Luigi Mangione, who is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City last year, caught a break this week when a New York judge dismissed one of the charges in the state case. Former Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew McCarthy joined “The Glenn Beck Program” on Tuesday morning to explain why.

Judge Gregory Carro dropped the terrorism charge against Mangione, concluding that there was “no evidence presented” that he broke the state’s terrorism law.

‘I just don’t think it trivialized the murder to say that it’s not a terrorism crime.’

The crime of terrorism, under New York law, is defined as an “intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policy of a unit of government by intimidation or coercion, or affect the conduct of a unit of government by murder, assassination, or kidnapping.”

“While the defendant was clearly expressing an animus toward UHC, and the health care industry generally, it does not follow that his goal was to ‘intimidate and coerce a civilian population,’ and indeed, there was no evidence presented of such a goal,” Carro wrote. The judge mentioned that federal prosecutors did not charge Mangione with terrorism offenses.

However, Carro stated that there was sufficient evidence that the suspect “murdered Brian Thompson in a premeditated and calculated execution.” As such, the second-degree murder charge still stands, which carries a potential penalty of 15 years to life in prison.

RELATED: Alleged manifesto of murder suspect Luigi Mangione highlights lessons learned from Unabomber: Court docs

Luigi Mangione. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images

“To prove terrorism, you have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt an intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population,” McCarthy told Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck. “What the judge said is, this was very narrowly targeted at the health care industry and this particular health care executive.”

“I just don’t think it trivialized the murder to say that it’s not a terrorism crime,” he continued.

McCarthy also explained why Mangione is facing second-degree murder instead of first-degree murder. He stated that in the 1990s, former New York Gov. George Pataki (R) wanted to revise the state’s capital murder statute to revive the death penalty.

RELATED: ‘Saint Luigi’? America’s moral compass couldn’t be more broken

Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images

“This ultimately was not a successful effort,” McCarthy remarked. “What they did was, they took the things that you could get the death penalty for, which in New York, were only things like killing a police officer or killing a prison guard in the prison, and they made those the only murder in the first degree.”

“They were trying to clean the statute in a way that murder one would be revived as capital murder,” he continued. “And all other murder was going to be second-degree murder.”

Mangione’s case, therefore, would not qualify for first-degree murder under New York law.

McCarthy believes that if the suspect is convicted in the federal system, he will likely get the death penalty.

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A new release from law enforcement officials very much points to a political motivation for the killing of Charlie Kirk.

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said that accused murderer Tyler Robinson, 22, texted his transgender roommate and told him to drop everything to look at a note he had left under his keyboard.

‘I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.’

“I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” the note read, according to charging documents.

This text chain then ensued:

Image Source: Utah County Court Document screenshot.

Image Source: Utah County Court Document screenshot.

Image Source: Utah County Court Document screenshot.

The text messages appear to have been sent while Robinson was still in the vicinity of the UVU campus, Gray stated.

RELATED: Liberals spew hatred against moment of silence for Charlie Kirk on Thursday Night Football

Gray also confirmed that Robinson had begun to date his biologically male roommate, who had begun transitioning to female.

The text messages completely undermined a liberal narrative that had developed about the possible motive of the suspect. Many had tried to frame Robinson as a right-winger due to his family connections, but the alleged texts offer evidence in his own words.

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Outrage over comments about Charlie Kirk in a video shared by Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota may lead to her being stripped of her congressional committee assignments.

The video criticized the conservative response to Kirk’s death and blamed the rhetoric on the right for creating the circumstances that led to his assassination. Omar reposted the video from her account on the X social media platform, according to screenshots captured online.

‘Its [sic] dangerous, disgraceful, and beneath the United States Congress. She must be stripped of every committee assignment. No excuses.’

“Kirk was a reprehensible human being … a stochastic terrorist,” said the commentator on the video. “With his last dying words, he was spewing racist dog whistles. Charlie Kirk was Dr. Frankenstein, and his monster shot him through the neck.”

In response, Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina said she would file a motion to punish Omar.

