Category: blaze media

The workers who restored the reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial were all grins and laughter when they visited the president at the White House Tuesday evening.

President Donald Trump signed hats for each of the workers after they completed their mission to clean up the reflecting pool in time for the 250th anniversary celebration of the Declaration of Independence.

The president joked to reporters that the pool might become filthy again under another president but that it would remain ‘perfect’ while he was in office.

A video of their visit was posted to social media by White House communications adviser Margo Martin. She said each of the workers also received an official presidential challenge coin.

The renovation was completed last week and included draining the pool, cleaning it up, painting and sealing it, and then refilling it.

“This was highly sophisticated material, industrial strength, that could last for 100 years, applied by very talented people, many of whom came from the Great State of Oklahoma,” the president said on Truth Social.

“The material is thick, strong, flexible, and has a natural, beautiful color, the dark blue of the American Flag!” he added.

The president joked to reporters that the pool might become filthy again under another president but that it would remain “perfect” while he was in office.

“It’s really beautiful. It’s something for you to see. It’s incredible,” the president said after the pool reopened. “You know, it’s really amazing.”

The pool was constructed and opened in 1922. A new circulation and filtration system was installed at the pool during renovation under former President Barack Obama.

RELATED: Outrage erupts over new passport for America’s 250th — and guess whose image is on it

The president said the renovation would also keep the pool from leaking.

“I’m very proud of it,” Trump said from the Oval Office. “I’m very good at building things and constructing things.”

The restoration of the reflecting pool was initially estimated to cost $1.8 million but ballooned to more than $13 million. A group of historic preservationists filed a lawsuit claiming the application of a blue coat altered the “historic character” of the pool without proper preservation review.

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​Lincoln memorial, Reflecting pool, President donald trump, White house visit, Politics 

Two-time NBA champion Mychal Thompson has been a Caitlin Clark fan since she started in Iowa, but he’s not liking what he’s seeing with the Indiana Fever.

In a now viral post on X, Thompson wrote: “I’m hearing from a reliable source the Fever don’t want Caitlin no more … SPARKS … Go get her … NOW!!!”

The tweet piqued BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock’s interest.

“Do you stand by your original tweet that, according to a reliable source, the Indiana Fever do not want Caitlin Clark?” Whitlock asks Thompson.

“Well, that’s what I’m hearing, you know, from all the contacts we have around the basketball world,” he responds, pointing out that from just watching the Indiana Fever, it “looks like they don’t want the Caitlin Clark that we fell in love with at Iowa.”

“They seem to want more of a benign, more of a pedestrian point guard. So, I don’t think her style fits the way they’re using her,” he continues.

“They prefer to have more of a traditional type of point guard, not a point guard who can shoot from the logo threes. We want that Caitlin back, and we’re not seeing that Caitlin anymore,” he adds.

And according to Thompson, what’s happening to Caitlin Clark is rare in the world of sports.

“Have you ever seen this before where you have this transcendent superstar and they seem to have adopted a system that doesn’t work for Caitlin Clark?”

“Never seen this in any sport,” he responds.

“It’d be like taking the serve away from Serena Williams. A coach telling her, ‘No, I don’t like that big serve you have, so let’s have a more traditional serve,’” he continues.

“They’ve taken away Caitlin’s superpowers,” he adds.

Want more from Jason Whitlock?

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​Fearless, Jason whitlock, The blaze, Caitlin clark, Iowa, Indiana fever, Mychal thompson, Nba, Wnba, Fearless with jason whitlock 

Allegations of voter fraud in the Los Angeles mayoral primary election were bolstered by some homeless people on Skid Row claiming they were paid to vote for the leftists in the race.

Republican-leaning Spencer Pratt was shut out of the jungle primary, which allows the top two vote-getters to proceed to the general election.

‘I was just trying to make 5 bucks, you know? But I didn’t do the fraud.’

Some Pratt supporters became suspicious after Pratt initially won second place in the partial results announced on Election Night and then the gap whittled away with each tranche of ballots that were counted.

A pro-Pratt TikTok account posted video of the claims from homeless people recorded in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday morning.

“It was like two bucks,” said one unidentified woman who claimed she was paid $2 to vote for Bass.

“Yeah, they come out here all the time,” she added.

The TikTok creator told the New York Post that he was tipped off by a friend who worked in the area and claimed to have seen political volunteers operating in the neighborhood.

One of the men in the video called himself Kevin Shepherd and said he was paid $4 to vote for Bass. He said he negotiated the price up from $2 and that he was also allowed to vote for Raman, but not Pratt.

“They gave you an optional choice,” Shepherd said.

Rene Johnson, 39, claimed she was paid $5 to vote for Bass but was unclear about the documents she signed.

“But, you know, at the time, I didn’t know that that was going on,” she said. “I was just trying to make five bucks, you know? But I didn’t do the fraud.”

However, an investigation into her claims found that there was no vote under her name from Skid Row, but there was one with that name and age in the nearby Inglewood election, which has a mayor separate from that of Los Angeles.

The Post said it was unable to independently verify the claims in the video.

“Everybody said it was normal,” the content creator said to the Post.

RELATED: Socialist mayoral candidate is outraged at encampment outside her LA home — it’s not what it seems

The Justice Dept. said it was investigating accusations of voter fraud in the California elections but noted one claim, that Pratt received no votes in one tranche of ballots, was untrue.

California’s electoral system was widely mocked after results were delayed far past what is typical in other states. Some pointed to the delays as evidence of fraud, but officials have denied the claims.

One report indicated that 185 voters for Raman were registered in a homeless shelter in Venice that had received $600,000 through the efforts of the socialist city councilwoman. Others pointed out that the hundreds of votes in the Skid Row area would not have made much of a difference in the gap between Pratt and Raman.

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​Homeless people, Karen bass, Los angeles mayoral, Nithya raman, Skid row, Politics 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested several illegal aliens on Tuesday who were previously convicted of “reprehensible crimes,” according to a Department of Homeland Security press release obtained exclusively by Blaze News.

The DHS noted that federal immigration agents continue to nab the “worst of the worst” despite pushback from sanctuary politicians.

‘Despite smears from sanctuary politicians, ICE law enforcement officers continue arresting the worst of the worst.’

The agency highlighted five of Tuesday’s arrests, which included illegal immigrants with criminal records for child cruelty, sexual battery by restraint, and other offenses.

“Yesterday, ICE arrested child abusers, sexual predators, and drug traffickers. Nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S.,” DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis stated.

ICE agents arrested Elipidia Aguirre-Romero, an illegal alien from Mexico who was previously convicted of child cruelty that resulted in possible injury or death in Fresno, California.

RELATED: Exclusive: Illegal aliens convicted of rape, domestic violence, and drug trafficking arrested by ICE

Elipidia Aguirre-Romero. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Jose Alfredo Patino-Avelino, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was also picked up by federal immigration officers. Patino-Avelino was convicted of sexual battery by restraint and assault with intent to rape/mayhem in Santa Barbara, California.

