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Vice President JD Vance emphasized the Democrats’ hypocrisy in feigning outrage over leaked group-chat texts while failing to condemn their own candidate who said far worse.

On Tuesday, Politico published a series of private messages between young Republican operatives that contained distasteful language and jokes. Although many Republican officials have condemned the profanities used in the leaked messages, Vance pointed out that they’ve buried the lede.

‘I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for political violence.’

Jay Jones, a Democrat running for attorney general in Virginia, remains embroiled in his own scandal after leaked texts showed he fantasized about giving his Republican adversary “two bullets to the head.”

“Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy,” Jones said in another text after fantasizing about the deaths of the Republican’s children.

RELATED: Trump honors Charlie Kirk with highest civilian honor: ‘You have given him the best birthday gift’

Photo by ADAM GRAY/AFP via Getty Images

“This is far worse than anything said in a college group chat, and the guy who said it could become the AG of Virginia,” Vance said of Jones’ texts. “I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for political violence.”

Several prominent Democrats jumped at the opportunity to condemn the leaked texts exchanged by young Republicans without condemning the violent rhetoric espoused by their own candidate.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the college students’ texts “sickening” and “vile,” saying, “This is the kind of garbage that the worst kind of people say when they think nobody is watching.” At the same time, Schumer has not made a single comment about Jones, who, unlike the young GOP activists, is running for public office.

RELATED: Dozens of ‘morally bankrupt’ Democrats vote against condemning Charlie Kirk’s assassination

Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia took it even farther. Even after Jones’ texts were leaked, Kaine said he’s “still supporting” the candidate.

“He has apologized,” Kaine said. “I wish other people in public life would sincerely apologize for stuff. … I still am a supporter.”

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​Jd vance, Donald trump, Young republicans, Chuck schumer, Tim kaine, Democrats, Jay jones, Political violence, Leaked texts, Leaked group chat, Politico, Politics 

BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey put her debate chops to the test on the “Surrounded” show hosted by the YouTube channel Jubilee — where she sat down with 20 separate self-proclaimed liberal Christians to discuss a variety of faith-based topics.

Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck and BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere are incredibly impressed by her performance, with Stu confirming that “she did a great job.”

However, the debaters themselves were a different story, and one in particular rubbed Glenn and Stu the wrong way after he challenged Stuckey on the abortion issue.

“My concern about the way that you present the abortion issue is you have claimed in the past that the liberal pro-choice position is that we don’t give the whole truth about the abortion issue,” the man said.

“You liken it as violent. You’ve described it here as killing and painful,” he continued.

“My problem, my concern, is that you are doing the same thing by not telling women the truth: that when the majority of abortions happen, which is in the first six weeks of pregnancy, that fetus has not developed pain receptors. That doesn’t happen till maybe, at the earliest, 10 weeks,” he added.

“Is killing only wrong if someone can feel pain?” Stuckey asked.

“It’s wrong for you to characterize it as violent and painful when it’s not,” the man argued back.

“It is violent. Of course it’s violent. Even when you take the abortion pill, you are starving that human being. If you want to call him or her a zygote or a fetus, that’s all fine. Those are all stages of development that all of us went through, that all children go through,” Stuckey responded.

“It is still the killing of a human being,” she added.

As the debate went on, the man tried to talk down to Stuckey, even speaking in a condescending voice when she likened abortion to murder.

“No, we’re talking about abortion, Allie. We’re not talking about something else,” he said.

“But I’m trying to understand your logic. You are saying that abortion is okay because babies don’t feel it. So I’m asking you, is killing another innocent person when they don’t feel it — is that justified?” Stuckey countered.

“Abortion is health care for women who need it,” he said, ignoring her question.

“She’s so happy,” Glenn says, commenting on Allie’s demeanor throughout the debates.

“Yeah, that’s the right approach,” Stu agrees, noting that the pro-choice man “made a lot of bad points, and when he was called on the bad points just stopped answering them and went down other roads.”

“That’s what frustrates me about that show,” he adds.

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Camera phone, Upload, Video phone, Free, Sharing, Video, Youtube.com, The glenn beck program, Glenn beck, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Jubilee, Viral debate, Allie beth stuckey, Stu burguiere, Relatable with allie beth stuckey, Pro life, Christianity, Anti abortion, Abortion debate, Abortion activists 

Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is looking for a new mascot.

The private school’s Mascot Working Group page in September read that “our goal is to give it a form that is fun, gender-neutral, and full of personality …”

‘In a time where we are surrounded by so much racism and sexism, it makes sense why we would want a break from old white guys from the 18th century.’

The headline of a WHP-TV story published last week said as much: “Franklin & Marshall College embarks on search for gender-neutral mascot.”

As you might expect, Facebook users who commented on the WHP story — as well as the accompanying question, “What do you think Franklin & Marshall College’s new mascot should be?” — blasted the school’s woke criteria. To wit:

“The Franklin and Marshall Snowflakes has a nice ring to it,” one commenter opined.”How about a sheep,” another user offered.”That’s the least of their problems,” another commenter said. “Maybe The Cucks or The Laughables?”Good grief!!!!!!!” another user exclaimed.”A worm?” another commenter suggested.”Please explain why?” another user wondered. “This is what’s wrong with everything. What are they trying to prove by doing this?”

RELATED: ‘Inseminated person’: Wisconsin Gov. Evers tries to erase mothers with gender-neutral language overhaul

Photo by John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images

As it happens, as of Tuesday the “gender-neutral” reference was no longer on F&M’s Mascot Working Group page.

Blaze News on Tuesday reached out to Franklin & Marshall College to inquire why “gender-neutral” was gone from the Mascot Working Group page, as well as why folks costumed as founding father Benjamin Franklin and U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall — the school’s namesakes — no longer are appropriate or suitable mascots.

Franklin & Marshall sent the following reply to Blaze News on Tuesday afternoon:

Franklin & Marshall College regrets any misunderstanding or mischaracterization regarding criteria guidelines for mascot idea submissions, which has since been clarified on our website. The guidance shared with the F&M community, then and now, encourages mascot recommendations that take the form of creatures, animals, and figures, which is very typical of mascots for universities and sports teams.

The college’s prior mascots, “Ben” and “John,” were retired several years ago. A student-led initiative to develop a dynamic new mascot began during the 2024-25 academic year. At the same time, other campus constituents collectively expressed a desire for a new mascot that would bring renewed energy and enthusiasm to campus and athletic events.

Our intention has always been to identify a mascot that reflects the public leadership and spirit of Ben Franklin and John Marshall as our namesakes and to be inspired by our mascot, the Diplomat. The decision to create a new physical form for the mascot is an opportunity to represent our community spirit in a way that will champion F&M on campus, on the athletic field, and beyond.

Others at Franklin & Marshall have expressed rather pointed opinions about the “Ben” and “John” mascots.

Take an op-ed from F&M’s student newspaper penned by one of its editors just a year ago titled, “Ben and John, It’s Time to Say Goodbye.” In it, the author refers to the Ben Franklin and John Marshall mascots as “cartoonish, old white guys” who look “a little creepy.”

