Some residents of Gary, Indiana, have been without electricity for weeks, and many in the black community are rushing to blame racism and discrimination.

Deadly storms knocked over electricity poles and brought damaging flooding to northeast Indiana, including Gary, and initially knocked out power for about 300,000 residents.

‘It’s full of black people. We the blackest city out here, so they don’t want to check on us.’

While the Northern Indiana Public Service Company has been working to return power to customers, it has been hampered by violence targeting utilities workers.

On Aug. 14, restoration efforts were paused after a utility truck was damaged by gunfire. No injuries were reported.

“These aren’t simple repairs,” said Melody Birmingham, an executive at the parent company of NIPSCO. “These are lines that ordinarily take us, and systems that ordinarily take weeks or months that we are trying to accomplish in days or weeks.”

She rejected accusations that NIPSCO was neglecting the city because a majority of its population is black.

“We have areas that are probably affluent where we still have customers out as well. … This has nothing to do with race or any type of division,” said Birmingham, who is black. “It’s really a matter of where the storm hit.”

Among the most prominent voices blaming racism are Dr. Bernice King, the daughter of the late Martin Luther King Jr.

“What is happening in Gary, Indiana, raises a deeper question about whose communities are treated with urgency,” she wrote on social media Monday.

“Black communities have too often been expected to endure neglect, absorb the consequences, and keep surviving,” she added. “No community should have to prove that its families are worthy of immediate care. Our communities deserve more than survival. Black communities deserve to be valued.”

Others are speaking out to the media.

“We know why they not coming out here though. I mean it’s obvious, you know, it’s obvious” said one resident named Amara to BreakThrough News.

“It’s full of black people. We the blackest city out here, so they don’t want to check on us.”

RELATED: Black man blamed racism for arson at his home that killed 2 — until an accomplice speaks up

Some residents signed onto a class-action lawsuit against the company for allegedly neglecting the area and setting up the conditions for far worse damage from the storms.

Six adults and one boy were killed as a result of the storms, according to the state Department of Homeland Security.

NIPSCO indicated that it was close to returning power to most Gary residents sometime this week.

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

​Racism, Indiana, Natural disaster, Storms, Politics 

The Democrat candidate for one of two U.S. Senate seats for Texas was seemingly caught spreading misinformation about an emergency incident at an Amazon warehouse.

James Talarico was campaigning at a church when he referred to an incident at an Amazon warehouse in which an employee died.

‘Lying isn’t very Christian. And that’s what you’re doing here because that’s not what happened.’

He posted a video of his comments to social media on Sunday to spread the message against corporate greed.

“An Amazon worker died in one of Amazon’s warehouses. And as he lay dying, management told the other workers: ‘Turn around. Don’t look. Get back to work.’ Get back to work? That was a human being. That was a child of God,” Talarico claimed.

“Sacrificed on the altar of corporate greed,” he added.

An Amazon employee did die after collapsing at an Oregon facility in April in Troutdale, Oregon, and that story has been used by Democrats and other activists to attack capitalism, though Amazon has specifically denied allegations about it.

Amazon responded to a Blaze News request for comment by directing to a previous statement about the incident, denying the “misinformation” being spread online.

“Sadly, one of our teammates collapsed during his shift from what we now understand as a pre-existing medical issue. When our onsite team was notified, three CPR certified team members, including two from our on-site safety team, provided CPR and deployed an automated defibrillator until emergency medical services (EMS) arrived shortly after.”

The statement went on to say that the area was cordoned off while the company’s safety teams and EMS cared for the worker. Unfortunately, the employee passed away.

And in contrast to criticism casting Amazon as cold and heartless in its response, the company outlined steps taken to protect the man’s privacy and to care for the other workers at the warehouse.

“Shortly after this event occurred, employees were sent home with pay for the rest of the day,” they added. “When we resumed operations the following day, any employee who requested time off was given that time, and onsite grief counselors were provided to anybody who chose to come to work and needed them.”

Many online found Talarico’s politicization of the man’s death to be inappropriate and crass, especially as the Democrat regularly cites Christianity in his campaign.