Jose Alfredo Patino-Avelino. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

ICE arrested Saul Alberto Garay-Amaya, an illegal alien from El Salvador. His criminal record includes convictions in Fairfax, Virginia, for sexual penetration with an animate object by force, strangulation resulting in wounding or bodily injury, and abduction by force, intimidation, or deception. The Vienna Police Department stated that his 2020 arrest for these crimes was the result of “a lengthy and thorough investigation by VPD Detectives after receiving info that he had sexually assaulted a female victim.”

Saul Alberto Garay-Amaya. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Fidel Larreta-Boltor, an illegal alien from Mexico, was captured by ICE agents. He was previously convicted for trafficking heroin by possession, sale, and delivery in Forsyth County, North Carolina.

Fidel Larreta-Boltor. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

The DHS also highlighted the arrest of Yeison Beltran-Avila, an illegal immigrant from Colombia who was convicted of burglary in Queens, New York.

RELATED: House Republicans STEAMROLL obstructionist Democrats, secure ICE funding for rest of Trump’s term

Yeison Beltran-Avila. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

“Despite smears from sanctuary politicians, ICE law enforcement officers continue arresting the worst of the worst,” Bis stated. “We encourage Americans to visit wow.dhs.gov to see the dirtbags we have removed from their communities.”

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​News, Illegal immigration, Immigration and customs enforcement, Ice, Department of homeland security, Dhs, Politics 

On Monday, President Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game, appearing at Game 3 of the Knicks vs. Spurs series at Madison Square Garden, where he was loudly booed by the New York crowd during the national anthem.

But his less-than-warm welcome wasn’t the only controversial thing that happened. After the Knicks lost 115-111, some Knicks fans blamed Trump for throwing the home team off its mojo. Apparently his attendance created a circus-like atmosphere with heavy security, booing, and shifted crowd energy that allegedly contributed to the team’s loss.

According to some disgruntled fans, Trump’s appearance is why Knicks player Mikal Bridges “disappeared.” The shooting guard had a rough game, scoring only two points, leading to his benching in the second half.

“They’re — of course — blaming him for the loss,” sighs “Pat Gray Unleashed” co-host Keith Malinak.

Before Game 3, “The View’s” Alyssa Farah Griffin expressed concern about Trump attending the game and warned that he would be the scapegoat if the Knicks lost.

“If I were advising him, I would be like, ‘Do not go, because if they lose tonight, everyone’s going to blame Trump,”’ she cautioned.

“And it happened,” says Pat. “They are blaming him.”

But it appears that Trump is unaware of — or unaffected by — the backlash.

In a postgame interview, he said, “It was, I think, mostly cheers. It was loud, and it was very enthusiastic.”

Once again, Trump lives rent-free in the heads of his critics — even when it comes to an NBA game.

To hear more of the panel’s discussion, watch the episode above.

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​Pat gray unleashed, Pat gray, Knicks, Donald trump, The view, Alyssa farah griffin 

Many in the black community have responded negatively to the verdict in the Karmelo Anthony murder trial, but few have reacted as poorly as Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas did.

Anthony was found guilty Tuesday of murdering 17-year-old high school star athlete Austin Metcalf at a track meet in Frisco, Texas, last year. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

‘It’s impossible to have a conversation with people who live in this level of delusion and perpetual fake victimhood.’

The case sparked a bitter debate on social media as some suggested that Anthony was prosecuted unfairly because he is black and the victim was white.

Crockett went even further to insult the parents of Austin Metcalf in order to inflame her fans and supporters.

“Black women, especially black women who have black male children, live in fear and agony every single day, a fear and agony that, I promise you, the Metcalfs probably never spend a day living that way,” she said.

“We’re gonna have to have just some real conversations about race in this country,” she added, “but also just, like, what are we going to do to protect ourselves.”

Crockett made the comments on her livestream show, “Clock It with Crockett,” which can be viewed on her YouTube channel.

The snippet of her downplaying the Metcalf family’s pain was posted to social media, where many reacted with rancor.

“Idolizing skin color has completely robbed you of common sense and decency. How dare you compare just being a black woman to the horror of losing a child,” Shemeka Michelle replied.

“Jasmine Crockett believes the mere existence of black women in America is more painful than a white family watching their son murdered and living with that reality. It’s impossible to have a conversation with people who live in this level of delusion and perpetual fake victimhood,” T.J. Moe responded.

RELATED: Jasmine Crockett calls Trump a ‘piece of s**t’ during rant at left-wing rally

“This is disgusting! They lost their son. They look at their remaining son and see what their dead child would look like if he had a chance to age with him. Can she imagine that?” another user replied.

Crockett failed to secure the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat for Texas after running in order to punish Republicans for redistricting the state.

She was beaten by Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, who is now running against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) in the pivotal race that could determine control of the Senate.

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​Jasmine crockett, Karmelo anthony, Black community, Online outrage, Politics 

A Somali referee says he was held for half a day before being kicked out of the United States, where he hoped to officiate games at the World Cup.

The official in question is Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who recently refereed high-profile international matches for the Africa Cup of Nations and also earned the award for best male referee in Africa last year, per BBC.

‘President Trump’s administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country.’

Artan was set to be the first Somali ref to work at a World Cup but was dropped from the list after being denied entry to the United Sates. As one of 52 officials chosen by FIFA, he was attempting to enter the official training camp in Miami.

Artan told the New York Times on Tuesday, “I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa.” He also had an accreditation from FIFA before traveling to the U.S.

However, the 34-year-old was turned away from Miami International Airport after an alleged 11-hour process that involved a detainment in a holding cell before he was sent back to Istanbul, Turkey, where he departed from.

An unnamed official with the Donald Trump administration told Fox News that the referee’s entry was rejected because he was suspected of being associated with terrorists.

“This individual was seeking admission to the United States. Upon further inspection by CBP, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations, was discovered making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act,” the official said, per reporter Bill Melugin.

RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: CBP dogs on high alert as World Cup-destined third-worlders smuggle in rotten souvenirs

The official said the “traveler” was refused admission and provided immigration forms that cited the law used to complete his extradition.

“President Trump’s administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country — full stop,” the official added.

FIFA later confirmed the referee’s removal to the BBC, saying that “match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States.”

The soccer organization added that it is “not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr. Artan’s status will not be changed at present.”

FIFA also noted that host governments ultimately decide who is worthy of admission into their country.

RELATED: Trump and Mamdani are on a collision course about ICE at the World Cup

Khaled DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images

Similar complaints were made about members of Iran’s national soccer entourage, which the country described as the United States having “revoked World Cup ticket allocation for their supporters.”

In response, the White House recirculated comments from April by Secretary of State Marco Rubio when he said, “What [Iran] can’t bring is a bunch of IRGC terrorists into our country and pretend that they’re journalists and athletic trainers.”

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​Fearless, World cup, Somalia, White house, Trump administration, Sports 

Former Fox News host and small-business owner Steve Hilton (R) will face a head-to-head runoff election against former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra (D) in the California gubernatorial race, according to the Associated Press.

As of Wednesday morning, more than a week after Election Day, California has completed counting 91% of the ballots. Becerra has secured nearly 2.4 million votes, 27.9%, and Hilton received just over 2.1 million votes, 25%. Climate advocate and businessman Tom Steyer (D) trailed in third place with roughly 1.9 million votes, 22.5%.