The author also acknowledges that after three years she’s never actually seen the “Ben and John [mascots] in the flesh. Why? It turns out, these mascots are taking some time off and have not been spotted in years. Rumor has it they might be replaced, too.”

The op-ed also states:

In a time where we are surrounded by so much racism and sexism, it makes sense why we would want a break from old white guys from the 18th century. John Marshall was racist and fought to keep slavery in the United States, and while Benjamin Franklin was well known for being an abolitionist, he once owned slaves and held racist views, too. As more people become aware of their racist histories, now seems like the right time for a mascot change. Franklin and Marshall founded our college, but our wonderful community can be represented by so much more than just their names. We are Diplomats, after all, and you don’t have to be the ghost of a white man to be a diplomat.

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​Education, Woke culture, Gender neutral, Racism allegation, College, Franklin & marshall college, Pennsylvania, Mascots, Benjamin franklin, John marshall, Us supreme court, Chief justice, Politics 

Debbie Brockman, a producer at WGN-TV, was detained by federal agents amid U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities in Chicago on Friday.

Brockman’s lawyers and the liberal media appear keen to characterize her as an unsuspecting victim of brutality on the part of Border Patrol agents. In the apparent attempt to insinuate a clampdown on the free press, some outlets have even falsely referred to Brockman as a “journalist.”

The Department of Homeland Security has suggested, however, that Brockman was not, as her lawyers have indicated, innocently “walking to the bus stop as part of her morning commute when she was attacked by Border Patrol agents.”

‘Officers used their service vehicle to strike a suspect’s vehicle and create an opening.’

DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to Blaze News that “as agents were driving, Deborah Brockman, a U.S. citizen, threw objects at Border Patrol’s car, and she was placed under arrest for assault on a federal law enforcement officer.”

Footage appears to show federal agents traveling west on Foster Avenue in a silver minivan after reportedly arresting an older male — an arrest that had prompted protest and condemnation from locals. Suddenly, an object can be seen hitting the vehicle, making a smashing sound. The agents immediately hit the brakes beside the alleged source of the projectile: Brockman.

RELATED: The city that chose crime and chaos over courage

Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images

Two agents leap out of the vehicle and attempt to handcuff Brockman, who can be seen doing her best to resist while a bystander lobs Nazi and fascist accusations at the arresting agents.

Josh Thomas, a witness who lives in the condo overlooking where the incident took place, told WGN that Brockman was “taking video” prior to her arrest.

After the agents squeeze the producer into the van, they realize that a woman in a black SUV has driven the wrong way down the road and blocked the lane ahead.

As a mob begins to congregate around the van, the agents order the driver of the obstructing vehicle to get out of the way. Closing her driver-side window, the woman in the SUV remains parked in the way, prompting the federal agents to ram ahead, clipping the SUV’s rear bumper.

“CBP agents were conducting immigration enforcement operations when several violent agitators used vehicles to block in agents to impede and assault federal officers,” said McLaughlin. “In fear of public and law enforcement safety, officers used their service vehicle to strike a suspect’s vehicle and create an opening.”

Brockman was released several hours later without charges.

RELATED: DHS torpedoes narrative of pro-Antifa priest who ‘exploited’ holy sacrament to score points on ICE

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

The producer’s lawyers deny that Brockman assaulted anyone and suggested in a statement that “Brockman was the one who was violently assaulted.”

“If armed, masked, federal agents are snatching U.S. citizens off the street as they walk to work and throwing them in unmarked vehicles, you can only imagine what these agents must be willing to do to our immigrant neighbors and people who dare to speak out against them,” said Brad Thompson, one of Brockman’s lawyers. “No one should be treated like that in this city, in this country, or anywhere else in the world.”

Brockman’s lawyers have indicated that she will not be making a statement at this time.

‘We will not back down from these threats, and every criminal, terrorist, and illegal alien will face American justice.’

“This is not isolated and reflects a growing and dangerous trend of illegal aliens violently resisting arrest and agitators and criminals ramming cars into our law enforcement officers,” said McLaughlin. “These attacks highlight the dangers our law enforcement officers face daily — all while receiving no pay thanks to the Democrats’ government shutdown.”

The DHS revealed on Tuesday that extra to projectiles allegedly lobbed by liberal media producers, ICE and CBP officers in Chicago have allegedly been targeted by bounties.

“In neighborhoods like Chicago’s Pilsen and Little Village, gang members affiliated with groups such as the Latin Kings have deployed ‘spotters’ on rooftops equipped with firearms and radio communications,” said the DHS. “These individuals track ICE and CBP movements in real time, relaying coordinates. This surveillance has enabled ambushes and disruptions during routine enforcement actions, including recent raids under Operation Midway Blitz.”

According to the intelligence obtained by the agency, cartels have indicated they are willing to pay $2,000 for the doxxing of agents; $5,000 to $10,000 for kidnapping or non-lethal assaults on ICE and CBP agents; and up to $50,000 for the assassination of high-ranking officials.

“Our agents are facing ambushes, drone surveillance, and death threats, all because they dare to enforce the laws passed by Congress,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. “We will not back down from these threats, and every criminal, terrorist, and illegal alien will face American justice.”

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​Deborah brockman, Debbie brockman, Chicago, Ice, Dhs, Department of homeland security, Kristi noem, Immigration and customs enforcement, Immigration, Deportation, Illegal alien, Leftist, Terrorism, Cartel, Wgn, Politics 

Under Joe Biden’s presidency, America’s once-great cities began to rot from the inside out. New York, Chicago, Seattle, and Portland, Oregon, all followed the same script: defund police, excuse crime, and watch civic life collapse.

Portland, once a model of Pacific Northwest prosperity, has become the most vivid cautionary tale.

Trump’s push to restore order in Portland isn’t about partisanship. It’s about survival.

It started with the “defund the police” crusade that gutted local departments and drained morale. As funding vanished, crime surged. Car thefts and larceny skyrocketed. Homeless encampments spread through downtown streets. Affordable housing disappeared while drug addiction and lawlessness filled the gap.

Now, as the Trump administration reasserts control over immigration enforcement, Portland faces a new test — and its leaders are failing again.

Portland refuses to defend itself

President Donald Trump, working with border czar Tom Homan and ICE agents, has ordered the National Guard to assist in deporting violent illegal immigrants. Local officials should welcome the help. Instead, Portland’s leadership is digging in, treating federal officers as enemies rather than partners.

The result: chaos. Criminals have grown bolder, even trying to disarm police during encounters. Antifa radicals now stage nightly protests outside ICE facilities, and Portland police — undermanned and demoralized — stand by under orders not to arrest anyone.

It would almost be comical if it weren’t dangerous.

When ICE erected police tape around one facility to control the crowd, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson personally ordered it removed. His reasoning? It obstructed “public access.”

The message to violent agitators couldn’t be clearer: The city won’t stop you.

A hollowed-out police force

A recent video from the Portland Police Association confirmed what most residents already suspected. Staffing levels have cratered. Officers are stretched thin and forced to obey political directives instead of enforcing the law.

