Suspected provocateur specifically stated, ‘We’re here to storm the capitol. I’m not kidding.’ In a new mini-documentary diving into Jan. 6, investigative journalist Lara Logan [more…]
‘He is no victim’: Sister of man shot by Border Patrol in Arizona tells anti-ICE protesters to stop defending him
While many on the left expressed outrage at the shooting reported near the U.S.-Mexico border by federal agents, the sister of the man shot says he’s “no victim.”
Very few details were initially available when the shooting 10 miles from the border was reported on Tuesday. One person was shot at about 7:30 a.m. and was in serious but stable condition.
‘He is no victim. He is a violent person. That’s who he always has been.’
The man was later identified as 34-year-old Patrick Gary Schlegel. Police said he had an active warrant for human trafficking when he was stopped and that two men rushed out of his truck after he drove away.
He eventually ran out of the truck and fired gunshots in the direction of a police helicopter pursuing him, which led to his getting shot and being injured in the leg and head.
Amber Schlegel, the man’s sister, told KOLD-TV Wednesday that he had placed many people in danger through his actions.
“To hear that he’s back running illegals again didn’t surprise me, but to hear that he actually fired at federal agents — that took me by surprise,” she said. “He is no victim. He is a violent person. That’s who he always has been.”
She said that she had already sought a protection order against him when he threatened her for speaking out against him.
“He’s where he should be,” she added. “Whether he recovers or not, he needs to be locked up for a very long time.”
Police said they found a handgun, a .45 pistol, and a cell phone in Schlegel’s possession.
The two men who were in his truck allegedly told police that they had paid Schlegel to bring them across the border. One claimed to have paid $8,000, while the other said he paid him $14,000.
The man is charged with assault on a federal officer and had many other previous run-ins with the law.
“Schlegel has a significant criminal history to include an active federal arrest warrant issued in 2025 by the U.S. Marshals Service for escape related to a previous smuggling conviction,” said Heith Janke, FBI special agent in charge in Phoenix.
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Border patrol shooting, Arivaca border shooting, Patrick gary schlegel, Human smuggler shot at border, Politics
Pipe-bomb prosecutors ‘reckless’ for insinuating Brian Cole’s family was involved, attorney says
The defense team for Jan. 6 D.C. pipe-bomb suspect Brian Cole Jr. accused the U.S. Department of Justice of being “reckless” by insinuating that Cole’s sister and grandmother were somehow involved in the crime.
Defense attorney J. Alex Little filed an 11-page rebuttal of the DOJ’s recent 39-page opposition memo, which seeks to prevent Cole’s release from jail pending trial.
‘It is an unjustified deprivation of liberty.’
Oral arguments on the question were held before U.S. District Judge Amir Ali on Jan. 28. The judge said he would issue a ruling later. On Jan. 16, Judge Ali denied an emergency motion for Cole’s release from custody. The judge set a status hearing for Feb. 27.
Cole was arrested Dec. 4 on a criminal complaint alleging that he planted pipe bombs behind the Democratic National Committee building and near the Republican National Committee building between 7:54 p.m. and 8:16 p.m. on Jan. 5, 2021. In January 2026, he was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with two explosives-related crimes.
‘Resorts to insinuation’
Near the end of its Jan. 23 memo opposing Cole’s release from jail pending trial, the DOJ mentioned that Cole’s sister texted her mother that she was going into D.C. on Jan. 5, 2021. Brittany Cole texted her mother that her grandmother cautioned her there could be protests.
“Unable to identify an actual, present threat, the government resorts to insinuation. It closes its response by suggesting that Mr. Cole’s sister and grandmother may have been involved in the charged conduct,” Little wrote.
“Its proof? Text messages showing that Mr. Cole’s sister — a club promoter who frequently works in Washington D.C. — told her mother she was going to the city, and that her grandmother had warned it might be crowded,” he wrote.
The DOJ memo also mentioned that Cole sent texts to his mother in the days leading up to Jan. 6. There was no mention of the content of those messages. Little said this reference baselessly suggested something nefarious.