“Lying isn’t very Christian. And that’s what you’re doing here because that’s not what happened,” said one critic.

RELATED: James Talarico shamelessly panders on Karmelo Anthony verdict — on NY-based radio show

“Total LIE about the actual events. Do you EVER tell the truth??” said another.

“You don’t turn someone’s distress into a sideshow Talarico,” responded one detractor. “You allow medical personnel and others qualified to handle the situation and ask everyone else to leave the scene. And it’s also exactly what the first responders tell you too. And another reason you are unfit to serve in our senate.”

Amazon has been hounded by critics pointing out that its workers are twice as likely to be injured as non-Amazon workers. Another report found that Amazon warehouses had 30% more injuries than the industry average in 2023.

The company responded to the criticism by noting Amazon had invested $2.5 billion in increased safety standards.

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

​Amazon, Capitalism, James talarico, Texas, Us senate, Politics 

President Donald Trump has threatened to punish Canada with 50% tariffs on automotive and steel imports after the country’s leaders rejected his trade deal offer.

In a post on Truth Social on Monday, he cited Canada’s tariffs on farms and said the situation was no longer sustainable. The new tariffs will go into effect on New Year’s Day, 2027, the president said.

‘We’re all in … everyone’s in for an economic war.’

“On January First, 2027, Tariffs on all Cars, Trucks, both large and small, Automotive Parts, and Steel, will be increased to 50%. Build in the U.S. and there are ZERO TARIFFS,” wrote the president.

“Canada will be treated like a State no longer!” he added. “On Trade, and in other ways, also, they are among the worst Nations in the World to deal with. They feel entitled, and yet, WE DON’T NEED CANADA, THEY NEED US!”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded defiantly to the tariffs.

“He underestimates Canada. We’re all in,” Ford said. “Up here, we’re at a fever pitch, everyone’s in for an economic war. They know they’re going to have to sacrifice.”

On Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney walked away from talks with the Trump administration on trade, and the U.S. responded on Saturday by immediately imposing 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian products.

Carney said Canada would retaliate with reciprocal tariffs beginning Sept. 8.

Ford went on to threaten to cut off energy and materials from Ontario to the U.S.

“I’ll cut them off,” Ford said in reference to critical minerals. “You won’t get a grain of sand out of Ontario.”

He noted that Canada provides electricity for about 1.5 million homes and businesses.

“He can kiss my ass as far as I’m concerned,” Ford added.

“We need to throw everything and the kitchen sink at him. He’s arrogant, he’s cocky.”

RELATED: Trump says Canada is considering his offer to become the 51st state of the US

Canada is one of the largest trading partners of the U.S., but the U.S. depends far less on Canadian imports than our neighbor to the north depends on U.S. imports.

About 59% of Canada’s imports come from the U.S., while only 12.6% of U.S. imports come from Canada.

The Trump administration also launched a new campaign Monday to cripple Iran through economic sanctions in order to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz completely.

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

​Canada, Donald trump, Doug ford, Economic war, Mark carney, Tariffs, Trade war, Politics 

Karmelo Anthony, who savagely murdered 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet last year, appealed to have his conviction and corresponding 35-year prison sentence thrown out.

Anthony’s attempt to forgo the legal consequences of his actions is off to a rocky start.

‘Im gonna lick there blood off the blade.’

After District Judge John Roach Jr. — who presided over Anthony’s trial — was recused last week from overseeing subsequent steps of the case, Anthony’s lawyers made their play for a new trial before retired Judge Michael Chitty, who replaced Roach.

With the push for a new trial came new character evidence about the killer and his victim — evidence from police reports, school records, and cellphone data that was previously withheld owing to what prosecutor Bill Wirskye referred to as a “gentleman’s agreement” between prosecutors and the defense.

According to court documents referred to in court and reviewed by CBS News, hours before killing Metcalf, Anthony allegedly sent a text message stating, “I’m lowk on the verge.”

RELATED: James Talarico shamelessly panders on Karmelo Anthony verdict — on New York-based radio show

That same morning, the killer’s ex-girlfriend notified a staff member at Centennial High School that Anthony was “engaging in stalking behavior, to include, but not limited to, driving by her home and refusing to allow her to end their relationship,” said prosecutors.

