The Blaze

Liberals SPEW hatred at DoorDash after marketing stunt with Trump at White House

2 hours 58 minutes ago


The DoorDash delivery app is getting some backlash from those angry about a publicity stunt it had with President Donald Trump at the White House Monday.

The president smiled for the cameras after receiving a package from McDonald's delivered by a DoorDash worker. He tipped her $100, and she praised his "no taxes on tips" policy for saving her money.

'Today, I deleted their app. There are other delivery services that don't pander to a pedophile. F**k DoorDash.'

Almost immediately, liberals and other anti-Trump critics lambasted the company over the promotion.

"I'm ashamed to admit that I've spent a good deal of money using door dash. This lame s**t you pulled with trump made it super easy to delete my account. Get f**ked," one user responded on the X platform.

"I've been ordering @DoorDash for years. Years and years. Today, I deleted their app. There are other delivery services that don't pander to a pedophile. F**k DoorDash and that bulls**t PR scam with Trump," replied a user identifying as a Canadian.

"Despite yall making it exceedingly difficult to delete accounts, got that s**t done. Absolutely F**k Trump, ICE, MAGA, and doordash," one response reads.

"Just delete Doordash. F**k Trump," another user said.

"Just cancelled my DashPass and hopefully many more do the same. I'm not funding Trumpie propaganda," another detractor replied.

"You f**king clowns use the fake ass driver to f**king promote this f**king bulls**t for a f**king clown show pathetic f**king pathetic," another critic said.

RELATED: Viral TikTok post leads to boycott of beloved SoCal taco shop chain — just because Latino CEO likes Trump

"Deleting ur app! Been a long term volume customer for years. Recommend you firing the marketing genius who's gonna cost you millions of dollars for that performance at the White House! You have alienated millions of people," said another.

"Deleted my app and will never use you again. Trump is a FASCIST, who is killing people and sending children to torture camps to be raped. I'll be telling everyone I know to never use you again. I hope your company fails," reads another message to the company.

Despite the outrage from many on the left, the company's stock price had its best session in eight weeks after the White House promotion.

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Carlos Garcia

Mamdani plan includes 5 city-run grocery markets — with massive price tag

3 hours 48 minutes ago


Socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has revealed his plans for city-run grocery stores, a key promise he made to get into office.

Mamdani touted a similar experiment in 1936 by then-Mayor Fiero LaGuardia that provided city-run markets for New Yorkers in the throes of the Great Depression.

'You know, it's going to be more turmoil than anything else. It's a great punch line for him and for the socialist movement. But New York is not a socialist city.'

"It cut overhead for pushcart vendors and lowered consumer cost," Mamdani said during his 100 Days address on Sunday evening.

"LaGuardia said it was 'an answer to those who said they had been forgotten,'" he added. "The New York Times described it succinctly, 'City tries experiment.' New York City, it is time for a grand experiment once again. Just like Laguardia used government to respond to challenges of the Great Depression, we will use government to respond to rising prices and unaffordable groceries."

The effort will have a massive price tag.

Construction operations just at the first site are expected to run to $30 million.

Critics howled at the estimate, noting that it's many times more what private industry spends to build a grocery store. And funding still needs to be approved by the city council.

Mamdani also said the stores would offer discounted prices on only certain staple items.

"The city will subsidize a core set of food staples," the socialist mayor said. "A private operator will run the store but will answer to the standards the city will set. These standards include requirements that at our stores, bread will be cheaper. Eggs will be cheaper. Grocery shopping will no longer be an unsolvable equation. And workers will be treated with dignity."

City Hall hopes to have the first city-run store running by 2027 and four others by 2029, the end of Mamdani's term.

Critics are already lambasting the plan, including the spokesperson for a bodega group.

"These stores are going to get jam-packed. There are only four or five in the entire city of 8 million people," said Fernando Mateo of the United Bodegas of America.

"What do you expect is going to happen? You're going to have people rushing to these stores early in the morning to late at night, waiting on long lines," he added. "You know, it's going to be more turmoil than anything else. It's a great punch line for him and for the socialist movement. But New York is not a socialist city."

RELATED: Yet another big socialist promise from Mamdani skids and crashes into reality

Others noted that previous city-run grocery experiments ended with empty shelves and crime.

Mamdani spoke directly to the naysayers of his socialist plot.

"Some will insist that city-owned businesses do not work, that government cannot keep up with corporations," he said. "My answer to them is simple. I look forward to the competition."

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Carlos Garcia

Are scandal-plagued Cory Mills' days in Congress finally numbered?

5 hours 33 minutes ago


The swift resignations of Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) to avoid expulsion votes regarding sexual misconduct allegations may trigger a chain reaction on Capitol Hill to remove other lawmakers accused of wrongdoing.

Gonzales stated that he planned to file his retirement from office on Tuesday after admitting to an affair with a former staffer who later committed suicide.

'Congress has serious moral and ethical problems and these four are the face of it.'

On Sunday, Swalwell decided he would suspend his bid for California governor after a former staffer claimed he had previously sexually assaulted her. Swalwell has denied the allegations.

The House Ethics Committee announced Monday that it would open an investigation into the allegations against Swalwell. That same day, Swalwell stated he would resign from Congress, citing his colleagues' intent to expel him.

"I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members," Swalwell said. "Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong. But it's also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress."

The recent resignations of Swalwell and Gonzales have renewed bipartisan calls for other scandal-plagued lawmakers to step down. Among those urging immediate action are Reps. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), who have publicly called on Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) and Cory Mills (R-Fla.) to resign.

RELATED: 'You're a piece of s**t': Nancy Mace and Cory Mills clash in heated exchange after failed censure

Cory Mills. Drew Angerer/Getty Images. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

The House Ethics Committee effectively found Cherfilus-McCormick guilty in March of 25 counts of financial misconduct and campaign-finance violations related to the misuse of federal relief funds. She was accused of stealing $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds.

The committee opened an investigation into Mills in November regarding several allegations, including claims that the congressman failed to disclose necessary information to the House, violated campaign finance laws, improperly accepted gifts and special favors, engaged in sexual misconduct, and misused congressional resources.

Blaze News was the first to report the bombshell sextortion accusations against Mills from former Miss United States Lindsey Langston.

Mills has also been accused of stolen valor, with multiple veterans and former colleagues previously telling Blaze News that he fabricated or exaggerated key elements of his military record.

On Monday, Mace declared that it is "time to clean house."

"We don't care what party you're in. Stealing millions in taxpayer dollars, sexually assaulting your staff, lying about your service record, none of it is acceptable and none of it goes unnoticed," Mace stated. "Congress has serious moral and ethical problems and these four are the face of it. Washington has protected its own for too long. It needs to end now. We're calling on these four to resign or face expulsion."

Velázquez made similar comments on Monday, writing in a post on X, "Congress should not tolerate representatives who abuse staff, betray public trust for personal gain, and generally violate their oath of office."

"Reps. Swalwell, Gonzales, Cherfilus-McCormick, and Mills should resign. If they refuse, they should be expelled," Velázquez stated.

RELATED: 'Mutually assured destruction': Another disgraced lawmaker to resign from Congress over sex scandal

Nancy Mace. Heather Diehl/Getty Images. Nydia Velazquez. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Mace, who has been leading the charge to remove Mills, forced a censure vote against Mills in November over "alleged stolen valor, arms deals he's under investigation for and alleged abuses toward women." It failed in a 310-103 vote, with 204 Republicans and 106 Democrats supporting Mills.

Mace claimed that a censure against Rep. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands), who was accused of colluding with Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing, had previously failed because Mills arranged a "backroom deal" to suppress his own censure.

Mills was accused of similar allegations in September when he voted to protect Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) from censure. Mills was the deciding vote.

"Another backroom deal so Cory Mills can't get censored [sic] for Stolen Valor," Mace stated in a November post on X. "I have the General who 'recommended' him for the Bronze Star on record saying he never wrote it, never read it and never personally signed it. This. Is. Washington."

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) stated Tuesday that he is “looking into” the House Ethics investigation into Mills.

Mills' office did not respond to a request for comment.

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Candace Hathaway

Viral TikTok post leads to boycott of beloved SoCal taco shop chain — just because Latino CEO likes Trump

6 hours 3 minutes ago


Liberals are trying to destroy a popular taco shop chain run by a Hispanic family for generations because the CEO is a supporter of President Donald Trump.

Roberto's Taco Shop began as a tortilla shop in San Diego, California, in the late 1960s by an immigrant family from Mexico. It has grown into a vast franchise with 80 locations in California, Nevada, and Texas.

'Total rags to riches American story too. They are San Diego legends.'

On Wednesday, a TikTok activist posted evidence showing that chain CEO Reynaldo Robledo has posted statements in support of the president.

That post went viral, and liberals are now calling for customers to avoid all Roberto's Taco Shops.

"Did this CEO forget that all of his restaurants are based on Mexican dishes, who wouldn't have made it here without the immigrants that are currently being affected by the current administration that you are supporting?" the TikToker asked.

The message has spread to other platforms, including Facebook.

"Did you know that Reynaldo Robledo, the CEO of Roberto's Taco Shop is a huge MAGA supporter and supports ICE! Looks like you won't be getting our business anymore!" reads a post from a group titled "A Strong Nevada."