It raises a grim question: Are city leaders keeping arrest numbers low on purpose to make the situation look better than it is? If the statistics show fewer arrests, they can claim the city doesn’t need federal help — no matter how bad things actually get.

This charade mirrors what we’ve seen in other Democratic Party strongholds like Chicago: leaders protecting their image while citizens fend for themselves.

RELATED: Inside the Portland ICE facility under siege by Antifa extremists

Julio Rosas/Blaze Media

The lesson they refuse to learn

Trump’s push to restore order in Portland isn’t about partisanship. It’s about survival. Cities that refuse to defend their own citizens eventually lose them — to fear, flight, or despair.

Portland’s officials could start fixing this mess tomorrow. Hire more officers. Restore funding. Support police with proper gear and mental health resources (a must, in my eyes). Enforce the law equally and unapologetically.

But that would require courage — and courage is one thing the city’s leadership no longer has.

The bottom line is simple: Portland’s citizens and police deserve better than this political theater. The first duty of government is protection. The people of Portland are still waiting for their elected leaders to remember that.

​Opinion & analysis, Law and order, Portland, National guard, Donald trump, Mass deportations, Ice, Oregon, Antifa, Protests, Immigration and customs enforcement, Democrats, Leftists, Anarchy, Keith wilson, Crime, Defund the police 

Animal lovers beware: Some of the biggest charities in the biz are more than happy to bite the hand that feeds them.

At least, that’s the contention of one Washington, D.C.-based watchdog.

‘While these groups sit in Manhattan and Washington collecting a combined $550 million a year, they only throw scraps to local shelters.’

If you’ve ever worried about where your charitable dollars go, you’re not alone. The holidays are the busiest giving season of the year, with Americans donating roughly $3.1 billion in 2023. About 30% of all annual giving happens in December, with the Tuesday after Thanksgiving now known nationwide as “Giving Tuesday.”

Yet Americans’ growing distrust of institutions is starting to affect their willingness to give. A recent study found that 57% of Americans have high trust in nonprofit organizations — more than in government or the media. Still, that leaves nearly half at least somewhat skeptical about how their money is being spent.

And when it comes to some of the major animal charities, the Center for the Environment and Welfare argues that the skepticism is justified.

CEW calls out fat-cat charities

On September 25, the Center for the Environment and Welfare began airing a national television campaign targeting Humane World for Animals — the organization known as the Humane Society until a name change earlier this year.

The ad marks CEW’s latest effort in its ongoing criticism of the spending practices of both HWA and rival large-animal welfare charity the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

CEW claims that these organizations donate as little as 1% to 2% of their budgets to local shelters while paying hundreds of staff six-figure salaries. CEW also alleges that the CEOs of the two groups earn $650,000 and $1.2 million, respectively.

The ads, which will run throughout the holiday season, encourage viewers to donate directly to local shelters rather than national organizations. CEW says it’s considering expanding the campaign to other major television networks.

“The public donates hundreds of millions of dollars to these two groups because, when you see their ads and names, you assume they’re helping local shelters,” CEW executive director Jack Hubbard told Align. “The reality is the total opposite.”

He added that the response to the campaign has been strong.

“We’ve heard from people who are shocked and upset. But the most satisfying part is when donors say they’ve started doing their homework and are now supporting local shelters instead of national mega-charities.”

Hubbard argued that despite enormous revenues, hundreds of thousands of cats and dogs are still euthanized each year because local shelters remain underfunded.

Former ASPCA CEO Ed Sayres echoed that criticism.

“While these groups sit in Manhattan and Washington collecting a combined $550 million a year, they only throw scraps to local shelters,” Sayres told Align. “If you want to help homeless cats and dogs, donate to your local shelter or rescue.”

It’s a message that bears repeating, according to CEW. The group cites polling indicating that 81% of Americans don’t realize the ASPCA has little to no connection with local shelters.

HWA: Issue not so ‘black and white’

Representatives from both the HWA and the ASPCA strongly dispute CEW’s claims, denouncing CEW as a “Berman and Company-backed PR front” that manufactures controversies against advocacy groups.

As HWA media relations director Anna West argues, CEW’s vision for helping animals is too narrow.

Our mission is not to fund shelters. We provide a lot of support for shelters, not in the form of checks but in training and education. We’re teaching shelter employees the best way to do their job in the most effective [way], creating support systems to help each other, and mentorship programs. And our programs are reducing the number of animals going into those facilities through access to spaying and neutering in those communities.

Every time a dog or cat is spayed or neutered, that means less animals going into the shelter system. We also work on policies related to pets and housing, which means less people choose to rent an apartment or get rid of a dog. It’s misleading to boil it down into this black-and-white issue of supporting shelters.

HWA also collaborates with law enforcement to fight animal abuse, works to reduce the use of animals as lab-test subjects, campaigns to abolish puppy mills, operates sanctuaries for large animals such as tigers, and rescues animals beyond just cats and dogs.

According to HWA’s 2023 tax filings, the group reported $202.8 million in gross receipts, $174.9 million in revenue, and $454.7 million in assets. Its major spending categories included:

$58.5 million for “care for animals in crisis”;$53.6 million toward building an “animal protection movement”;$20.9 million combating “the cruelest practices.”

That amounts to a program-expense ratio of roughly 70% — a figure HWA says demonstrates a strong focus on lobbying, activism, and educational efforts that are intended to reduce the need for animal welfare activism.

But CEW argues that this number was achieved through “joint cost accounting,” in which fundraising campaign efforts are counted as program spending. CEW spokesperson Kate McDermott emailed Align a screenshot of a November 2024 CharityWatch report (behind a paywall) that claims the true number is closer to 56%:

CharityWatch

West disputed that characterization, arguing that CharityWatch’s spending metrics are idiosyncratic and outside the mainstream consensus of other watchdogs, such as Charity Navigator, that approve of HWA’s financials. She added that most major evaluators permit direct mail, telemarketing, and solicitation costs as legitimate program expenses.

As for having 157 staffers with six-figure incomes and a CEO with a $650,000 salary, HWA’s website publicly declares that it provides competitive salaries and benefits to “pay a living wage so our staff can focus on ending animal cruelty without unnecessary financial stress.” According to Ziprecruiter, it is not unusual for nonprofit CEOs to earn more than $100,000-$200,000, depending on the size of the organization.

ASPCA: We address ‘root causes’

ASPCA spokesperson Rebecca Goldrick also responded to CEW’s claims in a statement to Align, arguing that its larger mission is to address the “root causes” of animal suffering.

Based on our most recent tax filings, 75 cents of every dollar spent by the ASPCA goes toward programmatic services that directly advance our lifesaving mission, with the majority of that funding supporting shelters and rescues across the country, including our animal relocation program — the largest in the country — where we move tens of thousands of homeless pets each year from overcrowded shelters to areas of the country where they can be adopted into loving homes.

