A lockdown at the White House was caused by a U.S. Secret Service officer shooting a "suspicious" armed individual who shot a juvenile, according to the Secret Service deputy director.

Reporters said they were ushered from the north lawn of the White House into the press briefing room after the lockdown was called at about 3:30 p.m. Monday.

'Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don't know, but we will find out.'

Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn held a media briefing later near the site of the shooting at the intersection of 15th and Independence Ave.

Quinn said a plainclothes officer who was patrolling the White House perimeter observed that the suspicious adult male had a "visual print" of a firearm not far from the White House complex.

Several uniformed Secret Service police officers then confronted the man, who tried to flee on foot and then fired in the direction of the officers. They fired back and struck the man.

The man was transported to a hospital, but Quinn had no comment on his condition. A juvenile was also struck by the gunfire from the individual. Quinn said the juvenile did not sustain life-threatening injuries.

A weapon was recovered by police.

He also noted that the motorcade for Vice President JD Vance had just driven by before the incident.

"Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don't know, but we will find out," Quinn said.

Quinn said there's an active investigation into the use of force.

RELATED: Judge APOLOGIZES to suspected would-be Trump assassin — and compares him to Jan. 6 defendants

He also would not say if the adult suspect said anything to the officers during the confrontation.

The shooting came only a week after an armed man allegedly tried to assassinate the president at the White House Correspondents' Dinner and was arrested.

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

The president of Cornell University is defending his actions after he was accused of recklessly driving his vehicle through a group of protesters angry about an Israel-Palestine debate hosted by the college.

The incident unfolded on Thursday when a group of people, including students, followed university president Michael Kotlikoff to his car after the debate.

'I don't even have the words for it. I was pretty shocked and offended.'

Kotlikoff got into his car and drove off as the people crowded around his car.

One student said the car hit him and ran over his foot, and others said they were peacefully trying to talk to the president.

"As we were still trying to talk to him, he just immediately started reversing into us," said Aiden Vallecillo, a member of the Students for a Democratic Cornell.

Kotlikoff accused the protesters of trying to harass and intimidate him.

"These individuals are known to Cornell for their past conduct, including a long history of ongoing verbal and online abuse toward numerous members of Cornell's administration and staff, as well as disruptive protest resulting, in the case of two individuals, in bans from campus," the president wrote in the statement.

He said the students banged on his car windows, refused to stop yelling questions at him, and blocked the car.

"I waited until I saw space behind the car and then, using my car's rear pedestrian alert and automatic braking system, was able to slowly maneuver my car from the parking space and exit the parking lot," Kotlikoff added.

Another student expressed her outrage at the president's actions.

"I don't even have the words for it. I was pretty shocked and offended,” said Sophia Arnold, president of the Students for a Democratic Cornell. "A random pedestrian pulling out of a supermarket parking lot would probably have shown more care."

She went on to claim the students were not intending to block his car.

RELATED: Joy Reid blames Israel for Iran seeking nukes in shouting match on CNN

Surveillance video of the incident was published in the news video report from WSYR-TV.

"The behavior I experienced last night is not protest," Kotlikoff concluded in his statement. "It is harassment and intimidation, with the direct motive of silencing speech. It has no place in an academic community, no place in a democracy, and can have no place at Cornell."

It's unclear if there's an investigation under way or if charges will be filed over the incident.

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

While a growing number of Christians on the right believe Islam is compatible with the West, BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey is not among them — and is looking for a solution to what others view as an Islamic takeover across the country.

Ex-Muslim Shahriq Khan, who now heads the Christ Underground ministry, agrees with Stuckey — and he has that solution.

“It’s not compatible with the West. I mean, under Quranic standards, we would be under Sharia law, which directly conflicts with the Constitution. And the Muslims know this,” Khan tells Stuckey on “Relatable.”

“What’s the solution?” he asks.

“Like, we can’t deport all of them. We can’t put them all in one area and have a genocide. That’s not very biblical. We can’t become Amish and ... you know, the Christians, we’re going to have our side of the world and then let the Muslims come in like crazy, and you guys have California.”

Khan believes the actual solution is to “make them Christian.”

“Like, I was a liberal Muslim. I was a very liberal Muslim. I voted blue all the time ... because we were very anti-evangelical Christian,” he explains.

“For us in Islam, that’s like the spawn of Satan is what’s happening with that,” he adds.

“And would you say there’s an aspect of being anti-Israel and perceiving Republicans as being pro-Israel as part of it?” Stuckey asks.

“Totally,” he answers, pointing out that many Americanized Muslims are sending money to places like Pakistan.

“They’re still funding Islam. They still send thousands of dollars to mosques, to overseas initiatives ... Nigeria or Ethiopia or Afghanistan or Pakistan, they’re all getting discipled by the same people,” he explains.

This is why Khan believes that the only solution is to convert Muslims to Christianity, but Stuckey has her reservations.

“I think that a lot of people are afraid that going into a Muslim community and sharing the gospel, that you’re going to get hurt, that you’re going to get threatened or killed or whatever,” Stuckey points out.

“Should they have that fear?” she asks.

“I purposely go to Dearborn and the mosques, and I go right to them. They all know my face. I get recognized immediately in all these places, and I still have fruitful conversations with them because I’m not doing what a lot of the big Christian apologists are doing,” he explains.

“The truth is, it’s Hebrews 2. It says the fear of death is from Satan and that Christ became one of us to break that fear of death over us,” he says. “And so, we need to get really radical.”

“If we are Christian, and we really believe that Islam is a stronghold, a demonic stronghold on two billion people, there’s going to be a very muddy and bloody consequence to a lot of things. But the thing that I cling to personally is He did it first,” he continues, adding, “Christ did it first.”

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.

Journalists were ushered from the White House North Lawn after the White House went into lockdown over a report of gunshots on Monday afternoon.

Initial reports said the shooting happened blocks away from the White House at the intersection of 15th and Independence Ave.

'No confirmation as of now as to what the threat was. Agents are still out.'

Some reporters posted on social media about the alert.

"U.S. Secret Service just evacuated us from our camera position at the White House north lawn. We’re now gathering in the briefing room," wrote CNBC correspondent Megan Cassela. "No indication as to what’s going on."

"We’ve been cleared from the briefing room, back to our camera spot. No confirmation as of now as to what the threat was. Agents are still out," she posted at about 3:53 p.m. local time.