A federal grand jury charged Brian Cole Jr. with two explosives-related charges, alleging he planted pipe bombs on Capitol Hill on Jan. 5, 2021. FBI, Prince William County photos
The DOJ said Cole’s sister texted their mother at 4:17 p.m. Jan. 5, writing: “I’m going to dc…Grams said it may be crazy out there so I was just letting you know.” The sister “sent a text message to the defendant a few hours earlier, at approximately 12:39 p.m. on Jan. 5,” the DOJ memo read.
“That is not evidence of involvement. Nor is it evidence of dangerousness,” Little countered. “It is family checking in with each other. The government’s decision to publicly imply, with no factual basis, that these private citizens are connected to domestic terrorism is reckless and reveals how little actual evidence it has that Mr. Cole poses a continuing danger.”
Brittany Cole provided an affidavit on Jan. 27 stating that her job as a concert promoter took her to D.C. that afternoon and that her trip had nothing to do with Jan. 6 or the crimes her brother is accused of.
‘Unable to identify an actual, present threat, the government resorts to insinuation.’
“As part of my work, I routinely had meetings and would attend events in the Washington D.C. area,” she wrote. “I attended these meetings and events as a networking event for my work and the nightclubs I marketed before.”
Tim Lauer, director of external affairs at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, told Blaze News, “When a defendant claims he should be released into the custody of his family, there will inevitably be a court discussion about the appropriateness of that release.”
For nearly a month, the two sides in the pipe-bombs case have argued whether Cole should be held behind bars until trial. The government insists that Cole is so dangerous that no combination of supervision or monitoring could adequately protect the public.
The DOJ said Cole had purchased other items besides the alleged bomb-making components used for the pipe bombs. This included a pressure cooker on July 25, 2020, a funnel and canning jar on Jan. 28, 2021, nails on Feb. 10, 2021, four alarm clocks and duct tape on March 28, 2020, and three analog wristwatches in 2020 and 2021.
Little said the pressure cooker was purchased to cook meals and was not some kind of bomb component.
“Mr. Cole explained during his interrogation that he bought it for the house for cooking, and there is no evidence it has ever been used for anything else,” Little wrote, noting that “millions of Americans own pressure cookers.”
Police walked right past DNC pipe bomb to first look under a bush where bomber sat 17 hours earlier. Photos by U.S. Capitol Police
“The government’s inclusion of this item in a list of purported ‘bomb-making components’ is the kind of innuendo that pervades its argument — suggestive without context but unsupported by any actual evidence,” Little said.
In numerous filings with the court, the DOJ said Cole “used beaker sets to conduct another science experiment to create potassium chlorate,” a chemical “oxidizing agent commonly used in explosives.” This experiment was done sometime after Jan. 5, the DOJ said.
Little said the DOJ “has the timeline wrong.”
‘There is significant evidence of the defendant’s continued interest in bomb-making.’
“This experiment occurred years before the charged conduct, not after,” Little wrote. “During his interview, Mr. Cole described the experiment in detail: He used beakers and got bleach on the carpet. The government’s own discovery confirms that the beakers the government describes were purchased in 2018.”
Cole’s mother, Delicia Cole, provided an affidavit stating, “In or before 2018, while living in my home, Brian attempted a science experiment to create homemade ‘rocket fuel.’” Her son’s attempt to make rocket fuel “was an innocuous science experiment without any ill intent,” Delicia Cole wrote.
Little said the DOJ has provided no forward-looking evidence of Cole being a danger to society. He said his client is willing to be placed under the strictest release conditions, including home detention and GPS monitoring.
“Mr. Cole’s alleged conduct occurred more than five years ago. He has done nothing dangerous since,” Little wrote. “He has no criminal history, strong community ties, and family — including a retired law enforcement officer — willing to ensure his compliance.”