“Ilhan Omar has shown us exactly who she is: she defends political violence and refuses to condemn the loss of innocent lives when it doesn’t suit her agenda, even the cold-blooded assassination of Charlie Kirk,” she wrote on social media Monday.

“Its [sic] dangerous, disgraceful, and beneath the United States Congress,” Mace added. “She must be stripped of every committee assignment. No excuses.”

Omar responded to criticism related to a separate video where she criticized Kirk.

“While I disagreed with Charlie Kirk vehemently about his rhetoric, my heart breaks for his wife and children. I don’t wish violence on anyone. My faith teaches me the power of peace, empathy, and compassion,” she posted on Thursday.

RELATED: Ilhan Omar mocks Trump and others for praising Charlie Kirk: ‘These people are full of s**t!’

“Right-wing accounts trying to spin a false story when I condemned his murder multiple times is fitting for their agenda to villainize the left to hide from the fact that Donald Trump gins up hate on a daily basis,” she added.

Omar also appeared to reference the effort in an oblique message on social media Tuesday.

“To those claiming they’re for free speech while punishing and silencing those for exercising that right: You’re not pro-free speech,” she posted.

If the censure motion is successful, Omar would lose her seats on the House Education and Workforce Committee and the House Budget Committee.

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FBI Director Kash Patel revealed the real extent of the bureau’s investigation into Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Patel testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that the FBI was looking into “a lot more” than 20 people who were involved in a Discord chat with Kirk’s alleged assassin, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. This development is the latest of mounting evidence against Robinson that has been made public.

‘We’re running them all down.’

“We’re also going to be investigating anyone and everyone involved in that Discord chat,” Patel said during the hearing.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri pointed to public reports that said there were as many as 20 additional users in the Discord chat shared with Robinson. Patel confirmed that there were in fact “a lot more” who are being investigated.

RELATED: FBI unveils damning new evidence against accused Charlie Kirk assassin

Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Image

“It’s a lot more than that,” Patel said. “We’re running them all down.”

Within just days, the FBI came out with evidence to suggest the probable political and ideological motive behind the assassination. Over the weekend, Robinson was confirmed to be living with his trans-identifying boyfriend, a biological man claiming to be a woman. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah also revealed the ideological messages inscribed onto ammunition found at the crime scene, including one bullet casing that read, “Hey fascist! Catch!”

Patel also confirmed Monday that DNA evidence was found on both a screwdriver located on the roof where the shooter is believed to have been and on a firearm recovered in the woods near the shooting. Both samples were a positive match to Robinson’s DNA, according to Patel.

RELATED: Alleged bomb plot near Charlie Kirk assassination lands Pakistani native and son with terrorism charges

Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images

On Tuesday, Robinson was officially charged in connection with the assassination of Kirk at the Utah Valley University campus last week. He is facing charges of aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, and felony discharge of a firearm.

Kirk, who was just 31 years old, leaves behind his wife, Erika, and their two beautiful children.

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested several illegal aliens on Monday who were previously convicted of “violent and heinous” crimes, according to a press release exclusively obtained by Blaze News.

‘Despite vile rhetoric about our ICE law enforcement officers, they continue to risk their lives every single day to arrest murderers, pedophiles, drug traffickers, and other violent criminals.’

The Department of Homeland Security highlighted the arrest of five illegal immigrants: Gustavo Guzman-Galindo, Jose Rolando Aguirre-Garcia, Raul Castaneda-Parada, Luis Gilberto Rodriguez-Villalobos, and Jason Nathaniel Lewis.

Gustavo Guzman-Galindo. Image source: The Department of Homeland Security

Guzman-Galindo, an illegal alien from Mexico, was previously convicted of “criminal contempt, use of a child less than 17 years of age in a sexual performance, criminal sex act, and rape” in New York City, the DHS reported.

The 41-year-old was previously sentenced to seven years in prison, according to ICE.

Jose Rolando Aguirre-Garcia. Image source: The Department of Homeland Security

Aguirre-Garcia, also a Mexican national illegally in the U.S., was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Bexar County, Texas. ICE Houston arrested the 44-year-old on Monday, and he was previously sentenced to five years in prison.