… Every year, our hands-on work — in addition to our partnerships with hundreds of local shelters and rescues — directly impacts hundreds of thousands of animals, with our lasting solutions benefiting millions more that we cannot serve through local partnerships and grant funding alone.

Who should you trust?

In a populist era, Americans are increasingly drawn to local over national institutions. Large organizations — whether in Washington, Wall Street, or Silicon Valley — can feel remote, bureaucratic, and unaccountable. That sentiment now extends to the nonprofit world.

“These charities make donors skeptical about giving, which is a shame,” says Hubbard. “The solution, like so many others in this country, is local support, local governance, and local charity.”

RELATED: ASPCA gives only 2% of its budget to pet shelters, while promoting ‘radical and elitist’ anti-farmer policies, bombshell report finds

JIMI CELESTE/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

It is worth considering, though, the role that large institutions play in a properly functioning society. Large-animal charities, like the ASPCA and HWA, have certainly faced scrutiny in the past (here, here, here, here), but they are complicated organizations that publicly share their mission statements, tax documents, and financial priorities. The dollar you donate to them may not entirely be devoted to an immediate priority, but it could still help if you’re aligned with their values.

CEW insists that even so, overhead-heavy spending is wasteful when so many shelters are struggling. And because many local shelters share similar names — often “SPCA” or “Humane Society” — donors can easily assume affiliation that doesn’t exist.

“Many donors are shocked to learn their money funds lobbying and PR campaigns,” Hubbard says. “That disconnect is why barely half of Americans say they trust nonprofits. Donors deserve transparency, and shelter pets deserve better.”

Caveat donor

For potential donors, the takeaway is clear: Do your homework.

Local organizations make a visible difference in their communities. National groups can drive lasting change through advocacy, research, and education. The key is to be informed about each organization’s priorities and financial practices.

As the Better Business Bureau argues, this means ignoring emotional appeals and vague mission statements in favor of verified financial data and independent accreditation.

HWA, says West, is all for such transparency. “We would encourage anyone who is considering supporting us to look at our Form 990s,” she says, adding:

We do a pretty extensive annual report that outlines what our supporters’ donations have made possible. We’re very active in communicating what we’re working on. Anyone who subscribes to our social media, emails, or blog will know. We have a robust volunteer program that allows people to work side by side and see where their donations support. Our YouTube channel shows our staffers in action. Those are good first steps for members of the public trying to make an informed decision about what organizations to support.

Both HWA and the ASPCA meet all 20 of the BBB’s accountability standards.

And while CharityWatch has given both HWA (see above screenshot) and the ASPCA low marks for financial efficiency, Charity Navigator currently awards both organizations four-star ratings, with scores of 99% for the ASPCA and 98% for HWA.

​Aspca, Humane society, Humane world for animals, Center for the environment and welfare, Charitywatch, Charity navigator, Lifestyle, Caveat emptor, Animal welfare, Investigation 

Parts of America, like Portland and Chicago, now resemble occupied territory. Progressive city governments have surrendered control to street militias, leaving citizens, journalists, and even federal officers to face violent anarchists without protection.

Take Portland, where Antifa has terrorized the city for more than 100 consecutive nights. Federal officers trying to keep order face nightly assaults while local officials do nothing. Independent journalists, such as Nick Sortor, have even been arrested for documenting the chaos. Sortor and Blaze News reporter Julio Rosas later testified at the White House about Antifa’s violence — testimony that corporate media outlets buried.

Antifa is organized, funded, and emboldened.

Chicago offers the same grim picture. Federal agents have been stalked, ambushed, and denied backup from local police while under siege from mobs. Calls for help went unanswered, putting lives in danger. This is more than disorder; it is open defiance of federal authority and a violation of the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.

A history of violence

For years, the legacy media and left-wing think tanks have portrayed Antifa as “decentralized” and “leaderless.” The opposite is true. Antifa is organized, disciplined, and well-funded. Groups like Rose City Antifa in Oregon, the Elm Fork John Brown Gun Club in Texas, and Jane’s Revenge operate as coordinated street militias. Legal fronts such as the National Lawyers Guild provide protection, while crowdfunding networks and international supporters funnel money directly to the movement.

The claim that Antifa lacks structure is a convenient myth — one that’s cost Americans dearly.

History reminds us what happens when mobs go unchecked. The French Revolution, Weimar Germany, Mao’s Red Guards — every one began with chaos on the streets. But it wasn’t random. Today’s radicals follow the same playbook: Exploit disorder, intimidate opponents, and seize moral power while the state looks away.

Dismember the dragon

The Trump administration’s decision to designate Antifa a domestic terrorist organization was long overdue. The label finally acknowledged what citizens already knew: Antifa functions as a militant enterprise, recruiting and radicalizing youth for coordinated violence nationwide.

But naming the threat isn’t enough. The movement’s financiers, organizers, and enablers must also face justice. Every dollar that funds Antifa’s destruction should be traced, seized, and exposed.

RELATED: Inside the Portland ICE facility under siege by Antifa extremists

Photo by NATALIE BEHRING/AFP via Getty Images

This fight transcends party lines. It’s not about left versus right; it’s about civilization versus anarchy. When politicians and judges excuse or ignore mob violence, they imperil the republic itself. Americans must reject silence and cowardice while street militias operate with impunity.

Antifa is organized, funded, and emboldened. The violence in Portland and Chicago is deliberate, not spontaneous. If America fails to confront it decisively, the price won’t just be broken cities — it will be the erosion of the republic itself.

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, Antifa, Antifascist, Anti fascist, Leftism, Left wing violence, Left wing extremism, Extremism, Portland, Chicago, Law and order, Political violence, Coward, Ice, Immigration and customs enforcement, Mao, French revolution, Domestic terrorism 

Residents of a Milwaukee neighborhood are haunted by the death of an elderly woman in her backyard allegedly at the hands of her mentally ill daughter.

Carrie Zettel, 64, called police at about 2 p.m. Sunday to report that her daughter was being violent, according to a search warrant. When police arrived, they found Zettel dead.

‘The girl should have been stopped years ago, and I don’t understand why. And that angers me.’

“It happened in the backyard, and she beat her mother to death with a rock,” said a family friend named Susan Henderson-Hoffmann.

A criminal complaint said that police found a rock weighing about 4 pounds and stained with blood near the body. Her body had been covered with a blanket.

The search warranted identified the suspect as 29-year-old Lauren Spors, the daughter of Zettel.

The mother obtained a restraining order against Spors in 2018 after saying she was fearful of her daughter and her mental issues. Spors then allegedly violated the order four times but was found incompetent each time and was not prosecuted.

The fourth time, she allegedly violated the order by throwing a rock through Zettel’s double-paned window. She was sent to a county mental health facility, but public records did not indicate how long she was held.

“I cannot believe Carrie is gone, but you want to know something? I’m not surprised,” Henderson-Hoffmann said. “The girl should have been stopped years ago, and I don’t understand why. And that angers me.”

The restraining order expired in 2022.

RELATED: Man shot and killed couple out of jealousy and then did something evil to their 1-year-old child, police say

Spors was charged with first-degree intentional homicide.