‘He represents that kind of energy we need.’

Steyer released a statement Tuesday conceding to Hilton.

“It’s now clear that we do not have the votes necessary to advance to the general election in November,” he stated. “Today, my message to you is simple: Pay attention. Know what you deserve, and know who is on your side. Understand who the villains are, and say their names out loud. Continue to demand more from your leaders and your government, until they give you the California — and the country — you know you deserve. I will be with you all the way.”

Hilton told KTTV on Tuesday that he would consider teaming up with Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, who will not be moving on to the November general election.

“Clearly, this city is not doing well, right? We’ve got a massive problem with homelessness. There’s a sense of decay in the city,” Hilton said, referring to Los Angeles.

“The fact that you had a campaign for change that got a lot of energy and excitement, and actually all that energy, all those votes, all those hopes are just now not going to be reflected in the choice in November, I think, is a real problem.”

RELATED: Los Angeles mayor race called for far-left challenger after Pratt loses 40,000-vote lead

Steve Hilton. Mario Tama/Getty Images.

Hilton criticized the state’s election system, which allows the top two candidates, regardless of their political affiliation, to advance to the general election.

“You’ve got to have a clear choices in elections. That’s why I’m so happy we’ll be there in November. If it was a choice between two Democrats, as we’re now going to have in L.A., I don’t think that’s a choice at all,” Hilton added. “That is a feature of the top-two system.”

While the Los Angeles mayoral race is nonpartisan, both candidates, incumbent Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman, are left-leaning.

Hilton commended Pratt for his plan to address the city’s homelessness crisis, which he referred to as “very well thought through.”

“Whatever I can do to help make that happen, including working with him or not, I’m not going to rush it, but I do think that he had some really important things to say,” Hilton continued.

RELATED: ‘Fraudster’s paradise’: Feds plan to file election fraud charges in California

Spencer Pratt. HIGHFIVE/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images.

When asked whether he would bring Pratt into his administration, Hilton replied, “Of course. Like a shot, my door would be open.”

Later that day, Hilton told Fox News that he would “100%” consider having Pratt join him on the campaign trail, applauding the mayoral candidate for his “incredible impact.”

“I’d love that. He represents that kind of energy we need,” Hilton said.

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​News, Steve hilton, Spencer pratt, Xavier becerra, Tom steyer, Politics, California 

For years, Americans were told the country was moving in only one direction on LGBTQ issues. But a new Gallup poll suggests that trend may be slowing — and in some cases reversing.

Support for same-sex marriage has fallen from its recent high-water mark, while fewer Americans now view gender transitions as morally acceptable than they did just a few years ago. And while Democrats remain the most supportive of LGBTQ issues, Republicans and independents have dropped in their support.

“How do you attribute this decline? What do you think it means?” BlazeTV host Steve Deace asks author Jon Harris.

“I think that the left pushed very hard, and it hurt people,” Harris answers. “And it seems like the right doesn’t get engaged until they’re hurting in some way. If it’s theoretical, let the left have what the left wants. It’s not going to affect my marriage.”

“Unfortunately, it did affect people because three seconds after they pushed for gay marriage, they wanted men in women’s sports, and they wanted to trans your kids. And so I think there was a backlash against it for that reason,” he adds.

Harris believes that if things “continue in the MAHA direction,” that “actually spells doom for the LGBT movement.”

“The whole logic of it is we need to get back to some kind of a created order, some kind of a way that we’re meant to function. And as soon as you start asking those questions, you’re going to start realizing, well, actually, men were made for women, women were made for men,” he explains.

“While I agree theoretically with MAHA is doing things that should light up the broader citizenry and maybe even the church, but the problem is that the church has got to be first and foremost,” co-host Todd Erzen chimes in.

While Erzen believes morality should be why Americans reject homosexuality, Harris points out that it seems like the rejection is coming from an evolutionary perspective.

“If that’s the message, if it’s, ‘We don’t want homosexual marriage because, well, that doesn’t conform with science,’ then it’s not about being rooted in the Creator’s design for us in God,” Harris says.

“Unnatural as opposed to immoral,” Deace adds.

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​Democrats, Gallup poll, Gay marriage, Homosexuality, Independents, Jon harris, Morality, Republicans, Steve deace, The blaze, Todd erzen, Steve deace show 

The first iPhone served as a technological marvel for some, but may have acted as birth control for a significant segment of the female population.

A working paper, published in the National Bureau of Economic Research, discussed a causal relationship between the release of the original iPhone in 2007 and a declining general fertility rate in the United States.

‘The algorithms … are incredible at getting you to keep scrolling.’

While women of all age groups shelled out $499 for the Apple smartphone, women under 25 years old seemed significantly hit by its introduction, according to researchers Caitlin K. Myers and Ezekiel Hooper.

The 22% drop in fertility rate in the U.S. since 2007 is not explained by the economy, contraceptives, housing, or child care costs, the researchers wrote. Instead, the study looks at causal evidence that coincides with the release of the iPhone, combined with other known factors like time use and sexual activity.

The study surmised that access to the iPhone reduced births by 4.5%-8.0% among those ages 15-19, as well as between 3.2%-6.6% for those 20-24.

There were also “statistically significant but smaller declines” among older age groups, the study claimed.

RELATED: Can we have online safety without total surveillance? Yes. Here’s how.

Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

The research went on to say that the diffusion of the iPhone deepened the decline in births for women under 30 overall, while suppressing the rise in birth rates for older women.

In total, the iPhone allegedly explains somewhere between a third and half of the decline in general fertility in women ages 15-44 over the years.

The researchers said that sexual behavior and time use of iPhones are consistent with a reduction of “in-person interactions, increasing pornography use, and [reduced] sexual frequency.”

Venture capitalist Nic Carter later pointed to commentary by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in 2025, citing a blog post in which the AI exec said social media algorithms have had the power to override long-term preference for some time.

RELATED: Google is about to overhaul the Android. You’ll either love it or hate it.

Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

While claiming that AI systems will be geared toward achieving what the user really wants over a long period of time, Altman wrote that “social media feeds are an example of misaligned AI.”

Altman continued, “The algorithms that power those are incredible at getting you to keep scrolling and clearly understand your short-term preferences, but they do so by exploiting something in your brain that overrides your long-term preference.”

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​News, Iphone, Social media, Sam altman, Tech 

The CEO and president of the Democratic fundraising portal ActBlue repeatedly invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in order to avoid answering tough questions about foreign donations.

At a Committee on House Administration hearing on Wednesday, Regina Wallace-Jones was challenged on whether previous statements she made to Congress were “false and misleading,” but she refused to answer and cited her constitutional right.

He went on to ask why ActBlue weakened fraud prevention standards twice in 2024, and Wallace refused to confirm whether that happened.

Republican Rep. Bryan Steil of Wisconsin posted his questioning of Wallace-Jones where he specifically asked about the statements that he said were “false and misleading.” He focused on a letter she sent to Congress about the steps ActBlue took to prevent illegal foreign donations.