RELATED: Exclusive: ICE rounds up violent criminal illegal aliens, including a convicted rapist

Raul Castaneda-Parada. Image source: The Department of Homeland Security

Castaneda-Parada, a third Mexican national illegally in the U.S, had a rap sheet in Durham County, North Carolina, for trafficking cocaine.

Luis Gilberto Rodriguez-Villalobos. Image source: The Department of Homeland Security

RELATED: ‘I don’t give a s**t what people think about me’: Homan outlines Trump admin’s immigration enforcement wins

Rodriguez-Villalobos, an illegal alien from El Salvador, was convicted of second-degree rape in Hempstead, New York.

Jason Nathaniel Lewis. Image source: The Department of Homeland Security

Lewis, a Jamaican national illegally in the U.S., was convicted of murder in Bronx, New York. ICE Buffalo nabbed the 49-year-old on Monday, according to the agency. He was previously sentenced to 20 years to life in prison.

“Despite vile rhetoric about our ICE law enforcement officers, they continue to risk their lives every single day to arrest murderers, pedophiles, drug traffickers, and other violent criminals,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Our ICE officers are facing a more than 1,000% increase in assaults against them as they carry out operations to remove criminal illegal aliens from American neighborhoods. Our brave law enforcement will not be deterred from enforcing the law and getting heinous criminals out of our country.”

“ICE will continue to enforce U.S. immigration laws to ensure criminal illegal aliens are identified, arrested, and removed, safeguarding communities across the nation,” the DHS press release read.

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The NASCAR world lit up over the weekend with tributes from drivers to Charlie Kirk at the Bristol Motor Speedway.

NASCAR’s Xfinity Series Food City 300 and the Cup Series’ Bass Pro Shops Night Race in Bristol, Tennessee, saw a huge outpouring of love for Kirk following his murder earlier in the week. Kirk’s life was taken at a university event in Utah on Sept. 10, leaving his wife, Erika, and two children behind.

‘I look up to his heroism when it comes to standing for God …’

Following the national anthem on Saturday, not only was there a flyover, but at the same time, a remembrance of Kirk appeared on the big screen over the racetrack. That was far from being the only tribute to Kirk, though, as at least seven drivers let their support be known.

This included race winner Christopher Bell — driver of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 car — who dedicated his victory to Kirk.

“This week’s obviously been a very tough week, and, you know, there’s a lot on our mind, and this one’s for Charlie,” he said.

Tributes also poured in from from all the current drivers of Richard Childress Racing. Decals dedicated to Kirk were placed on Jesse Love’s Xfinity No. 2 car, Austin Hill’s Xfinity No. 21, Kyle Busch’s Cup No. 8, and Austin Dillon’s Cup No. 3.

Dillon was asked about his tribute and did not mince words when speaking about the “tragic incident.”

“I look up to his heroism when it comes to standing for God and I love some of his teachings of the Bible,” Dillon explained. “His ability to debate without really attacking someone. I thought that it’s just a very sad day; all I know it makes me want to get into the Bible more and learn more about Jesus and try and spread the word whenever I can.”

RELATED: Radio host makes insane complaint about Charlie Kirk tributes at NFL games — but actual players disagree

Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

With the entire team making tributes to Kirk, owner Richard Childress was not shy about commenting on the event and provided some of the kindest remarks heard from the sports world in reference to Kirk’s death.

“Charlie loved this country; he loved God,” Childress told Fox News‘ Laura Ingraham.

Calling the assassination a “senseless, senseless murder,” the team owner referred to Kirk as a “friend and a great American patriot.”

When Ingraham asked if he ever imagined something like Kirk’s death would happen in the United States, Childress remarked, “Some of the crazy stuff that you hear that these people come up with, I can’t believe it. … We’ve got the greatest country on Earth. If you’ve ever been to other countries, especially communist countries, you’ll understand what you have.”

