Stembridge News Digest

  • Portland man threatened to kill ICE officers, sexually assault their wives, and harm their children: FBI Tue, 25 Nov 2025 01:05:00 +0000


    The Federal Bureau of Investigation said that a man who made heinous threats against federal immigration officers and their families was arraigned in court on Monday.

    John Paul Cupp, 45, is accused of making the threats to officers outside of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland on Oct. 14. He also allegedly repeated the threats online.

    'Cupp is a prolific producer of online content and regularly posts aggressive rhetoric, calls for war against the United States, antisemitic threats, and threats of violence.'

    "Cupp threatened to kill law enforcement officers, sexually assault their wives, and harm their children," reads the FBI statement from a post on social media.

    He posted those threats in a video on Nov. 3 and then did so again in a video on Nov. 13.

    "If you threaten to kill law enforcement officers or harm their families, you will face the full weight of the federal government," FBI Director Kash Patel said to Fox News Digital. "This FBI will use every investigative tool we have to identify violent extremists and remove them from our communities."

    "Cupp is a prolific producer of online content and regularly posts aggressive rhetoric, calls for war against the United States, antisemitic threats, and threats of violence," the FBI said.

    RELATED: Democrat fires staffer accused of posing as immigration attorney at ICE facility

    Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images

    The FBI published screenshots from Cupp's posts where he wrote, "Allaahu akbar, power to the people," and appeared to advocate for political violence.

    "An effective revolutionary must yearn in tears for martyrdom," Cupp wrote in another screenshot from his social media. "In this way you are unbreakable and live life in an elevated liberated way even in poverty and repression."

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

  • Democrats release mutiny video, admit it’s baseless, then beg for bodyguards when Trump calls them out Mon, 24 Nov 2025 23:26:13 +0000


    On November 18, six Democrat lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds — Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) — released a short online video titled “Don’t Give Up the Ship.”

    It urged U.S. service members and intelligence personnel to reject “illegal orders” and reminded them that their oath is to the Constitution, not individual leaders. While refusing unlawful commands is aligned with existing military law, the video claimed that “threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home” and accused the Trump administration of “pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens” but provided no evidence or examples of any illegal order.

    In interviews following the video release, Crow and Slotkin even admitted that there’s been no illegal order from President Trump or his administration. On November 20, Crow told CNN’s Kasie Hunt, “To be clear, we are not calling on folks right now to disobey any type of unlawful order.” Slotkin followed suit, admitting to ABC’s Martha Raddatz that the insinuation that the Trump administration was issuing illegal orders was completely baseless.

    “To my knowledge, I am not aware of things that are illegal," she said.

    In other words, they created a video encouraging insurrection by insinuating that illegal orders have been issued, when no such thing has happened.

    It’s no surprise, then, that a firestorm of criticism ignited, most notably from President Trump himself, who called it “seditious behavior from traitors” that is “punishable by death.”

    Even though sedition is indeed punishable by death under current U.S. federal law and President Trump has explicitly clarified that his Truth Social post was not an execution threat, Democrats are using the scandal they created to play the victim.

    “Democrats want to be the victims. That’s their entire reason for existence, is how can I be oppressed today? How can I be a victim today?” says Sara Gonzales, BlazeTV host of “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered.”

    Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) accused President Trump of “calling for the execution of elected officials” and claimed that he “makes political violence more likely.”

    “It’s outrageous. No president has ever stooped as low as Donald Trump. None,” he spat.

    “What’s outrageous is members of Congress making videos insinuating that there are illegal orders going on, but not willing to put their name to whatever it is that they’re accusing Donald Trump of doing that is illegal,” Sara retorts, calling the video an attempt to “start a coup in the military.”

    “And by the way, you know, it’s so cute that now all of a sudden they have a problem with cheering on death. I seem to recall someone who was wearing the exact same shirt that I am wearing who was assassinated, and they didn’t seem to have a problem with the political violence,” she adds, referencing her white Freedom T-shirt – the same T-shirt Charlie Kirk was wearing when he was murdered.

    “So excuse me while I don’t take your outrage seriously, Chuck,” she continues.

    But Schumer isn’t the only Democrat playing the victim. Following Trump’s Truth Social posts, several Democrats, especially the ones featured in the “Don't Give Up the Ship” video, contacted Capitol Police and received increased or 24/7 security protection.