‘Deprivation of liberty’
Given Cole’s willingness to submit to comprehensive release conditions, Little said that continued detention of his client “is not the ‘carefully limited exception’ the Constitution requires — it is an unjustified deprivation of liberty.”
The DOJ cited Cole’s alleged history of purchasing bomb-making components, his alleged confession, and a nearly five-year effort to avoid law enforcement as factors showing he is a danger to society and must remain in custody.
“There is significant evidence of the defendant’s continued interest in bomb-making, and there are concrete reasons to doubt that the defendant will abide by release conditions or that a third-party custodian will effectively monitor him,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles R. Jones wrote in a memo opposing Cole’s release.
“On this record, and given the statutory presumption of detention, there is clear and convincing evidence that no combination of conditions will reasonably assure the community’s safety if the defendant is released,” Jones wrote.
A U.S. Capitol Police bomb robot (center) responds to the Democratic National Committee building on Jan. 6, 2021. Photos by FBI, U.S. Capitol Police
Little scoffed at the idea that his client evaded law enforcement for nearly five years.
“The government paints him as a criminal mastermind who engaged in a sustained effort to avoid apprehension. But the government’s own evidence tells a different story,” Little wrote.
While the DOJ said Cole “wiped” his Samsung cell phone more than 940 times, Little said that began 18 months after Jan. 5. “If Mr. Cole were trying to destroy evidence of the January 5, 2021, offense, one would expect the wiping to begin immediately afterward, not 18 months later,” Little said.
“The government’s own discovery shows that Mr. Cole purchased CCleaner, an application that advertises its ability to make phones and computers operate faster by cleaning out junk files,” Little wrote. “According to Mr. Cole’s interview, he understood it to be antivirus software.
“According to the government, beginning in July 2022, he started compulsively using the cleaning function — a pattern consistent with his documented OCD.”
The defense submitted an affidavit of Maryland neuropsychologist David O. Black, who said he diagnosed Cole with autism spectrum disorder, level 1, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
“Over the past several years, Mr. Cole has repetitively wiped his phone of junk files,” Black wrote. “Repetitive behavior of this nature is consistent with behavior that is often seen in obsessive-compulsive disorder.”
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Jan. 6, Politics
‘This isn’t organic’: Joe Rogan says Minnesota’s anti-ICE protests are ‘coordinated’ to induce chaos
Podcast giant Joe Rogan is leaning on investigative reporting from independent journalists to find the truth about left-wing protests in Minnesota.
Chats on the Signal messenger app that were “infiltrated” by reporter Cam Higby showed that a complex and coordinated network of left-wing groups have been working together to allegedly impede federal operations in Minnesota.
‘The idea that this is an organic protest — these riots are organic — is nonsense.’
The chats, reviewed by Fox News, allegedly detailed socialist, communist, and Marxist-Leninist cells in the United States organizing protests after the death of Alex Pretti. In fact, the report said that agitators were already mobilized to the scene of the death before it happened.
Color me shocked
Rogan explained on his podcast that the riots and anti-government protests in the state are akin to a color revolution, which he described as a “a coordinated effort to cause chaos.”
“This is a very coordinated thing,” Rogan told commentator Andrew Wilson on episode No. 2444 of “The Joe Rogan Experience.”
“The idea that this is an organic protest — these riots are organic — is nonsense. It’s provably nonsense because now they have access to the Signal chats,” he continued.
Rogan made it clear that he did not believe that Pretti should have been shot but said he understands that federal agents were operating under chaotic circumstances.
RELATED: Klobuchar running for Minnesota governor on anti-ICE platform
‘Coordinated effort’
The Austin-based comic made the distinction that it was not Immigration and Customs Enforcement that shot Pretti, rather it was Customs and Border Protection that was brought in to assist ICE.
These agents have been “harassed outside of any hotel they’re at. People blow horns. They try to smash into the hotel. They doxx them,” Rogan explained, which he said is the reason why so many agents are wearing masks.
“It’s a coordinated effort.”