Others have posted the video on the X social media platform.

The Nevada part of the chain issued a statement trying to quell the outrage.

"Roberto's Taco Shop is proud to be a Latino-owned and operated franchise that serves diverse communities across Nevada," the statement reads. "While our CEO may hold personal political beliefs, it is important to note that each of our 49 franchisees operate their stores independently."

RELATED: Liberals are lashing out at Guy Fieri after he was photographed with Donald Trump at UFC event

Others pointed out that the boycott would harm independent franchise owners who have nothing to do with the political beliefs of the CEO.

Some on the right responded by calling on Trump supporters to combat the boycott by patronizing the taco shops.

"Total rags to riches American story too. They are San Diego legends," SoCal activist Amy Reichert replied.

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Carlos Garcia

Video: Why is a Chinese robot chasing wild boars in Poland?

6 hours 18 minutes ago


A popular Chinese robot is going viral for a video showing it chasing wild boars, but many aren't sure why that happened.

The robot itself, nicknamed Edward Warchocki, is a Unitree G1 model available for public purchase that popped up in Poland.

'Older ladies or gentlemen love talking with him.'

The Chinese-made robots go for a whopping $23,809 for the basic model, all the way up to $58,365 for the "ultimate edition."

Recently, this particular model was seen running through the streets of Warsaw, Poland, chasing wild boars. While hilarious, there is actual serious context behind the content.

Major Polish cities like Krakow have endured a sprawling wild boar issue — even in city centers — for years, resulting in authorities urging their population to resist feeding the somewhat approachable beasts.

Other cities have resorted to planting flowers with vivid colors and sweet scents in order to deter the pigs.

Since at least 2019, there have been warnings of disease allegedly spread by the animals, resulting in calls for culls and elimination of thousands of them that have reportedly carried illnesses like African swine fever and Hepatitis E.

Enter Edward the robot, who was recently seen shooing the animals away from downtown Warsaw.

RELATED: Man vs. machine: Chinese robots will compete against humans in Beijing half-marathon

- YouTube

As reported by Interesting Engineering, Edward is a Chinese humanoid that operates mostly on its own. It is not controlled remotely and is described as unscripted. Therefore it reacts dynamically to its surroundings and engages in adaptive dialogue in Polish using AI.

Edward is most popular with Polish Boomers, its owners say, as they are excited to interact with a robot for the first time.

Radosław Grzelaczyk and business partner Bartosz Idzik started in cryptocurrency, but they now try to create viral videos with their robo-friend.

"Personally, the sight of this robot chasing boars does not surprise me anymore," Grzelaczyk told TVP World.

"Older ladies or gentlemen love talking with him," Grzelaczyk added. "These people are always delighted that they lived to see times in which robots move through the streets."

RELATED: China debuts 'scary' martial arts robots capable of backflips and weapons training

Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

In China, the robots have been shown to be capable of advanced feats. Last year, they competed in a half-marathon and were showcased in February performing kung-fu, gymnastics, and weapons work.

The focus during China's annual CCTV Spring Festival gala was innovation in multi-robot coordination and fault recovery, referring to a robot's ability to get up after tumbling down. China showed the robots in choreographed performances and dancing as well.

Definitive warning signs of spying from Chinese robot manufacturers exist too. Axios reported on two security researchers who reported on Unitree Robotics allegedly pre-installing a backdoor on its Go1 robot dogs that allowed for customer surveillance.

Other research warned about exploits that allowed for remote takeover of the humanoid bots, among other models.

Neither Edward nor his owners responded to Return's request for comment.

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Andrew Chapados

Eric Swalwell reaps what he sowed during Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation

6 hours 33 minutes ago


Disgraced Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell said the women accusing Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct "deserve to be heard" during the 2018 confirmation hearings. Now a California woman is accusing Swalwell of raping her that same year.

Lonna Drewes has become the fifth woman to accuse Swalwell of sexual misconduct, alleging that the former gubernatorial candidate raped her eight years ago. In a press conference Tuesday, Drewes accused Swalwell of spiking her drink before Swalwell brought her to his hotel and allegedly raped her.

'I did not want to live anymore.'

Swalwell infamously demanded every one of Kavanaugh's accusers be heard, saying they "deserve for their allegations to be investigated." Eight years later, Swalwell is saying the allegations against him are false and unfounded, eventually dropping out of the governor's race and resigning from Congress.

"He raped me, and he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness, and I thought I died," Drewes said. "I did not consent to any sexual activity."

RELATED: 'Mutually assured destruction': Another disgraced lawmaker to resign from Congress over sex scandal

Drewes said she did not report the incident at the time but cited other forms of documentation, like her handwritten calendar and therapy sessions at a sexual assault center, to substantiate the accusations. At the time of the alleged encounter, Drewes was in a "committed" relationship, and Swalwell's wife was pregnant.

"It had a profound impact on my mental health," Drewes added. "I self-medicated in an unhealthy way. I did not want to live anymore. I cried all the time for years. At the time, I was in a dating relationship with a boyfriend I was fully committed to. I've never cheated in my life, and I would never have engaged in a consensual sexual encounter with Eric Swalwell."

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Rebeka Zeljko

'Truly sick individuals': ICE arrests convicted murderer and sexual predators

6 hours 48 minutes ago


On Monday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents nabbed several criminal illegal aliens whom Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin described as "truly sick individuals."

A DHS press release, obtained exclusively by Blaze News, highlighted ICE's recent arrest of five illegal immigrants across the country who were taken into federal custody.

'We will not allow criminal illegal aliens to roam free in our communities and terrorize innocent Americans.'

These individuals have been "convicted of voluntary manslaughter, lewd battery on a child, attempted statutory rape of a child, and other horrific crimes," the press release read.

The DHS stated that nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens with prior criminal charges or convictions.

Immigration officers captured Rodolfo Sanchez, an illegal alien from Mexico who was previously convicted of voluntary manslaughter and burglary of a building in Houston, Texas.

RELATED: Woman claims ICE wrongfully detained her for 30 hours — now a sheriff is suing her for defamation

Rodolfo Sanchez. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

ICE agents nabbed Jose Rivera-Orta, a 56-year-old illegal alien from Cuba who was convicted of lewd/lascivious battery on a child 12 to 15 years old in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Jose Rivera-Orta. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Federal agents arrested Jacobo Pablo-Ramirez, an illegal alien from Guatemala. His rap sheet includes a conviction for attempted statutory rape of a child in Duplin County, North Carolina.

Jacobo Pablo-Ramirez. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Daniel Garces-Flores, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was captured by ICE. He was previously convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Hidalgo County, Texas.

Daniel Garces-Flores. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Immigration agents also arrested Derekson Lett, an illegal alien from Grenada who was convicted of robbery in Staten Island, New York. A local report from SILive.com stated that in 2015, Lett, who was 26 years old at the time, had tried to rob a prostitute who was allegedly fatally shot by Lett's accomplice in a motel. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

RELATED: Thug accused of killing woman in Florida hammer attack is Haitian illegal alien protected from deportation under Biden: DHS

Derekson Lett. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

"Yesterday, ICE arrested some truly sick individuals, including murderers, pedophiles, sexual predators, and violent thugs," Mullin stated. "Nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S. We will not allow criminal illegal aliens to roam free in our communities and terrorize innocent Americans."

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Candace Hathaway

Finalist for Minnesota Teacher of the Year withdraws after perverse photos unearthed

7 hours 8 minutes ago


One of 11 finalists for Teacher of the Year award in Minnesota withdrew after obscene videos and images were published by Alpha News.

Former Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City School District 6th-grade teacher Thomas Rosengren is no longer a finalist after published images showed him simulating sex acts with two other men while dressed in bondage paraphernalia.

'It’s feeding time on the farm. Cowboy Tommy is feeding the six piglets and bull.'

Last week, Alpha News reached out to Education Minnesota, which ran the Teacher of the Year award, but did not receive a response. Days later, Education Minnesota updated its webpage to indicate that Rosengren had withdrawn.

Rosengren worked as a social studies and earth science teacher in the Grove City district as well as a theater director and reportedly a coach.

Although he has withdrawn from the Teacher of the Year contention, Rosengren won the title of Mr. Minneapolis Eagle in 2019, which celebrated his "bratty boy" status in the leather and gay community.

An image of Rosengren in the "Mr. Minneapolis Eagle" leather sash can still be viewed on the social media account for the Twin Cities Gay Scene website.

Alpha News published numerous images publicly available from the Eagle contest showing Rosengren wearing BDSM attire and posing sexually with two other males.

In one image, Rosengren holds up a sign reading, "It’s feeding time on the farm. Cowboy Tommy is feeding the six piglets and bull."

Other images showed him simulating oral and anal sex with the other leather-clad men.

Alpha News published images published on his Facebook page showing him wearing a "cowboy hat, leather speedo, and bondage straps."

RELATED: Dad says former math teacher and coach sent 15-year-old daughter nude selfie

Initially district Superintendent Kip Lynk declined to answer questions posed by the news outlet and released a brief statement.

"Under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Mr. Rosengren is entitled to data privacy protections, and without his consent, there is limited information I can share," he wrote.