“I am really having a hard time dealing with this. I am not going to lie to you guys. I knew her my whole life,” Henderson-Hoffmann added.

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​Lauren spors, Milwaukee murder, Daughter kills mother, Crime, Carrie zettel death 

President Donald Trump said that a very wealthy person offered to pay the wages for the military troops if the government shutdown continued.

The president made the comments to reporters on Tuesday as he sat next to Argentine President Javier Milei at the White House.

‘This is a position that is being forced upon us by Democrats.’

“I actually have a man who is a very wealthy person … who called — a donor, a great gentleman. And he said, ‘If there’s any money necessary, shortfall for the paying of the troops, then I will pay it,’ meaning he will pay it,” the president said. “How about that?”

But Trump said he refused the offer.

“I said, ‘Look, we’re not going to need it. We’re going to take care of our troops,'” he added. “But this was a position that’s being forced upon us by Democrats.”

Video of the president’s statement was widely circulated on social media.

Trump said in a post on Truth Social Saturday that the administration was seeking alternate methods to pay the troops.

“If nothing is done, because of ‘Leader’ Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th,” he posted. “That is why I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th.”

Department of Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem posted on social media that she had secured funding to pay the U.S. Coast Guard.

“While Democrats have played politics with military pay to fight for illegal aliens, the US Coast Guard has been defending our maritime borders, stopping the flow of deadly narcotics and illegal immigration into our country, and countering America’s adversaries around the world,” she said in part.

RELATED: Mass firings to begin ‘in a day or two’ over government shutdown, Trump official says

“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and the One Big Beautiful Bill,” Noem added, “the brave men and women of the US Coast Guard will not miss a paycheck this week as they continue to carry out their critical homeland security and military missions.”

Meanwhile, the Office of Management and Budget has reported that the federal government has laid off more than 4,000 employees during the shutdown.

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​Trump, Troop pay, Government shutdown, Wealthy gentleman, Politics 

A Florida judge granted a restraining order petition Tuesday against Republican Rep. Cory Mills of Florida after a woman accused him of threatening to release compromising videos of her.

The restraining order was issued by a court in Columbia County, according to documents reviewed by Blaze News.

The judge found that some of Mills’ testimony was ‘difficult to comprehend and for the most part incomprehensible.’

An American beauty queen told Blaze News that she was in a romantic relationship with Mills for more than three years. Lindsey Langston, who was named Miss United States last October, said she began the secret relationship after meeting him in Nov. 2021. He told her he was going through bitter divorce proceedings, she claimed.

Langston said Mills threatened to release private and compromising images of her after she tried to end their relationship earlier this year.

“Get me his number and I can send him videos. Take care,” Mills allegedly wrote in a text that was reviewed by Blaze News.

“Am I gonna wake up one day to videos of us having sex on social media?” she said to Blaze News. “Because I know he has them, and he’s put it in writing.”

RELATED: Miss United States accuses Rep. Cory Mills of sextortion, accepting ‘money bags’

Photo by Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel

She first filed a report about the alleged threats in July to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and later spoke with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The judge found that some of Mills’ testimony was “difficult to comprehend and for the most part incomprehensible.”

At one point, Mills tried to explain that the texts were sent in the context of people raised in the country.

“I grew up in the country,” Mills said. “You know, I grew up hunting and fishing in Perry and Mayo and things like that. We grew up with subsequently the same backgrounds. … We used to talk about how country folk are a little bit different than those up North.”

Blaze News reached out to Langston’s attorney for comment. A request for comment from Mills’ office was not immediately answered.

RELATED: Rep. Cory Mills gives wild explanation for messages to Miss United States as hearing ends in frustration

Photo by Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel

The congressman has been hounded by numerous scandals and controversies, including allegations of stolen valor as well as ties to an extremist Islamist cleric.

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​Cory mills, Restraining order, Sextortion accusations, Dating violence, Politics 

While watching the National Football League this week — which has announced that it will be platforming Bad Bunny as the star of the Super Bowl halftime show — BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock tuned in to the commercials and noticed something a little strange.

“What’s up with all the gay commercials during NFL games?” he asks.

The first commercial Whitlock cites is a PayPal commercial featuring actor Will Ferrell, who’s donning curlers and sitting in a bubble bath blowing bubbles.

Ferrell’s mannerisms are not only feminine, but in the commercial he talks in a high-pitched voice, yelling when someone knocks on the bathroom door and saying that this is “my time.”

And a DirectTV commercial features actors Kumail Nanjiani and Rob McElhenney wearing massive fur coats and excessive jewelry, sitting close together on a couch.

In a different version of the same commercial, Whitlock says it shows one man reaching between the legs of the other man to grab the remote.

“What are we doing?” Whitlock asks. “And you’re wondering why the NFL has booked Bad Bunny for the Super Bowl halftime, this promotion of gender fluidity, this promotion of the LGBTQIA+ silent P crowd. It’s all over their advertising.”

“What are we doing?” he asks again, answering, “And it’s clear as day what we’re doing. They want fathers and sons, fathers and children sitting on the couch, sitting in the living room, sitting in their man caves, watching football with their sons. And they want the sons and daughters to ask, ‘What’s that?’”

“They want that question. They’re trying to force that conversation on all parents and all kids. And they’re going to promote that at the Super Bowl with this Bad Bunny gimmick. Can we just watch football without getting the gay thing shoved down our throat? Could we just watch football without the sexual stuff shoved down our throat?” he asks.

“It’s unnecessary, and it’s intentional,” he adds.

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President Donald Trump posthumously awarded Charlie Kirk the highest civilian honor following his horrific assassination on a college campus in September.

Trump honored Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday, the day that would have been the conservative activist’s 32nd birthday. Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow, accepted the award at the White House Tuesday afternoon on his behalf.

‘You have given him the best birthday gift he could ever have.’

“Five weeks ago, our nation was robbed of this extraordinary champion,” Trump said during the address.

“It was a horrible, heinous, demonic act of murder,” Trump added. “He was assassinated in the prime of his life for boldly speaking the truth. … He loved this country. And that’s why, this afternoon, it’s my privilege to posthumously award Charles James Kirk our nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”

RELATED: Dozens of ‘morally bankrupt’ Democrats vote against condemning Charlie Kirk’s assassination

Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images

Erika also addressed the crowd, which was packed with friends and former colleagues of Kirk’s, including Blaze Media’s own Glenn Beck. Through tears, Erika remembered her late husband and expressed gratitude to the president and his administration.

“I have spent seven and a half years trying to find the perfect birthday gift for Charlie. … But now I can say with confidence, Mr. President, that you have given him the best birthday gift he could ever have,” Erika said.

Erika also shared her optimistic vision for the future, encouraging younger generations to carry on Kirk’s legacy.

“You are the heartbeat of this future and this movement. … You’re living proof that his mission did not die with him,” Erika said.