Pretti was reported to have a gun with two magazines on him at the time of his death; Rogan, who has displayed intricate knowledge of weapons over the years, discussed the nuances of concealed carry licenses with Wilson, who said he had experience in teaching weapons training.
“If you know anything about concealed carry, if you are a concealed carry holder and you are carrying not just a pistol, but two full magazines as well, you do not ever physically engage with someone,” Rogan explained. “You also are supposed to carry your license on you, and you’re supposed to have ID on you.”
Pretti was reportedly not carrying ID on him at the time of his death.
Rogan went on, “When you go to what’s supposed to be a peaceful protest and you’re fully armed like that with two magazines, it’s kind of crazy, right? Like … why do you need so many bullets?”
RELATED: ‘More arrests to come’: Bondi shares photos of anti-ICE agitators now charged with crimes
Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP via Getty Images
Welcome diversion
The comedian was careful not to get himself into legal battles over the story but overall cited the riots in Minnesota as distractions that have been welcomed to draw attention away from billions in fraud abuse in the state.
“There would be a reason why you would want to distract from all that fraud,” he added.
Recently new footage of Pretti from 11 days before his death has surfaced. The video showed Pretti swearing at federal agents, spitting at them, and even kicking the taillight off of a vehicle containing federal agents as it was driving away.
Outlets and witnesses had previously described Pretti as simply a “calm observer.”
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Politics, Joe rogan, Andrew wilson, Gun rights, Second amendment, Alex pretti, Ice, Dhs, Immigration, Minnesota, Entertainment
Trump’s unusual Cabinet meeting may reveal which officials are on thin ice
President Donald Trump skipped over some key Cabinet secretaries on Thursday, leaving onlookers to speculate about who may be on the outs.
During the 10th Cabinet meeting of his second term, Trump wrapped up the gathering after a prompt hour and 20 minutes. Trump made the exceedingly rare decision not to take questions at the end of the meeting, and those tuning in noticed he skipped over some high-profile officials who are currently under intense scrutiny.
‘Noem has come under fire from both Democrats and some Republicans.’
The most notable Cabinet official who seems to have been snubbed was Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who is at the center of a PR firestorm following another fatal shooting of an anti-ICE agitator in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Noem and other officials like top White House adviser Stephen Miller caught flak for their immediate categorization of Alex Pretti, calling him a “would-be assassin” who committed acts of “domestic terrorism.” Footage has since emerged of a man believed to be Pretti spitting on federal agents and kicking the taillights out of a government vehicle just days before he was fatally shot following another altercation.
RELATED: ‘Justice is coming’: Border czar Tom Homan vows to stay in Minneapolis ‘until the problem is gone’
Yuri Gripas/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Despite these new revelations, Noem has come under fire from both Democrats and some Republicans. The Trump administration has since swapped out Noem’s leadership on the ground, reassigning Chief Greg Bovino and bringing border czar Tom Homan onto the operation.
Trump also glossed over Attorney General Pam Bondi, whose first year in office has been primarily plagued by frustration over the handling of the Epstein files. Similarly, Bondi is now being criticized for the perceived inaction amid the situation in Minneapolis after she touted another “very strong letter” she sent to Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota.
While Noem and Bondi have received negative press for their professional duties, Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s personal life has been the focal point of a recent scandal.
Multiple department staff have been put on leave in recent weeks after an inspector general’s investigation was launched into Chavez-DeRemer’s alleged misconduct. The probe alleges that two staff members engaged in “travel fraud” by scheduling professional events as an excuse for personal travel while Chavez-DeRemer reportedly had an “inappropriate” relationship with a subordinate.
Although an internal investigation is ongoing, Chavez-DeRemer’s lack of participation during the Cabinet meeting is notable.
RELATED: ‘Horrifying situation’: Some Republicans retreat following Minneapolis shooting of anti-ICE agitator
Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Another Cabinet member who refrained from speaking during Thursday’s meeting was Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio has been center stage in the news cycle for weeks following the capture of Nicolas Maduro and as tensions in Iran escalate.