After Alpha News published the expose, Lynk said Rosengren was no longer employed at the district.

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Carlos Garcia

Dad rushes home to protect child, pregnant wife from unhinged male screaming death threats at door, demanding it be opened

7 hours 23 minutes ago


A Northern California father rushed home to protect his 5-year-old child and pregnant wife from a male stranger who was caught on the Fairfield home's doorbell camera screaming death threats and demanding that the homeowner open the door.

Video from last Tuesday's terrifying incident shows the male standing on the porch of the home in the 1700 block of Burbank Court in Fairfield and talking to the homeowner through a Ring doorbell camera and demanding entry, KTVU-TV reported.

'Open the door. This is my neighborhood. ... Now. Or I'll f**king end you. Do you understand me?'

Fairfield is about 45 minutes southwest of Sacramento.

"I just want to make sure that everything's OK," the man is heard saying, the station reported. "There seems to be something going on."

"What do you mean?" the homeowner replied while repeatedly asking the male to leave.

The homeowner had just left his residence minutes before, KTVU said. However, he was able to observe and talk to the male stranger — and immediately returned home, police said.

Things only got scarier.

The male is seen on video kicking the door and shouting, "Where's your daughter? Who's in there with you? Open this f**king door, or I'm breaking it down!" KTVU said.

RELATED: 'I'll kill you in the name of Allah': Knife-wielding male makes death threats in chilling driveway incident; suspect arrested

Things also got downright bizarre.

At one point, the male identified himself as a fictional wizard and private investigator from an urban fantasy series, the station said.

"My name is Harry Dresden, motherf**ker," the male is heard saying on camera. "Open the door. This is my neighborhood. ... Now. Or I will f**king end you. Do you understand me?"

Soon the male pulled down a decorative doorbell, repeatedly bashed the door with it, and continued to demand to be let inside "or I'll f**king kill you," KTVU said.

All the while, the homeowner's pregnant wife and 5-year-old child were inside the home, but they managed to hide in the garage, the station said.

Unable to get in through the front door, the male stranger soon broke a gate and entered the home through a sliding glass door, KTVU reported.

Video from inside the home shows the intruder moving through rooms and yelling, "Where the f**k is she?" the station said.

But soon the homeowner is seen on video back inside his residence — and armed with a shovel. KTVU said that while video doesn't show the physical altercation between the homeowner and the intruder, a commotion can be heard.

The homeowner is heard telling the intruder, "I'm giving you a chance — get the f**k out of my house," the station reported.

Authorities confirmed to KTVU that a physical confrontation occurred between the intruder and the homeowner, and both sustained head injuries.

Arriving officers found the intruder outside the home, and the station said he was taken to NorthBay Medical Center for treatment and later booked into the Solano County Jail.

Police said they "want to recognize the actions of the homeowner, who worked to protect his family while officers were responding to the scene."

Jason Nichols, 30, was arrested on suspicion of burglary, vandalism, and making criminal threats, KTVU reported, adding that police on Monday added a charge of annoying or molesting a child.

The station said that during Nichols' court appearance Monday, he seemed to take issue with some of the charges as Superior Court Judge William Pendergast read the complaint.

Nichols did not enter a plea, KTVU reported.

Authorities would not say if Nichols was targeting any child related to the homeowner, the station said, but they did say Nichols lives behind the family's home, although the family does not know him.

Nichols' bail was set at $250,000. While jail records indicate Nichols remained behind bars Tuesday afternoon, the charge of annoying or molesting a child was no longer listed among the charges against him. Nichols' next court date is scheduled for April 23.

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Dave Urbanski

Gavin Newsom tries to blame gas companies for high gas prices — and gets NUKED by community note

7 hours 53 minutes ago


California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom probably regrets trying to pin high gas prices on Chevron after getting nuked by a community note on the X social media platform.

Californians are suffering the highest gas prices in the nation as a result of the blowback from the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran as well as high state taxes and overregulation.

'Dollar Tree PeeWee and his Playhouse friends weigh in again. And as usual we have to correct them.'

On Thursday, Newsom suggested that the pain at the pump was solely due to profiteering by the gas companies.

"While America suffers, Chevron profits," the governor's press office wrote on social media.

The governor's office cited a report from Chevron saying the company expected a windfall between $1.6 billion and $2.2 billion from rising gas prices from the war.

The attempt to deflect from Democratic policies was completely undermined by a community note.

"The State of California collects more in taxes per gallon of gasoline than refineries such as Chevron, Shell or Valero collect in profit per gallon," the note read.

The Automobile Association of America showed that, as of Tuesday, Californians are paying $5.88 on average for regular gas while the national average for the same is only $4.12. That comes out to be about 43% more than the national average.

The U.S. Oil and Gas Association piled on the left-wing governor.

"Ah. Dollar Tree PeeWee and his Playhouse friends weigh in again," the organization responded.

"And as usual we have to correct them. The correct version reads like this. 'While California suffers, Chevron profits props us up.' Fixed it for you."

RELATED: Newsom's wife explains how to raise children to 'deconstruct' 'limiting narratives' on gender

Newsom is widely considered to be maneuvering to enhance his national profile in anticipation of a run for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.

He has tried to redefine California as the foremost opponent of President Donald Trump's policies while admitting that his office has tried to copy the president's success on social media.

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Carlos Garcia

Libertarian elites attack Trump for delivering the immigration wins Americans want

8 hours 8 minutes ago


The United States suffered a costly and deadly "invasion" at its southern border during the Biden administration.

Over the course of Joe Biden's tenure as president, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded roughly 11 million border encounters with illegal aliens and other inadmissible migrants — encounters that in many cases ended with the release of border jumpers into the homeland.

The Trump administration has, however, turned things around.

'These bans affected half of all legal immigrants coming from abroad.'

Whereas, for instance, in fiscal year 2024 there were over 2.9 million border encounters nationwide, last year there was a total of 691,906 encounters. If the pattern shaping up over the past several months continues until September, this year will see far fewer. After all, the number of border encounters from October through March was 531,301 in fiscal year 2025 but only 182,585 during the same stretch this fiscal year.

More important than the decline in border apprehensions is the total drop in releases. On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security announced U.S. Border Patrol's 11th consecutive month of zero releases at the southern border.

The Trump administration has, apparently, also succeeded in greatly reducing the number of legal migrants entering the nation.

David Bier, the director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, endeavored in a new report to take the wind out of President Donald Trump's sails on the issue of immigration control, not only claiming that Trump's success in curbing illegal alien entries was a gift from the previous administration, but complaining that Trump has significantly reduced legal migration.

RELATED: Oracle files for thousands of H-1B visas amid mass layoffs: 'Today is your last working day'

John Moore/Getty Images

While framing the reductions in legal immigration in negative terms, Bier — a libertarian who previously attempted to blame Trump for the immigration crisis and aided the effort to thwart the president's executive order requiring Border Patrol to immediately send any border crosser packing — has unwittingly provided strong indications that the president has delivered a result that 55% of Americans said they wanted the year he was re-elected.

According to the Cato Institute report, the number of monthly southwest border legal entries by asylum seekers dropped 99.9% from December 2024 to February 2025, which Bier credited to the Trump administration's elimination of the CBP One scheduling app and restrictions on asylum.

The leading countries of origin for refugees admitted in the final year of the Biden administration were Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, and Venezuela.

The Trump administration also reduced the number of refugees admitted into the country. There were, for instance, 96,635 admissions from Feb. 2024 to Jan. 2025, but only 2,157 admissions from Feb. 2025 to Jan. 2026. The president has capped admissions in fiscal year 2026 at 7,500 refugees.

Bier's frustration with what he has dubbed the "most anti-legal immigrant administration in American history" wasn't limited to the curbs on asylum seekers and refugees.

In light of the administration's denial of immigrant visas and visa issuances to foreigners from scores of countries and the State Department's suspension of the Diversity Visa lottery, Bier projected — absent the relevant data on visa issuances since September 2025 — that immigrant visas for legal permanent residents have fallen by roughly half.

RELATED: 'H-1B workers ONLY': DOJ punishes company Sara Gonzales exposed for illegal hiring practices

SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

"These bans affected half of all legal immigrants coming from abroad, including half of all spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens, based on 2024 immigrant visa processing," Bier wrote. "However, it’s possible some of this flow could be replaced with immigrants from other countries, but that did not happen when President Trump enacted a narrower ban on certain categories of immigrants from 19 countries in June."

In addition to sparing the taxpayer from shouldering the cost of more welfare dependents and American labor from foreign competition, Bier faulted the administration for bringing down the number of international student visas.

A Pew Research Center poll conducted in September revealed sizable American support for restricting the number of foreign college students from various countries, particularly the countries that have historically sent the most students to U.S. universities.

Fifty percent of respondents said they supported restricting the number of Chinese students; 44%, Indian students; 42%, Nigerian students; 41%, South Korean students; and 34%, Canadian students.

Comparing issuances in summer 2024 versus in summer 2025 — the "peak months when students typically get visas" — Bier concluded that student visas had fallen by 40%. He projected that the number of issuances in 2026 will be a tiny fraction of 2025's anticipated total of international student visas.

Bier also had some good news for critics of the much-abused H-1B visa program, which enables U.S.-based employers to temporarily hire foreign workers into specialized positions that American citizens supposedly can't do.