RELATED: Beloved race car driver dies after mid-race catastrophe has officials tearing his car apart

Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Jeremy Clements’ Xfinity No. 51 car from Jeremy Clements Racing also put a photo of Kirk on his car with the caption “RIP Charlie Kirk.”

Austin Green’s Xfinity No. 32 car for Jordan Anderson Racing also paid tribute to Kirk, simply writing his name next to the American flag above the rear driver-side window.

The outpouring of love by the drivers is by far the biggest showing of support for Kirk in any of the major sports to date.

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As news continues to break about Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer — who was believed to be living with a transgender woman at the time of the assassination — even more important news about Charlie’s life’s work is breaking.

Because more important than the suspect is Charlie’s legacy — which will never be silenced.

“A lion has been awakened in our country. I’ve never seen anything like this. And there’s evidence of the impact of this lion that’s been awakened,” BlazeTV host Liz Wheeler says on “The Liz Wheeler Show.”

“The social media accounts that are associated with Charlie Kirk and his wife, Erika Kirk, and Turning Point USA saw increases of epic proportions over the past four days,” she explains.

Charlie’s Instagram, Erika’s Instagram, their Facebook accounts, Turning Point USA’s accounts across the social media platforms — all of them have cumulatively gained at least 23.3 million followers as of two days ago.

“That’s not even the most up-to-date numbers in the last couple of hours. On Instagram, Charlie Kirk’s account gained 5 million followers. He now has a total of 12.2 million. 12.2 million. That’s almost tripling,” Wheeler says, shocked.

“Tell me, are you not getting the chills?” she asks, before noting that even on TikTok, “The Charlie Kirk Show” gained 2 million followers for a total of 9.3 million.

“These numbers are astronomical,” she says.

And the producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” Andrew Kolvet, has even better news.

“I wanted to share a … report from TPUSA. The organization has received over 32,000 inquiries in the last 48-hours to start new campus chapters. To put that in perspective, TPUSA currently has 900 official college chapters and around 1,200 high school chapters, with a presence on 3,500 total,” Kolvet wrote in a post on X.

“Charlie’s vision to have a Club America chapter (our high school brand) in every high school in America (around 23,000) will come true much much faster than he could have ever possibly imagined. Truly incredible,” he added.

“I am not sure that there has ever been a moment in our nation where more people felt like Jesus Christ is calling you now,” Wheeler says. “If you’ve ever thought about going to church, do it now. Go to mass, walk in, cross yourself, ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to Christ, and he will.”

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Charlie Kirk’s life’s work can be found in Turning Point USA, which aims to reach college students who, without his organization, are otherwise surrounded by leftists on campus.

And since Erika Kirk’s beautiful speech after his passing — where she urged the youth to follow in her husband’s footsteps and go to Turning Point’s website — there have been over 18,000 requests for new chapters of Turning Point on college campuses across the country.

“I would have been a complete and utter wreck in that moment if I had to do something like that. But she gave the speech, and what I wanted to highlight from this is how people reacted to it,” BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere begins.

“‘Erika Kirk’s first speech since husband’s assassination sparks massive TPUSA chapter surge nationwide.’ 18,000 requests for new chapters. Eighteen thousand requests for new chapters — not members, chapters, 18,000 new chapters,” he explains.

“Now look, you never choose something like this. You never want this to happen, of course, to your family. But one of the things I think Charlie would have wanted if, God forbid, something like this ever happened to him was to make sure that his message and his movement were continued,” he continues.

“That is a really important part of this, and it seems like that’s the way that people are reacting,” he adds.

And this reaction is far different from the one the left has had in the past.

“We can highlight that the left is burning cities down and that we’re having prayer vigils, and that’s important. I think that’s massively important. And I think it says something about us,” Stu says.

“The name Turning Point, you know, gives us a chance here to look at where we’re going and how we’re doing these things. There’s a fork in the road. I think both sides are at it,” he continues, noting that while the left appears to have chosen its path, the right still has a very important decision to make.

“You could either say, ‘Well, Charlie Kirk was doing it the right way. Him being shot disproves that that’s an effective way to do it, and going the opposite way and being more aggressive and, you know, going scorched-earth is the right way to go,’” Stu explains.