While Trump did not ask Rubio to speak, Rubio did spend hours testifying on Capitol Hill Wednesday in defense of the administration and its agenda.
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Kristi noem, Pam bondi, Lori chavez-deremer, Stephen miller, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Renee good, Alex pretti, Anti-ice, Marco rubio, Donald trump, Trump cabinet, Cabinet meeting, Dhs, Ice, Tom homan, Greg bovino, Politics
TUNE IN LIVE: President Trump Makes Surprise Announcement From Oval Office
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Tim Walz asks if civil war is breaking out — and gets bombarded with brutal mockery
As agitators continue to interrupt federal immigration operations in Minnesota, the state’s governor is tossing gasoline on the conflagration by implying a civil war is erupting.
Democratic Gov. Tim Walz asked if the violence in Minnesota was akin to that at Fort Sumter, which famously precipitated the Civil War of the 1860s.
‘That is literally the dumbest f**king thing anyone has ever said in the history of anything.’
“I mean, is this a Fort Sumter?” Walz asked rhetorically in an interview with the Atlantic.
“It’s a physical assault,” he added. “It’s an armed force that’s assaulting, that’s killing my constituents, my citizens.”
The failed vice presidential candidate was referring to the lethal shooting of Renee Good, who had driven her car into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, and a second lethal shooting of nurse Alex Pretti, who interfered with an operation while armed with a gun.
While many have been calling for a calming of heated rhetoric, the comments from Walz were widely ridiculed on social media.
“What a complete and total dumbass. Good grief,” replied CNN commentator Scott Jennings.
“Tim Walz is, to put it mildly, not the sharpest tool in the shed,” responded Mike Coté of the Spectator.
“That is literally the dumbest f**king thing anyone has ever said in the history of anything, and quoting it as though it were not condemns the Tweeter as well,” replied John Podhoretz of Commentary.
“Walz, once again, proves he is a moron who both lacks the context for the (horrible and inaccurate) historical analogies he uses and also is not lowering the heated rhetoric. The fact Harris thought this guy was some kind of positive is astounding,” said another user.
Others pointed out that Walz appeared to misunderstand his own comparison.
“Federal agents are in a recalcitrant state trying to enforce federal law, and the governor of that state wonders if it’s Fort Sumter without stopping to puzzle out which side that makes him in the analogy,” replied Charles C.W. Cooke of National Review.
RELATED: Tim Walz says Democrats need to be ‘meaner’ and ‘bully the s**t out of’ Trump
“Uh. Yeah. That is a more apt comparison than he probably realizes. Once again, democrats starting a Civil War to keep their slaves. (Walz, dude, you are the bad guy),” said another user.
Walz is under investigation for allegations that he obstructed investigations into massive fraud in the Minnesota Somali community. He has since dropped his re-election campaign for the governor’s office.
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Tim walz civil war, Is this fort sumter, Walz mocked online, Twitter attacks democrats, Politics
Steve Deace on Homan in Minnesota: Crush, don’t quell, protests — or every red state will pay the price
Amid the escalating anti-ICE protests raging through the Twin Cities, President Trump announced on Monday that he was immediately dispatching border czar Tom Homan to oversee and manage ICE operations on the ground in Minnesota.
The announcement came shortly before another Truth Social post in which Trump revealed that he had spoken with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) about working toward a solution to quell the escalating protests, noting that Homan would be a key figure in the process.
But BlazeTV host Steve Deace can’t imagine a situation where Tom Homan — “the crown prince of the entire [Trump] regime,” he calls him — de-escalates a raging left-wing movement.
It won’t be enough, Deace argues, for Homan to deliver messaging that counters that of Walz and Frey. “That’s a good start, but that’s not going to quell the level of [violence we have seen],” he says.
Unlike most people on the right, who “won’t do bold stuff because they don’t want to get in the way of their comfort,” left-wing activists, like Renee Good, says Deace, are willing to risk their lives for a cause. They don’t seem to be motivated by protecting their comforts in the same way conservatives are.