RELATED: Judge APOLOGIZES to suspected would-be Trump assassin — and compares him to Jan. 6 defendants

The U.S. Secret Service posted a statement about the shooting that appeared to cause the lockdown.

"U.S. Secret Service personnel are on the scene of an officer-involved shooting at 15th Street and Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C.," the agency wrote on social media. "One individual was shot by law enforcement; their condition is currently unknown. Please avoid the area as emergency crews are responding."

This is a developing story.

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

The latest man charged with trying to assassinate President Donald Trump received an apology from the judge in his court appearance Monday.

Attorneys for Cole Allen claimed in filings revealed during the hearing that the suspect had been wrongfully placed on suicide watch and denied access to a Bible.

'Mr. Allen is forced to be escorted to the shower, strip searched when entering and exiting his cell, and wear a padded vest while inside.'

Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui gave the government until the next day to update the court on where Allen would be held at the Washington, D.C., jail.

"Whatever you've been through, I apologize for the prior week," the judge said to Allen, according to USA Today.

"I'm sorry," the judge said at another point.

Faruqui also compared Allen's treatment in jail to that of the defendants in the Jan. 6 melee at the U.S. Capitol, saying he had been treated worse.

"This is not the jail's first go-around with people engaged in alleged political violence," the judge added.

Allen's attorneys said in a filing to the court that Allen had been cleared of being a suicide risk but was assigned to the restrictions anyway. The prisoner was refused phone calls, non-legal visits, dimmed lights, tablets, and other personal items under the suicide risk designation, they claimed.

"Mr. Allen is forced to be escorted to the shower, strip searched when entering and exiting his cell, and wear a padded vest while inside," according to Allen's public defender and two court-appointed attorneys.

"These conditions are excessive restrictions on his liberty that serve no justifiable purpose and deprive Mr. Allen of dignity while incarcerated," they added in the filing.

The lawyers said Sunday that Allen has since been taken off suicide watch.

Allen was charged with attempted assassination of the president and two other charges after he allegedly fired a shotgun at the White House Correspondents' Dinner that President Donald Trump was attending. The suspect was captured on security video rushing through a security checkpoint with the gun before he was tackled to the ground and arrested.

RELATED: VIDEO: Trump berates interviewer over suspected WHCD shooter: 'You are a disgrace!'

Allen left a large digital footprint full of left-wing criticism against the president, as well as other evidence that suggested the shooting may have been politically motivated.

He could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of the charges. He has not yet entered a plea to the court.

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

The Department of Justice has filed federal charges against three family members who allegedly assaulted Turning Point USA’s Frontlines reporter Savanah Hernandez while she was reporting on an anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protest in Minnesota — and she couldn't be more thrilled.

“I never thought that I would say it in my life, but thank you to the FBI. I am very grateful for them. This is the same organization that we watched, you know, weaponized against innocent American citizens over the last four years with the prior administration,” Hernandez tells BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales on “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered.”

“So to see the FBI actually utilize to bring forward justice against violent criminals is very refreshing to see. The DOJ was very swift in handling this and bringing it before a grand jury so that these indictments could be brought forward,” she continues, adding, “And I’m very grateful for that.”

Gonzales is also grateful to the federal government for stepping in.

“If this had happened under the Biden administration, never in a million years, in my opinion, would they have gone to the lengths that this DOJ and FBI have gone to,” Gonzales says.

“Oh absolutely, Sara,” Hernandez agrees.

“This is not the first time I’ve been this violently mobbed, by the way, but it is the first time the FBI and the DOJ have actually cared about it and paid attention to it,” she says, pointing out that the old attitude of the federal government is what she believes “led to the assassination of Charlie Kirk.”

“Just the complete ignorance of how violent the left-wing is and also the fact that these left-wing jurisdictions have allowed it to happen again and again and again to the point where these protesters think that they can get away with this type of behavior,” she explains.

However, while there’s ample video evidence of the family allegedly assaulting Hernandez, they still went on a media tour to play the victim.

In one interview, the father, who was allegedly caught on video shoving Hernandez to the ground, told One America News that his family is “getting doxxed.”

“It’s not just us. It’s my sons, their wives, like people who had nothing to do with anything. It’s a little overwhelming and makes me second guess even living in this country to be honest with you,” he added.

“He’s like, ‘I just pushed a woman for literally no reason. A woman who was leaving, I just pushed to the ground and somehow I’m the victim,’” Gonzales mocks.

“I guess this is the fascist America that the left-wing is talking about,” Hernandez says, adding, “You can’t even brutally assault a woman who is not threatening you anymore without getting the feds involved.”

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.

A Pennsylvania man has been arrested after allegedly leaving a series of voicemails calling for the murder of President Donald Trump and other officials.

Raymond Chandler of the Pittsburgh-area city of Wilkinsburg appeared in federal court on Friday on charges of influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official by threatening a family member and by threatening a federal official and influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official by threat, according to WTAE.

'He’s a liar among all liars. He’s a great deceiver. He’s the antichrist.'

An FBI affidavit claimed that Chandler left several threatening voicemail messages with a member of Congress between April 2025 and April 2026.

Last Wednesday, just days after a third assassination attempt against Trump, Chandler allegedly told the congressperson regarding President Trump:

What I want you to do is I want you to take a firearm. I want you to put it in your hand. I want you to walk into the Oval Office. I want you to put that firearm to the president’s head, and I want you to pull the trigger and I want you to kill him. I am petitioning you, Senator, for redress of grievances. My redress of grievances is that this president is awful. ... He’s a liar among all liars. He’s a great deceiver. He’s the antichrist. I want you to walk into the Oval Office with a gun in your hand. I want you to put it to his temple, and I want you to pull the trigger. That is what I want you to do as my agent. That’s what I want you to do as my elected official. That’s what I am petitioning you to do with my free speech. I want you to kill the president. I want you to assassinate the president. That’s what I want you to do. Now, Senator, are you gonna come after me? Are you going to try me because of my voice and what I said?

On April 18, Chandler also allegedly said of the congressperson and the congressperson's daughter:

Imagine your house, your daughter’s house, everyone you know and love who is also rich. Imagine every single one of those homes being surrounded by a thousand people. Then imagine them all getting a text and then, then suddenly taking out their pocketknives, walking slowly towards your house with 10, you got your 10 guards or whatever against a thousand people, and then they come and they pull you out of your house and they slit your throat and they slit your daughter’s throat and they slit everyone’s throat. That you know, sir, that is the future.