RELATED: Democrats feign outrage as Trump administration shutdown layoffs hit: ‘They seem to be enjoying it’

Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Kirk was horrifically assassinated on the Utah Valley University campus on September 10 on the first stop of his highly anticipated college campus tour. Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA, has frequently been credited with swaying the election in Trump’s favor in 2024 because of his gift of coalition-building with demographics that don’t traditionally vote red, particularly with young voters.

“We won more young people than any Republican candidate in the history of our country, including, for the first time, a majority of males under 30. Can you believe it?” Trump said during Kirk’s memorial service.

“We did unbelievably with young people, and he was a big, big factor,” Trump said of Kirk. “Unbelievable. But he made me work for it. … But we did it, and we won.”

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​Charlie kirk, White house, Trump administration, Presidential medal of freedom, Donald trump, Charlie kirk assassination, Utah valley university, 2024 election, Young voters, Andrew kolvet, Turning point usa, Erika kirk, Politics 

Free-speech activists praised a veto from Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom of a law that would have fined social media companies for controversial speech made on their platforms.

The Democrat-controlled state legislature passed Senate Bill 771 in the hope of giving the state the power to punish speech it deemed offensive or hateful. Critics warned that the law would lead to the state infringing on free-speech rights.

‘Our first step should be to determine if, and to what extent, existing civil rights laws are sufficient to address violations perpetrated through algorithms.’

On Tuesday, Newsom said the law was premature in his veto announcement.

“I am returning Senate Bill 771 without my signature. This bill seeks to hold social media platforms liable for algorithms that relay content violating specified California civil rights laws to their users,” the governor wrote.

“I support the author’s goal of ensuring that our nation-leading civil rights laws apply equally both online and offline,” he continued. “I likewise share the author’s concern about the growth of discriminatory threats, violence, and coercive harassment online. I am concerned, however, that this bill is premature. Our first step should be to determine if, and to what extent, existing civil rights laws are sufficient to address violations perpetrated through algorithms. To the extent our laws prove inadequate, they should be bolstered at that time.”

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression praised the governor’s decision.

“Today, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed SB 771, a bill that would have had a profound chilling effect over online expression,” reads a statement from FIRE on social media. “We are grateful that the governor chose to protect free speech instead of setting California on the path to a losing battle against the First Amendment and Section 230.”

RELATED: Gavin Newsom vetoes controversial bill to give illegal aliens up to $150K to buy home in California

Other groups, like the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, said the bill would have punished speech against Israel while shutting down minority speech.

“SB 771 masquerades as a bill against ‘algorithmic harms’ but in practice it will fine platforms for hosting criticism of Israel while real hate speech flourishes unchecked,” the ADC wrote on social media. “Who gets silenced? Marginalized voices. Palestinians, Black communities, Indigenous activists, immigrants — the very people already under surveillance and suppression online.”

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In another man-on-the-street-style interview, Don Lemon has proven yet again that he is devoid of common sense on the topic of illegal immigration — telling a woman mid-interview that crossing the border illegally is “not a criminal act.”

“It’s a misdemeanor,” he added.

The woman, surprised, asked, “So why are they being sent back and saying that they’re breaking the law?”

“That’s the point,” Lemon responded, before doubling down on a misdemeanor not being a criminal act.

“So why charge at all, then, if it’s not a criminal act?” she asked.

“Because we have different levels of crime. Everything is not the same,” Lemon answered.

“So it is crime,” she shot back.

“He’s confused himself now,” BlazeTV host Pat Gray says on “Pat Gray Unleashed.”

“He thinks that because he’s talking to a black woman in Chicago, she’s going to be on his side. That’s the kind of idiot he is, because he’s not exposed to anything but his own little world where he hates Donald Trump and everything Trump does,” Gray says.

“He’s not aware of the fact, I’ll bet you, that so many of these Chicago residents are fed up to here with all this nonsense. They don’t want illegal aliens taking their jobs. They don’t want them in our country,” he continues.

In the interview, Lemon continues doubling down on the idea that crossing the border illegally is not a crime, while the woman and another man that he’s interviewing grow more insistent that it is.

“You’re breaking the rules, but you’re not necessarily breaking a law,” Lemon argued, and when asked what happens if you break the rules, he answered, “You suffer the consequences.”

“No one is saying no one should suffer the consequences. You guys are getting things mixed up,” he added.

Gray is shocked, commenting, “Don, you’ve lost.”

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Frustration is mounting among federal workers as the government shutdown begins its second week. However, the Trump administration has found a way to continue paying a vital part of the government: the military.

With payday for the military looming on Wednesday and no end to the government shutdown in sight, Trump announced that the Department of War would be pulling extra funds to pay servicemen and women.

‘I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown.’

Trump blamed the Democrats in Congress for the shutdown after nearly two weeks of leaders refusing to come to the table to pass a clean CR bill.

“If nothing is done, because of ‘Leader’ Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th. That is why I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th. We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS,” Trump said in a Saturday Truth Social post.

RELATED: ‘PAY OUR TROOPS’: Trump unveils creative solution to minimize military’s shutdown pain

Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images

“I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown,” Trump continued.

Asked for more information regarding Trump’s announcement, a Department of War official told Blaze News, “The president has directed the secretary of war to use available funds to pay service members on October 15. The Department of War has identified approximately $8 billion of unobligated research development testing and evaluation funds (RDTE) from the prior fiscal year that will be used to issue mid-month paychecks to service members in the event the funding lapse continues past October 15. We will provide more information as it becomes available.”

Asked for comment, the White House referred Blaze News to the Office of Management and Budget. An OMB spokesperson confirmed the plan, saying, “The military will be paid using pots of R&D money available at DOW for two years.”

On Tuesday, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson expressed his confidence in the president’s funding plan. He said that Democrats have threatened to challenge the move in court.

“Are Democrats suggesting they want to go to court to STOP PAYCHECKS from being issued to our troops?! BRING IT ON!” Johnson said on X. “I’m grateful for a Commander in Chief who is prioritizing the brave men and women serving in our military — even while Democrats are working and VOTING REPEATEDLY to BLOCK their hard-earned pay.”

Without this move by the Department of War and President Trump, the military’s pay would likely be suspended with back pay until an appropriations bill is passed. A major piece of legislation, the Antideficiency Act, bars agencies from spending money when it has not been appropriated by Congress.

GovFacts succinctly explains the “central paradox” of the government shutdown as it relates to military spending: “The [Antideficiency Act’s] emergency exception legally requires active-duty service members to keep working to protect the nation. But the ADA’s core prohibition forbids the government from obligating funds to pay their salaries without an appropriation.”

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The Supreme Court has closed the curtain on the last opportunity for Alex Jones to try to escape paying a $1.4 billion judgment to the families of the horrific Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

A group of parents and a first responder sued the popular Infowars talk show host after he suggested that the shooting may have been a hoax orchestrated to help push extreme gun control laws. The 15 plaintiffs won a judgment in 2022 that awarded them $965 million in damages. A judge later added $473 million in punitive damages.

‘And like that, it’s finally, finally over.’

The court offered no explanation with their denial of the appeal.

Attorneys for Jones argued that the judgment unfairly punished Jones for statements made by his listeners and breached his First Amendment right to free speech.

