

McKnight also noted that the religion of Islam is a “heresy” and therefore is in conflict with the Catholic Church. “Muslims are historically what we would call a public enemy of the Catholic Church,” he said.

On account of these views regarding Islam, the group strongly opposed the sale of a Catholic church in Buffalo, New York, to a Muslim group that intended to convert the sacred building into a mosque. McKnight shared a screenshot of part of their Telegram conversation about the prospective mosque. In it, McKnight states: “I look forward to the day wherein we [redacted], [redacted], and completely [redacted] that place, which may not be so far away.”

RELATED: Police drag away a man for saying he likes bacon near a sprawling mosque construction site

Screenshot shared with Blaze News

McKnight confirmed to Blaze News that he used the word “redacted” in brackets intentionally, though he did not clarify what he meant.

“We don’t hate Muslims. We hate the heresy that is Islam. And so that’s what we’re fighting. We’re not fighting Muslims as people,” he explained.

“I don’t have any intention of doing anything violent,” he continued.

The FBI gets involved

McKnight said he was just going about his business on August 22, 2025, when he received an unexpected phone call. The caller identified himself as Beau Barker, a special agent with the FBI.

“Hey, I’d like to talk to you about something you posted online,” Barker said, McKnight recalled.

When McKnight demurred, Barker more or less indicated McKnight didn’t have much of a choice. “I asked him for details. He wouldn’t provide them. He just said, ‘I want to talk to you,'” McKnight explained. “And I said, ‘Well, is it voluntary?’ He said, ‘Yes, but … basically, we’ll come to you if you don’t come to us.'”

‘We do not conduct investigations based solely on First Amendment protected activity, including religious practices.’

Just a few days later, Barker rang McKnight again. When he didn’t get an answer, he and a sheriff’s deputy just showed up at McKnight’s house, McKnight claimed.

Once again, McKnight pressed Barker for “details,” wanting to know why an FBI officer was so interested in him, but to no avail. Barker never divulged any details and left the property without much more conversation.

McKnight soon hired a lawyer. Last week, he told his attorney to advise Barker that he would not be speaking with him.

Blaze News reached out to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office to confirm that a deputy accompanied Barker on this visit. A representative said only that she found no record associated with McKnight’s name. The representative did not respond after Blaze News attempted to find out whether there were any records associated with McKnight’s address.

‘Right on the line’

Because Barker was so tight-lipped about the purpose of his contacts with McKnight, McKnight is left to speculate about what that purpose might be. Since Barker apparently mentioned concerns about something McKnight “posted online,” he cannot even be sure the issue stems from the private Telegram group.

However, Barker also reportedly made contact with another member of the LNV, who indicated that the FBI “found something borderline threatening” in their messages.

The other member then confirmed that Barker was focused on McKnight’s “[redacted]” statement. Without actually crossing into threatening territory, the FBI suggested to McKnight’s friend that those words in reference to the mosque were “right on the line.”

“Which indicates to me that it’s not over the line,” McKnight noted to Blaze News.

RELATED: The idols and lies behind the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting

Kumpol Pijadee/Getty Images

To the best of his knowledge, McKnight and his friend are the only two members of La Nouvelle Vendée who have been contacted by federal agents.

McKnight does not know how the FBI became so familiar with his group and their conversations, whether Barker or another agent infiltrated the group chat or whether a group member with “a chip on their shoulder” aired grievances with the agency.

In response to a request for comment, FBI New Orleans told Blaze News: “The FBI’s mission is to protect our communities from potential threats while simultaneously upholding the constitutional rights of all Americans. We focus on individuals who commit or intend to commit violence and activity that constitutes a federal crime or poses a threat to national security. We do not conduct investigations based solely on First Amendment protected activity, including religious practices.”

The case also points to an apparently ongoing problem of FBI agents using weak pretenses to investigate faithful Catholics despite the change in leadership in the White House and on the Seventh Floor. Blaze News has reached out to Director Kash Patel for comment.