The speaker allegedly added:

It's not a future I want; it's not a future I'm advocating for, but wealth concentration has gotten so bad in this country. The greed has gotten so bad. People are suffering so much, sir, that that is what is in our future. You will not escape their wrath. We must redistribute the wealth away from people like you.

In another alleged message, the suspect pledged to build gallows and hang the congressperson, who is not named in the FBI affidavit. Other alleged voicemails made threats against ICE and expressed a willingness to "personally kill."

RELATED: Suspected WHCD shooter snapped damning photo moments before the attack, court docs reveal

The affidavit claimed the caller identified himself as Chandler and gave his address. The phone number associated with the calls was directly linked to Chandler via "publicly available information," the affidavit further claimed.

Chandler is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on Friday.

On Friday, WTAE reported the following FBI statement:

This morning, FBI Pittsburgh and the U.S. Secret Service arrested Raymond Chandler for threatening to kill federal officials, including President Trump and a member of Congress. The FBI will not tolerate threats of violence and will work tirelessly to protect public officials and all members of our communities. This arrest is a great example of our work with our law enforcement partners at the USSS, the U.S Capitol Police, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Chandler is running against incumbent U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) in 2028. On his campaign website, Chandler promises to tax billionaires, provide universal basic income, "abolish ICE," and protect abortion.

In an open letter to Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) featured on his website, Chandler describes himself as "a Quaker" with "a commitment to non-violence." He also chastises McCormick because his "voicemail is wayyy to [sic] short."

Chandler's campaign did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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

Pro-life advocates were handed a minor blow by the Supreme Court after access to an abortion drug was restored by a conservative justice.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals originally ordered a halt to the sale of mifepristone, but on Monday Justice Samuel Alito blocked the order and restored access.

'This is NOT a reversal of Friday's decision. Rather, it's the run-of-the-mill pause that the Justices typically use to consider the issues.'

Pro-life activists have sought the restriction of the drug based on safety concerns and claim the U.S. Food and Drug Administration rushed its approval in 2000 and then proceeded to relax restrictions on it.

Alito halted the ban through May 11 so the court can consider the issue fully. Alito's intervention restores access to the drug by mail after a telehealth appointment.

The Fifth Circuit panel had found that the drug "injures Louisiana by undermining its laws protecting unborn human life and also by causing it to spend Medicaid funds on emergency care for women harmed by mifepristone."

"Mifepristone sends 1 in 10 women who use it to the emergency room with life threatening conditions. Now it’s time for Congress to ban it completely for use in abortion," Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said in a post on social media on Monday.

Critics say the 1 in 10 figure comes from a conservative think tank and misrepresents the full data available on mifepristone.

"To be clear: This is NOT a reversal of Friday's decision. Rather, it's the run-of-the-mill pause that the Justices typically use to consider the issues raised in an emergency application," reads a statement from the Alliance Defending Freedom, a religious freedom legal nonprofit.

"We respect the Court's desire to have time to consider the issues and will continue our fight to uphold this victory that protects women and babies across the country from FDA's unlawful and destructive mail-order abortion-drug scheme," the nonprofit added.

RELATED: Pro-life activists celebrate victory after Costco announces policy on abortion drug

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in 2024 against a lawsuit intending to block mifepristone access on the basis that the plaintiffs lacked standing to sue the FDA.

Alito had also previously dissented against the majority ruling in 2023 to allow access to mifepristone while the case continued.

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

Scores of individuals were indicted during the first Trump administration for their involvement in a network of "pill mill" clinics — operations that diverted millions of oxycodone, hydrocodone, and carisoprodol pills with the help of health care professionals evidently eager to endanger public health to make a quick buck.

The current administration, which has significantly ramped up its fraud crackdown, has delivered one of the participants in this scheme to justice.

The Justice Department revealed in an exclusive to Blaze News on Monday that three days earlier, a federal jury in the Southern District of Texas convicted Barbara Marino — a 65-year-old resident of Tomball who served as the sole prescribing physician at Angels Clinica in Houston — of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and four counts of distributing a controlled substance.

Marino faces more than 20 years in prison for each of the five counts.

"Medical physicians who exploit their prescribing authority for profit over patient care break an inherent trust with their patients, and we will hold them accountable," said Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the DOJ's National Fraud Enforcement Division in a statement. "The Department of Justice remains committed to protecting the public from dangerous and unlawful distribution of controlled substances, especially when the drug dealer is a doctor."

Marino, who was first licensed to practice medicine in the Lone Star State in 1990, was found to have unlawfully distributed over 1 million pills of opioids and other controlled substances through the strip-mall clinic in Houston where her practice was based.

Angels Clinica in Houston has since permanently closed. Angels Medical, which is linked to the now-defunct Houston clinic, did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for comment.

RELATED: James Comey indictment goes beyond infamous '86 47' seashell post, covers full 'body of evidence,' Blanche says

John Moore/Getty Images

The original indictment against Marino said that of the roughly 1.06 million controlled-substance pills for which she issued prescriptions between September 2018 and August 2019, 518,000 were hydrocodone pills, 65,000 were oxycodone pills, and approximately 416,000 were carisoprodol pills.

Many of the purported patients who obtained prescriptions from Marino's cash-only clinic were effectively drug mules sent her way by traffickers who subsequently peddled the drugs on the street, according to court documents and evidence presented at trial.

This grift proved lucrative.

The Justice Department claimed that Marino — who is supposedly an addiction specialist — received over $400,000 from Angels Clinica's owners both for writing prescriptions that lacked a legitimate medical purpose and for doing so outside the usual course of professional practice.

Evidence shown at trial suggested that Marino rarely if ever encountered a patient for whom she wouldn't prescribe dangerous and addictive drugs.

In one instance, she reportedly prescribed what the DOJ characterized as a "dangerous cocktail of hydrocodone and carisoprodol" — apparently one ingredient short of the so-called "Houston Cocktail" — to a pregnant woman in her third trimester. The woman's OB-GYN testified that the drugs had threatened the well-being of both the mother and her unborn child.

The DOJ highlighted another case exemplifying Marino's willingness to give practically anyone hard drugs, specifically a mentally compromised patient — a diagnosed bipolar schizophrenic who suffered from the chronic delusion that he was President Richard Nixon — to whom she allegedly prescribed her dangerous cocktail on at least three occasions.

Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Administrator Cheri Oz, whose agency investigated this case, stated, "Patients put their trust and their lives into the hands of our medical and health care professionals.