“The result is a financial death penalty by fiat imposed on a media defendant whose broadcasts reach millions,” they wrote in the petition for appeal.

Attorney Matt Blumenthal, who was on the team representing the Sandy Hook families, applauded the decision by the Supreme Court.

“And like that, it’s finally, finally over,” Blumenthal wrote on social media.

“SCOTUS denied Alex Jones’s last-ditch, baseless appeal, upholding our $1 billion+ verdict against him and Infowars on behalf of Sandy Hook families and a first responder,” he added. “Judgment is FINAL. Good day for justice. Bad day for Alex Jones.”

Jones has declared bankruptcy and thus far avoided paying anything to the families.

RELATED: Alex Jones makes revealing comments about Trump in leaked video: ‘I’m sick of it!’

Twenty elementary school children and six educators were murdered in the Sandy Hook attack in 2012.

“Was hard to imagine this day 7+ years ago when I filed the first of these cases. Our courageous clients’ long quest for justice is definitively won. No greater honor than fighting for them,” Blumenthal added.

Blaze News reached out to Jones for comment.

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The Catholic Church holds that the Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life” in which Jesus Christ is substantially present. It appears, however, that for Antifa-championing retired priest Larry Dowling and a handful of other clergymen, the Eucharist might double also as a political prop.

Dowling, who appears to spend much of his retirement pushing leftist propaganda on social media, led a Eucharistic procession on Saturday from St. Eulalia Church, where pro-abortion activist Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) spouted off about immigration, toward the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility near Chicago in Broadview, Illinois.

The processing facility in Broadview has been heavily targeted in recent weeks by radicals critical of the Trump administration’s faithful enforcement of federal immigration law. As as result, additional security supports have been implemented, including extra fencing.

‘A procession through the public streets is to be held as a public witness of veneration toward the Most Holy Eucharist.’

In footage of the political procession, Dowling can be seen leading a gaggle of photographers and holding a monstrance, the container meant to hold the Eucharist, in the faces of state police while asking for access to the facility. It is unclear whether the monstrance contained a consecrated host at the time.

Footage also shows a supposed nun and others giving political speeches in front of an altar temporarily erected near the facility.

An expert on canon law who spoke to Blaze News on the condition of anonymity indicated that “this seems completely inappropriate.”

RELATED: Outrage ensues when 13-year-old is arrested by ICE — then DHS releases devastating accusations

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

The 1983 Code of Canon Law provides that “when it can be done in the judgment of the diocesan bishop, a procession through the public streets is to be held as a public witness of veneration toward the Most Holy Eucharist.”

The expert noted further that while canon law holds that “it is for the diocesan bishop to establish regulations [ordinationes] which provide for the participation in and the dignity of processions,” “it remains completely inappropriate” to use the Eucharist as a prop.

‘The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership exploited this holy event for political purposes, thus trivializing, if not defaming, its raison d’être.’

David Inczauskis, a Jesuit priest who served as the master of ceremonies, acknowledged that the procession was organized by the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership, a grant-reliant anti-ICE outfit that provides training on how foreign nationals can evade federal immigration and authorities and is committed to transforming “racial, economic, social and environmental structures.”

Blaze News has reached out to Dowling, Inczauskis, and Cardinal Blase Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago for comment.

Dr. Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, said in a statement to Blaze News:

The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership is a left-wing advocacy organization whose mission statement says nothing about Christianity or Catholicism. More revealing is what it flags on its website — a strong commitment to merging “Liberation Theology & Community Organizing.” Liberation theology is a curious admixture of Marxism and Christianity, and in practice it has done more to oppress than liberate the masses in developing countries. As such it is bizarre to learn that this radical entity held a Eucharistic procession to a migrant detention center in Illinois, a facility run by ICE.

It appears that the participants in this political procession were keen on shaming federal agents and securing a photo opportunity — and judging from the event’s recent coverage in publications such as the leftist blog Common Dreams, WBBM-TV, and the propaganda outfit MeidasTouch, the radicals got at least half of what they wanted.

“Eucharistic processions are a decidedly solemn event whereby the Blessed Sacrament is carried out of a church and into the streets; many Catholic parishes conduct such a procession on the feast of Corpus Christ, the body of Christ,” continued Donohue. “What Catholics do not do is exploit Eucharistic processions to advance a partisan agenda.”

“Quite frankly, the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership exploited this holy event for political purposes, thus trivializing, if not defaming, its raison d’être,” added Donohue.

In addition to potentially using Holy Communion as a prop, the protesters subsequently did their best to push a false narrative.

Dowling said in a statement on Facebook, “We went to pray and have a few of us clergy and religious women bring Holy Communion and the love of the Christian community to the men and women detained there under inhumane conditions.”

The retired priest claimed that when the processionists allegedly asked to administer Holy Communion to the detainees inside the facility, “the answer came back very clearly: NO, YOU CANNOT BRING A HINT OF COMPASSION AND PRAYER INTO THIS PLACE! NO, YOU CANNOT OFFER ANY SOLACE TO THE MEN AND WOMEN FEARFUL AND SUFFERING INSIDE! NO, YOU CANNOT BRING JESUS, THE SON OF GOD, THE LOVE OF GOD INTO THIS PLACE!”

RELATED: Anti-ICE protest in Portland takes ugly turn when naked cyclists show up

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

“Yesterday, we witnessed another level of evil,” claimed Inczauskis. “Not only are migrants being torn away from their families and friends. They are also being torn away from their religious communities. ICE is severing the Body of Christ.”

Contrary to the narrative advanced by Dowling and Inczauskis, the Department of Homeland Security indicated to Blaze News that compassion was precisely why ICE couldn’t immediately oblige the processionists’ last-minute request for entry.

“Over the past month, rioters have swarmed the Broadview ICE facility and Chicago streets. They have assaulted law enforcement, attacked law enforcement with vehicles, thrown tear gas cans, slashed tires of cars, been arrested with firearms in their possession, blocked the entrance of the building, and trespassed on private property,” said a DHS official. “Our ICE staff informed the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership that the Broadview processing center was not able to accommodate visitors on such short notice, for their safety as well as that of detainees and staff, and due to the ensuing riots.”

The official noted further that “as ICE law enforcement has seen a surge in assaults, disruptions, and obstructions to enforcement, including by politicians themselves, any requests to tour processing centers and field offices must be approved by the Secretary of Homeland Security.”

Such requests should be filed a week in advance to “prevent interference with the President’s Article II authority to oversee executive department functions,” added the official.

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​Faith, Religion, Catholic, Christian, Ice, Broadview, Illinois, Dick durbin, Cupich, Larry dowling, Jesus christ, Consubstantiation, Holy communion, Sacrament, Immigration, Illegal alien, Politics 

President Donald Trump will fulfill his promise to give Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday, the day that marks the late conservative leader’s 32nd birthday.

On September 11, President Trump announced that he would award Kirk the Medal of Freedom. Kirk was assassinated on September 10 while holding an event at Utah Valley University.