“Ms. Wallace-Jones, when you signed this letter to me, did you believe that this letter was false and misleading?” Steil asked.

“On the advice of my counsel, I respectfully decline to answer this question pursuant to my Fifth Amendment rights under the Constitution,” she responded.

“Your letter claimed that passport information is required from donors providing an address outside the United States,” Steil continued. “In November 2023 when you wrote that letter, did every ActBlue donation that provided an address outside the United States require passport information?”

“On the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer the question pursuant to my Fifth Amendment rights under the Constitution,” she replied.

Steil then cited previous testimony where Wallace-Jones stated that ActBlue contacts donors to request passport information if the contribution seems to have originated from a foreign address. And if they cannot contact that person, she claimed they would return the donation.

“Is that correct?” he asked.

She invoked her Fifth Amendment right again.

He went on to ask why ActBlue weakened fraud prevention standards twice in 2024, and Wallace-Jones refused to confirm whether that happened.

Steil posted video of his questioning of Wallace-Jones to social media.

RELATED: ActBlue sues to block Ken Paxton lawsuit — and he fires back defiant response

Wallace-Jones had written a statement published in the Washington Post explaining why she would invoke the Fifth Amendment.

“This is a proceeding designed to build an illegitimate criminal case against us. I cannot and will not let my words be misused in that way,” she claimed.

The official account for ActBlue also released a statement about the testimony.

“The House Administration Committee has called our President and CEO, Regina Wallace-Jones, to testify,” the statement reads. “Not because ActBlue has done anything wrong, but because we are the backbone of small-dollar Democratic fundraising in America.”

Wallace-Jones isn’t the only ActBlue official who refused to answer tough questions. In April 2026, two ActBlue employees cited the privilege against self-incrimination a stunning 146 times while testifying about alleged donor fraud.

“Not a single employee offered testimony that could help ensure that American elections are free, fair, and decided by Americans alone,” reads a staff report from the House Administration, Oversight, and Judiciary committees.

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​Actblue, Fifth amendment, Politics 

After Karmelo Anthony was found guilty Tuesday of murdering Austin Metcalf in a stabbing at a Frisco, Texas, high school track meet in 2025 — and the same jury soon after sentenced Anthony to 35 years in prison — Metcalf’s loved ones read impact statements in a Collin County courtroom with Anthony present.

Jeff Metcalf, the victim’s father, called his son a friend, a leader, and a true warrior, KDFW-TV reported.

‘My son’s death destroyed the person I used to be.’

“Since the day he first grabbed my finger, he had my heart with it,” Metcalf said, according to the station, which added that the elder Metcalf also spoke about the joy he felt while watching both of his sons on the field at the same time.

Jeff Metcalf also said the public response to his son’s murder was sickening, KDFW reported, adding that he said he was targeted in six swatting calls and the victim’s mother has been targeted twice.

“With a gag order, I can’t defend myself when people want to tear down my son’s memory. That time is over!” Jeff Metcalf added, according to the station. “I said from day one this was never about race. It’s about right and wrong. We are all humans. We all bleed the same color. You will face those consequences starting today.” Anthony is black; Metcalf was white.

Jeff Metcalf also spoke directly to Anthony, KDFW reported: “You failed your parents, yourself, and society. You don’t belong in this community.”

“My son’s death destroyed the person I used to be,” the father added, according to WFAA-TV. “He does not exist any more.”

Jeff Metcalf added that “people think grief is sadness; it is not. It is rage. Pure, unfiltered rage,” he said, slamming his fist on a table with his voice rising, WFAA noted.

The enraged father added to Anthony, “You can’t look me in the eyes, but you can stab my f**king son?!” KDFW reported.

With that, the judge motioned to prosecutor Bill Wirskye about the cursing, WFAA said.

Indeed, a reporter in a KXAS-TV video called Jeff Metcalf’s impact statement “full of rage” and noted that the judge had the prosecutor and a bailiff “step in” although Metcalf was allowed to finish reading his impact statement.

When he was done, Jeff Metcalf stared at Anthony the entire time he walked past him — just two feet from his son’s convicted killer, WFAA reported.

RELATED: Jury reaches verdict in Karmelo Anthony murder trial (UPDATE)

Hunter Metcalf, the twin brother of the victim, also observed the lack of eye contact and asked Anthony to look him in the eye, KDFW reported: “I would really respect that.”

Hunter Metcalf said he’s been trying to learn how to forgive, KDFW said, adding that he also said he’s chosen God and is trying to understand why his brother and best friend was taken from him.

“Now I want everything taken from you,” Hunter Metcalf told Anthony, KDFW reported. “You took everything from me. I wake up every morning, and his door is still shut.”

Megan Metcalf, the victim’s mother, talked about raising two energetic, loving souls, KDFW said: “Now I only have videos and memories of his laugh.”

The mother talked about the morning of the track meet, KDFW said, adding that she recalled packing her son a snack and giving him a hug — yet not realizing it would be the last time she would embrace her boy.

“You may have been given a sentence of 35 years. You should feel lucky,” Megan Metcalf told Anthony, KDFW said. “I’ve been sentenced to a lifetime without my son.”

KDFW noted that Anthony, 19, will be eligible for parole after he serves half of his 35-year sentence. His murder conviction could have resulted in a prison sentence of as little as five years to as many as 99 years.

During the sentencing deliberation, the jury was considering whether Anthony acted out of “sudden passion,” which would have limited his time behind bars to 20 years, KDFW said.

The reporter in the KXAS video described Anthony as “shaking” and “sobbing” and displaying a “sheer look of shock” on his face after his guilty verdict was read. The reporter added that Anthony was “trembling” in his chair and “sobbing” as his mother asked the jury during the sentencing phase to “please have mercy on my son.”

A new mug shot of Anthony was taken Tuesday after he was placed in the custody of the Collin County Sheriff’s Office following his guilty verdict.

RELATED: Karmelo Anthony murder trial: Jurors begin deliberations — and can consider lesser charge of manslaughter

Karmelo Anthony. Image source: Collin County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office

In addition, the reporter in the KXAS video said Anthony was seen mouthing the words “I’m sorry” to his family and added that Anthony’s parents were not in court for his sentencing or for the impact statements.

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​Karmelo anthony, Austin metcalf, Jeff metcalf, Impact statements, Murder conviction, Texas, Court, Fatal stabbing, Prison sentence, Crime 

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) ran to replace Ken Paxton as Texas attorney general but lost in the Republican primary runoff late last month to state Sen. Mayes Middleton. Roy’s defeat was apparently achieved with help from a coalition of green-energy elites desperate to protect the gravy train that he threatened to derail in Congress.

One of the most full-throated celebrations of Roy’s defeat came from the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition PAC — a California-based political outfit committed to punishing lawmakers like Roy who’ve sought to deny federal subsidies to renewable energy giants.

‘This is political warfare.’

“Good riddance, Chip Roy,” the PAC, which spent $1.7 million to tank the Republican’s campaign, said in a statement on May 26.