"The highly addictive, dangerous misused drugs in this case — oxycodone and hydrocodone — are meant to treat pain, not cause it," continued Oz. "DEA remains relentless in our pursuit of those who poison our communities and exploit our health care system, all to line their own pockets with the profit from others' pain."

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

A Nebraska middle school teacher is accused of utilizing artificial intelligence to create more than a hundred child sexual abuse images — and the teacher allegedly masturbated to the disturbing child pornography while at a school, according to multiple reports.

The Nebraska State Patrol said in a statement that 47-year-old Matthew Lund was arrested at his Omaha home at approximately 6:15 a.m. April 22.

'He made a lot of kids uncomfortable, including my son, but he couldn't quite say why.'

Lund was booked into Douglas County Corrections and charged with possession of child sexual abuse material and distribution of child sexual abuse material.

A judge set Lund's bond at $1 million during an April 23 court appearance, KETV-TV reported. Lund was ordered not to have contact with anyone under 19 years old and to wear a GPS monitor.

Lund had been a Millard Public Schools teacher.

Lund is currently not listed on the staff directory on the Andersen Middle School website. However, an archived version of the staff directory shows Matthew Lund as a "science and STEM teacher."

Police stated that "at this point, there is no indication that any students are victims in this case."

WOWT-TV obtained court documents showing that authorities launched an investigation on Feb. 23 after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provided a tip.

"On February 23, 2026, Nebraska State Patrol received a cyber tip regarding sexual abuse of children material being uploaded to a Google account associated with the defendant from the Millard Public Schools," a prosecutor said, according to WOWT.

According to court documents, investigators discovered 423 images that were generated through artificial intelligence on the Google account.

Court documents say the images depicted children younger than 12 years old, including an infant.

One of the files apparently depicts a nude child around the age of 3 to 5 facing an adult.

Court records state another image shows a child of a similar age performing oral sex on a man.

There was also an image of two nude children, around the ages of 8 to 10.

"A search warrant was done on the defendant’s Google account," the prosecutor said in court. "104 files consistent with child sexual assault material were located, ranging from infant to approximately 12 years old."

Lund allegedly masturbated to the images while at the school.

"The defendant then admitted to generating the child sexual assault material of prepubescent children and masturbating to them while at work at which he is a middle school science teacher," the prosecutor said.

RELATED: Ex-teacher and boyfriend indicted on 39 child sex charges; she confessed to abusing 5-year-old at his direction, cops say

Brenda Beadle, deputy Douglas County attorney, stated that this case may be the first her office has charged under a law addressing AI-generated child pornography.

Beadle noted, "It is illegal even though it’s AI-generated."

The bill to prohibit conduct involving computer-generated child pornography was signed into law in May 2025.

KETV reported that Millard Public Schools said Lund has been "removed, and we are proceeding with termination and cancellation of his contract.”

Millard Public Schools told KETV:

All staff go through a thorough background check during the hiring process. Millard maintains open communication with law enforcement and regulatory agencies that alert us to any ongoing concern. Additionally, Millard is diligent about investigating all concerns brought to us.

A parent told KETV, "He was hiding in plain sight."

The parent said her son "can't believe that someone he trusted to keep him safe would do something like this."

"He made a lot of kids uncomfortable, including my son, but he couldn't quite say why," the parent added. "It, just, something was off."

The parent also said, "You think you're dropping your kids off, and those teachers are going to protect your kids."

Millard Public Schools did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for comment.

Those with information about this case are urged to contact the Nebraska State Patrol at 402-479-4049.

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

Most Americans today use modern, IP-based communications networks. However, 2% of Americans (about seven million people) still depend on legacy copper telephone systems. These networks are increasingly expensive to maintain, inefficient to operate, and vulnerable to both physical degradation and criminal exploitation.

Retiring these outdated systems and replacing them with fiber, wireless and satellite alternatives would be an easy win for consumers and providers alike, and it is something carriers have been trying to do for more than a decade. However, as is so often the case, progress was blocked by bureaucracy.

The copper-based 911 emergency system was built for an era of voice-only communication and fixed locations.

However, that era appears to be at an end thanks to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, who advanced a framework that gives carriers a clear path to retire copper networks responsibly while protecting consumers during the transition.

One of the most visible and frustrating failures of today’s legacy communications system is the explosion of robocalls. Scam and spam calls are the No. 1 consumer complaint to the FCC, with hundreds of thousands of reports filed annually and billions of illegal automated calls disrupting daily life.

These calls are not just minor annoyances, they are one of the major vectors for fraud, identity theft, and psychological manipulation — and they disproportionately target seniors and vulnerable populations.

Unlike legacy copper systems, modern IP-based networks can deploy authentication protocols such as AI-driven filters and network-level call verification. These defenses can stop robocalls and scammers before they reach consumers.

Public safety is another driving force behind modernization. The copper-based 911 emergency system was built for an era of voice-only communication and fixed locations. It is increasingly insufficient for how Americans communicate today.

Next Generation 911 replaces this outdated infrastructure with an IP-based system capable of receiving texts, photos, videos, and precise location data — including vertical “z-axis” positioning in multistory buildings.

NG911 enables faster emergency response, more accurate caller location, and better situational awareness for first responders. It also improves accessibility for hearing- and speech-impaired individuals, ensuring emergency services are truly universal.

The importance of upgrading is further heightened by a rising infrastructure security problem: copper theft. Criminals targeting underground and aerial lines have created a nationwide crisis, costing utilities and communications providers more than $1 billion annually.

Copper theft can knock out 911 service, disrupt broadband access, and leave entire communities without reliable communications. Every stolen segment must be replaced at significant cost to ratepayers and providers, perpetuating a cycle of damage that modern networks largely avoid.

For over a decade, providers have sought permission to retire copper infrastructure and transition fully to modern alternatives. Progress was slowed by a regulatory process that often required lengthy filings, public comment cycles, and unpredictable approval timelines stretching months or even years.

RELATED: One crash, one derailment — and Congress still can’t follow the data

NTSB/Handout/Xinhua/Getty Images

The FCC’s new modernization framework — advanced under Chairman Carr — changes that approach. Carriers may now proceed with copper retirement provided they give at least 90 days’ notice and ensure continuity of service throughout the transition.

Some critics have warned that retiring copper could disrepute service or lead to increased costs.

But these concerns overlook the fact that Americans already have alternatives at scale — fiber, cable broadband, mobile wireless, and satellite services capable of delivering both voice and data.