That said, he “[doesn’t] believe there’s a single protester right now who’s going to tune in to Tom Homan’s … superior messaging to Tim Walz and Jacob Frey.”
It’s delusional to think these protesters, who are often willing to break the law and put themselves in danger, will hear a Homan sound bite and suddenly say, “Well, by golly, you know, I was going to listen to my 45,000 TikTok followers telling me that I’m a hero to sacred democracy if I go out there and and give my life for the cause. But now, you know, that was just a great 60-second quip by Tom Homan,” Deace mocks.
If the Trump administration is serious about squashing this anti-ICE movement in Minnesota, it’s going to “take more commitment than that,” he declares.
Right now, “blue city-states” within red states, like Austin, Texas, are watching how Homan and the Trump administration handle Minnesota, says Deace. If a strict precedent isn’t set, he fears that similar anti-ICE protest movements will sprout up across the country.
Deace explains Homan’s role in Minnesota using the analogy of President Abraham Lincoln sending Union General William T. Sherman to capture the key Confederate city of Atlanta during the Civil War. The campaign involved heavy fighting, destruction of supplies and railroads, and a lot of hardship for people in the area, but it was necessary to win the war.
“This is Lincoln calling Sherman in and saying, ‘Atlanta’s a problem; go and solve it,’ all right? And I’m all for that, but we need to understand, then, sometimes you have to solve things the way that Sherman did. Sometimes the solutions are not easy,” says Deace.
“We have to understand now: We are never quelling their desire. We have to defeat it.”
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Steve deace, Deace, Steve deace show, Tom homan, Donald trump, Minnesota, Tim walz, Jacob frey, Somali fraud, Anti ice protests, Truth social, Homan, Minnesota anti-ice protests, Minneapolis
“Breaking Bad” Star Giancarlo Esposito Calls For Civil War Over Trump Immigration Raids, Says Millions May Have To Die In Leftist Revolution
“They’ll kill 500, 50 million, however, but the rest of us would survive,” says Hollywood actor.
Socialist Mamdani’s tax assault on NYC’s rich begins — claims Adams forced his hand with fiscal crisis
New York City’s newly inaugurated mayor, Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, revealed plans to increase taxes on “the richest New Yorkers” less than one month into his term, blaming former Mayor Eric Adams (D) for a budget shortfall.
On Thursday, Mamdani held a press conference to detail the “Adams Budget Crisis,” claiming that the former mayor “misled and misinformed” New Yorkers about the “true state” of the city’s finances.
‘And here’s the part socialists hate saying out loud: “Free” is a lie.’
“I will be blunt: New York City is facing a serious fiscal crisis. There is a massive fiscal deficit in our city’s budget to the tune of at least $12 billion. We did not arrive at this place by accident. This crisis has a name and a chief architect,” Mamdani said.
“This is the Adams Budget Crisis.”
He accused Adams of handing the new administration “a poisoned chalice” by “systematically” under-budgeting necessary services, including rental assistance, shelter, and special education.
“Knowing his time in office was likely coming to an end, Mayor Adams chose political self-preservation over fiscal responsibility. This is not just bad governance. It is negligence,” Mamdani remarked.
“The Adams administration dramatically and intentionally understated the problem.”
Mamdani vowed to balance the budget over two fiscal years by implementing “bold solutions,” including “recalibrating the broken fiscal relationship between the state and the city.” He argued that New York City contributes 54.5% of the state’s revenue but receives only 40.5% of its operating expenditures.
RELATED: ‘Proud to be a sanctuary city’: Mamdani announces another handout for illegal aliens in NYC
Zohran Mamdani. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
“Working people did not cause this crisis, and they cannot be made the victims of its solution,” Mamdani stated.
“The time has come to tax the richest New Yorkers and most profitable corporations,” he declared.
Mamdani stated that he could “build a stronger city for everyone” if New York’s top 1% earners paid an additional 2% in income taxes, while claiming that the increase was not significant enough to drive wealthy individuals to leave the state.