“As leaders within the clean energy industry, ITC PAC is proud of our role in ending Chip Roy’s political career, investing nearly $1.5 million to reach GOP voters where they are — including on conservative cable, streaming sites like Rumble, and on MAGA social media — to remind them that Chip Roy betrayed their leader,” the group added.

As part of its subversive campaign, the PAC insinuated in MAGA voter-targeted messaging that it was supportive of President Donald Trump and aligned with conservatives but Roy was not.

An ad shared by the PAC to Truth Social in February, for instance, claimed that Roy — whose voting record the Conservative Review gave a 100% Liberty Score and Heritage Action gave a 98% lifetime score — was “not MAGA enough for Texas.”

RELATED: The REAL reason gas prices are so high (the federal tax is just the beginning)

Billionaire Chris Larsen. David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The PAC was launched by Peter Davidson, the CEO of Aligned Climate Capital, while Brendan Bell, the COO of Aligned Climate Capital, is listed as the PAC’s treasurer. Both men previously worked for the Obama Department of Energy.

Davidson made no secret of why Roy was targeted.

“Not only did he and the Freedom Caucus have the whole rewind and sunsetting of the [tax credits] for solar and wind … but the whole demonization of the industry, the whole language of the ‘Green New Scam’ — all that came from the Freedom Caucus, and that came from Chip Roy,” Davidson told Politico.

Last year, for instance, Roy ruffled feathers in the “Green New Scam” industry by championing legislation with Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.) that would repeal over 20 green energy tax subsidies created or expanded by the Biden administration’s so-called Inflation Reduction Act, thereby saving taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars.

“The Inflation Reduction Act, better known as the Green New Scam, is providing massive unlimited subsidies to billion-dollar corporations and Chinese manufacturers to the detriment of American energy freedom and dominance,” Roy said at the time.

“It is responsible for building ineffective, unattractive, and unwanted energy projects enriching paper investors over the objections of the people living in Texas communities I represent,” Roy continued. “These subsidies need to go away immediately.”

‘Attack clean energy and we’ll end your career just like Chip Roy’s.’

When the PAC took to social media to gloat about his defeat, Roy proved unshaken in his resolve, stating in response, “I didn’t just declare war — I led the charge to successfully crush the crony ‘green new scam’ grift. Happy to do it. Will do it again. And again. I’m just getting started.”

The biggest donor to the subversive climate PAC that targeted Roy is Chris Larsen, a billionaire activist and cryptocurrency executive who partnered earlier this year with former head of the Sierra Club Michael Brune on a “climate change”-focused investment and philanthropy fund.

In a revelatory conversation that took place at the Prelude Climate Summit in May, Larsen and Brune discussed the devious plot to manipulate the right into getting onside with the climate agenda — partly by adjusting their rhetoric to conform with rightist talking points; by leveraging existing, ostensibly conservative-leaning organizations; and by attacking conservative opponents from the right.

When asked about Roy’s race, Larsen boasted that his fellow travelers torpedoed the congressman’s polling numbers with “aggressive ads,” adding, “This is political warfare.”

Although Larsen and Brune acknowledged that Middleton was not “good on climate,” Larsen said the point of this particular sabotage exercise was “to make an example of” Roy.

Rep. Roy could not immediately be reached for comment.

Given general elections in various red regions are no longer competitive for Democrats thanks to successful Republican redistricting initiatives, Larsen indicated that their next play is to back Trojan-horse candidates in GOP races.

“There’s going to be more and more districts as we all know that just aren’t competitive unless you just say, ‘Okay, well I’m just going to be playing in Republican primaries,'” Larsen said. “There’s gonna be, like, a Chip Roy, and there’s gonna maybe be a Romney-type person, right? Let’s get behind the person who’s all-in for low-cost energy of all kinds.”

Like Larsen and Brune, the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition PAC made abundantly clear that Roy wouldn’t be the last lawmaker targeted for daring to end the gravy train to climate elites.

“ITC PAC will spend millions going after enemies of American clean energy, and electing champions who know that American energy dominance means an all-of-the-above approach to energy that includes solar and other renewables,” the group said. “Every politician in America should be on notice: Attack clean energy, and we’ll end your career just like Chip Roy’s.”

Tom Matzzie — CEO of solar company CleanChoice Energy, executive chair of the PAC, and a donor to Democrat Mallory McMorrow’s U.S. Senate campaign — told Politico, “The goal here is, at the end of this election year, members of Congress, senators, governors, others, remember that if you act viciously against the industry, that there could be a couple million dollars dropped into your next race, and that could threaten your political future.”

The RAIR Foundation identified Republican Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Ralph Norman (S.C.), and Nancy Mace (S.C.) as some of the “Green New Scam” industry’s next targets.

While poised to hammer Republicans who are committed to derailing the renewable energy industry’s taxpayer-funded gravy train, the PAC is also willing to spend a fortune backing defenders of wind and solar credits like Iowa Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R).

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Elections across the country this week have delivered no shortage of political drama, but two stories in particular are turning heads.

In Maine, several ex-girlfriends of Senate hopeful Graham Platner have hurled accusations of disturbing patterns of behavior at the Democrat — and his response hasn’t been promising.

Platner is also being accused of exchanging sexual text messages with women after he was married in 2023.

“So, Graham Platner, looking to move on from a week of controversy after telling supporters that his past had been weaponized,” BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere tells co-host Dave Landau. “That’s what happens, Dave. When you do something horrible and people catch you, that means they’re weaponizing what you’ve done.”

“Well, of course, it’s not being held accountable for the things you’ve done in your past. It’s just weaponizing the things you’ve done against you,” Dave jokes.

“When you’re a Democrat and you’re in one of these controversies, you’re able to live like this. No one asks any questions. You don’t address it, and no one follows up. What a wonderful way to be,” Stu says.

But it’s not just the Maine Senate election that is mired in controversy.

The Los Angeles mayoral race has shifted significantly over the weekend, as candidate Nithya Raman has passed Spencer Pratt for second place and will now go to the runoff against mayor Karen Bass.

“So we will have Democrat versus Democrat at the end of all of this,” Stu says.

“Are you saying that a system designed to lock out Republicans is locking out a Republican?” Dave asks.

Stu points out that there’s clearly a “tiny bit of skepticism by most people on the right that this is actually real and not just out-and-out fraud.”

“Well, I think it’s also because the way that it seems that the voting system works is you have the maybe some older conservatives come in early, you see the numbers, and then at the last minute, like a big giant bag of letters to Santa in a courtroom, all of a sudden they all just appear for one person,” Dave jokes.

“And they’re not even for Karen Bass. They’re just for this other person to then beat Spencer Pratt to then push Karen Bass forward,” he adds.

Want more from Stu and Dave?

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​Stu burguiere, Dave landau, Graham platner, Spencer pratt, Nithya raman, Karen bass, Los angeles, Mayor, Election, Senate, Maine, Democrat, Fraud, Stu and dave do america 

Another congressional Republican who seems to have fallen out of favor with President Trump has suffered humiliating defeat in a primary.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) now joins the likes of Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) in losing a primary battle in resounding fashion after failing to earn an endorsement from Trump. On Tuesday night, Mace finished a distant fifth place in the South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primary.

‘This isn’t the end of the fight. It’s just the end of this chapter.’