Prosecutors also highlighted text messages where Anthony allegedly admitted to punching girls in the face and committing burglaries; discussed robbing someone for $300; threatened to vandalize a house because of a “grudge”; and told a friend, “Imma shoot the school up tmr” “with my blick.”

According to a message thread between Anthony and his ex-girlfriend presented in court, Anthony allegedly wrote, “I like punching people”; “when get mad I see red”; “when I get mad I blackout”; and “when I get mad I can’t control myself.”

Prosecutors also alleged that Anthony had not only repeatedly threatened to murder his ex-girlfriend but in one instance allegedly texted her, “When I stab sb im gonna lick there blood off the blade,” reported KXAS-TV.

This sharing exercise was a two-way street, and some allegations about Metcalf and his brother were likewise revealed.

Metcalf and his twin brother, Hunter, were once caught spray-painting racist remarks and sentenced to 12 months of juvenile probation. The documents also raised allegations about Metcalf using racial slurs in school, swearing at a teacher, discussing bringing a gun to school, bullying at least two other students, and texting provocative statements.

On Saturday, Judge Chitty denied the defense’s retrial without elaboration.

“Our commitment to our client has not changed,” said Russell Wilson, an attorney for Anthony, reported the Associated Press. “We will continue to advocate vigorously on his behalf through every lawful avenue available.”

The defense will reportedly continue an appeal in the Fifth Court of Appeals.

Blaze News did not immediately receive a response from Wilson.

Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis stated, “We respect, and expected, the court’s decision denying the motion for a new trial.”

“The jury’s guilty verdict stands, and we remain confident in the process. Every defendant has the right to appeal, and our thoughts and prayers remain with the Metcalf family in the painful wake of last week’s hearing,” added Willis.

The Stand With Karmelo Coalition said in response to the ruling,

We continue to maintain that serious constitutional and legal errors denied Karmelo Anthony the fair trial to which he was entitled. The restrictions placed on public access to his trial raised fundamental Sixth Amendment concerns. The defense made consequential decisions throughout the trial in reliance upon an agreement with the State concerning the evidence that would — and would not — be introduced, only to have the State change its position at a critical point in the proceedings. And we maintain that errors in the jury instructions impaired the jury’s consideration of the issue at the very heart of Karmelo’s defense: whether he acted in self-defense.

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

​Crime, Karmelo anthony, Austin metcalf, Politics, Murder, Racism 

The thought of China making it to the moon likely left a lot of Americans with an uneasy feeling.

To make matters worse, the communist giant was primed to make a first-of-its-kind discovery.

China’s boots-on-the-ground mission was set for 2030.

The China National Space Administration’s Chang’e‑7 has taken aim at the moon’s south pole, where the darkest and most barren parts of the surface are located. Particularly, China has focused on the Shackleton Crater, whose large rims provide permanently shadow regions where researchers believe water ice could exist.

Chang’e‑7’s launch, complete with lander, rover, and mobile probe, was scheduled to take place before the end of August, but China’s entire lunar exploration roadmap has now been blown out of the water after the space program officially delayed its launch on Sunday.

The Chinese government announced that the Chang’e-7 mission has been delayed until at least 2027.

“Based on the principles of safety, reliability, and infallibility, after comprehensive analysis and judgment, the Chang’e-7 mission does not meet the launch conditions and cannot be implemented in the scheduled window this year,” the space administration said, per a translation.

And so far, at least, the United States government has not made any comment on the momentous development.

No reason for the delay was provided by Beijing, but the most circulated scenario has been that Typhoon Narra and its 45 mph winds were the cause for disruption.

Singapore outlet the Straight Times reported that 54,000 Chinese were displaced by rising flood waters, including more than 8,000 being moved to emergency shelters.

RELATED: LIFE ON MARS? Bizarre formation in NASA photo sparks red planet conspiracy theory

CN-STR/AFP/Getty Images

Ars Technica reported on a typhoon warning center that warned the storm is expected to persist for several days, preventing workable launch conditions at China’s Wenchang site. This would cause the Chinese space authorities to miss their launch window to hit the underside of the moon.