Why is the FBI “snooping on my private chat of 43 Catholic men in South Louisiana?” McKnight wondered.

“I’m just a nobody,” he added.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Catholic, Fbi, Heresy, Islam, La nouvelle vendee, Louisiana, New orleans, Politics 

President Donald Trump’s nomination of Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Taibleson for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has prompted questions about the extent of her alignment with the administration’s conservative values, particularly in light of her and her husband’s political donations to Democrats.

Trump’s first term was undermined by several appointments that did not fully align with the administration’s priorities, leading to setbacks in key legal battles and policy implementation. The president admitted that he received “bad advice … on numerous Judicial Nominations,” expressing that he was “very disappointed” with some of those picks.

‘She brings an exceptional legal mind and a firm dedication to interpreting the law as written, not bending it to fit a political agenda.’

Mike Davis, a Trump ally and the founder of Article III Project, stated that the president’s second administration would not make that same mistake again and instead would focus on selecting judges who are “even more bold and fearless” and have been “battle-tested.”

Trump announced Taibleson’s nomination in August, writing in a social media post, “It is my Great Honor to nominate Rebecca Taibleson to serve as a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals, for the Seventh Circuit, in the Great State of Wisconsin. Rebecca brings a wealth of EXPERIENCE AND SUCCESS, from her time as Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and, formerly, as Assistant to the United States Solicitor General.”

“Rebecca has learned from some of the BEST and most HIGHLY RESPECTED Legal Minds in the Country, having clerked for United States Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Antonin Scalia. Rebecca will make a fantastic Judge who will fearlessly defend the Constitution, and strongly uphold the Rule of Law. Congratulations Rebecca!” Trump added.

While Taibleson, 42, meets all legal qualifications, having earned her J.D. from Yale Law, her background raises questions about her political leanings. In fact, her conservative critics have been quick to highlight that she and her husband have a history of donating to Democrats.

RELATED: Rogue judges voted to replace Trump-chosen US attorney Alina Habba. DOJ fights fire with fire.

Roman Martinez, Sarah Pitlyk, Rebecca Taibleson, and Porter Wilkinson, former law clerks for Brett Kavanaugh. Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call

Taibleson donated in 2022 to Joe Manchin, a former Democratic senator from West Virginia, through ActBlue, and in 2024 to Bridget Schoenborn, a judge nominated by Democratic Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. However, she also donated to Mike Gallagher, a former Republican representative, and WINRED in 2016 and 2020, respectively.

Blaze News reached out to Taibleson for comment.

Her husband, Benjamin Taibleson, contributed to Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign against Trump, Kamala Harris’ Senate campaign in 2015, and Forrest Dunbar, a Democratic member of the Alaska Senate.

Despite these donations to Democrats and other elements of her record that appear to her conservative critics at odds with the administration’s priorities, Davis and the Article III Project have expressed their support for Taibleson.

“President Trump continues to deliver on his promise to appoint bold and fearless judges who will defend the Constitution and uphold the rule of law,” Davis said. “His latest nomination of Rebecca Taibleson to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a testament to his unwavering commitment to restoring a judiciary grounded in constitutional principles and judicial restraint. She brings an exceptional legal mind and a firm dedication to interpreting the law as written, not bending it to fit a political agenda.”

“As President Trump further reshapes the federal judiciary with judges who understand their role is to interpret the law, not make it, the Article III Project stands ready to support Taibleson through every step of the confirmation process. We are committed to ensuring the American people get the impartial, constitutionally faithful judges they deserve,” Davis added.

RELATED: ‘Monumental victory’: Trump applauds Supreme Court for disabling Democrats’ biggest weapon

Justice Antonin Scalia. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Taibleson’s conservative supporters have pointed to her experience working as a clerk for Justice Antonin Scalia and Judge Brett Kavanaugh, even advocating for Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination, as proof of her commitment to uphold similar values. However, critics dispute this claim, noting that Scalia was known for hiring counter-clerks, or politically liberal clerks, and that Kavanaugh has been suspected of employing a similar practice.