Before 9 p.m. ET, she had conceded defeat, posting a lengthy concession message on X. “Serving South Carolina has been the greatest honor of my life. Every vote I cast, every hearing I called, every fight I picked — it was always for you,” she began.

“Apparently, I chose wrong if the goal was winning an election. I’m at peace with that. Because when a candidate is OK with corruption and cover-ups — something is broken. That’s not a political opinion. That’s a moral emergency,” she continued.

“This isn’t the end of the fight. It’s just the end of this chapter,” she assured her supporters.

Before 7:30 the next morning, Mace appeared to be in light spirits once again, joking on X: “Enjoying my first cup of coffee since getting my ass kicked last night.”

RELATED: Democrat voters in Georgia want nothing to do with Trump-hating ex-Republican

Trump and Mace shaking hands. WIN MCNAMEE/POOL/AFP/Getty Images.

Always outspoken, Mace likely lost all hope of a Trump endorsement this year after she pushed for ever more Epstein disclosures, even as she thanked Trump for supporting the “survivors.”

Mace’s alliance with Trump has been precarious for years. In the 2022 Republican primary for Mace’s congressional seat, Trump endorsed a challenger and shifted his support to Mace only after she prevailed. Trump then endorsed Mace’s re-election bid in 2024.

Now that she is leaving Congress, Mace says she plans to return “to the private sector … as the Founders intended,” signaling that she may have closed the door on her political aspirations for good.

Trump, meanwhile, can claim victory in her disastrous gubernatorial bid. The candidate he endorsed, Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, led the pack, collecting 28.9% of the vote.

Second-place finisher Attorney General Alan Wilson received 26.2%. Evette and Wilson now head for a runoff election scheduled for June 23.

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​Bill cassidy, Endorsement, Nancy mace, Thomas massie, Politics, South carolina 

A former teacher from Georgia is accused of sexually assaulting a student and attempting to convince the teen to run away to Mexico with her after investigators uncovered nearly 20,000 damning text messages between the pair, according to multiple reports.

The Roswell Police Department said in a statement that 55-year-old Amanda Katz was arrested on June 2. Bond was set at $25,000, according to jail records.

‘I can’t stop looking at you and certainly keep my hands to myself.’

WAGA-TV reported that Katz was charged with improper sexual contact by an employee or agent.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, according to the New York Post.

Katz had been a teacher and administrative assistant at Roswell High School.

WXIA-TV obtained the arrest warrant saying Katz was a teacher of the alleged victim before she transitioned into an administrative role at Roswell High School.

Police said Katz sexually assaulted a 16-year-old student during multiple off-campus encounters between December 2025 and February 2026.

Katz resigned during the middle of the police investigation, police said.

Fulton County Schools confirmed the district no longer employs her.

Citing the affidavit, the Post reported that the alleged victim told police he had unprotected sex several times with Katz in her home and the backseat of her Jaguar car.

“During a forensic interview, the teen told investigators Katz encouraged him to transfer from Roswell High School to another high school that would allow him to graduate sooner,” WXIA reported.

The student said Katz told him she was “literally scared s**tless” about the prospect of getting caught with the boy and going to prison, the affidavit said.

WXIA reported that Katz was “considered a trusted family friend” of the alleged victim, and she even tutored the boy’s younger sibling. The affidavit said Katz bought gifts for the alleged victim’s siblings, including jewelry and a Nintendo Switch.

The teen’s mother grew suspicious of the alleged illicit relationship when Katz invited the boy and his family to a cabin in the north Georgia mountains during Valentine’s Day weekend, the arrest warrant stated.

WSB-TV reported that the teen’s mother said she noticed how “comfortable” Katz and her son were.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution obtained the arrest warrant saying the teen’s mother discovered text messages on her son’s cell phone and “knew there was something wrong.”

The warrant said when Katz returned to work after the trip, she told her co-workers that she was “in a manic state” and complained that her “boyfriend’s mother” said they couldn’t be in a relationship.

The warrant revealed that when a co-worker learned that Katz’s boyfriend was a student at the high school, the co-worker alerted authorities.

Detectives obtained the teen’s cell phone, which revealed Katz and the boy exchanged at least 19,585 text messages and made 591 calls, the warrant said.

“Throughout the lengthy text thread between [teen] and Amanda, they discussed their relationship and potential future lives together, how and why they need to keep their relationship secret, and multiple sexual interactions,” the affidavit said, according to People magazine.

The New York Post reported, “In other messages, she told the boy that sex was ‘fun,’ and that she would ‘walk away from everything’ to be with him.”

The warrant said Katz messaged the student, “I meant everything I said to you. I would give you everything I have. And I’m human. I know it sounds stupid, but you not being mine isn’t an option. I can’t do this.”

RELATED: Ex-teacher who dodged conviction for allegedly asking teen lover to kill husband learns fate for sexually assaulting student

The alleged victim told investigators Katz wanted him to move into her home after he graduated from high school, police said.

“[He] said he had mixed feelings about leaving his family and that Amanda wanted to go further with their relationship, move in together, and to commit to each other. … [He] said Amanda offered to take care of him (financially and provide a place to stay, etc.),” the affidavit read.

Katz also wanted the student to move to Mexico with her, police said.

“[He] also said that Amanda had told him that she wanted to move to Mexico with him, but he did not want to do that, nor did he understand why she would want to go there,” the affidavit revealed.

According to the affidavit, “Amanda also admitted that her actions were inappropriate and that she could be arrested if detected.”

“I have done a lot of stupid things. A lot. But this is top level,” Katz wrote, according to the affidavit.

“I am crazy about you. I can’t be around you,” Katz said to the teen, the affidavit said.

The affidavit said Katz texted the teen, “I can’t stop looking at you and certainly keep my hands to myself. Just telling you this can get me fired. … I need to leave Roswell. … Please delete this entire thread.”

“I was truly happy for the first time in a long time. I want you to know that. But this is killing me. This conversation can’t happen. Everything about us has to be deleted,” read a text message Katz sent to the teen on Dec. 29, 2025, WSB reported.

“We are lying to everyone. For what? How long? I don’t want to go to jail … I won’t do well in jail … I’m too pretty,” Katz wrote to the teen, the warrant stated.

The arrest warrant said Katz told the teen, “I loved you. And this is the most f**ked up and scary thing that has ever happened to me. You f**king broke my heart. … This is probably the worst thing anyone has ever done to me. You abandoned me.”

The Roswell Police Department and Fulton County Schools did not immediately respond to Blaze News‘ request for comment.

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​Sexual assault, Amanda katz, Teacher arrested, Teacher student sex scandal, Teacher sex scandal, Bad teacher, Child sex crimes, Georgia, Crime 

The Sudanese asylum-seeker arrested for the horrific attempted beheading that took place in Northern Ireland on Monday night appeared in court on Wednesday, where he declined to enter a plea.

In addition to being identified, the African has been slapped with additional criminal charges after the brutal attack he is accused of committing prompted a fiery night of rioting in Belfast as well as demands for transparency and a withdrawal from the EU Migration Pact from rightist lawmakers.