    But Sara, calling them “failed theater kids,” isn’t having it. “Shut up, you whiny bitches. You are such cowards. You started this.”

    To hear more of Sara’s scathing commentary, watch the episode above.

    Want more from Sara Gonzales?

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

  • AI-enabled teddy bear pulled off market after reportedly making sexual and violent suggestions Mon, 24 Nov 2025 23:00:00 +0000


    A teddy bear with artificial intelligence integration was pulled from an online store after a report said it was capable of making sexual suggestions as well as plans for violence.

    The "Kumma" bear sold by FoloToy cost only $99 online, but a report from the Public Interest Research Groups said the toy didn't have proper safeguards against access to harmful content. FoloToy is based in Singapore.

    'Kumma discussed even more graphic sexual topics in detail, such as explaining different sex positions, giving step-by-step instructions on a common "knot for beginners" for tying up a partner and describing roleplay dynamics involving teachers and students.'

    "We were surprised to find how quickly Kumma would take a single sexual topic we introduced into the conversation and run with it, simultaneously escalating in graphic detail while introducing new sexual topics of its own," the group said.

    The topics included spanking, role-playing, and BDSM.

    "Kumma discussed even more graphic sexual topics in detail," the group added, "such as explaining different sex positions, giving step-by-step instructions on a common 'knot for beginners' for tying up a partner and describing roleplay dynamics involving teachers and students, and parents and children — scenarios it disturbingly brought up itself."

    FoloToy CEO Larry Wang told CNN that the company pulled the bear as well as other AI-enabled toys and that the company was "conducting an internal safety audit."

    The website had marketed the bear to children as well as adults.

    "Kumma, our adorable bear, combines advanced artificial intelligence with friendly, interactive features, making it the perfect friend for both kids and adults," the company said.

    RELATED: AI chatbot encouraged autistic boy to harm himself — and his parents, lawsuit says

    "From lively conversations to educational storytelling, FoloToy adapts to your personality and needs, bringing warmth, fun, and a little extra curiosity to your day," the website read.

    Open AI told PIRG that it had suspended the developer for abusing its policies.

    R.J. Cross, co-author of the report, told CNN that more efforts were necessary to prevent the harm from AI-enabled products.

    "It's great to see these companies taking action on problems we've identified. But AI toys are still practically unregulated, and there are plenty you can still buy today," Cross said. "Removing one problematic product from the market is a good step but far from a systemic fix."

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

  • Exclusive: More 'sicko' criminal illegal aliens arrested — from just this weekend Mon, 24 Nov 2025 22:45:00 +0000


    Immigration detainees from this weekend include some of the "worst of the worst" criminal suspects, according to exclusive information from the Department of Homeland Security.

    Critics of President Donald Trump's order for mass deportations claim that federal officers are targeting people based solely on their illegal status, but the report from DHS documents some of the heinous criminal allegations tied to them as well.

    'ICE arrested sickos who sexually abused children, raped innocent women, and committed murder.'

    In one case, criminal illegal alien Javier Salvador Morfin from Mexico was convicted of assault with intent to commit a felony and attempted rape by force/fear in Los Angeles, California.

    "Thanks to the Biden administration open-border policies, every town is now as a border town flooded with worst-of-the-worst criminal illegal aliens,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.

    "While Americans were enjoying their weekend and the media peddled falsehoods that DHS was not targeting the worst of the worst, ICE arrested sickos who sexually abused children, raped innocent women, and committed murder," she added.

    The criminal illegal aliens detained in this latest sweep include:

    • Bharatkumar Manilal Patel of India, who was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, victim 13 to 16 years old in Cook County, Illinois.
    • Cesar Ramirez-Ortiz of Mexico, who was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual assault of a child in Chicago, Illinois.
    • Juan Bernardo Perez-Gomez of Mexico, who was convicted of sex with a minor and burglary in San Bernardino, California.
    • Ronald Alexander Bonilla-Aguilar of Honduras, who was convicted of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 in Santa Clarita, California.
    • Alvin Henry of Trinidad and Tobago, who was convicted of rape in Brooklyn, New York.
    • Noel De Jesus Bravo-Gonzalez of Nicaragua, who was convicted of larceny, robbery, and homicide in Miami, Florida.
    • Nicole Benavente Torres of Peru, who was convicted of aggravated assault in Prince William County, Virginia.
    • Leonardo Morales-Lozada of Colombia, who was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Tarrant County, Texas.