This now puts China’s entire timeline into question, as Chang’e‑7’s mission was the crucial first step toward getting more robots, and eventually humans and engineering and military equipment, onto the moon’s surface.

Chang’e-8, another probing mission, was set for 2029, while China’s boots-on-the-ground mission was set for 2030. Beijing had stated that it had its space station “steadily in orbit” to serve as a platform for its manned lunar landings.

These steps would have put the communist nation’s preparatory framework ahead of the United States’ Artemis program but still would have had its manned-landing come after NASA’s.

RELATED: Vast secrets hide below the moon’s surface — and China is about to find them out before we do

CN-STR/AFP/Getty Images

Now China finds itself at risk of falling permanently behind America’s Artemis program.

After the Artemis II flyby, Artemis III will serve to monitor the lunar surface for future landings while testing U.S. systems associated with the fourth mission. Artemis III has a window of 2027, now the same as Chang’e-7.

Artemis IV astronauts have a goal of landing on the moon in “early 2028” to establish permanent residency on the satellite.

The Chinese shake-up now could put NASA and team USA considerably ahead of China, whose lunar landers were said to be large and impressive.

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

​China, Chang’e-7, Nasa, Artemis, Tech, Moon 

Right-wing activist Eoin Richard was carried out of a church over the weekend after an anti-Islam protest ended in chaos.

Richard intended to launch his Take Back L.A.: Free Speech Rally on Sunday at the Islamic Center of Southern California, but he ended up at Precious Blood Catholic Church after claiming to have received death threats. He was quickly outnumbered by counterprotesters, chased through the church, and assaulted at a nearby Starbucks.

‘We aren’t going to be able to march to the Islamic Center due to threats on our lives.’

In videos posted to Instagram, Richard and at least one supporter are seen fleeing into Precious Blood Catholic Church while agitators follow closely behind.

After being picked up and removed from the church, Richard is cornered at a nearby Starbucks along with his companion. The activist group shouted that he is a “Nazi,” a “piece of s**t,” and a “terrorist.”

“JIHADISTS and ANTIFA storm CATHOLIC CHURCH and abduct EOIN RICHARD after mass,” Richard’s Instagram caption reads.

Masked assailants later poured blue paint all over Richard and his companion. Eventually, Los Angeles Police Department officers arrived to escort the men from the store. They did not appear to make any arrests.

A day prior to the confrontation, multiple Islamic organizations drew attention to Richard’s event.

RELATED: Is Ilhan Omar getting deported? Trump’s post raises eyebrows

Nihad Awad, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, says so many minorities, including American Muslims, “have been attacked in the past two years.” (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images file photo)

The Council on American-Islamic Relations Los Angeles, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California condemned Richard’s rally in a press release Saturday.

“ICSC has served as a place of worship, community, and belonging in L.A. for generations. Attempts to bring hate, intimidation, or fear to the doorstep of any house of worship have no place in our city,” ICSC spokesperson Omar Ricci said in a statement. “We will not allow those who seek to divide our communities to define who we are or how we respond.”

MPAC even provided its followers with detailed background information on Eoin Richard, sometimes referred to as Eoin Richard Connolly, and his activism.

“There is no identified public evidence that Connolly has explicitly called for violence against the Islamic Center, Muslims, or event participants,” MPAC admitted in its community alert and threat assessment posted to Facebook.

MPAC did, however, warn its followers that Richard’s flyer combined “explicitly Christian mobilization with Crusader-associated symbolism” and that he had “documented relationships with activists involved in confrontational protests.”

“We aren’t going to be able to march to the Islamic Center due to threats on our lives. But we’re still having our rally here, rallying with Christians and Catholics here in L.A.,” Richard said in an Instagram story filmed outside of Precious Blood.

Richard, Precious Blood Catholic Church, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, MPAC, the LAPD, CAIR-LA, and the ICSC did not respond to requests for comment.

It is unclear who removed Richard from the church.