The libertarian estimated that in the wake of Trump's September executive order adding a $100,000 fee to H-1B visa applications, H-1B visa issuances had likely dropped "by a quarter."

After trying sympathy — "these cuts to legal immigration are harming U.S. citizens seeking to reunite with their spouses, fiancés, children, and other relatives" — Bier's libertarian reflexes kicked in, such that he emphasized that "they are also undermining U.S. prosperity and increasing the U.S. deficit."

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Joseph MacKinnon

DOT's Duffy earns high praise from American truckers for turning industry concerns into real policy wins

8 hours 48 minutes ago


Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's visit to the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, in late March drew overwhelmingly positive reactions from truckers and other industry professionals.

"Truckers are the BACKBONE of our great country," Duffy wrote in a post on social media. "I am so impressed by every one of them at the Mid-America Trucking Show! I promise to fight as hard as the truckers do to MAKE TRUCKING GREAT AGAIN."

'We have a long way to go and a lot of work ahead, but for the first time in a long time, it feels like the right people are finally listening.'

A press release from MATS following the completion of its event, which over 53,000 people attended, called Duffy's participation "a major highlight," noting that the secretary "met with industry leaders, exhibitors, and professional drivers to discuss the importance of trucking to the nation's economy, supply chain, and infrastructure."

"The visit underscored the federal government's recognition of trucking as a critical pillar of American commerce and mobility," MATS wrote.

Duffy delivered a speech at the event, promising to advocate for American truckers.

"You make up what is great about America. The work you do, makes our country great," he told attendees.

RELATED: End of the road: 200,000 foreign truckers could lose their CDLs as Trump’s rule takes effect

Sean Duffy. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Industry professionals like Danielle Chaffin shared their video interviews with Duffy and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Derek Barrs, who spoke to truckers on the show floor.

"So you guys do pay attention to us?" Chaffin asked Duffy and Barrs.

"100%," Duffy responded.

"Even when I think we're doing great things, I get a little hard time from those on X. But I do appreciate the feedback, and we see it's a very loud voice — a vocal industry. And I think that's fair because, if you've been forgotten, you felt like you're screaming into the storm. Well, you're not screaming into the storm anymore because we're actually listening, and you see the work that we're doing."

"We are watching because that's some of the ways that we can actually make some of the changes that we're making is because of X and people on social media," Barrs told Chaffin.

“This industry has spent years shouting into a void. Finally, years later, our voices and concerns are being heard,” Chaffin told Blaze News. “Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs stood in a room full of truckers and treated them as the experts they are. They spoke with genuine concern and care for the people who actually move this country. They made it very clear they are paying attention to the operators, the owners, and those of us who have been sounding the alarm on X.”

“We have a long way to go and a lot of work ahead, but for the first time in a long time, it feels like the right people are finally listening,” Chaffin continued. “Not only are they listening, but they are taking action. We are making progress to save the American trucking industry!”

Charles Gracey, who hosts SiriusXM's "Trucking Sense" and FreightWaves' "Brake Check," gave Duffy and Barrs high praise for their attendance at MATS.

"When an administration is truly paying attention to the people it represents, there will be signs," Gracey wrote. "One of those signs is showing up where those people actually are, and that is exactly what U.S. @USDOT @SecDuffy and @FMCSA @BarrsDerek did at the Mid-America @truckingshow in #Louisville."

"What makes it even more powerful is that they did not just show up for optics. They showed up, they engaged, and they took time to hear our thoughts about the industry we know and love, and the very same industry they say they are working to protect for us and for the future of trucking," Gracey added.

RELATED: 'Use my daughter as an example': Trump DHS cheers as bill to stop illegal alien truck drivers crosses major hurdle

Sean Duffy. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Duffy and Barrs were joined at MATS by Dalilah Coleman, a young girl who sustained critical and life-altering injuries as a result of a 2024 car wreck involving an illegal alien truck driver.

Dalilah's Law, a bill named after Coleman, was introduced in the Senate in February. If passed, it would prohibit states from issuing commercial driver's licenses to illegal aliens, allowing them to be issued only to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and holders of specific work visas. Additionally, the bill mandates the revocation of existing CDLs held by individuals who do not meet these eligibility criteria.

"Proud to see Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy standing in the gap for Dalilah at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, KY," the American Truckers United wrote. "Stand with Secretary Duffy. Stand with Dalilah. Pass Dalilah's Law!"

Justin Martin, a trucking industry professional who goes by SuperTrucker on X, called on government leaders to attend MATS more frequently.

"DOT/FMCSA leadership should be at MATS every year to hear from drivers in the industry directly. Thanks for coming out this year," Martin wrote.

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Candace Hathaway

Lawmaker blows whistle on 'Stop Nick Shirley Act': A Democrat effort to halt 'exposing fraud' in California

9 hours 3 minutes ago


Investigative journalist Nick Shirley, made famous after his viral Minnesota day care fraud video that exposed the "Quality Learing Center" and millions of dollars of alleged fraud, appears to have ruffled the feathers of Democrats in California.

A Republican lawmaker raised the alarm on a bill in California that would drastically clamp down on investigations like those conducted by Shirley.

'The enemy truly is within.'

On Monday, Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio issued a press release warning about AB 2624, a bill he dubbed the "Stop Nick Shirley Act."

"California Democrats are trying to intimidate citizen watchdog journalists and protect waste and fraud happening in far-left-wing NGOs. AB 2624 can only be described as the 'Stop Nick Shirley Act' — a bill designed to silence citizen journalists exposing fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars," DeMaio said in the press release.

RELATED: 'Minnesota was big but California is even bigger': Nick Shirley uncovers staggering alleged fraud right under Newsom's nose

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

"AB 2624 would allow activists and taxpayer-funded organizations to demand the removal of video evidence — even if it captures misconduct in plain view — and threatens journalists with massive financial penalties," DeMaio added. "That's not about public safety — it's about protecting powerful interests."

AB 2624 was proposed by Democrat Assemblymember Mia Bonta earlier this year. Bonta's husband, Rob Bonta, is the Democrat attorney general of California.

Attorney General Bonta has been targeting hospices and other facilities for possible fraud, overlapping with Shirley's investigations in many respects. On Monday, Bonta wrote on social media that "in California, we've been cracking down on fraud for years."

AB 2624 is framed as a privacy and anti-doxxing measure specifically for immigration service providers, their associates, and their clients. The bill is written with the following context in mind, directly calling out President Trump and his "anti-immigration" policies:

Persons working in the organizations that provide immigration support services have faced doxxing, courthouse targeting, online harassment, anti-immigrant vigilante threats, and coordinated campaigns and death threats. These acts have risen to alarming levels in 2025 and will continue due to the current federal administration’s anti-immigration attitude and policies.

The bill prohibits the posting of the "personal information or image" of a "designated immigration support services provider, employee, or volunteer, or other individuals residing at the same home address" "with the intent that another person imminently use that information to commit a crime involving violence or a threat of violence."

Those found in violation of this section of the bill would face a fine of up to $10,000, one year of imprisonment, or both.

Additionally, if bodily injury were to come to anyone protected by the bill as a result of an investigation, the person responsible for the post would have committed a felony punishable by up to $50,000, imprisonment, or both.

The other key provision of the bill is more obscure:

A program participant may request that state and local agencies use the address designated by the Secretary of State as the participant’s address. When creating a public record, state and local agencies shall accept the address designated by the Secretary of State as a program participant’s substitute address.

In other words, the addresses of program participants and immigration service providers, which are presumably public, would be obscured with another address, thereby possibly blocking investigations into these programs.

Interested journalists and opponents of the bill view the potential obscuring of addresses and the steep punishments for disseminating information about these services, even without the intent to cause harm, as impediments to investigation and accountability.

Elon Musk weighed in on the news, and DeMaio reposted his comment: "California legislators are trying to make investigating fraud illegal."

Nick Shirley, responding to DeMaio's press release, said in part, "The enemy truly is within. When our politicians would rather protect fraudsters and illegal migrants, it's time for us to stand up or face mass oppression from the traitors who 'rule' over us."

Shirley added in a subsequent post that he was thinking of moving on to exposing fraud in another state, but the news of this bill changed his mind: "I've helped save America millions and billions of dollars by exposing fraud across the country. I was thinking about exposing another state but I think I will now go back to California[. N]ew exposé coming soon."

Blaze News contacted California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) and Assemblymember Mia Bonta for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

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Cooper Williamson

'Horrific choice': Utah Valley University nailed with backlash for choosing Charlie Kirk critic as commencement speaker

9 hours 17 minutes ago


The university where Charlie Kirk was shot and killed is facing intense scrutiny for a tone-deaf choice for commencement speaker.

Just hours after his death, educator Sharon McMahon accused Kirk of harming minorities, but she will be given the honor of addressing graduates at Utah Valley University.

'To many Americans, especially if you are Black, LGBTQ or Muslim, Charlie Kirk was not a person who simply engaged in good-faith debates on college campuses.'

"Millions of people feel they were harmed, and the murder that was horrific and should never have happened does not magically erase what was said or done," McMahon wrote about Kirk soon after his death. "To many Americans, especially if you are Black, LGBTQ or Muslim, Charlie Kirk was not a person who simply engaged in good-faith debates on college campuses."