    The release also said that 70% of ICE arrests involve people charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S., and the statistic doesn't include "foreign fugitives, gang members, terrorists, and human rights abusers."

    RELATED: Anti-ICE activists hold Home Depot business operations hostage with disruptive ice-scraper stunt

    In another case from DHS, Sergio Jesus Villegas-Dorta from Cuba was convicted of intentional killing involving a weapon, robbery, and aggravated assault with a weapon in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

    "As we look ahead to Thanksgiving this week, Americans can be thankful our brave DHS law enforcement got these pedophiles, rapists, and murderers off American streets," McLaughlin concluded.

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

  • Meta had 17-STRIKE policy for sex traffickers, ex-employee says Mon, 24 Nov 2025 21:05:00 +0000


    A former safety lead for one of Mark Zuckerberg's social media apps alleged the company is not very strict when it comes to those who engaged in human trafficking.

    The claim comes from a plaintiff's brief filed as part of a lawsuit against Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. The lawsuit filed in the Northern District of California alleges that the social apps "relentlessly" pursued growth at all costs and "recklessly" ignored the impacts their products have on the mental health of children.

    'You could incur 16 violations for prostitution and sexual solicitation.'

    Vaishnavi Jayakumar, Instagram's former head of safety and well-being, testified that she was shocked when she learned Meta had a "17x" strike policy toward those who reportedly engaged in "trafficking of humans for sex."

    "You could incur 16 violations for prostitution and sexual solicitation, and upon the 17th violation, your account would be suspended," Jayakumar claimed. The former employee also said that she considered it to be a "very, very high strike threshold" in comparison to the rest of the industry and that internal documentation from Meta corroborated her claim.

    As Time reported, plaintiffs in the case claim that Jayakumar raised the issue in 2020 but was told it was too difficult to address. This reportedly came at the same time it was allegedly much easier to report users for violations surrounding spam, "intellectual property violation," and the "promotion of firearms."

    In a statement, Meta strongly denied the claims.

    RELATED: Florida attorney general announces lawsuit against Snapchat for allegedly empowering child predators

    Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

    "We strongly disagree with these allegations, which rely on cherry-picked quotes and misinformed opinions in an attempt to present a deliberately misleading picture," a Meta spokesperson told Time.

    "The full record will show that for over a decade, we have listened to parents, researched issues that matter most, and made real changes to protect teens — like introducing Teen Accounts with built-in protections and providing parents with controls to manage their teens' experiences. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, and we stand by our record."

    Still, the lawsuit claims Meta was aware of the harms its platforms caused and even knew about millions of adults who were trying to contact minors through its apps.

    Moreover, the lawsuit also alleges that Meta halted internal research that would have shown those who stopped using Facebook became less depressed or anxious, NBC News reported.

    The study, reportedly titled Project Mercury, was allegedly initiated in 2019 as a way to help "explore the impact" that Meta apps have on "polarization, news consumption, well-being, and daily social interactions."

    RELATED: Blaze News investigates: Is social media really a 'breeding ground for predators' — or are we worrying too much?

    Additionally, the lawsuit compares the social media sites to "tobacco," likening the platforms to cigarette companies marketing their products to kids.

    A Google spokesperson said the lawsuit "fundamentally misunderstand how YouTube works and the allegations are simply not true."

    "YouTube is a streaming service where people come to watch everything from live sports to podcasts to their favorite creators, primarily on TV screens, not a social network where people go to catch up with friends," the Google spokesperson stated. "We've also developed dedicated tools for young people, guided by child safety experts, that give families control."

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

  • Anti-ICE activists hold Home Depot business operations hostage with disruptive ice-scraper stunt Mon, 24 Nov 2025 20:50:00 +0000


    A "buy-in" protest against federal immigration operations at Home Depot has led to clogged lines at a store in Southern California, where a man allegedly being chased by officials was killed after running onto a freeway.

    About a hundred protesters stood in line to buy one item, an ice scraper, at the store in Monrovia and then waited in line to return the item, worth about 17 cents, according to a Los Angeles Times report.

    'Buy it and try to collapse their system for a moment, or for some time, with the group of people that are witnessing and are willing to stay, to stand up for the human rights of day laborers.'