Richard was previously a candidate for Los Angeles mayor, according to the L.A. Times.

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

​Islamic center, Jake lang, Lapd, Los angeles, Muslims in america, Politics 

LaRell Herbert once believed the only explanation for his lifelong gender confusion was that he had been born in the wrong body.

So after leaving the Mormon faith, embracing a secular worldview, and undergoing a gender transition, Herbert openly identified as a woman for seven years.

And he believes it all started when he stumbled onto pornography on the internet.

“I had this weird experience where when I started exploring pornography, I realized that there was a very particular flavor of pornography that was my poison, you might say,” he tells BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey on “Relatable.”

“This happened to be BDSM pornography,” he says, noting that after some “self-healing,” a repressed memory surfaced.

“I had this repressed memory from when I was 5 years old come up where I was restrained, as just a child, restrained by this electrical cord and violated sexually,” he says.

As his addiction grew, he “started envisioning [himself] in the shoes of the women in the pornography.”

“That was the only thing that would do it for me. And also it felt like a victimless crime. If I could pleasure myself to the thought of me being in their shoes in the scenario, then it wasn’t a sin in my mind,” he explains.

“And this is one of the things that I like to teach people now, is that sexuality can be programmed,” he continues. “We of course all are born with the biological sex tendencies that are in us because we’re male or female and attraction to the opposite sex is natural to one’s biology.”

“If that differs at all in your psyche, in your system, that means that something happened, some sequence of experience happened to you as a child or you were exposed to things in a certain sequence that made you develop the perspective you have now,” he adds.

With the addition of his childhood trauma, Herbert recognized that his “sexuality was very much programmed by viewing that pornography, by repetitively exciting those feelings.”

Herbert was also married when he began his transition, which led to a lot of “distress” in his marriage — especially for his wife.

“I didn’t want to cause her distress, even though I felt like I had to pursue being a woman in order to be happy. I at some point told her basically, I can’t go on living if I can’t do this,” he tells Stuckey.

“I think it was largely for selfish reasons at the time. I’ve learned that being trans is a very selfish thing. It’s all about me and my needs and what I can do for myself to be happy, and you forget the people around you,” 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.

​Gender transition, Pornography addiction, Transgender, Mormon, Trauma, Allie beth stuckey, Larell herbert, Blazetv show 

An investigation into a suspected quintuple homicide has one sheriff describing the crime scene as one of the most “complex” she’s ever seen.

First responders answered a call Saturday morning about a vehicle fire at a rural property outside of Portland, Oregon, where they also discovered five human bodies.

‘Any time you have one person deceased, let alone five, that’s a logistical challenge.’

The fire personnel who were first on the scene in the 47300 block of NW Otis Lane near Forest Grove soon called deputies.

Investigators later discovered the remains of “several domestic animals,” according to a Washington County Sheriff’s Office news release; no details have been disclosed regarding the identities of the human bodies.

“I will say that in my 22 years here, I have not been a part of or witnessed a scene quite this complex involving this type of an investigation,” Sheriff Caprice Massey said, according to the Associated Press.

According to CBS News, the investigation into determining the identities of the five victims was ongoing as of Sunday afternoon.

RELATED: Threatening male begins beating up Florida mobile homeowner, but victim pulls gun, fires once — ‘and the threat was over’

In a news conference, sheriff’s Detective Shannon Wilde reportedly said, “Any time you have one person deceased, let alone five, that’s a logistical challenge.”

From the first update, detectives said they believed this case was not a “random act of violence.”

Authorities provided an update Sunday saying they had located and identified a suspect in connection with the killings.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office identified 36-year-old Benjamin Charles Parker as the homicide suspect in this case.

Parker was found dead in a car in Enumclaw, Washington, which is roughly 200 miles north of the crime scene.

KOIN-TV reported that the car containing Parker’s body was found behind a Safeway grocery store.

His death is believed to be a suicide.

A Washington County Sheriff’s Office representative on Monday told Blaze News they are not releasing more information on the case until next of kin are notified.

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

​Suicide, Suspect, Oregon, Homicide, Washington state, Bodies, Crime 

The days of the American Bar Association overseeing the accreditation of law schools may be numbered.