“You can look at it that way, or you can say, ‘Hey, Charlie Kirk died for this cause, and the best way to honor him is to continue his work, right, to continue to do things the way he was trying to do it, the quote, unquote right way,’” he says.

And Stu believes the latter is the answer, saying, “I do think, over time, this is how conservatives win.”

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

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There was a strong sense among critics and allies alike that the manhunt for Charlie Kirk’s assassin was a major test for FBI Director Kash Patel.

Mike Howell, president of the Oversight Project, told Blaze News on Thursday that the “assassination of Charlie Kirk is the defining moment for Patel and the FBI.”

While the suspected assassin, a leftist Utah State University dropout named Tyler Robinson, has been arrested, some have nevertheless questioned whether the FBI director made the grade.

Manhattan Institute fellow Christopher Rufo, for instance, noted, “I’m grateful that Utah authorities have captured the suspect in the Charlie Kirk assassination, and think it is time for Republicans to assess whether Kash Patel is the right man to run the FBI.”

“He performed terribly in the last few days, and it’s not clear whether he has the operational expertise to investigate, infiltrate, and disrupt the violent movements — of whatever ideology — that threaten the peace in the United States,” added Rufo.

Frederick Humphries, a retired supervisory special agent of the FBI, suggested to Blaze News that in the director’s recent rush to play show-and-tell with the media in the name of transparency, Patel may have unwittingly undermined the assassination case.

While President Donald Trump has signaled that Patel’s job is safe, there are nevertheless rumors that confidence in the director has collapsed at the White House — not unlike the collapse that preceded Mike Waltz’s exit as national security adviser.

RELATED: Antifa, gay furries, and bomb codes? What the engravings on the Kirk assassination bullets may mean

Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP via Getty Images

Patel has overseen numerous wins since taking the helm of the FBI, including the arrest of thousands of people for violent crimes against children; the arrest of thousands of suspected members of foreign terrorist organizations; the rescue of thousands of child victims; and the seizure of well over 1,500 kilos of fentanyl, which would have been enough lethal doses to kill over 113 million Americans.

Several incidents and trends in recent months have, however, fueled skepticism about Patel’s fitness to lead the bureau.

Mounting mistakes

The director’s initial handling of the manhunt for Kirk’s assassin proved for Rufo, Humphries, and others to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

‘This is absolutely ridiculous.’

The FBI swooped into action following Kirk’s assassination on Sept. 10, attempting to track down his killer, who managed to flee the scene.

At 2:53 p.m. Eastern Time, FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the bureau was “closely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University,” adding that “agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation.”

Patel prematurely announced just over three hours later that the suspected shooter had been arrested, stating at 6:21 p.m., “The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody.”

Kirk’s killer was, however, still at large.

Patel effectively admitted just before 8:00 p.m. that he had jumped the gun, noting that “the subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement.”

FBI whistleblower Kyle Seraphin, one of Patel’s harshest critics, was among those who seized upon the apparently haphazard communications, noting, “Translation: FBI director f**ked up and is desperate for a win. This is absolutely ridiculous.”

‘He carries a badge now, but it’s cosplay.’

Rasmussen Reports responded, “Two early suspects, including the first guy, cleared. The assassin succeeded in getting onto the roof undetected, killing Charlie Kirk with a single shot, and getting off the roof & disappearing without apparent interference. Nothing random or sloppy about this incident so far.”

“At the outset of an investigation, much of the initial intelligence is typically wrong or slightly off. That’s why what he did yesterday has never been done by any FBI director before him, or any division leadership before,” retired FBI agent Dan Brunner told Reuters. “The investigators need to sort through all the initial intelligence before putting out factual evidence. … FBI does not run investigations on social media.”

When asked on the eve of Robinson’s arrest whether Patel enjoyed the continued confidence of the president, a White House official told Blaze News, “Everyone is cheering him on and trying to help him in any way we can.”