    Home Depot has denied involvement in the operations, but the company's critics say that Home Depot is not doing enough to protect customers and employees from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    A spokesperson for Home Depot sent a brief comment to Blaze News via email about the protest.

    "We aren’t notified that immigration enforcement activities are going to happen, and we aren’t involved in the operations," the spokesperson wrote. "We’re required to follow all federal and local rules and regulations in every market where we operate."

    Video on social media showed the protesters standing in line, some with signs criticizing Home Depot. The protest was organized by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.

    "Whether the corporation wants to admit it or not, Home Depot has become ground zero for this cruel, vicious immigration enforcement that’s taking place in our country," said National Day Laborer Organizing Network co-director Pablo Alvarado to the Times.

    The Department of Homeland Security has previously denied that the man who was killed after running from the Home Depot was being pursued by DHS officers. The 52-year-old man from Guatemala was struck by a vehicle on the freeway.

    "We want to scrape ICE from our communities," said NDLON communications director Palmira Figueroa to KCBS-TV. "It's kind of symbolic, right, to use an ice scraper. Buy it and try to collapse their system for a moment, or for some time, with the group of people that are witnessing and are willing to stay, to stand up for the human rights of day laborers."

    Some pointed out that they were actually buying putty knives, not ice scrapers, likely because ice scrapers don't sell well in the Southern Californian climate.

    RELATED: VIDEO: Leotarded liberals protest ICE facility with '80s-themed aerobics class

    The protest lasted for about an hour before the protesters started to march through the store, which led to store workers closing it down.

    "Oh, you can actually shut a store, right?" replied Figueroa. "You can shut for this, but you cannot, you have not, shut them when an ICE raid and abuse is happening."

    Some have also called for a boycott against Home Depot over the ICE operations.

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

  • 'We're not chopping nuts': ShamWow guy files to run for Congress — as a Republican Mon, 24 Nov 2025 20:35:00 +0000


    Offer Vince Shlomi, the 61-year-old Israeli-born pitchman whose work selling absorbent towels on late-night TV gained him recognizability as the "ShamWow guy," has filed to run for Congress as a Republican.

    According to the Texas GOP's list of filing applications, Shlomi has filed an application to unseat Republican incumbent Rep. John Carter, who has represented Texas' 31st congressional district since 2003 thanks to a series of landslide electoral victories.

    'Hopefully I won't make another mistake.'

    "The woke churches are after our kids' nuts," Shlomi said in a video where he can be seen standing outside a structure painted in the LGBT imperial colors. "Not no more. We're not chopping nuts. You're going to love your nuts with the ShamWow guy."

    The allusion to nuts is both a play on LGBT activists' support for child genital mutilation and the "Slap Chop" infomercial wherein Shlomi states, "With Slap Chop, you're going to love my nuts," prior to dicing a bowl full of almonds and walnuts.

    Shlomi, an apparent Los Angeles resident who serves as president and CEO of the TV marketing company Square One Entertainment, told Fox News Digital on Sunday that he was motivated to run for office by a desire to "destroy wokeism" and as a tribute to assassinated conservative Charlie Kirk, whom he referred to as the original "woke buster."

    In a recent parody music video titled "Woke Busters," Shlomi signaled opposition to men in girls' locker rooms, child sex changes, the "Me Too" movement, identity politics, and cancel culture.

    While Shlomi's new role as culture warrior might find resonance with voters, he may have to address on the campaign trail some of the skeletons crowding his closet.

    RELATED: Justice Alito delivers win to Texas GOP, temporarily restores Republican congressional map

    Vince Offer's mugshot following his 2009 arrest in Miami Beach, Florida. Photo by Kypros/Getty Images

    For instance, Shlomi was arrested and slapped with a felony battery charge in February 2009 for allegedly pummeling a prostitute at a hotel in Miami Beach, Florida.

    According to the arrest affidavit, Shlomi kissed a hooker he had met earlier at a nightclub. Shlomi told police that the hooker bit his tongue and would not let go, so he punched her in the face several times. The prostitute reportedly suffered facial fractures and numerous lacerations. Prosecutors ultimately dropped the case.

    Two years later, Shlomi's former personal assistant sued him in a separate case, alleging he stalked and emotionally abused her, made unwanted sexual advances, and at one stage offered to buy her eggs, reported CBS News.