The ABA has enjoyed the authority to accredit law schools since 1952. This authority is vested in the ABA Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, which is supposedly independent.

‘It should not have any role, much less a monopoly role, in law school accreditation.’

However, critics have suggested that the ABA is insufficiently independent of the institutions and profession it is overseeing.

Currently, the ABA’s legal ed council fully or provisionally accredits nearly 200 law schools.

Thirteen of the programs approved and accredited by the ABA are freestanding law schools with no affiliation to a college or university. Their ABA accreditation renders them eligible to participate in federal financial student aid programs.

More consequentially, the Wall Street Journal — which first reported on the proposed termination of the council’s accreditation authority — noted that in most U.S. states, law school graduates’ ability to take the bar exam is conditional on their school’s approval by the ABA.

RELATED: The right needs a public defender network for lawfare

The ABA’s accreditation authority, last renewed in 2021, comes up for renewal next month.

According to a notice by the Education Department posted in the Federal Register on Friday, the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity is scheduled to meet on Sept. 23 and 24 and will discuss the petition for renewal of recognition filed by the ABA’s legal ed council.

Daniel Thies, the previous chair of the ABA’s legal ed council, will appear as a witness. He declined Blaze News’ request for comment.

According to a report made public on Friday, Education Department staff have recommended that the ABA legal ed council be stripped of its oversight and accreditation authority, citing in part the council’s insufficient independence from the profession.

An Education Department spokesperson confirmed in a statement to Blaze News, “After reviewing ABA’s accreditation standards, Department staff found the accreditor out of compliance with the agency’s accreditation regulations and recognition standards.”

“We will not comment on details, as the process is ongoing and involves multiple stages of review, including by an independent, bipartisan advisory committee in September,” added the spokesperson.

Melissa Hart, a Democrat who previously served on the Colorado Supreme Court and now serves as chairwoman of the ABA’s legal ed council, figures that the ABA will make a convincing case and ultimately retain its accreditation authority.

Hart said in a statement to the Blaze News, “The Council is confident it complies with the Higher Education Act and with the Department’s requirements for accreditors. We look forward to the opportunity to address any misconceptions and clarify the record at our upcoming hearing before the NACIQI committee next month.”

“An initial recommendation from Department staff represents one step in the regular recognition process that the Council and other accreditors periodically complete,” continued Hart. “A hearing with NACIQI is the next step in that process, and we’re confident the Council will address any concerns the Department may have at that hearing.”

After the meeting next month, the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity will issue its own recommendation to Undersecretary of Education Nicholas Kent.

Kent appears keen on accreditation reform. He said in a statement on Wednesday, “The Trump Administration’s proposed changes to the accreditation system are intended to reorient our quality assurance framework so that accreditors prioritize student outcomes rather than bureaucratic processes or the promotion of divisive and unlawful ideological agendas.”

“Instead of ensuring institutions offer high-quality educational programs that justify the time and cost of a college education, the antiquated accreditation system has contributed to inflated tuition, administrative bloat, and ideology-driven mandates on college campuses,” added Kent.

While the White House did not immediately respond to Blaze News’ request for comment, it’s clear that the ABA is on the president’s radar.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order in April 2025 tasking Education Secretary Linda McMahon with holding accountable, “through denial, monitoring, suspension, or termination of accreditation recognition, accreditors who fail to meet the applicable recognition criteria or otherwise violate Federal law, including by requiring institutions seeking accreditation to engage in unlawful discrimination in accreditation-related activity under the guise of ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ initiatives.”

In the order, Trump called out the ABA’s legal ed council for requiring law schools “to ‘demonstrate by concrete action a commitment to diversity and inclusion’ including by ‘commit[ting] to having a student body [and faculty] that is diverse with respect to gender, race, and ethnicity.'”

With its accreditation authority now in the balance, the organization — in an apparent effort to counter claims that the ABA is “ideologically captured” — may be kicking DEI to the curb. The ABA’s legal ed council voted in May to eliminate its rule requiring law schools to demonstrate commitment to DEI.