‘We will be going after them.’

Now that the liberal establishment has pivoted from feigning horror over the attempted beheading to expressing outrage over the backlash, police are threatening to arrest online influencers who raised the alarm about the incident.

Quick background

A black male was caught on camera sitting atop a bloodied white male in the middle of a north Belfast street, shouting something in a foreign tongue, then carving with a knife into the victim’s face and neck.

The attack was interrupted by a Good Samaritan armed with a wooden hurl stick who gave the attacker a good thwacking. Another two men rushed in to help — one attempting to pull the victim to safety and the other giving a few well-placed kicks to the aggressor’s head.

The attacker, who was initially identified by a police as Somali but later confirmed to be a Sudanese national, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

RELATED: Sudanese national suspect attempts to behead UK citizen — but police beg public not to share images

L-R: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images; Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

The victim, who has been identified as Stephen Ogilvie and a British citizen, was taken to the hospital in serious condition with grievous injuries to his face, neck, and back.

Suspect identified

Gavin Robinson, a member of the British Parliament for East Belfast, stated on Tuesday that the Sudanese suspect was living in the U.K. under a five-year visa.

Police subsequently confirmed that the suspect, 30-year-old Hadi Alodid, entered Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland in 2023, applied for asylum, and was granted leave to remain in the country until 2028.

The Telegraph reported that the suspect had “used a loophole” in the British asylum system — traveling from Sudan to Paris and then to Dublin, before taking a bus to Belfast and then claiming asylum.

In addition to the original charge of attempted murder, Alodid has been charged with possessing a knife in a public space and threatening to kill a woman who works as a radiographer for the National Health Service.

Alodid appeared at Laganside magistrate’s court on Wednesday, where he communicated via an Arabic interpreter. The stabbing suspect — who allegedly left Ogilvie with no left eye, a damaged right eye, and deep cuts on his face and back — refused legal representation and declined to respond to the charges.

Alodid was denied bail at the urging of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Police told the court that the African’s release posed a threat of further offenses and a flight risk and could lead to “significant public disorder,” reported the BBC.

The suspect’s next court date is July 8.

Failed containment

The PSNI implored the general public on Tuesday not to share footage of the horrific attack, but the British public evidently had other ideas.

To the great chagrin not only of police but of those leftist lawmakers who expressed concerns over the inevitable political fallout, the video — yet another damning reminder of the isles’ disastrous immigration policies and failed dogma of multiculturalism — went viral with the help of remigration activist Tommy Robinson and others.

Belfast was subsequently rocked by protests and, on Tuesday evening, riots in which homes, cars, and a bus were torched.

Some of the hundreds of black-clad young men who roamed the streets of the capital city on Tuesday reportedly shouted, “Foreigners out!” and pelted asylum-seeker housing with rocks.

‘F**k ’em.’

Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson of the PSNI said in a statement, “Sporadic pockets of disorder have broken out in a number of locations across Northern Ireland this evening, including incidents in which a number of vehicles have been set on fire.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and various other lawmakers condemned the riots — in many cases more forcefully than they condemned the attempted beheading.

“The scenes in Belfast last night were shocking and completely unacceptable,” Starmer stated on Wednesday morning. “There is no justification for the violence and disorder that we saw threatening our communities, nor for those who encouraged it, online or elsewhere. It is clear that people were targeted last night because of their background and I will not tolerate it.”

Police have arrested several alleged rioters and are threatening to arrest online influencers over their provocative commentary regarding the attempted beheading.

“It’s very easy, these days especially, to look online and be persuaded, by people who know nothing about Northern Ireland, know nothing about the communities in Northern Ireland, know nothing about the history of Northern Ireland, to take actions that they otherwise would not take,” said PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher. “Stop looking at this nonsense. Stop listening to these idiots. We will be going after them for the incitement that they’ve been doing.”

“I’m not talking about individuals in this press conference, but people will know who were online last night and inciting this behavior. They will know what they were doing. We will be going after them,” added Boutcher.

Despite this latest threat of a crackdown over online speech, Elon Musk, Tommy Robinson, and Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe have not rounded their critiques or softened their rhetoric.

Robinson, for instance, wrote, “Stop importing rapists, murderers, and sex pests from savage third world countries who put young girls [sic] lives at risk. Once you have advocated for that, and the removal of unwanted illegal migrants from communities who never asked for or wanted them, then you can take the high road. Until then, keep your mouth shut.”

Lowe wrote early Wednesday, “Millions must go,” and “the Belfast victim has lost his left eye and has severe damage to his right eye. Hacked at the neck, with his eyes gouged. Men who inflict this brutal evil on others do not deserve to live.”

Musk shared a post rejecting the calls for calm, then tweeted, “F**k ’em.”

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​African, Sudan, Beheading, Northern ireland, Ireland, United kingdom, Uk, Britain, Racism, Anti-white, Leftism, Terrorism, Crime, Replacement, Asylum, Immigration, Politics 

Popular YouTuber Jesse Ridgway, who goes by “McJuggerNuggets,” set the internet on fire last week when he used the abortion of his unborn child with Down syndrome to create content for his audience.

“My wife and I made the very difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy due to Trisomy 21,” Ridgway wrote in a post on X. “The choice was not made lightly.”

“She underwent the procedure earlier this week and is on the mend. Thankfully, everything went smoothly, but emotionally we are drained. Trisomy 21, also known as Down Syndrome, is caused by an extra chromosome. It is caused by an error in cell division, like a glitch. The odds of a baby having it is 1 in 1000,” he added.

The couple has been documenting their pregnancy journey on their YouTube channel, where they’ve been recording their reactions to test results.

“You not only monetized your baby’s little life, but then you monetized his death. And not just his death, but also his murder. And then you want people to feel sympathetic toward you,” BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey comments.

“This is morally chilling that you are admitting and trying to euphemize euthanizing a baby,” she continues, pointing out that Ridgway is apparently not actually “without compassion for vulnerable entities.”

Earlier in May, Ridgway celebrated the sixth birthday of his dog, who was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease the year prior, explaining that she is in the “0.001% of superhero dogs that continue living with no kidneys.”

“So that life was worth sacrificing for. His dog was worth paying lots and lots of money for, doing everything you could to keep this dog alive. Even though your dog has special needs, will not live a very long time,” Stuckey says.

“That dog apparently was more worthy of life than their living child,” she adds.

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From Spencer Pratt to Mayor Michael Rapaport?

All eyes have been on Spencer Pratt, the reality show alum vying to wrest the City of Angels from Mayor Karen Bass.

While Pratt promoted his family-man brand, Rapaport lives for the social media scrum.

Pratt’s insurgent campaign was felt from coast to coast. Now, as L.A.’s curious voting system seems to have sent him to a third-place finish, another actor turned candidate could take his place.

Did Pratt walk so Michael Rapaport could run?

‘Soft launch’

Rapaport is a familiar face from dozens of movies and TV shows since his 1992 film debut in “Zebrahead.” He recently joined Peacock’s “The Traitors,” a reality-show affair hosted by Alan Cumming. His brash persona proved a snug fit for the series, alienating some while bringing fresh friction to the game.