    In 2013, Shlomi told NBC News that he was cleaning up his act, stating, "People understand you make mistakes in life."

    "Hopefully I won't make another mistake," he added.

    Shlomi has reportedly not yet formalized his intention to run with the Federal Election Commission.

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

  • Glenn Beck’s viral warning on Democrat mutiny video gets Trump repost — now he lays out 4-point action plan Mon, 24 Nov 2025 20:17:16 +0000


    On November 18, six Democrat lawmakers released a short online video titled "Don't Give Up the Ship,” in which they encouraged service members and intelligence personnel to reject “illegal orders” from the Trump administration.

    While the video posited that the administration “is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens” and acting in ways that threaten the Constitution, it did not substantiate its claims with any evidence or examples of illegal orders, leading many — President Trump included — to call it sedition.

    When Glenn Beck got wind of the scandal, he posted the following, which President Trump then reposted.

    Today on “The Glenn Beck Program,” Glenn expounded on his warning, urging the need for four actions to be immediately taken to prevent the unraveling of our republic.

    1. Congress must censure the mutinous 6

    “If lawmakers can publicly encourage military resistance without consequence, then Congress has surrendered its moral authority. You cannot police the executive branch; you can't oversee the intelligence agencies; you can't demand transparency if you cannot police your own members,” says Glenn, calling censure necessary “constitutional maintenance.”

    “If Congress refuses to [discipline the lawmakers who made the video], then the precedent remains, and it gets worse. And history shows us no nation survives a politicized military — ever.”

    2. Pentagon must publicly reaffirm: 'We obey the president’s lawful orders'

    The military has to “restate the chain of command publicly and immediately. The joint chiefs don't need a press conference; they don't need hearings. They just need to say the United States armed forces obey all lawful orders of the president," says Glenn.

    “That's the firewall between an American republic and every failed nation in history.”

    3. SCOTUS must slam the door on Boasberg’s secret spying precedent — immediately

    Glenn urges the “the judiciary, especially the Supreme Court: Close the door on the Boasberg case” immediately.

    U.S. District Judge James Boasberg “opened a door that is so dangerous,” says Glenn, by approving secret grand jury subpoenas and gag orders in the 2022-2023 Arctic Frost investigation — launched by the FBI and special counsel Jack Smith to probe Trump allies' efforts to overturn the 2020 election — that let the executive branch seize phone records from at least nine Republican senators without any notice to Congress for over a year.

    “No judge — no matter how noble his intentions — has the authority to rewrite the separation of powers. If one branch can secretly spy on another, then you have no checks and balances. You have a surveillance government,” says Glenn, insisting that the Supreme Court must “intervene.”

    “If they don't, this is the new normal,” he warns.

    4. If media and elites stay silent, the American people must stand up and demand consequences

    “In a functioning republic, this is supposed to be where the media steps in. This is where the cultural leaders, the voices — left, right, center — stop obsessing over clickbait and start explaining to the people what just happened, why it's unprecedented, why it matters, [and] how we as citizens need to respond,” says Glenn.

    But as of now, that’s not happening in media, academia, or Hollywood.

    The reason for their silence, says Glenn, is “because America's cultural class no longer sees its role as the guardian of the republic” but rather as “guardians of ideology.”

    If their failure continues, it’s the role of the American people to “step in,” Glenn says.

    In order to do that, citizens must put aside their political beliefs and party affiliations and focus on the big picture.

    “This is about whether the military stays under civilian authority, whether our adversaries overseas are given the indication that we are ripe for the taking. This is about judges that want to erase the separation of powers. … Most importantly, this is about whether your children will inherit a functioning republic,” Glenn says.

    “You don't riot; you don't panic; you don't despair. We are headed into Thanksgiving. Give thanks for the crosses that we bear; give thanks because our liberty, our freedom — should we decide to keep it — will be more valuable to us. But you should call your representatives. … You need to demand transparency; you need to insist on consequences.”

    Rage, division, and apathy, Glenn warns, will get us nowhere. The answer is “citizenship.”

    “If we sleep through this, the system will break — guaranteed. But if you wake up, stand up, and insist on boundaries, eventually it will happen.”

    To hear more of Glenn’s encouragement and analysis, watch the clip above.

    Want more from Glenn Beck?