The change was not, however, final. According to the ABA Journal, the final determination on whether to jettison the DEI policy is scheduled for Sept. 8.

Conservative legal scholar John Eastman, founding director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, is among those who welcome the administration’s move to remove the ABA from the law school accreditation process.

“It has long ceased to be a politically neutral professional organization and has instead become a front for the radical wing of the Democrat Party, using its accreditation authority to push radical DEI policies, for example,” Dr. Eastman told Blaze News. “I witnessed this firsthand when I was dean at Chapman Law School from 2007 to 2010, as we confronted demands for minority hiring and admissions in order to have our accreditation renewed. And one need not look further than the list of Supreme Court cases in which it has filed amicus briefs to confirm the hard-left bent of this organization.”

Eastman added, “It should not have any role, much less a monopoly role, in law school accreditation — just like it was removed from its preferred role in the judicial nomination process by President Bush in 2001 (restored by Obama in 2009, but then removed again by Trump in 2017 and not revived since).”

The ABA did not immediately respond to Blaze News’ request for comment.

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

​American bar association, Education department, John eastman, Linda mcmahon, Dei, Politics 

Democrats will do anything to get the black vote, and Senate candidate James Talarico is no exception.

“He’s trying to win over the black vote because the black people in Texas, the Democrats at least, are very, very upset that Jasmine Crockett didn’t win. They wanted … Jasmine Crockett because she was black,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales explains.

“So I think now his tactic to try to win over the black Democrat vote is saying that he’s cool with a little murder as long as it’s a black person carrying out the crime, I guess,” she adds, before playing a clip of Talarico on “The Breakfast Club.”

“From Texas, we seen what happened with Karmelo Anthony, and you said it was a tragedy. What did you mean by that?” Talarico was asked.

“Well, I’ve done a lot of work in the state House on justice reform, and right now we’ve got a system that doesn’t serve all Americans equally, and we know that black Texans have not gotten the justice they deserve in many cases,” he responded.

“And you know, I’m not an expert on this particular case, but I know that there were no black members of the jury. And to me, that’s the only evidence you need to really prove that this system is not working for black Texans,” he added.

Adam Johnson, who is well known as January 6th’s “lectern guy,” points out that he went to federal prison for “misdemeanor trespassing.”

“So if it’s about color, if it’s about these things that he’s bringing up, I don’t know. I think a lot of us went to jail and we were very much white when we were there,” he tells Gonzales.

But Talarico isn’t the only Democrat trying to court black voters.

“[Abdul El-Sayed is] actually taking a different approach than James Talarico,” Gonzales says.

“Apparently, now he is African,” she adds, noting that originally she just believed him to be Muslim.

“I am Arab. I’m also African. My family immigrated to this country from Egypt. I’m proud of my African heritage,” he said in a recent press conference.

“So obviously he is like, ‘Oh, well, technically I’m African,’” Gonzales says.

“He’s like, ‘I’m just a plain old black man like you,’” she adds.

Want more from Sara Gonzales?

To enjoy more of Sara’s no-holds-barred takes on news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Adam johnson, Black vote, Democrats, James talarico, Jasmine crockett, Karmelo anthony, Texas democrats, Lectern guy, Sara gonzales, Abdul el-sayed, Blazetv show 

The controversy started early for former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom on Sunday night.

By the time the 6’10” giant arrived at Wintrust Arena in Chicago to watch a WNBA game, he was already being heckled by fans.

‘I’m just here to protect women.’

Fans yelled at the former NBA center, even giving him the middle finger as he arrived at the Chicago Sky vs. Indiana Fever game with a police escort.

Attendees took issue with Kanter’s pro-women T-shirt stating that the word “woman” is a “noun” that means “adult human female.”

Freedom recently declared himself eligible for next season’s WNBA draft, mocking the league’s refusal to define what a woman is.

The former NBA player told Fox News he had no intention of causing any issues or disruptions at the WNBA game, saying he texted the Chicago GM beforehand and received the simple reply, “Enjoy the game.”