Even traditional landline-style handsets can be adapted to IP networks, preserving familiarity for users who prefer it. As for affordability, competition across wireless and broadband markets has expanded significantly, with multiple providers offering low-cost voice and data plans.

Prices are down roughly 6% since the Trump administration’s policy push on spectrum expansion and infrastructure investment during his first term helped unlock additional capacity and competition. At the same time, service quality and speeds have improved, making legacy copper increasingly unnecessary and economically inefficient to maintain.

There is also a major environmental and economic opportunity in retiring copper responsibly. Once decommissioned, copper is recovered through certified processes, such as stripping, granulation, and smelting. It is then reintroduced into manufacturing supply chains for wiring, construction, and industrial applications.

Over time, this recovery stream represents billions of dollars in reusable material value, while reducing illegal theft incentives and ensuring environmentally responsible disposal. The tech transition order positions America for generations to come, and there’s not a moment to lose.

A quarter of a century after their daughter's death, the parents of a 24-year-old who went missing say she may have had knowledge about UFOs that she was not supposed to have.

The case dates back to 2001, when Chandra Levy, an intern at the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Washington, D.C., mysteriously disappeared.

'Could she have known something that she wasn't supposed to know?'

National scandal

The disappearance drew intense national media attention at the time, much of it focused on Levy’s relationship with then-Rep. Gary Condit, a Democrat who represented California’s 18th Congressional District — including Levy’s hometown of Modesto.

Levy's body was discovered three weeks after she went missing, in a park just a few miles from her apartment. Authorities only found her skeletal remains. While the coroner determined that there was enough evidence to declare a homicide, the location of the murder was unclear.

A few days after her death, Levy's father, Robert, told police that his daughter was in a romantic relationship with Condit, which Condit denied. Condit was later cleared by investigators.

Years later, authorities charged Ingmar Guandique — an illegal immigrant who had attacked other women in Rock Creek Park around the same time — with Levy's murder. His 2010 conviction was later vacated, leaving elements of the case unresolved.

Landmark conference

Now Levy's parents, Susan and Robert Levy, maintain that their daughter's connection to Condit is what may have resulted in her death.

In an interview with NewsNation, the couple pointed to a UFO conference held by Steven Greer in D.C. eight days after Chandra went missing. The conference was seen as a landmark event, as it featured 20 witnesses from military, government, and intelligence backgrounds.

"At that time, Chandra mentioned something that she knew about the UFOs and Congressman Condit was on the committee to learn about UFOs," Mr. Levy told host Jesse Weber.

RELATED: Dead or vanishing scientists tied to NASA, JPL, and Los Alamos: Glenn Beck’s take may surprise you

- YouTube

A broader pattern

Condit served on the House Intelligence Committee for about two years between 1999 and 2001.

Levy’s mother said her daughter told her that Condit “believes in UFOs like I do and that he deals with this stuff.”

“Could she have known something that she wasn’t supposed to know?” she asked. “And could she have been wiped out because she knew too much?”

The parents acknowledged that they have no direct evidence, describing their theory as speculation informed by their own research. Still, they pointed to what they see as a broader pattern — suggesting, without proof, that their daughter’s death could be connected to other recent cases involving government scientists who have died or gone missing.

RELATED: Speculation mounts over mysterious deaths and disappearances tied to US space and nuclear program

Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department/Getty Images

“It all sort of fits together,” said Mr. Levy.

They also claimed they had been warned not to pursue that line of thinking, alleging that elements within the CIA have targeted individuals “too involved” in the subject.

The couple urged Donald Trump and lawmakers including Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) to exercise caution when discussing UFO disclosure publicly. Burchett has previously alluded to government secrets regarding UFOs while declaring that he is “not suicidal."

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

Bill Maher has once again clashed with a liberal on his podcast — this time with comedian David Cross over transgender politics.

As the pair argued on Maher’s “Club Random” podcast about biological men competing in women’s sports, Cross seemed to believe that the existence of his young daughter’s transgender friends would be a winning argument.

However, Maher quickly responded with shock when Cross explained that his daughter’s transgender friends are 9 years old and 3 years old.

“I knew somebody who said to me ... a woman, said, ‘I was what they called a tomboy. If I was alive now and acted the way I did then, that’s what they would have done to me,’” Maher explained.

“Well, nobody’s doing this to her,” Cross said.

“Somebody is doing something, because 8- or 9-year-olds can’t do anything on their own,” Maher responded.

BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere and co-host Dave Landau are not surprised that Cross has adopted the opinions of the left.

“He’s in L.A., though, where he lives, so he is at the eye of the storm. So, I mean, if any of us lived in Los Angeles, our kids would have a friend who identified as trans. It would be almost impossible not to,” Landau comments.

“But I would hope, Dave, we would be able to keep our connection to reality and be able to say, ‘Look, that’s not a thing,’” Stu says.

“Three years old. This is insanity,” he adds.

“It’s a conversation that I’m shocked we’re still having,” Landau agrees.

Want more from Stu and Dave?

To enjoy more of Stu and Dave's lethal blend of wit, humor, and insightful commentary, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

The Trump administration’s indictment against former FBI Director James Comey is grounded in a “body of evidence” that goes beyond the infamous “86 47” social media post, according to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Blanche spoke with NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday about the grand jury charges against Comey, which claimed that in May 2025, the former FBI director “knowingly and willfully” made a “threat to take the life of, and to inflict bodily harm upon,” President Donald Trump.

'This is not just about a single Instagram post.'

The indictment referred to a since-deleted Instagram post from Comey that included a photograph of seashells arranged to read “86 47,” something “a reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States,” the indictment reads.

The phrase “86” is a slang term for getting rid of something, while “47” is assumed to be a reference to Trump, the 47th president.

The caption of Comey’s May 2025 post read, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.” He later deleted the post and claimed that he “didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence.”

“It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down,” Comey stated.

NBC’s Kristen Welker questioned Blanche about the Department of Justice’s indictment, asking how the seashell image could “amount to a serious threat against the president’s life.”

Blanche highlighted the federal government’s 11-month investigation into Comey, which included a “body of evidence” beyond the Instagram post.

RELATED: Comey's legal troubles just got worse as DOJ pursues ANOTHER indictment

James Comey. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

“I am not permitted to get into the details of what the grand jury heard or found, as you know. But rest assured that it’s not just the Instagram post that leads somebody to get indicted,” Blanche told Welker.