And, as he told the Hollywood Reporter in January, the show was part of his “soft launch” to unseat New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

I think that if you can have a mayor of New York who is a failed rapper, a failed actor, a failed music supervisor and who’s rapped and said so many regrettable things that he did … if nothing else, I have shown once again, especially on “Traitors,” that I am what you see and you’ll get an honest mayor.

Pratt didn’t lean on MAGA messaging or GOP-friendly talking points in his campaign. He played the outsider, a man motivated by losing his home in the Palisades fires and demanding that the person who let it happen be held accountable.

For Rapaport, Mamdani’s socialist policies and perceived animosity toward Jewish New Yorkers sparked his campaign, not any Republican fervor.

Accidental politicians

Call them accidental politicians. The facts on the ground made them do it. Rapaport explained his change of heart to Fox News.

“I never thought that I would even consider running for mayor of New York City, and I will do it with the best intentions.”

Rapaport leans to the left, but he has defied some of his party’s groupthink, particularly when it comes to his strong support of Israel.

Pratt and Rapaport share a grasp not just of social media but of media training in general. They have been around cameras for years, aware of the power video brings and how to weaponize it for a cause.

We’ve seen Pratt leverage those viral campaign videos, playing the frazzled Everyman eager to save his hometown. Rapaport, a trained comic in addition to his acting experience, could do the same.

Rapaport has some advantages over Pratt. He announced his campaign years before any voting happens, as opposed to Pratt’s abrupt decision. That gives Rapaport time to build his base, criticize Mamdani in real time, and let New Yorkers see what a democratic socialist can do to the Big Apple.

Rapaport is betting they won’t like the results.

RELATED: Trump DOJ opens multiple investigations into possible election fraud in California

L-R: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images; ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

Sharp elbows

Plus, Rapaport isn’t merely a reality show villain like Pratt, with all the baggage that entails. He has delivered memorable performances on FX’s “Justified” and Netflix’s “Atypical,” plus classic films like “Beautiful Girls,” “True Romance,” and “Cop Land.”

The veteran actor recently segued back to comedy, appearing in clubs across the country with a genuinely funny set built around his garrulous persona.

The downsides for the New York native, beyond the fear that he’s another actor playing the part of political savior? Rapaport throws plenty of sharp elbows on social media and podcasts. He famously teed off on President Donald Trump a few years ago, a potential boost to his New York candidacy.

But he softened that stance considerably post-October 7, re-evaluating the president’s policies and the lies spread in the media. That speaks to his maturation, but it might not play well in a cobalt blue city.

Relishing a fight

While Pratt promoted his family-man brand, Rapaport lives for the social media scrum. He’s naturally combative, willing to muck it up about sports, culture, and politics on any platform possible.

His “I Am Rapaport: Stereo Podcast” lets him weigh in on the New York Knicks, free speech, and much more. Here’s betting Team Mamdani will be combing through past episodes for potentially damaging material.

And they just might find some.

Pratt proved competitive in his upstart campaign, and even if the vote totals keep him in third place, he still gave the Democratic establishment a major scare.

Could Rapaport learn from Pratt’s bold run and write his own Hollywood ending?

​Palisades fires, Spencer pratt, Zohran mamdani, New york city mayor, Michael rapaport, Lifestyle 

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” —George Orwell, “1984”

The photographs spread quickly across the internet: Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) outside Delaney Hall, the ICE detention facility in Newark, washing pepper spray from his eyes.

Kim had publicly demanded the facility’s closure since December 2025. He has repeatedly painted ICE as an instrument of “lawless” violence weaponized by Stephen Miller and Donald Trump against U.S. citizens.

The violence that occurred outside Delaney Hall was not provoked by ICE agents enforcing the law. It was instigated and organized by leftist protesters, activists, aligned organizations.

On May 24, Sen. Kim released a statement with Rep. Rob Menendez (D-N.J.) in which he described the food as disgusting and argued that detainees were experiencing inhumane treatment.

Kim proudly proclaimed, “Cruelty is what this administration, what [U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement] is trying to do.”

The next day Kim visited the facility. Upon exiting, he encountered ICE officers there for protection and a crowd of protesters blocking entrances and exits. Kim intervened in front of the cameras, positioning himself as someone who was trying to de-escalate the situation.

Shockingly, the riotous crowd did not listen to Sen. Kim, and during ICE’s attempts to disperse the crowd, he was hit with pepper spray.

The imagery was perfect for the narrative he wanted. Andy Kim spent months fanning the flames of outrage at Delaney Hall, then had the audacity to pose as the firefighter trying to extinguish the fire he helped start.

Andy Kim and others, include Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D), painted Delaney Hall as a starvation camp. Yet the DHS published the menu detainees received, including oatmeal, pancakes, scrambled eggs, grilled potatoes, milk, coffee, chicken legs, turkey stir-fry, beef burritos, vegetarian beans, fajitas, vegetables, and commissary access.

Sen. Kim has also claimed there is a lack of medical care for detainees at Delaney Hall. The DHS directly disputes this claim and points out the fact that the moment an alien enters ICE custody, he has access to medical, dental, and mental health services as available and access to 24-hour emergency care.

It is easy to acknowledge that freedom is preferable to detention; the claims of forced starvation are meritless and ignore the fact that the detainees are alleged to have violated our immigration laws and are subject to deportation.

It is notable that no elected representative is able to make the argument that illegal alien detainees are subject to worse conditions than American citizens who are detained over the January 6 protests.

In fact, no representative who has protested against Delaney Hall has been able to point to any U.S. citizen being mistakenly detained there, despite vocal claims by leading Democrats that citizens are being wrongfully detained.

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The detainees are individuals who have violated our immigration laws. These are not random migrants caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. These are detainees awaiting removal proceedings, many with pending charges or prior convictions.

Kim’s selective empathy paints law enforcement as the villain and lawbreakers as martyrs.

The facility itself operated as an ICE detention center under the Obama administration from 2011 to 2017. The groundwork for its current contract was laid during the Biden years, with solicitations issued in 2024. Democrats who now decry it as an affront to humanity were silent, or complicit, when similar facilities operated under their own president.

Most importantly, the violence that occurred outside Delaney Hall was not provoked by ICE agents enforcing the law. It was instigated and organized by leftist protesters, activists, aligned organizations, and politicians who turned a lawful detention facility into a battleground and a political photo op.

By amplifying falsehoods and refusing to acknowledge the source of the latest example of political violence, they encourage precisely the chaos that logically followed: more riots, more assaults, more threats, and more division.

What purpose do these lies and the theater serve?

They distract from the Biden-era border policies that flooded the system and the Trump administration’s necessary corrective action. They continue to paint immigration enforcement as racist theater rather than the enforcement of duly passed laws. They virtue-signal to progressive donors and voters while eroding trust in federal institutions.

Performative visits coupled with distorted rhetoric do not solve problems; they inflame them.

The evidence is there for anyone willing to see it. The question is whether the Party will allow it.

​Donald trump, Immigration enforcement, Ice, Delaney hall, Andy kim, Rob menendez, Dhs, Mikie sherrill, Opinion & analysis