RELATED: ‘Did they know?’ FBI investigating whether pro-trans radicals knew in advance about Charlie Kirk assassination plot

Photo by Bethany Baker/Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images

“The fact that the director of the FBI would go off half-cocked so quickly on an arrest, not waiting for the interview, tells you he doesn’t understand because, you know, he’s not a cop,” said Blaze News investigative reporter Steve Baker.

“They make an arrest. He goes out and says, ‘We have the guy in custody,’ not understanding that no cop would ever say that,” added Baker.

“That’s the biggest knock against Kash Patel,” continued Baker. “It’s not that he’s not a former FBI guy or an agent. He’s not a cop at all. He carries a badge now, but it’s cosplay.”

The FBI director suggested on Monday that while he could have worded his controversial social media updates “a little better,” he had no regrets about putting them out.

Eric O’Neill, a former FBI counterterrorism and counterintelligence operative, suggested to Politico that there “might have been a stumble out of the starting gate” but that the “FBI is caught up and now fully has the reins on this investigation.”

But wait, there’s more

After Robinson was arrested by Utah law enforcement, Patel appeared relieved.

During Friday’s press conference at Utah Valley University, Patel said that the public “had a right to demand such an expeditious solving of an investigation,” and “the FBI answered that call diligently.”

— (@)

Patel indicated that the bureau helped in part by posting the suspect’s photograph on social media. This may have done the trick: Sources told the New York Post that Robinson’s father recognized his son as the suspected shooter, then urged Robinson to turn himself in.

While the case appeared to be back on track going into the weekend, Patel apparently kicked off this week with an unforced error.

Patel divulged several insights into the assassination investigation during his interview on Monday with “Fox & Friends,” including that “the DNA hits from the towel that was wrapped around the firearm and the DNA on the screwdriver” left on the rooftop where the shooter is believed to have taken the shot “are positively processed for the suspect in custody.”

Humphries, a decorated veteran of the bureau with experience in counterterrorism, noted that Patel’s assertion in the interview “that the DNA on the towel is the subject’s DNA presupposes cross-examination and evaluation and poisons prospective jurors. It’s just unprofessional.”

“Kash Patel just poisoned the jury pool on ‘Fox & Friends’ and put a chill on anyone cooperating in the killer’s inner circle,” continued Humphries. “I guarantee agents and other state and local law enforcement officers and agents are shaking their heads wondering what the f**k he’s doing. Again, there was a lot of ‘I’ in everything he said. What an arrogant narcissist. All in the fake name of ‘transparency.'”

“He could effectively be transparent by informing the audience that in these circumstances, the FBI DNA experts will do this, the field agents will do this, the evidence response team will do this,” said Humphries. “You never reveal what they’ve found or what they collected or who they’ve interviewed or are interviewing.”

“The integrity of the case has to be protected. It’s not because we want this guy or any bad guy or girl to get off on a technicality. We want to ensure the bad guy doesn’t get off on a technicality because law enforcement made a misstep,” Humphries told Blaze News. “The integrity of the case requires that a guilty person adjudicated guilty stays guilty and not have a retrial or mistrial that adds more trauma to the victim’s family.”

In addition to noting that Patel could ultimately find himself called to the witness stand by the defense, Humphries indicated that in his experience, such “blabbing” prompts other law enforcement partners, local and federal, to keep information away from the FBI to avoid leaks.

Previous issues

Baker indicated that even prior to the Kirk investigation, sources close to the FBI told him there was a “general lack of confidence” in Patel at the bureau, “which most likely explains the creation of a heretofore unprecedented position of co-deputy director.”

In August, President Donald Trump named then-Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey (R) to become co-deputy director of the FBI. Bailey — who was once Trump’s top pick for FBI director — recently tried to cast doubt on claims that he’s been brought in to replace Patel, though suspicions to the contrary persist.

Blaze News did not receive a response from the FBI by deadline.

“The main thing is a lack of confidence in their ability to run such a large and complex organization,” continued Baker.

‘The Patel I advocated for to be FBI director is up for the task at hand.’