Turning Point USA chapter president at Utah Valley University Caleb Chilcutt lashed out at UVU while speaking on "Fox & Friends" Monday.

"They could have brought any other speaker. If they liked Charlie, didn’t like Charlie — I honestly don’t really care. But the fact they brought someone who was so critical, literally days after his assassination, on my campus is just shameful for me," Chilcutt said.

Former Republican Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz called McMahon a "liberal hack" that was a "horrific choice" for commencement speaker.

"Look, there's still time to correct this. This hasn't happened. And if the university is gonna step up and do the right thing, they're gonna cancel her and put in somebody like an astronaut or an athlete or somebody, anybody," Chaffetz said on Fox News.

RELATED: Unhinged student who flipped Turning Point USA table gets arrested and faces 5 charges

"But this person, this partisan hack, she should not be addressing the students, not at the commencement," he added.

TPUSA students weighed in on social media.

"After Charlie Kirk's murder, Sharon McMahon chose to explain the hate, not condemn it," TPUSA's statement reads. "A commencement speaker is more than a guest, they're a reflection of what a university stands for."

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Carlos Garcia

These Apple privacy perks won't hide you from the feds

9 hours 48 minutes ago


Apple offers several privacy-focused perks with its iCloud+ subscription, including an email anonymization tool called “Hide My Email.” While this feature appears to promote online anonymity by hiding subscribers’ real email addresses behind random aliases, one user found out the hard way that Apple will give users' real identities to law enforcement, especially when lobbing threats at the girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel.

What does ‘Hide My Email’ actually do?

If you pay for more iCloud storage outside of your free 5GB plan, you also have access to “Hide My Email.” As the name implies, this feature lets you create anonymous email addresses — known as aliases — that all forward emails back to your main iCloud account without revealing your real Apple ID or name to the receiver.

The story raises serious questions around Apple’s purported privacy policies.

This feature especially comes in handy when signing up for new online services. You get to create an account without giving your personal name or email to developers, advertisers, or marketers, ensuring they can’t target you or sell your data to their partners.

The ‘Hide My Email’ loophole

Up until now, it wasn’t clear whether or not Apple had a system in place to link anonymous addresses to their real counterparts. This case proves that such a loophole exists, even if Apple’s dedicated copy within the “Hide My Email” menu suggests otherwise.

The menu states, “Keep your personal email address private by creating unique, random addresses that forward to your personal inbox and can be deleted at any time.” That makes it sound like these aliases are completely private from everyone, not just advertisers.

Zach Laidlaw

Unfortunately, while third-party companies can’t access your real identity, Apple can trace "Hide My Email" addresses back to their original owners and share that information with law enforcement in the event of a crime.

The crime

Around February 28, a 26-year-old man named Alden Ruml allegedly sent an email to Alexis Wilkins — country singer and girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel — stating that he would be "happy" to see her face "canoed by an assault rifle." The address Ruml used to contact Wilkins was one of 134 aliases attached to his iCloud account. Ruml reportedly sent the email after reading that Patel deployed the FBI as a security detail for Wilkins.

RELATED: Google agrees to PAY $68 million to end this lawsuit

400tmax/Getty Images

Following the threat, the FBI issued a subpoena to Apple, requesting the user’s primary email address, resulting in the identification of Alden Ruml. If convicted, Ruml faces five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a hefty fine of $250,000.

A lesson for the rest of us

The story raises serious questions around Apple’s purported privacy policies. Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, has long held the position that “privacy is a fundamental human right,” and Apple has largely championed that stance through its products and services.

Case in point, there are many instances where Apple can’t acquiesce to law enforcement requests due to its stringent end-to-end encryption policies. As part of Apple’s legal process guidelines, the company states, “Apple does not receive or retain encryption keys for customers’ end-to-end encrypted data,” therefore this data is inaccessible to either access or hand over to third parties, including the government.

However, while iCloud emails themselves are encrypted, plain text email addresses — including primary Apple accounts and email aliases — are not encrypted. In this case, Apple had no choice but to comply with the FBI and turn over Ruml’s basic credentials that led to his arrest.

There are also questions about whether Ruml’s email to Wilkins is a credible threat of violence or simply a crude statement sent in poor taste. Some could see Kash Patel’s use of the FBI to arrest and charge Ruml as an overreach of power, simply because the target of the email was his girlfriend. Others may argue the charges against Ruml don’t go far enough after harassing a rising country artist. All of this, of course, will be hashed out in a court of law.

As for the rest of us, Ruml’s ill-fated email is a stark reminder that privacy is never guaranteed online, even when using products and services that promise to hide your identity.

Zach Laidlaw

WNBA commissioner accuses reporter of sexist question — and no one is buying it

10 hours 23 minutes ago


WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert managed to steal the focus away from her league on draft night.

The WNBA received premium treatment by airing on ESPN's flagship channel in prime time on Monday night, but it was actually the pre-draft press conference that has made a lasting impression with viewers online.

'As women, we get asked different questions than men do.'

With just one simple question from New York Post reporter Madeline Kenney, Engelbert went viral for her odd response.

"How much longer do you anticipate to be in this role?" Kenney asked.

Engelbert immediately attacked the premise:

"I do crack up how everybody's focused on me," the commissioner began. "And you should be focused on the hundreds of amazing women and thousands of women who run this league outside of myself ... my whole team of, you know, diverse women and men who are working hard every day to get the 30th season tipped off by May 8," she went on.

Bizarrely, Engelbert then asked if the reporter would dare question a male commissioner the same way.

"I wonder whether you would ask that of a man, by the way. But I realize, as women, we get asked different questions than men do."

"I would," the reporter quickly affirmed.

However, those siding with Engelbert were few and far between online, with fans and reporters alike pointing out how often major sports commissioners do receive questions about their tenure and even face calls for resignation.

RELATED: Angel Reese TRADED — but Chicago Sky isn’t being honest about why, Jason Whitlock says

- YouTube

"Its [sic] always asked of men. Like, all the time," one fan responded on X.

"Has she not seen people calling for the heads of every commissioner of every sport?" a Brooklyn Nets fan wrote.

A New York Yankees fan replied, "There is literally nothing wrong with asking that. Give me a break."

Sports journalists did not offer much solace for the commissioner either. Even Jemele Hill, a reporter from the Athletic known for her frequent political commentary from the left, chimed in:

"If a man had her track record, absolutely" he would be asked, Hill wrote.

There was really no shortage of sports reporters who disagreed with the WNBA boss, including female reporters.

"This would be asked of a man and has," wrote Front Row Sports' Annie Costabile. "Her response was a failed attempt at diverting from the discussions about her job security."

As well, NBC Sports' Nicole Auerbach noted that "male pro sports commissioners get asked questions about their future all the time." Auerbach called it a "totally valid question" that garnered a "fascinating, super-defensive response."

RELATED: UConn star Tarris Reed praises Jesus ahead of national championship: 'He changed everything about me'

Greg Wyshynski, senior NHL writer at ESPN, wrote on X that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman "gets asked this question so often that he's taken to preemptively answering it before it’s asked."

Less than a month ago, Bettman was asked directly whether he had plans to step down.

"Absolutely not," Bettman said, per Sports Illustrated. "You keep trying to get rid of me. No such luck."

In February, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver faced calls to be fired, while NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is routinely asked if he will step down, typically following an embarrassing incident in his league.

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Andrew Chapados

'Mutually assured destruction': Another disgraced lawmaker to resign from Congress over sex scandal

10 hours 43 minutes ago


A Republican is following in California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell's footsteps by resigning from Congress after sex scandals imploded their respective political ambitions.

Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) announced his imminent resignation Monday, shortly following Swalwell's statement after several lawmakers led a bipartisan effort to expel the two lawmakers from the House of Representatives. Rather than wait to be expelled, Gonzales vowed to resign from Congress, weeks after admitting to an affair with a former staffer who took her own life by self-immolating.

'Everybody knows where one another's bodies are buried.'

"There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all," Gonzales said in an X post on Monday. "When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas."

Swalwell's resignation came just days after new bombshell reports revealed that several ex-staffers have accused the Democrat of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior, prompting him to drop out of the California governor's race and out of political life altogether.

RELATED: Democrats dump Eric Swalwell after sexual assault allegations implode his career

Win McNamee/Getty Images

"I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I've made in my past," Swalwell said in a statement. "I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make. I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members."

"Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong," Swalwell added. "But it's also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress."

Both scandals were considered open secrets, and the timing of Gonzales' and Swalwell's statements suggests their resignations may have been part of a backroom deal. The next pair of scandal-ridden lawmakers rumored to be on the chopping block are both from Florida: Republican Rep. Cory Mills, who has a flurry of allegations against him ranging from stolen valor to blackmail, and Democrat Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who was federally indicted for allegedly stealing millions in FEMA funds tied to COVID.

"It's mutually assured destruction," Len Foxwell, a Maryland-based Democrat strategist, told Blaze News. "Eric Swalwell is just the latest guy who got caught. Tony Gonzales was the latest guy who got caught across the aisle."