    To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

  • Log into this Gmail clone to read all the Jeffrey Epstein emails as if you were Epstein himself Mon, 24 Nov 2025 20:05:00 +0000

  • Pentagon says court-martial possible for Sen. Mark Kelly after Trump calls him a 'traitor' for 'seditious' video Mon, 24 Nov 2025 19:50:00 +0000


    The Department of War issued a statement Monday announcing an investigation into Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona after he made comments advising military members against carrying out allegedly unlawful orders from the president.

    Several Democrats participated in a video calling on U.S. military members to refuse to follow unlawful orders, and the president slammed them Saturday in a post on social media. Kelly is a retired Navy captain.

    'It was sedition at the highest level, and sedition is a major crime. There can be no other interpretation of what they said!'

    "The traitors that told the military to disobey my orders should be in jail right now, not roaming the fake news networks trying to explain what they said was OK," President Donald Trump wrote in all caps.

    "It was sedition at the highest level, and sedition is a major crime. There can be no other interpretation of what they said!" he added.

    He also suggested that they should be hanged for their "seditious behavior," but the White House walked back those comments.

    On Monday, the Pentagon said Kelly was under investigation.

    "The Department of War has received serious allegations of misconduct against Captain Mark Kelly, USN (Ret.). In accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. § 688, and other applicable regulations, a thorough review of these allegations has been initiated to determine further actions, which may include recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures," the statement reads.

    "All servicemembers are reminded that they have a legal obligation under the UCMJ to obey lawful orders and that orders are presumed to be lawful. A servicemember’s personal philosophy does not justify or excuse the disobedience of an otherwise lawful order," the DOW statement added.

    Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, one of the Democrats who participated in the video, said police responded to her home over a bomb threat. She said she was not at home at the time.

    Kelly responded on social media to the Pentagon statement.

    "If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work," he wrote. "I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies who care more about their own power than protecting the Constitution."

    RELATED: Marjorie Taylor Greene says she has received violent threats — and blames Trump

    A Blaze News request for comment to Kelly's office was not immediately answered.

    "This matter will be handled in compliance with military law, ensuring due process and impartiality," the statement from the Pentagon continued. "Further official comments will be limited, to preserve the integrity of the proceedings."

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

  • Judge axes indictments against Trump foes James Comey, Letitia James Mon, 24 Nov 2025 19:02:36 +0000


    A federal judge dismissed the cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James Monday.

    Senior U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie dismissed the two indictments, ruling that President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Lindsey Halligan was invalidly appointed to her position.

    'No one is above the law.'

    Currie said that "all actions flowing from Ms. Halligan's defective appointment" to serve as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia "were unlawful exercises of executive power and hereby set aside."

    Prosecutors who work alongside Halligan said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has the authority to choose whom to appoint to the position and that the 120-day period interim U.S. attorneys serve operates as a temporary check-in system for appointees.

    RELATED: Eric Swalwell offers melodramatic response to Trump DOJ probe: 'I refuse to live in fear'

    Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images

    “The implications of a contrary conclusion are extraordinary,” Currie said of Halligan's appointment. “It would mean the government could send any private citizen off the street — attorney or not — into the grand jury room to secure an indictment so long as the Attorney General gives her approval after the fact. That cannot be the law."

    Currie dismissed the cases without prejudice, keeping the door open for the cases to be refiled, though whether they will be remains unclear. The Department of Justice may also opt to appeal Currie's decision. Blaze News reached out to Bondi's office for comment.

    Comey was indicted in September for "serious crimes related to the disclosure of sensitive information," with the Department of Justice alleging that the former director lied to Congress.

    “No one is above the law,” Bondi said in a statement following the indictment. “Today’s indictment reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people. We will follow the facts in this case.”

    RELATED: Letitia James gives unhinged rant after court hearing for bank fraud allegations: 'This is not about me!'

    Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

    James was indicted shortly after Comey in October over allegations of bank fraud and providing false statements to a financial institution. If James had been convicted, she would have faced up to 30 years in prison and up to $1 million in fines on each count.

    "The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust," Halligan said in a statement following the indictment. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”

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

  • WNBA star just admitted the truth about biology — and her fellow players won't be happy Mon, 24 Nov 2025 18:35:00 +0000


    A WNBA player just may have put a tired debate to rest for good.

    Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham responded to comments made by a panel of male basketball players last week, and her willingness to agree with them might land her in hot water with gender activists.