A two-page memo released by the FBI and the Justice Department to Axios in July was one of the PR nightmares that served to undermine confidence in the director.

Patel promised during his confirmation hearing, “I will do everything, if confirmed as FBI director, to make sure the American public knows the full weight of what happened,” referring to the Epstein files.

What Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi’s agencies ultimately released, however, was virtually weightless.

Howell noted at the time that “the memo offers nothing new. It doesn’t present fresh evidence. It doesn’t announce new investigations. It simply reviews old files and claims to find nothing of interest.”

Howell added:

It all adds up: grandstanding promises, empty symbolism, pointless stunts — like handing out Epstein binders to influencers at the White House — and now, a slapdash memo dumped just as Bibi Netanyahu sits down with President Trump, which will only fuel speculation that Epstein was connected with Israeli intelligence. If the goal was to rebuild trust, this failed spectacularly.

RELATED: The Epstein memo is a joke — and the joke’s on us

Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Patel also ruffled feathers among allies earlier this year by appointing Steven Jensen, a hard-line critic of Jan. 6 protesters, to run the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

“[Jensen] was a key figure in this domestic terror push against January Sixers, according to testimony before the House,” said Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch. “He treated them all as terrorists and was one of the key instigators in pushing the narrative within the bureaucracy that these folks needed to be jailed and ferreted out.”

There’s also the matter of continued weaponization against one of the previous administration’s favorite targets.

Blaze News recently reported that despite Trump’s January executive order shutting down the weaponization of the federal government and assurances from Patel, the FBI has continued to target traditional Catholics — as recently as late last month. The FBI is now looking into the matter.

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

Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Tom Fitton told Blaze News that he attended only one confirmation hearing for this administration, and it was for Patel.

“I was enthused about him taking on directorship of the FBI,” said Fitton. “The challenge he’s had since then is fulfilling what I think the reasonable expectation was by many of his supporters, President Trump supporters — that there’d be a significant reformation of the FBI and, frankly, efforts to include dismantling it.”

“Instead, they’ve tried to redirect the agency to what they think is more appropriate law enforcement objectives, which on their face are unobjectionable but not responsive to the concerns about the institution existing in a form that will easily be converted back to weaponization,” added Fitton.

‘I’d like to see him get back on track.’

The Judicial Watch president emphasized that “unless something radically changes institutionally, the FBI will still be ready to do whatever the next administration wants it to do, and that includes the warfare against the opponents of the deep state.”

“I don’t know if it’s a Kash issue or something else,” continued Fitton. “I just want more and better, and it’s not happening yet, and I don’t know whose fault it is.”

Howell similarly signaled an appreciation for the promise of a Patel directorship and a desire to see him succeed.

“The Patel I advocated for to be FBI director is up for the task at hand,” said Mike Howell. “The Director Patel we’ve seen thus far, I have less confidence in. I’m not sure what happened behind the scenes during the period in between, but I’d like to see him get back on track.”

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The Utah County attorney on Tuesday brought formal charges against the suspected assassin of Charlie Kirk.

Calling Kirk’s assassination an “American tragedy,” Jeff Gray said during a news conference that 22-year-old Tyler Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, and other crimes.

‘Charlie Kirk was murdered while engaging in one our most sacred and cherished American rights, the bedrock of our democratic republic: the free exchange of ideas in a search for truth, understanding, and a more perfect union.’

Gray previously noted that aggravated murder under Utah law carries a penalty of either death, life in prison without the possibility of parole, or 25 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Gray on Tuesday said he intends to bring the death penalty against Robinson.

As for the aggravated murder charge, Gray added Tuesday that the suspect “intentionally or knowingly” caused Kirk’s death “under circumstances that created a great risk of death to others.”

Officials previously said felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury carries a penalty of five years to life in prison.

Gray on Tuesday said the state is alleging in regard to the latter two charges “aggravating factors” because it’s believed that Robinson “targeted” Kirk because of the TPUSA founder’s “political expression” and knew that children were present at the scene and would “witness the homicide.”