RELATED: 'The appropriate decision': Scandal-ridden Tony Gonzales ends re-election bid after admitting to affair

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

Although lawmakers were quick to throw Swalwell under the bus, Democrat strategist and pollster Dheeraj Chand suggested that the only reason they did so was because their open secret became a PR problem.

"I think it shows a seriousness on this side that we decided Swalwell could not continue," Chand told Blaze News. "It shows we do take it seriously when it becomes unavoidable. They do try to protect people sometimes, but very rarely."

"For every person who gets caught, there are, in all likelihood, a few dozen more who are engaged in inappropriate behavior with their subordinates," Foxwell told Blaze News. "Everybody knows where one another's bodies are buried."

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Rebeka Zeljko

Your bank can shut you down overnight — here’s how to protect yourself

11 hours 12 minutes ago


Most Americans assume that if their deposits are insured, their banking relationship is stable.

For decades, that assumption has been reasonable. Large national banks offer scale, convenience, and integration across checking, credit cards, mortgages, investments, and digital tools. For many households and businesses, they remain the default choice — for many good reasons.

Regional and community banks typically face fewer reputational signaling incentives and fewer reasons to police customers’ lawful beliefs.

But in recent years, some lawful customers have found accounts restricted or closed not for fraud or criminal conduct, but because the financial institution decided internally that the customer is a risk to the institution's reputation or political standing. In other words: They have been canceled.

These cases are often hard to prove — and that difficulty is itself the problem. First lady Melania Trump revealed in her memoir that a bank decided to "terminate" her account. The reasoning was frustrating to pin down, since decisions on account restrictions are shielded from public verification by opaque risk explanations and confidentiality rules.

Other cases were clearer. In 2023, internal documents revealed that U.K. private bank Coutts closed the account of British politician Nigel Farage after deciding his political views posed “reputational risk” — a disclosure that ultimately led to the resignation of National Westminster Bank's chief executive.

“If they can do it to me, they can do it to you, too,” Farage proclaimed after the dispute.

The risk

Your money may be insured, but access to it is governed by institutional judgment. For some consumers, understanding where that judgment lies is now part of responsible financial planning.

That’s where this guide comes in. It’s not a broadside against megabanks. It is a road map for readers who want to understand the trade-offs that come with scale — particularly when account access is governed by broad, centralized risk frameworks rather than personal relationships or clearly defined misconduct.

Regulators have since moved to clarify standards governing account closures and risk assessments. But for consumers who watched large institutions end financial relationships under ambiguous or shifting rules, the question remains straightforward: Why assume that risk if alternatives exist?

There are no guarantees. But there are differences — rooted in structure, incentives, and how close a branch is to customers — that can meaningfully affect how ideological risk is handled.

Ideological risk is not evenly distributed. It tends to correlate with scale, distance, and discretion, rather than with partisan labels.

This guide organizes banks into categories based on structure and incentives, not ideology.

How this list was compiled

All banks listed below meet the following baseline criteria:

  • FDIC-insured (or equivalent federal backing).
  • No public record of ideologically motivated account closures.
  • Standard modern banking services, including online and mobile access.
  • Responses to Align's inquiries, where available.
  • Institutional cultures or policies emphasizing lawful, viewpoint-neutral customer treatment.
Banks to consider1. Regional and community banks

They are often safer. Regional and community banks typically operate on relationship-based models, with decision-making closer to customers and local markets. They face less national activist pressure, fewer reputational signaling incentives, and fewer reasons to police customers’ lawful beliefs.

Here’s what to look for:

  • FDIC insurance.
  • Rigorous underwriting standards.
  • Focus on local business, agriculture, manufacturing, or regional commerce.
  • Long operating histories.
  • Knowing exactly who to talk to next if your problem isn't fixed.

Warning: Not all community banks are equal. Some rely heavily on third-party compliance vendors or adopt national risk frameworks wholesale. Size alone is not a guarantee.

Here are some strong options.

Woodforest National Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.8 (32.2K reviews); Apple 4.8 (47K reviews)
Region/States: 730+ branches in 17 states
ATM: MoneyPass network

Woodforest National Bank is a privately owned, community-focused financial institution headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, that has provided banking services since 1980, operating hundreds of branches across multiple states and offering products for both personal and business customers. It offers a full range of financial services including checking and savings accounts, loans, debit cards, online and mobile banking, and other products designed for everyday banking needs. The bank emphasizes customer relationships, convenient access — including retail locations and digital tools — and a commitment to serving the communities where its customers live and work.

First Premier Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes (via Premier Bankcard)
App: Yes — Google 4.5 (1.48K reviews); Apple 4.4 (1.4K reviews)
Region/States: 13 branch locations in South Dakota
ATM: Fee-free access to 37,000+ MoneyPass ATMs nationwide

First Premier Bank is an independently owned, FDIC-insured community bank headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It offers a full range of financial products and services, including personal, business, and agricultural checking and savings accounts, loans and mortgages, wealth management, and digital banking. The bank also operates Premier Bankcard, a nationally recognized issuer of Mastercard credit products. First Premier emphasizes strong capitalization, customer support, community investment, and accessible online and mobile banking tools for managing finances nationwide.

American National Bank of Texas

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.7 (987 reviews); Apple 4.8 (9.7K reviews)
Region/States: 24 locations in Dallas-Fort Worth
ATM: ATMs at nearly all branches

American National Bank of Texas is a long-established, independently owned, FDIC-insured community bank headquartered in Terrell, Texas, with more than 30 branches serving North Texas. It offers a full suite of financial products and services including personal and business checking and savings, loans and mortgages, digital banking, and wealth management. The bank emphasizes local relationship-driven service, community involvement, and comprehensive financial solutions tailored to individuals and businesses alike.

Liberty National Bank (Midwest)

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.9 (15 reviews); Apple 4.6 (192 reviews)
Region/States: 18 locations in Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska

Liberty National Bank (Midwest) is an independently owned, FDIC-insured community bank headquartered in Sioux City, Iowa, founded in 2003. With approximately $600 million in assets, it serves customers across Iowa, South Dakota, and Nebraska, including Sioux City, Sioux Falls, and surrounding communities. The bank emphasizes local decision-making, relationship-based service, and support for families, businesses, and agricultural clients in the markets it serves.

Liberty National Bank (Texas/Oklahoma)

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.5; Apple 4.9
Region/States: ~10 locations in Oklahoma and North Texas
ATM: 20 local ATMs

Liberty National Bank (Texas/Oklahoma) is an independently chartered, FDIC-insured community bank headquartered in Lawton, Oklahoma. Originally established in 1902 as the Bank of Elgin, it adopted the Liberty National name in 2002 and has since expanded across Oklahoma and into North Texas, with assets exceeding $1 billion. The bank remains under Green family ownership and emphasizes long-standing ties to local communities, regional growth, and personalized banking relationships.

F&M Bank (Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California)

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.6 (322 reviews); Apple 4.8 (1.1K reviews)
Region/States: 33 locations in California
ATM: Pulse & Cirrus (400,000 ATMs)

Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California offers personal and business banking services, including a variety of checking and savings accounts, loans, and agricultural financing tailored to individuals and companies across numerous California communities. The website emphasizes secure 24/7 online and mobile banking so that customers can manage accounts, transfer funds, pay bills, and access eStatements from anywhere. It also highlights local branch access, community roots dating back over a century, and a commitment to serving customers’ financial needs.

New Peoples Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 2.8 (82 reviews); Apple 4.6 (790 reviews)
Region/States: 18 locations in Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina
ATM: Allpoint (55,000 locations)

New Peoples Bank is a community-focused financial institution with multiple branches serving individuals and small to medium-size businesses across Southwestern Virginia, Southern West Virginia, Northeastern Tennessee, and Western North Carolina, offering a full suite of personal and business banking products including checking, savings, loans, and online services. Through its website, customers can open accounts, apply for mortgage or personal loans, manage finances with online and mobile banking tools, and access additional services like identity protection and ATM networks. The bank emphasizes local decision-making, Golden Rule customer service, and technology that supports secure, convenient banking experiences.

First United Bank & Trust

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 3.8 (51 reviews); Apple 4.8 (431 reviews)
Region/States: 7 locations in Kentucky
ATM: MoneyPass

First United Bank and Trust Company is a community-oriented, FDIC-insured bank offering a full range of personal and business financial services, including checking and savings accounts, loans, digital banking, and trust solutions accessible online or at local branches. The bank emphasizes convenient 24/7 access to accounts, tools for managing finances, and solutions like credit cards and business services tailored to local needs. Its website highlights personal service, community engagement, and products designed to support customers’ financial goals with trusted relationships and modern banking technology.

Arbor Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.4 (132 reviews); Apple 4.8 (399 reviews)
Region/States: 6 locations in Iowa and Nebraska
ATM: MoneyPass

Arbor Bank is a community FDIC-insured bank offering a wide range of personal and business financial products, including checking and savings accounts, online/mobile banking, lending solutions, and mortgage services. It also provides business banking tools like treasury management, SBA loans, and positive pay fraud protection, along with card solutions and insurance options. The website emphasizes secure digital access, personalized service, and support for customers’ financial growth.