While announcing the award, Trump called Kirk “a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty, and an inspiration to millions and millions of people.” Kirk was known as a leading advocate of free speech and open debate, with his open-mic conversations on college campuses across the country drawing large crowds.

Trump and Kirk were close allies. Kirk used his organizations Turning Point USA and Turning Point Action to mobilize voters for the 2020 and 2024 elections. His efforts have been credited as instrumental in reshaping the GOP and helping Trump return to the White House. President Trump traveled to Phoenix to deliver remarks at Kirk’s memorial service on September 21.

RELATED: Charlie Kirk’s death revealed the kingdoms colliding in America

Photo by Melissa Majchrzak / Contributor via Getty Images

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest award the United States can bestow on a civilian. Previous recipients include William F. Buckley Jr., Milton Friedman, and Rush Limbaugh. Kirk’s medal will be presented to his widow, Erika. Kirk’s two children are also expected to attend, as is Vice President JD Vance — a longtime friend and ally of Kirk. The ceremony will take place in the White House Rose Garden.

You can watch the ceremony below:

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Despite warnings from the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services, one liberal state is still defying federal orders.

Since February, the Donald Trump administration has required a return to normalcy through the presidential action titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” After many public battles with left-leaning states — including Maine, which recently passed a law banning men from women’s sports — one standout midwestern state is still refusing to comply.

The federal actions feel like ‘retribution against a state that is proud of its defense of communities that have been marginalized.’

After the Office for Civil Rights and HHS announced the Minnesota Department of Education and its high schools were in violation of Title IX, the federal government offered a resolution that would require the state to revise gender guidance, mandate Title IX compliance, and adopt “biology-based definitions,” among other terms.

However, the state is now openly stating that it actually has no statement at all.

As reported by the Minnesota Star Tribune, Minnesota Solicitor General Liz Kramer sent a letter to the Trump administration stating that it would not offer a “substantive response” to federal demands due to a lack of clarity surrounding the government shutdown.

The solicitor general reportedly added that “if the federal government intends to follow the law, it would need to follow an extensive, multi-step administrative process before any federal funding to Minnesota education programs or activities could ever be terminated.”

RELATED: Transgender softball player gets reality check after dominating female opponents all season

Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

White House assistant press secretary Liz Houston issued a statement in response to Minnesota’s claims on Friday.

“While Minnesota officials continue to intentionally endanger female athletes with their radical embrace of gender ideology, President Trump is committed to restoring commonsense policies and keeping men out of women’s sports,” Houston said.

At the same time, school board members from across the state have issued statements in support of keeping boys in girls’ sports. For example, St. Louis Park School Board member Sarah Davis said there exists a “need to be standing up for transgender children, especially right now when they are under attack.”

Rachel Hartland from the Hopkins District School Board said the federal actions feel like “retribution against a state that is proud of its defense of communities that have been marginalized.”

The school board member added that the letter she signed was a symbol of her willingness to “stand up for each other and our kids against anyone, including the federal government.”

RELATED: Transgender state rep defends boys playing in girls’ sports — immediately gets proven wrong by male athlete

Photo by Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images

Minnesota has been in the national spotlight regarding this issue for quite some time. Specifically, a male baseball player dominating female athletes in softball has garnered widespread attention.

Charlie Rothenberger, who goes by “Marissa,” is a 6-foot male athlete who has dominated the sport over the last two years and unsurprisingly led his team to a state championship in 2025.

Minnesota state Rep. Leigh Finke (D), a male that purports to be transgender, defended the idea of boys playing in girls’ sports while Rothenberger’s team was in the playoffs in early June.

“Trans girls are girls,” Finke said at the time. “They deserve the right to play sports and engage in physical wellness activities, just like every other child growing up in our beloved state.”

Hours later, Rothenberger pitched a complete game and had two doubles to send his team to the state finals.

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Actor George Clooney says his children have a much better life growing up in France than they would have in Hollywood.

Clooney moved his family to France in 2024, taking root in Cotignac, a village in the southeast.

‘I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life.’

After years of activism in the United States and abroad, Clooney revealed in an interview with Esquire that he did not want to raise his kids immersed in Hollywood culture, with their heads buried in technology and trying to avoid paparazzi.

“Yeah, we’re very lucky,” he told the outlet. “You know, we live on a farm in France. A good portion of my life growing up was on a farm, and as a kid I hated the whole idea of it. But now, for them, it’s like — they’re not on their iPads, you know? They have dinner with grown-ups and have to take their dishes in.”

The interview with Clooney was painted as a majestic refuge for a star looking for a simple life, living on a farm with hundreds of acres of sprawling grapevines and olive trees, driving his kids around on a tractor.

“They have a much better life,” Clooney continued. “I was worried about raising our kids in L.A., in the culture of Hollywood. I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life. France — they kind of don’t give a s**t about fame. I don’t want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don’t want them being compared to somebody else’s famous kids.”

Clooney’s exodus from L.A. begs the question: Where in the world is a more progressive, Democrat-led landscape than California? The actor’s history of activism would suggest he should feel right at home under Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).

RELATED: ‘F**k you!’ Hunter Biden explodes over deportations in interview about his dad, immigration, and George Clooney

VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images

The tip of the iceberg is Clooney’s endorsement, and then retraction of support, for President Biden in 2024. Perhaps a condemnation from former first son Hunter Biden was enough for Clooney to want to permanently check out, but that was not exactly his first rodeo in politics.

Clooney was pictured sitting with then-Vice President Biden in 2009 before claiming that electing him as president in 2020 would be a “return to civility.”

In 2012, Clooney and his father were arrested and released at a Washington, D.C., protest against alleged human rights abuses in Sudan by its government.

In 2020, Clooney and his and wife, Amal, donated $500,000 to the Equal Justice Initiative following George Floyd’s death during the infamous “Summer of Love.” The organization claimed at the time that the “United States did not commit to racial equality, [and] slavery did not end in 1865.”

In their statements regarding policing in America, the group urged the country to “reimagine public safety and community health, reallocate funds from traditional policing to services that promote public safety and more effectively address the conditions that create poverty, inequality, and community distress.”

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Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty Images

Citing his father’s insistence that it was his “civic duty” to stand up to bullies and racists, Clooney told People in 2020 that he felt he was in the same situation with his kids.

“I’m in the same situation as most fathers of 3-year-olds: I don’t want my children when they’re 15 years old to turn around and say, ‘There was a time when they were putting kids in cages? … And what did you do about that?'” Clooney boldly claimed.

“And if the answer is ‘nothing,’ then I would be ashamed,” he said.

In 2019, Clooney continued his activism on behalf of Sudan, connecting it to a need for action against climate change.

“Global warming is making the desert larger; violence is moving people off the land — and they are moving by the millions,” he told CNN. “You care not just because it is the right thing to do, which it is, but because at one point or another, it is something that we will be dealing with,” he claimed.

While the Clooneys call France their current home, they still own a villa in Italy, a home outside London, and residences in L.A. and New York City, according to Yahoo.

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