The first half went without incident, as Freedom posted a joking image deciding which restroom he should use at halftime. However, as the third quarter came to a close, all hell broke loose when Sky player Natasha Cloud began screaming at Freedom as he sat courtside.

“Sophie Cunningham shot a three, and I put my hands up to celebrate,” Freedom told Fox News. “Literally, a couple possessions later, Natasha came back and started screaming and yelling and said, ‘She’s not gonna sleep with you.'”

Freedom went on, “I was like, ‘I am not trying to sleep with her. I’m just here to protect women and support her.’ And then, obviously, after that she started yapping, and she started to walk towards me, and literally I just got up, and then I was like, ‘I’m just here to protect women, and that’s all.'”

RELATED: Sophie Cunningham gets relentlessly booed in Canada — and shuts the haters down in the classiest way possible

The former NBA player stood up to reveal his shirt, showcasing the massive size difference between him and the WNBA players. Cloud is a full foot shorter than the Swiss-born man.

Freedom added that Cloud used a lot of “heavy language,” including swear words, which he said surprised him due to the number of children present.

“I was obviously wearing a shirt explaining what a woman is, and I think that had a lot to do with what she thinks about women. I think it triggered her a lot,” Freedom claimed.

Immediately following the interaction, security approached Freedom and started escorting him out of the arena. As taunts and jeers were directed at him, Freedom egged the crowd on while showing off the message on his shirt.

Cloud did not offer remarks on the incident and was not available to members of the press after the game. She did, however, post a message to Threads, vowing to protect trans-identifying people.

“To every trans kid/person, You are apart of MY community & tribe,” she wrote. “You belong. You’re loved. You’re seen. You’re perfect as you are. & you will always be protected by me.”

Sophie Cunningham and the Fever trounced Cloud and the rest of the Chicago Sky, 113 to 90.

RELATED: Sophie Cunningham supporters speak out: WNBA is just passing the blame

Blaze News reached out to the Sky for comment.

Although the league’s collective-bargaining agreement says that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” the league has refused to clarify its stance on whether males who identify as women would be allowed in the league.

The WNBA recently met to discuss the issue, however, the result of its meeting was that there were “no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA.”

Freedom says if the league doesn’t clarify its rule, he is willing to step on the court next season.

“If they don’t come up with a rule, then I am ready and prepared to play in May and just get ready for the draft in April,” Freedom told Fox News. “These are the rules. People are mad at me. I’m confused why people are mad at me. These are the rules that literally they put, so I’m just literally following their rules.”

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

​Fearless, Wnba, Basketball, Transgenderism, Enes kanter freedom, Sports, Womens sports 

Rosie O’Donnell doesn’t just struggle with her feelings about the president, she also has an issue with remembering her own daughter’s chosen pronouns — to the point that she needed to get them tattooed on her wrist.

In an interview on the “Good Hang” podcast with Amy Poehler, O’Donnell explained that she got the word “they” tattooed on her left wrist in honor of her 13-year-old daughter Clay, who apparently is “nonbinary.”

“This is a true story. So she, they, they, and it’s a they/them. That’s the pronouns that they choose, but it’s very hard,” O’Donnell told Poehler.

“I love that you’re constantly correcting in real time like we all do,” Poehler responded.

“It’s very hard, honey,” she said.

“I know it matters to them. And so when they first told me that it was they/them, I tried my best, but I kept saying ‘she,’” she continued.

Because O’Donnell kept getting it wrong, her daughter began carrying around a piece of cardboard that said her pronouns on it and held it up whenever O’Donnell said “she.”

“And so I took her to my cousin’s tattoo shop with the ‘they’ in her handwriting, and I had it tattooed on my wrist so that I would never forget, that it would remind me. And I thought she’d be very touched, and she didn’t give two s**ts,” she explained, adding, “She could not care less.”

BlazeTV host Pat Gray is about as impressed as her daughter.

“There’s no nonbinary people. None,” Gray says. “So she can say whatever she wants. We don’t have to play that game.”

Want more from Pat Gray?

To enjoy more of Pat’s biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Amy poehler, Nonbinary, Pronouns, Rosie odonnell, Pat gray, Theythem, Blazetv show