First Command Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google: 3.6 (82 reviews); Apple: 4.6 (1.5K reviews)
Region/States: Over 750 First Command Bank advisers in over 175 offices in 45 states and Guam
ATM: MoneyPass ATM network and NYCE network; reimburses non-FCB ATM surcharges up to $10 per statement cycle

First Command’s banking section highlights personal banking products tailored for military personnel, veterans, and their families, including competitive checking and savings accounts, CDs, car loans, and debt consolidation options. These services come with convenient online and mobile access so that customers can manage funds, pay bills, and transfer money securely from anywhere, backed by the FDIC-insured protection First Command Bank offers. The emphasis throughout is on helping service members and their families manage everyday finances and build solid financial habits.

Citizens First Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: No (mobile app offers free credit report updates weekly)
App: Yes — Google: 4.7 (1.24K reviews); Apple: 4.8 (3.1K reviews)
Region/States: 19 locations in Florida (The Villages and surrounding counties)
ATM: On-site ATMs at most branch locations; part of the Publix Presto! ATM Network (1,300+ surcharge-free ATMs across the Southeast); additional access through regional shared ATM arrangements (fees may vary depending on network)

Citizens First Bank is an FDIC-insured community bank serving The Villages and surrounding counties in Florida. It offers personal and business checking and savings products, robust online and mobile tools including bill pay and eStatements, and an ATM network focused on surcharge-free access. The bank merged with Seacoast Bank in October 2025 following the acquisition of its parent company, with conversion of accounts tentatively scheduled for July 2026.

Emigrant Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: No
App: No dedicated mobile app; online account management via EmigrantOnline®
Region/States: 2 locations in New York; 1 location in Miami, Florida
ATM: On-site ATMs at branch locations; The bank refers to participation in ATM networks, though specific network details and surcharge policies are not prominently disclosed on its website. Prospective customers should confirm ATM access and fee policies directly with the bank.

Emigrant Bank is a privately owned U.S. financial institution offering high-yield savings, checking accounts, CDs, and mortgage lending. It emphasizes competitive deposit products and online/telephone banking access rather than a large retail branch footprint. Emigrant also provides mortgage lending through its direct lending division and support for account holders with tools to handle funds and financial needs securely.

2. Credit unions

Credit unions are member-owned, less PR-sensitive, and historically focused on service rather than signaling. Because there are thousands of local credit unions with varying eligibility rules, this guide does not list specific institutions.

How to find a good one:

  • Confirm NCUA insurance.
  • Look for long operating histories.
  • Favor credit unions with business or agricultural lending.
  • Ask directly about account-closure policies and escalation.
3. Explicitly viewpoint-neutral banks

This is the smallest and most visible category — and the one that requires the most due diligence before joining.

The claim here is not that these banks are “conservative,” but that they have made explicit commitments to viewpoint neutrality and have no public record of ideological account closures.

What qualifies:

  • Public neutrality policies.
  • Leadership statements emphasizing lawful activity over belief.
  • Clear articulation of when accounts would be restricted.
  • No documented ideological de-banking cases.
Old Glory Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.6 (940 reviews); Apple 4.8 (1.5K reviews)
Region/States: Nationwide digital access; one physical branch
ATM: MoneyPass (40,000+ ATMs)

Old Glory Bank is a full-service, FDIC-insured American bank headquartered in Elmore City, Oklahoma, offering personal and business checking and savings accounts, loans, certificates of deposit, and modern digital tools like mobile and online banking with nationwide access. It positions itself as a nationwide online bank built around traditional American values and strong commitments to privacy, security, and customer autonomy. Customers can bank digitally from all 50 states while also accessing features such as ATM networks, cash deposit options, and advanced debit card controls.

Co-founded by John Rich, Dr. Ben Carson, Larry Elder, and former Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R), Old Glory is guided by what it calls the Banking Bill of Rights. A statement to Align from the founders makes the bank’s stand against de-banking central to its mission: “Not only does Old Glory Bank have a policy on de-banking, it is the very reason we exist! We were founded in direct response to the growing and troubling practice of de-banking Americans for their lawful, constitutionally protected beliefs. We saw the alarming trend in January 2021 and got to work years before it became newsworthy. We stand firm on the belief that this practice is morally, legally, and fundamentally incompatible with the freedom upon which our nation was built.”

Regent Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.8 (21 reviews); Apple 4.9 (523 reviews)
Region/States: 7 locations in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri
ATM: 10 free out-of-network transactions monthly

Regent Bank is a regional, FDIC-insured, full-service bank headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with multiple branches in Oklahoma, Texas, and Missouri, offering personal and business banking products including checking, savings, loans, digital banking, and treasury services. It emphasizes personalized, concierge-style service tailored to entrepreneurs, small and mid-market businesses, and specialized niches like health care, agriculture, and nonprofits. The bank combines traditional community banking values with modern tools and solutions, supporting clients’ financial needs through dedicated local relationships and digital access.

A Regent Bank spokesperson told Align that the institution identifies as a “Christian, faith-based organization in terms of [its] mission and values” and that its “approach is grounded in relationship-driven banking and serving clients based on lawful activity — not political or religious beliefs.” Regent’s spokesperson added that de-banking is a frequently discussed issue at the executive level of the organization.

4. Large regional and super-regional banksRegions Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google: 4.5 (128K reviews); Apple: 4.9 (521K reviews)
Region/States: 1,445 locations across 15 states spanning the South, Midwest, and Texas
ATM: No-fee access at Regions ATMs

Regions Bank is a large, FDIC-insured, full-service financial institution and subsidiary of Regions Financial Corporation, offering a broad range of personal banking products including checking and savings accounts, loans and mortgages, digital banking, and wealth management solutions. It serves millions of customers through an extensive branch and ATM network across the South, Midwest, and Texas, while also providing online and mobile tools for everyday account management The bank combines traditional community-oriented service with modern digital convenience to support a wide spectrum of consumer financial needs.

Zions Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google: 4.6 (6.8K reviews); Apple: 4.7 (29K reviews)
Region/States: ~20 branches in Utah and other Western markets
ATM: No-fee ATM network serving Western U.S.

Zions Bank is a full-service, FDIC-insured regional bank operating as part of Zions Bancorporation, offering personal banking products such as checking and savings accounts, loans and mortgages, credit cards, and robust digital banking tools including online and mobile access. It serves individuals and small businesses through an extensive network of full-service branches across multiple Western states and emphasizes community-focused service with modern financial solutions. Founded in the 19th century and rooted in local market relationships, Zions Bank combines traditional banking values with convenient digital access for everyday financial management.

Synovus Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google: 4.7 (10.6K reviews); Apple: 4.8 (50K reviews)
Region/States: 40+ locations in Alabama and Georgia
ATM: Unlimited fee-free Pinnacle Financial Partners ATMs

Synovus is a large, FDIC-insured financial services company and bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Georgia, offering a full range of commercial and personal banking products including checking and savings, loans, mortgages, credit cards, and digital banking. It also provides specialized services such as wealth management, trust and investment solutions, treasury management, and mortgage and capital markets services through its subsidiaries. Synovus operates an extensive branch and ATM network across the Southeast and emphasizes personalized client relationships alongside modern digital tools.

Arvest Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google: 3.6 (12.5K reviews); Apple: 4.9 (252K reviews)
Region/States: 310 locations in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma
ATM: Offers ATMs with live teller drive-thru services

Arvest Bank is a regional full-service bank offering personal and business financial products including checking and savings accounts, loans and mortgages, credit cards, wealth and treasury management, and secure online and mobile banking tools. Through its extensive network of branches across Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas, the bank emphasizes local community commitment while providing modern digital conveniences like 24/7 account access and mobile deposits. Its mission centers on partnering with customers to deliver tailored financial solutions that support everyday banking needs and long-term financial goals.

PlainsCapital Bank

FDIC-insured: Yes
Credit card: Yes
App: Yes — Google 4.5 (1.3K reviews); Apple 4.9 (8.7K reviews)
Region/States: 55 branches across Texas, including Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock, San Antonio, and the Rio Grande Valley
ATM: Branch and regional network ATM access (confirm surcharge policies directly with bank)

Founded in 1988 in Lubbock, Texas, PlainsCapital Bank has grown into one of the largest independent banks in the state, with approximately $12.4 billion in assets and more than 1,000 employees. A subsidiary of Hilltop Holdings Inc., it operates a statewide branch network and offers commercial banking, treasury management, private banking, wealth management, and consumer banking services. While emphasizing relationship-based banking, PlainsCapital functions at the scale of a large regional institution with centralized infrastructure and enterprise-level risk management.

What to approach with caution

Not every “alternative” bank actually reduces ideological risk.

  • Fintech apps without their own bank charter: Many rely on sponsor banks and payment processors, meaning account access can be restricted upstream with little notice.
  • Institutions with expansive “reputational risk” clauses: Banks that reserve broad discretion to sever relationships for social or political reasons introduce uncertainty.
  • Ideological startups without federal backing: Branding is not a substitute for FDIC insurance, balance-sheet transparency, or regulatory oversight.
Questions to ask your bank

If ideological or reputational risk is a concern, you don’t need to announce your politics or interrogate your bank. You’re simply trying to understand process, discretion, and escalation — the same way you would with fees, fraud protection, or data security.

These are reasonable, neutral questions.