Welker then asked how the DOJ will “prove intent” after Comey claimed he was unaware his post could be interpreted as a call for violence.

“You prove intent like you always prove intent. You prove intent with witnesses, you prove intent with documents, with materials. So again, this is not just about a single Instagram post,” Blanche replied.

He mentioned that the case will proceed with a public trial, during which the government’s evidence will be revealed.

“We are talking about evidence of all sorts. And that means documents, that means witnesses, and that means the whole array of what we did,” Blanche said.

RELATED: James Comey ARRESTED after alleged threat against Trump

Todd Blanche. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Welker asked Blanche whether online vendors who sell “87 46” merchandise and their customers should be “concerned that they’re going to be prosecuted by the DOJ.”

“Of course not,” Blanche replied. “That’s posted constantly. That phrase is used constantly. There are constantly men and women who choose to make threatening statements against President Trump. Every one of those statements do not result in indictments, of course. There are facts, there are circumstances, there are investigations that have to take place.”

Comey reacted to the DOJ’s indictment in late April, insisting that he was “still innocent.”

“I’m still not afraid. And I still believe in an independent federal judiciary, so let’s go,” he stated.

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

The 2025 Palisades Fire raged for at least 24 days, torching 23,448 acres in Los Angeles County, killing 12 people, and destroying over 6,800 structures.

While state authorities list Jan. 7, 2025, as being the official start of the Palisades Fire, the 30-year-old son of a French citizen is accused of kindling the inferno days earlier.

'It would be out of resentment of the rich enjoying their money.'

Jonathan Rinderknecht was arrested in October and charged with property destruction by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, and willful of malicious burning of timber on federal lands. He is alleged to have set the Lachman Fire on New Year's Day — a fire that was suppressed but apparently continued to burn underground until revived topside days later by heavy winds.

Federal prosecutors have provided new details about the alleged arsonist.

According to a trial memorandum reviewed by Bloomberg, Rinderknecht "exhibited extreme anger, indignation, and frustration about being unable to find companionship on New Year’s Eve."

This aligns with what investigators previously said about the suspect.

A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives agent claimed in a sworn affidavit that:

• witnesses observed Rinderknecht acting "agitated and angry" on the evening of Dec. 31, 2024;
• Rinderknecht allegedly watched the music video for a despair-themed song featuring fire-setting imagery repeatedly in the days leading up to the Lachman Fire; and
• the suspect asked ChatGPT, "Are you at fault if a fire is life [sic] because of your cigarettes."

Prosecutors said in the new filing that after unsuccessfully trying to make plans with two other people, Rinderknecht — then working as an Uber driver — dropped off passengers in the Palisades area then, "alone again," scaled the hillside where investigators apparently found evidence that the suspect had set a fire with a barbecue lighter.

RELATED: Democrats promised to quickly rebuild after Los Angeles fires destroyed homes and lives — they aren't delivering

Qian Weizhong/VCG/Getty Images

Prosecutors further alleged that Rinderknecht had become "increasingly angry with his life and society at large," adding that he had become "fixated on Luigi Mangione" — the 27-year-old Maryland native accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson on Dec. 4, 2024.

According to the trial memorandum, a forensic review of Rinderknecht's computer revealed he had searched for news regarding Mangione using search terms like "free Luigi Mangione," "lets [sic] take down all the billionaires," and "reddit lets kill all the billionaires."

Mangione is apparently admired by more than one alleged arsonist.

Chamel Abdulkarim, a 29-year-old accused of sparking the massive fire that destroyed a 1.2 million-square-foot warehouse in Ontario, California, last month, compared himself to Mangione, according to Bill Essayli, the first assistant United States attorney for the Central District of California.

When questioned by investigators about why someone might set the Palisades area ablaze, Rinderknecht said that "it would be out of resentment of the rich enjoying their money as 'we're basically being enslaved by them' and compared such an act of 'desperation' to the murder for which Mangione was charged," prosecutors claimed in the filing.

Steven Haney, Rinderknecht’s lawyer, said in a statement to Bloomberg, "I maintain my client’s innocence."

"No misguided theory from the government will change the lack of evidence showing my client started or was responsible for either of the fires for which he is charged. We look forward to proving it at trial," added Haney.

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

People have been speculating about the power balance in the Senate after the midterms — and all eyes have repeatedly fallen on one Democrat senator in particular.

Politico published an article on Monday morning detailing a behind-the-scenes snapshot of Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, who was portrayed in the article as increasingly politically homeless.

'If we flip four seats in the Senate, who is the number 51 for the new majority?'

Fetterman, a first-term senator, is being courted by Republican leadership as midterms approach, and their majority hangs in the balance by a narrow margin, Politico said.

President Trump has been interested in flipping Fetterman for months, according to Fox News' Sean Hannity.

RELATED: Fetterman urges Democrats to 'drop the TDS' after WHCD shooting — but Pritzker and Soviet-born Democrat don't listen

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images

In his interview with Fetterman in March, Hannity shared that he spoke with President Trump with him in mind. Hannity said Trump tasked him with making the pitch to Fetterman.

“Your job is to tell him he’s gonna run as a Republican, he’s gonna have our full support, more money than he ever dreamed of, and he’s gonna win big,” Hannity told Fetterman, recalling Trump’s alleged instructions.

While Fetterman told Politico in an interview that he has no plans to become a Republican, he has become friends with a pair of senators and their spouses: Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) and Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.). He also "gets along well" with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, with whom he texts regularly, the outlet said.

However, he has still championed many liberal issues that put him at odds with becoming a true Republican, including his stances on legalizing marijuana, abortion, and gay rights.

Likewise, he has seen and is wary of how Republicans who have stood up to Trump, including Sens. Bill Cassidy (La.) and Thom Tillis (N.C.), have been treated.

Having reached across the aisle and spent more time with Republicans, Fetterman is well aware that he is becoming increasingly alienated from his own party at the same time.

However, he is equally aware of his political leverage if the Senate's margins narrow as they are expected to in the midterms: “If we flip four seats in the Senate, who is the number 51 for the new majority?” he asked during his interview with Politico.

Republicans currently effectively hold a 53-seat majority in the Senate, while Democrats hold 45 seats. There are two independents who caucus with Democrats.

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

A game-show contestant who won "Jeopardy!" dozens of times cited race and immigration in a string of divisive comments after leaving the show.

The remark come after 31 consecutive victories and almost $900,000 in winnings across March and April.

'I was able to become part of the history of an American institution.'