For example, Department of Justice lawyer Danielle Sassoon opposed Trump’s attempt to dismiss charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Law professor Rachel Barkow stated that Trump’s “use of the pardon power is part of his effort to put the country on an authoritarian path.” Former Judge Michael Luttig described Trump as “a clear and present danger to American democracy.” Notably, all four individuals were former clerks for Scalia.

Some of Taibleson’s conservative supporters also point to her time with the Solicitor General’s office beginning in the first Trump administration. However, she remained on with the Biden administration through 2022, including defending Biden’s student loan forgiveness policy in a lawsuit brought by the Brown County Taxpayers Association.

As Taibleson’s confirmation process unfolds, various aspects of her record will likely spark ongoing debate about whether she fully embodies the bold constitutionalism Trump has pledged for his judicial nominees, or whether potential misalignments could mirror the challenges faced during his first term.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​News, Rebecca taibleson, Judicial nominees, Donald trump, Trump, Brett kavanaugh, Antonin scalia, Article iii project, Mike davis, Court, Politics 

Fifteen Republicans who tried to overturn the election results in 2020 can breathe free after a Democrat-appointed judge dropped all charges against them on Tuesday.

District Judge Kristen Simmons found that prosecutors did not produce enough evidence to support the eight counts of forgery and conspiracy to commit election forgery that were filed against each defendant. A 16th elector involved in the operation had agreed to cooperate with the investigation in exchange for having the charges dropped.

‘Their goal is not a conviction, it is pure legal harassment.’

The judge pointedly denied that the case involved election interference.

“I believe they were executing their constitutional right to seek redress,” Simmons said, adding that the defendants “seriously believed” there were issues with the election.

The Michigan Conservative Union released a statement applauding the decision.

“Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel charged everyday citizens who are farmers, grandmothers, and retirees with eight (8) felonies in July 2023. Their ‘crime’? These citizens participated in the election process by … serving as volunteer Republican presidential alternate electors in the 2020 election, supposedly to benefit Donald J. Trump,” the statement given to Blaze News read in part.

Co-defendant Meshawn Maddock accused the attorney general of legal harassment.

“Nessel is a legal thug,” Maddock said. “We all knew from day one that we had done nothing illegal or wrong. Yes, we volunteered to be an alternate elector in support of Donald J. Trump. That is not a crime, as much as Nessel wanted it to be one. To corrupt politicians, lawfare is a ‘win’ when the punishment is the process. Their goal is not a conviction, it is pure legal harassment. Nessel’s defeat today was epic.”

Marian Sheridan, another co-defendant, also decried the attorney general.

“Dana’s alternate elector HOAX rightfully died today,” she said. “It is a shame that this corrupt Attorney General got away with her political prosecution of 15 innocent Michigan citizens for over the past two years.”

The electors targeted in the prosecution included a former Republican National Committeewoman and a former co-chair of the Michigan Republican Party.

“Alternate elector slates have been used for numerous previous presidential elections,” continued the statement from the MCU. “These 15 Republicans were actually protecting Michigan from potentially losing its Electoral votes in the 2020 election by submitting a backup slate should the then-legally contested voting outcome be overturned.”

RELATED: Arizona grand jury indicts Republicans over effort to overturn 2020 election, including Giuliani, Meadows, and Jenna Ellis

Attorney General Nessel said the ruling was “disappointing” and said her office is considering filing an appeal.

“They knew they were not electors,” Nessel said of the Republicans. “They knew Donald Trump lost, but then they lied anyway. And that is a crime.”

“They did it. They beat the AG, and justice has been served,” wrote Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall, a Republican, on social media.

“These folks endured years of a political witch hunt, targeted by Democrats, drained financially, and pushed to the limit emotionally. Today, justice prevailed and they’ve finally been vindicated against political weaponization!” he added.

Other attempted electors face similar charges in Nevada, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Arizona.

Judge Simmons was appointed by Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2019.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Michigan alternate electors, 2020 election electors, Electors michigan, District judge kristen d simmons, Politics