1. Under what circumstances can my account be restricted or closed?

Listen for clear references to fraud, illegality, or operational risk. Be cautious if you hear broad or undefined references to “reputational,” “social,” or “values-based” concerns.

2. Will I receive notice before an account is restricted or closed?

Ask:

  • How much notice is typical?
  • Are there circumstances under which notice is not provided?

Advance notice reduces risk regardless of ideology.

3. Is there an appeal or escalation process if a decision is made?

Important follow-ups:

  • Can decisions be reviewed by a human committee?
  • Is there a relationship manager or ombudsman involved?

The ability to appeal matters as much as the rule itself.

4. Who ultimately makes account-closure decisions?

You’re listening for local or relationship-based decision-making versus centralized compliance teams or third-party vendors. Distance often correlates with opacity.

5. Do you rely on third-party compliance or risk vendors?

This matters because:

  • Upstream vendors can impose restrictions that the bank itself did not initiate.
  • Vendor changes can alter outcomes without warning.

6. How do you define “reputational risk”?

A strong answer ties reputational risk to concrete financial, legal, or operational exposure.

A weak answer uses vague or moralized language without boundaries.

7. Are account decisions based on lawful activity, regardless of belief or affiliation?

Banks that can say this plainly usually mean it.

8. Is my account subject to special monitoring or enhanced review?

This is especially relevant for nonprofits, small businesses, and public-facing individuals.

How to use this checklist

You don’t need perfect answers. You’re looking for a bank that can explain its rules clearly — and show how decisions are reviewed.

Cooper Williamson

Liz Wheeler delivers ‘the best Catholic response’ to Trump’s controversial Jesus post

11 hours 18 minutes ago


On April 12 (Orthodox Easter Sunday), President Trump posted an AI-generated image on Truth Social depicting himself in a white tunic and red robe healing a sick person, which many interpreted to resemble a Christ-like figure. The post came shortly after a lengthy Truth Social post criticizing Pope Leo XIV, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy” over the pope’s opposition to the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.

The image sparked widespread outrage and accusations of blasphemy even from some evangelical and conservative Christian supporters, leading Trump to delete it the next day. He later claimed it was meant to show him as a doctor, not Jesus.

Liz Wheeler, BlazeTV host of “The Liz Wheeler Show,” offers what she believes is “the best Catholic” response to the post.

Liz, who labels herself “a Catholic Trump supporter,” says she does not think the post was “wise or prudent” from a spiritual or political perspective.

“It's not prudent spiritually for himself, and I care about his eternal soul. I'm a Christian. And it's also obviously not a political winner of a post, as you can tell from the backlash,” she says.

At the same time, Liz doesn’t buy into the idea that Trump is some evil spiritual figure trying to convince the world he’s powerful like Jesus.

“Do I think that President Trump is some kind of Antichrist figure who actually views himself as a messiah, like so many people online are saying in outrage?” she asks.

“No, I don't think that. I don't think Trump views himself as a messiah. I don't think that he is an antichrist figure.”

“But do I think that our God should be mocked?” she asks. “No, I don't. Do I think that you should claim to be or portray yourself as the son of God when you are not? No, I don't.”

Liz believes that the post was most likely a distasteful joke coined by someone on Trump’s social media team.

“My guess is that some male Gen Z member of Trump's team, someone who is probably in one too many offensive meme group chats and got a little desensitized to offensive memes, suggested this to Trump as a post,” she speculates.

“Perhaps this meme was a misguided attempt to remind people that President Trump ... is fighting evil on an institutional level,” she continues.

And while Liz knows that Trump “is not perfect,” she does wholeheartedly agree that he is standing up against evil in a truly admirable way.

“He's fighting against transgender ideology; he's fighting against critical race theory; he's fighting against radical Islam; he's fighting globalism; he's fighting socialist dictators. He is securing our border, our nation's sovereignty, to protect our country, our Christian nation. He's reducing crime in cities across the country to protect your family and mine. He is reordering the global financial system in order to better serve you,” she says.

“Obviously, that meme he posted didn't land for obvious reasons, and it shouldn't have landed because of what it seemed to portray, and Trump did the right thing by deleting it because if it was intended to portray him as Jesus versus just reminding people that Trump's policies generally serve humanity, then it never should have been posted in the first place,” she concludes. “It's as simple as that.”

To hear more, watch the episode above.

Want more from Liz Wheeler?

To enjoy more of Liz’s based commentary, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

BlazeTV Staff

Trump 2019 impeachment exposed: Gabbard provides damning insights into deep-state stitch-up

12 hours 28 minutes ago


The House of Representatives passed articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump in December 2019 over a phone call he had months earlier with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, alleging abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

While the U.S. Senate ultimately acquitted Trump by a vote of 57-43 in early 2020, the stitch-up had by that stage sufficiently muddied the waters and buoyed Democrats' false narrative in an especially heated election year.

'It is always worse than we thought.'

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released documents on Monday revealing that hearsay and erroneous claims from a few politicized bad actors who lacked any firsthand knowledge of the phone call were used as the basis to impeach Trump and that elements of the intelligence community were not only aware but happy to advance the false narrative.

The documents — investigative materials used by former Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson, who got the ball rolling on impeachment, and transcripts of his testimony released as the result of a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence vote last month — show that Atkinson skirted standard IG procedures and, embracing a kind of strategic myopia, leaned entirely on what the ODNI described as "politicized, manufactured narratives" without ever once bothering to access the transcript of Trump's call.

A self-declared "Democrat" whistleblower who worked for the CIA filed a complaint in August 2019 alleging Trump was "using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. elections. This interference includes, among other things, pressuring a foreign country — Ukraine — to investigate one of the President's main domestic political rivals, former Vice President Biden."

On the call, Trump reportedly made reference to how Biden threatened to withhold $1 billion in aid to Ukraine unless the prosecutor investigating the corrupt and now-defunct Ukrainian company Burisma, where Hunter Biden was appointed director in 2014, was fired.

The ODNI noted on the basis of the newly released documents that Atkinson — who spun the complaint as "credible" and rushed it to the congressional intelligence committees — had bothered to interview only four individuals whose credibility and political motives were clearly suspect.

RELATED: Democrat says he's filed articles of impeachment against Trump over social media post

House Judiciary Committee hearing on Dec. 12, 2019. Alex Edelman/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Besides the whistleblower — credibly identified as Eric Ciaramella, the Obama holdover and CIA analyst who reportedly partook in Obama White House discussions regarding Hunter Biden and Burisma — Atkinson interviewed the whistleblower's friend, "who was a co-author of the January 2017 Russia Hoax Intelligence Community Assessment and close colleague of former FBI Agent Peter Strzok," and two character references.

Not only did Atkinson rely upon the testimonies of politicized actors, he determined that the complaint must be reported to Congress despite the Justice Department determining there was "no urgent concern" and the whistleblower confirming he had no "direct knowledge of private comments or communications by the President."

It appears the hearsay-dependent allegations were buttressed by wild speculation.

One of the "witnesses" had admitted after reading a transcript of the call that they "would not have been able to get from 'point A to Z' the way the Whistleblower did" and that they had to "read between the lines" in order to conclude Trump was discussing quid pro quo.

The ODNI noted that the newly released "witness" interviews demonstrate that Atkinson's public assertion that "other information obtained during [his] preliminary review ... supports the complainant's allegation" was false and obfuscated the fact that there was no firsthand evidence of what was being alleged.

The newly declassified documents confirm not only that the whistleblower lied to Atkinson about leaking to congressional Democrats prior to submitting his allegations to the inspector general but that he was, contrary to Atkinson's characterization, politically biased.

Atkinson testified to Congress that he "never considered the whistleblower to be politically biased."

He drew this conclusion despite the whistleblower stating in his interviews that he is a "registered Democrat"; had "worked closely with Vice President Biden" and had traveled with Biden to Ukraine; and was the "target of right-wing bloggers ... and conspiracy theorists."

"Deep state actors within the Intelligence Community concocted a false narrative that was used by Congress to usurp the will of the American people and impeach the duly-elected President of the United States," stated Gabbard.

"Inspector General Atkinson failed to uphold his responsibility to the American people, putting political motivations over the truth. And this, along with the politicization of the whistleblower process by a former CIA employee who was working hand in glove with Democrats in Congress, are egregious examples of the deep state playbook on how to weaponize the Intelligence Community," continued Gabbard.

In 2019, Gabbard was a Democratic congresswoman representing Hawaii and cast the only "present" vote on both articles of impeachment.

"It was a sham from the start," tweeted Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). "The only thing we got wrong is that it is always worse than we thought."

Harvard law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz, who worked to defend Trump at his impeachment trial, told Just the News that Trump could have grounds to expunge his impeachment in the House in light of the new revelations.

"It's never been done. I don't see any reason why it couldn't be done," said Dershowitz.

"These government officials will probably have to pay a political price, if not a legal price, for violating the Constitution, because that's what they've done. They violated the Constitution," said Dershowitz, adding that the Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to confront witnesses.

In terms of seeking remedy, Dershowitz suggested Trump could always bring a civil lawsuit.

Trump evidently liked Dershowitz's suggestions and said on Truth Social, "Alan, one of the greats, should do it!"

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Joseph MacKinnon
Checked
1 hour 34 minutes ago
The Blaze
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