Eric Adams. Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images
Adams fired back at Mamdani in several posts on X, denying that he left a deficit in the city’s budget.
“Facts have a way of getting in the way when slogans replace math and blame replaces leadership,” Adams wrote. “I didn’t leave a ‘budget hole.’ I left over $8 BILLION in reserves. Only someone who can’t read a balance sheet would call that a crisis.”
“And here’s the part socialists hate saying out loud: ‘Free’ is a lie. Every so-called free program comes with a price tag, and someone always pays for it,” he added.
Adams argued that Mamdani’s real motive behind his press conference was to find a way to pay for the “laundry list of ‘free’ giveaways” he promised New Yorkers “to buy votes.”
“Now that the math doesn’t work, instead of owning the fact that he misled New Yorkers, he’s blaming me,” Adams said. “This is the same Mamdani who spent years attacking me for not spending enough during the migrant crisis. The only reason those reserves exist is because I ignored him and his socialist comrades who demanded we blow billions more with no guardrails.”
Adams mocked Mamdani in a third post on X, writing, “When you promise ‘free’ everything on Sunday, boldly declare that millionaires and billionaires shouldn’t exist on Monday, and by Tuesday you’re scrambling to fund your giveaways with the very people you wanted gone just yesterday.”
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Farmers’ Almanac rescued from extinction, keeping 200-year tradition alive: ‘It felt wrong’
A family-owned winter sports company is stepping in to save a critical piece of Americana.
Based in Maine, the 208-year-old publication had seemingly released its final edition in November, after offering weather predictions and gardening advice for more than two centuries.
‘It felt wrong to stand by while an irreplaceable piece of our national heritage disappeared.’
The company wrote a heartfelt goodbye on its website toward the end of the year, saying that the 2026 Farmers’ Almanac would be its final release.
“Though the Almanac will no longer be available in print or online, it lives on within you,” editors Sandi Duncan and Peter Geiger wrote.
Fading fast
While the team did not give a specific reason for the closure in their post, CBS News reported that the publishers cited growing financial challenges involved with producing and distributing in today’s “chaotic media environment.”
As the almanac was starting to fade from public memory, publisher Tim Konrad stepped in.
Konrad founded family-owned media company Unofficial Networks, which focuses on content related to skiing, snowboarding, national parks, mountain adventures, and outdoor exploration.
“I saw the announcement that one of America’s most enduring publications was set to close, and it felt wrong to stand by while an irreplaceable piece of our national heritage disappeared,” Konrad said in a press release on the almanac’s website.
RELATED: Trump gives American farmers $12 billion boost to overcome inflation, trade wars
Photo by CBS via Getty Images
‘Living link’
Describing the publication as an important piece of American history, Konrad said it is “more than just a book — it’s a living link to generations of knowledge and curiosity about the natural world.”
In addition to a photo alongside Geiger, the entrepreneur said he has been working closely with the team to preserve its most beloved content, like its long-range weather forecasts, humor, and the publication’s “distinctive voice.”
Geiger praised the transition and exclaimed, “An American tradition continues!”
The editor went on to say that the values and wisdom of the almanac have been protected and nurtured for 200 years, and he is grateful to have found the “right next custodian in Tim Konrad.”
Geiger added, “I am also confident he will honor its heritage and carry it forward for generations to come.”
RELATED: Forget Greenland — we’re losing the real green land that feeds America
Photo by Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
New harvest
The Farmers’ Almanac — not to be confused with rival publication The Old Farmer’s Almanac — was founded in 1818 by poet and astronomer David Young and publisher Jacob Mann. It will continue to be accessible online, with plans to revive the annual print edition in future volumes.
Unofficial Networks has built a strong brand and following in its own genre, garnering over 250,000 subscribers on its YouTube channel. The channel features first-hand footage of avalanches along with skiing content.
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Align, Farmers, Farming, Farmers’ almanac, New york, Maine, American history, Americana, Lifestyle