Other charges include:

One count of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, for “moving and concealing the rifle used in the shooting.”One count of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, for “disposing [of] the clothing he wore during the shooting.”One count of witness tampering, a third-degree felony, for directing his roommate to “delete his incriminating texts.”One count of witness tampering, a third-degree felony, for directing his roommate to “stay silent if police questioned him.”One count of commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child, a Class A misdemeanor, for “committing homicide knowing that children were present and may have seen or heard the murder and did so” based on Kirk’s “political expression.”

“Charlie Kirk was murdered while engaging in one our most sacred and cherished American rights, the bedrock of our democratic republic: the free exchange of ideas in a search for truth, understanding, and a more perfect union,” Gray also said Tuesday.

Robinson, of Washington, Utah, was arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail without bail early Friday morning on suspicion of committing the listed crimes in connection with Kirk’s murder Wednesday at Utah Valley University in Orem, officials said.

The TPUSA founder was killed by a single shot to his neck while presiding over one of his wildly popular speaking events directed toward college students.

RELATED: ‘Did they know?’ FBI investigating whether pro-trans radicals knew in advance about Charlie Kirk assassination plot

Charlie Kirk throws hats to the crowd after arriving at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking at his “American Comeback Tour” when he was shot in the neck and killed. (Photo by Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)

Now that charges have been formally filed, officials said Robinson will make his first appearance in court — a felony first appearance — at 3 p.m. local time (5 p.m. ET) Tuesday.

Blaze News on Monday noted that FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the agency found and processed DNA evidence from a towel wrapped around a firearm found discarded in a wooded area near the UVU campus, as well as on a screwdriver found on the rooftop where the shooter was believed to have been. Both DNA samples were a positive match to Robinson, according to Patel.

As Blaze News also noted, several reports have confirmed that Robinson lived with a transgender-identifying roommate. The pair resided in an apartment in Saint George, Utah, and had a “romantic relationship,” Fox News Digital first reported.

The roommate is a biological male who claims he is transitioning to a female. The FBI stated that he has been “extremely cooperative” with the agency’s investigation and allegedly “had no idea” Robinson had allegedly planned the fatal shooting and has not been accused of any criminal activity in connection with Kirk’s assassination.

In addition, Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R) confirmed that Robinson’s roommate identified as transgender, indicating that this information may assist investigators in determining a motive for Kirk’s assassination, although he noted that Robinson’s motive remains unclear.

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While the rest of America is struggling to deal with the consequences of political violence, supporters of the alleged murderer of a health care CEO are gleefully dancing in celebration of political violence.

Luigi Mangione is facing numerous charges related to the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City on Dec. 4. Security video captured footage of a gunman walking up to Thompson and coldly executing him before walking away.

‘Here, the crime — the heinous, but targeted and discrete killing of one person — is very different from the examples of terrorism set forth in the statute.’

On Tuesday, a New York judge found that there was not enough evidence to support two terrorism charges against Mangione and dropped them from his case. The 26-year-old will still face the rest of the charges, which include second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

“There was no evidence presented of a desire to terrorize the public, inspire widespread fear, engage in a broader campaign of violence, or to conspire with organized terrorist groups,” wrote Judge Gregory Carro. “Here, the crime — the heinous, but targeted and discrete killing of one person — is very different from the examples of terrorism set forth in the statute.”

Outside of the Manhattan Criminal Court, when the news hit Mangione’s supporters, some danced in celebration and hugged each other.

“Murder for profit is terrorism,” read a protest sign from one of the supporters. The crowd also chanted “Free Luigi!”

Video of the supporters’ reaction was widely circulated on social media.

RELATED: Luigi Mangione-based shows to hit American stage, turning murder suspect into ‘accidental folk hero’

Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

Another bizarre video featured a woman who claimed to be in a relationship with an artificial intelligence version of Mangione.

“I’m married to Luigi’s AI, I’m not kidding,” she said.

Mangione has become a popular cause among young leftists who see him as a warrior against corporate greed and the capitalist system. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Thompson was 50 years old when he was killed. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Mangione is due back in court on Dec. 1.

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