Jamie Ding's winning streak is the fifth longest in "Jeopardy!" history, and the $882,605 he netted stands as the fifth-highest regular play winnings in the show's history. First in both those categories goes to host Ken Jennings, who won more than $2.5 million across the span of 74 straight wins, 34 more than second-place record-holder Amy Schneider.

Foreign asset

Unlike Jennings, Ding did it all without being a native-born American of European origin, something he was eager to point out to People magazine following his final episode.

"As an immigrant and a person of color, I was able to become part of the history of an American institution," Ding stated.

The Princeton grad went on to condemn the Trump administration's policy of deporting illegal immigrants.

"'Jeopardy!' really is an institution, and America's turning 250 years old, and the federal government is going after immigrants in a way unlike anything that we've seen in the recent past," he said. "So I hope that immigrants can be seen in a positive light too."

RELATED: The homicidal empathy of the left’s immigration policies

Shame game

Ding has used his newfound fame to champion other causes, recently appearing with New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) in support of a new state housing initiative.

According to Wheel of Fortune Tonight, he works for the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency as a tax credit program administrator.

"The agency I work for, we manage the low-income housing credits for New Jersey. We fund a huge chunk of the affordable housing that's built in the state," Ding said, per NorthJersey.com. "We're ahead of New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania. If you're from one of those states, then shame on you. Build more housing."

RELATED: Illegal alien with a badge impersonates Border Patrol agent to disrupt mission — even calls in 'reinforcements'

Eric McCandless/Disney/Getty Images

Bus buff

According to Huffington Post, Ding was born in Australia and is a naturalized U.S. citizen; his parents emigrated from Beijing.

"I kept hearing how it was bringing people together," he said about his appearances on "Jeopardy!"

"I love that very much. I've heard people say, 'It's nice to have something positive on TV!'" he added.

Ding has said that he hopes to use his winnings to move closer to public transit.

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

Minnesota House Republicans are locked in a fierce partisan clash with Democrats as GOP lawmakers call for accountability from Gov. Tim Walz (DFL) and his administration for their years of failure to stop widespread welfare fraud that robbed hardworking taxpayers.

It is estimated that the fraud in Minnesota connected to 14 “high-risk” Medicaid services could top $9 billion.

Swanson further claimed senior-level Minnesota DHS officials 'harassed and abused our unit for committing the sin of trying to expose a huge amount of fraud.'

The Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee, led by Rep. Kristin Robbins (R), has held dozens of hearings, aiming to address these issues.

Robbins has slammed Walz for declining the committee’s invitation to testify before House lawmakers, despite being in the Capitol building for his State of the State address the same evening as the committee’s Apr. 28 hearing.

Robbins stated that his “decision-making over the last seven years … should be addressed,” pointing to a 2019 report from the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor, published early in Walz’s administration, that revealed issues in the state’s Child Care Assistance Program.

While Robbins’ committee has not heard testimony from Walz, it has questioned members of his administration. However, Robbins stated lawmakers “did not get satisfactory answers.”

Republicans have introduced a wave of legislation to address the core issues at the heart of the state’s fraud crisis. However, Democrat lawmakers have put up resistance.

Last year, Republican lawmakers introduced a bill to establish an independent Office of Inspector General to investigate. Currently, the OIG is under the Minnesota DHS, an executive branch agency. After weeks of party-line disagreements, a bipartisan OIG compromise advanced in late Apr. 2026.

The “Fraud Isn’t Free Act,” introduced in Feb. 2026, would have required state agencies to implement a corrective action plan in response to fraud in any program they administer. However, the proposal failed to pass a House committee.

GOP lawmakers are also pushing the “Take It Back Act,” introduced in April, which is still in play. If passed, it would impose a 100% tax on an individual or organization convicted of fraud in a state or federal court.

RELATED: Walz tries to take credit for raids on day cares in Minnesota — and Kash Patel humiliates him

Kristin Robbins. Brendan SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images

As the state remains in the national spotlight for ignoring years of red flags, lawmakers are facing a tied House and are up against the clock, with the legislative session set to conclude in mid-May.

On Apr. 28, FBI Minneapolis and its federal partners raided 22 child-care and autism centers. The criminal search warrants included the infamous “Quality Learing Center,” which misspelled “learning” on the business sign posted outside its establishment, as featured in journalist Nick Shirley’s reporting that uncovered rampant fraud tied to the state’s Somali community.

That same day, Robbins’ fraud committee gathered for a hearing to discuss the state’s Child Care Assistance Program, during which Jay Swanson, a former Minnesota state trooper and a former manager of the Minnesota Department of Human Services child care provider investigation unit from 2014 to 2019, provided damning testimony.

Swanson explained that he was involved in an investigation that led to a federal indictment of the owner of the Salama Child Care Center in 2017. The owner ultimately pled guilty, was sentenced to two years in prison, and was ordered to pay $1.4 million in restitution, Swanson said.

“The Salama Child Care Center was located at 1411 Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. That address might ring a bell for some of you because of a YouTube video taken last December at the Quality Learing Center, which was being operated at the same address,” Swanson told lawmakers, referring to Shirley’s reporting.

Swanson further claimed senior-level Minnesota DHS officials “harassed and abused our unit for committing the sin of trying to expose a huge amount of fraud in the CCAP program.” He noted that some of those individuals are still working at the state DHS.

He told lawmakers that by mid-2017, the leadership at the Minnesota DHS was not focused on stopping CCAP fraud, but “the focus was on stopping the people that are investigating CCAP fraud.”

Swanson stated that the state DHS unit he led was closed shortly after the special Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor report that flagged major weaknesses in the DHS’ fraud controls.

“Rather than INCREASING criminal investigations of childcare fraud after an OLA report came out early in his Administration, @GovTimWalz and DHS closed the unit,” Robbins wrote in a post on X. “They knew and they intentionally stopped criminal investigations.”

Robbins questioned Randy Keys, the inspector general of the Minnesota Department of Child, Youth, and Families, during the Apr. 28 hearing about whether he would want to “reinstate a criminal investigation unit” in the DCYF. This agency was established in 2024 to take over responsibility for child care-related programs from the DHS.

“No,” Keys replied. “It’s very important in our system to ensure that administrative investigations are kept separate from criminal investigations. … What we’re doing is protecting the integrity of the investigations and our ability to use that information.”

RELATED: FBI RAIDS 'Quality Learing Center' and nearly 2 dozen more in Minnesota FRAUD investigation

Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Less than two years ago, Walz was the darling of the national Democratic Party after Kamala Harris nominated him to join her on the 2024 presidential ticket.

Minnesota’s benefit fraud crisis, however, has damaged Walz’s political career, leading him to drop out of the re-election race. Walz’s prolonged failure to address the fraud prompted House Republicans to propose resolutions H.R. 6 and H.R. 7 in March that would move to impeach the governor and Attorney General Keith Ellison.

H.R. 6, which called for Walz’s removal, accused the governor of engaging “in corrupt conduct in office by violating his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the laws of this state.” It claimed he knowingly concealed or permitted others to conceal “widespread fraud … despite repeated warnings, audits, reports, and public indicators of systematic abuse.”

H.R. 7, which aimed to impeach Ellison, claimed that the attorney general “failed to discharge faithfully the duties of his office to the best of his judgment and ability, by engaging in corrupt conduct in office and committing crimes and misdemeanors.”

The criticism against Ellison stemmed from his alleged ties to those involved in the Feeding Our Future scandal. In 2021, Ellison met with criminal defendants involved with Feeding Our Future, 10 months before any indictments were filed. Shortly after their meeting, Ellison accepted over $10,000 in campaign donations from individuals tied to the group.

Ellison returned some of the campaign donations in 2022, soon after federal indictments were filed. Other campaign funds were returned in May and Dec. of 2025.

House Republican Floor Leader Harry Niska insisted that the only power the House has for accountability in the “multibillion-dollar fraud scandal that’s embarrassing our state” is impeachment.

Democrat lawmakers rejected the impeachment efforts. Rep. Sydney Jordan (DFL) called the attempt a “simple, stupid distraction” and a “political circus.”

Jordan accused Republicans of targeting Walz and Ellison because they “don’t like them,” and claimed GOP lawmakers should be focused on the “absolute solutions” that could prevent “scamming businesses” in the future.

“We actually have a fraud committee that could be doing this, but they haven’t heard any bills to actually crack down on fraud, so I don’t know what they’re doing either. This is exactly the kind of political stunt that has taken over our politics,” Jordan said. “This is an insane waste of time. I can’t believe this is what the Republican caucus is choosing to spend their limited committee time on.”

Walz similarly called the GOP’s effort “a waste of time.” He told Republicans to “just get over it and move on” because his term is coming to an end.

Ellison has insisted that his 2021 meeting with individuals involved in the Feeding Our Future scandal was “routine,” he wrote in a Minnesota Star Tribune op-ed in Apr. 2025.

“I took a meeting in good faith with people I didn’t know, and some turned out to have done bad things. I did nothing for them and took nothing from them,” Ellison wrote.

In Dec. 2025, a spokesperson for Ellison claimed that the AG did not receive donations from anyone who attended the 2021 meeting and that he had “returned every contribution from the handful of people associated with Feeding Our Future as soon as he was made aware of those connections.”

The procedural resolution to consider H.R. 6 and H.R. 7 was rejected along party lines on Apr. 15 in the Rules Committee.

Walz's office and Ellison's office did not respond to requests for comment from Blaze News.

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

On Sunday evening, a spokesman for "America’s Mayor" Rudy Giuliani shared the news that the 81-year-old former New York City mayor is in critical condition in a Florida hospital.

“Giuliani is currently in the hospital,” spokesman Ted Goodman wrote on X, “where he remains in critical but stable condition. Mayor Giuliani is a fighter who has faced every challenge in his life with unwavering strength, and he's fighting with that same level of strength as we speak.”

‘I pray he pulls through this. The world needs more of him.’

Goodman added, “We do ask that you join us in prayer for America's Mayor Rudy Giuliani.”

Almost immediately after the news broke, well-wishes and tributes started pouring in.

“Our fabulous Rudy Giuliani, a True Warrior, and the Best Mayor in the History of New York City, BY FAR, has been hospitalized,” wrote President Donald Trump on Truth Social. “What a tragedy that he was treated so badly by the Radical Left Lunatics, Democrats ALL — AND HE WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING!”

RELATED: Did Biden win Georgia? 2020 election results now in doubt after county admits counting perhaps 315,000 uncertified votes

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The president isn’t the only one offering well-wishes.

Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, a New York City native who served four years as a police officer with the New York Police Department, wrote on X, “Mayor Rudy Giuliani was the most transformative figure in the history of NY City politics.”

“He pulled off an economic and public safety miracle in a relatively short amount of time, and the city rose from the dead. I worked for the NYPD during the end of his second term. It was the honor of a lifetime,” Bongino continued. “I pray he pulls through this. The world needs more of him.”

Another former mayor of New York, Eric Adams, wrote on X that Giuliani “devoted his life to this city, from his days as a federal prosecutor to leading New York through 9/11. He was there when we needed him most.”

Adams then shared that he would be praying for Giuliani.

There have been no further updates from Giuliani’s team on the reasons for the hospitalization or the prognosis as of Monday morning.

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

Two men wearing ski masks opened fire at a party near an Oklahoma lake Sunday night, and at least 13 people were hospitalized, according to reports.

Edmond Police spokesperson Emily Ward told the Associated Press that authorities were notified about shots fired around 9 p.m. at a gathering of young people near Arcadia Lake. Arcadia Lake is just over 20 minutes north of Oklahoma City.

'We are working extremely hard to find the suspects.'

Police told KOKH-TV that two men wearing ski masks opened fire during the party at Spring Creek Park near the lake.

Ward told the AP that while no arrests had been made yet, she noted to KOKH that police are reviewing video from Flock license plate reader cameras in order to identify those responsible.

The outlet, citing a hospital system spokesperson, said that 10 people were taken to Integris Health Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City, and three were at Integris Health Edmond Hospital as of Monday morning.

Integris Health told Fox News that six of the 13 victims have been treated and released, and of the seven who remained hospitalized, four were listed in serious condition and three were listed in critical condition.

RELATED: 17-year-old faces attempted murder charges in connection with mass shooting near University of Iowa

Ward added to the AP that "we’re kind of all over the metro speaking with victims and witnesses."

“This is obviously a very terrifying situation, and we understand the concern from the public and those involved, and we are working extremely hard to find the suspects,” she added to the outlet.

The AP said police did not immediately respond to an email seeking information early Monday.

The outlet also said that while police did not provide details about the party, a flyer seen on social media after the shooting suggested that an event called Sunday Funday had been scheduled near the lake Sunday evening.

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