  • Soft-on-crime DEI judge faces heat after releasing violent suspect — who then allegedly lit innocent woman on fire Mon, 24 Nov 2025 18:20:00 +0000


    Last week, a woman was lit on fire while riding the Blue Line in Chicago during an unprovoked attack. Now new evidence has emerged that this was not only a preventable attack, but a judge let the accused attacker off easy after a brutal assault that was caught on camera back in August.

    And the judge, Teresa Molina-Gonzalez, has apparently proudly spoken about her unconventional approach to criminal justice in her position of authority.

    'However, I had a chance as a prosecutor to make a difference as to what cases come in.'

    Libs of TikTok posted a video of Judge Molina-Gonzalez apparently boasting about her soft-on-crime approach in a 2021 speech about the "power of diversity," according to a screen slide.

    RELATED: Chicago mayor obliterated by ActBlue strategist over 'absolutely insane' response to woman set on fire on train

    Photo by Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images

    The judge is heard talking about a common $354 fine in the video: "Some of the judges that I work with came from money, so $354 is no big deal. But to most of the people that come to my courtroom, it is a big deal."

    "And so I always offer them the opportunity to do community service."

    Judge Molina-Gonzalez also seemed to suggest that she filtered the cases based on whether the defendants "look like" her.

    "You know, being a Latina in the office, people would tell me, like, 'Don't you feel like you're prosecuting your own people?' But it's true, there are a lot of defendants that look like me. However, I had a chance as a prosecutor to make a difference as to what cases come in. I had a chance as a prosecutor to decide what offers were appropriate," she can be heard saying, seemingly referring to her time as a prosecutor.

    She also claimed in an interview posted to the Illinois courts website that "diversity on the bench is important because it allows all people to be represented. It instills faith and integrity in our judicial system."

    Lawrence Reed, the 50-year-old accused of lighting the Chicago woman on fire, reportedly has a rap sheet of over 70 arrests and 13 convictions prior to the barbaric attack last Monday.

    Judge Molina-Gonzalez placed Reed on a lenient electronic monitoring system after he allegedly slapped a female social worker unconscious in August.

    "I can’t keep everybody in jail because the state’s attorney wants me to," she said at the time after the prosecutor warned that an ankle monitor "could not protect the victim or the community from another vicious, random, and spontaneous attack," according to CWB Chicago.

    The female victim, 26, is reportedly still in the hospital in critical condition.

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

  • Jehovah's Witnesses: Worshipping with the most hated denomination Mon, 24 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000


    After attending a somewhat run-of-the-mill novus ordo Mass with only a few redeeming qualities, my husband and I decided to visit another church in Nevada that is possibly one of the most hated and misunderstood Christian denominations — even with the Latter-day Saints and Seventh-day Adventists.

    It was both his and my first time attending a Jehovah’s Witness church.

    'I personally don’t want to go to heaven, but want to remain on Earth when we’re resurrected. I want to live among the animals and trees and plants and not rule over others.'

    We walked 40-some minutes to the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses and were greeted warmly, even though we were two minutes late and the congregation had already begun singing the first hymn. The setting might have been bland, but I felt I had achieved a bucket-list goal.

    For years I’d tried to visit a Kingdom Hall. The Jehovah's Witnesses were one of the last churches to reopen nationwide after COVID, offering online meetings for nearly two and a half years, until summer of 2022. Even after that, many remained closed for another year, and a large portion still host hybrid Zoom/in-person gatherings for the immune-compromised.

    Kingdom Hall

    To many, the inside of the meeting hall would appear no different from a conservative Protestant church. Most women wore skirts or business suits; the men were in full suits. The carpet was gray, the walls plain, decorated with a few pictures of flowers. There were no windows.

    Rows of theater chairs faced a pulpit. Though the Jehovah's Witnesses do not have ordained ministers, any baptized man may teach from Scripture. On the day we visited, a guest speaker from Idaho — tailored suit, bright red tie — delivered a sermon much like any Protestant pastor’s, citing extensive Bible verses to support his points. There was no American flag, unsurprising given JW pacifism. Jehovah's Witnesses do not vote, and while they don’t forbid self-defense, they register as conscientious objectors during drafts. They believe that those who live by the sword will die by the sword (Matthew 26:52).

    RELATED: Church-hopping: Confessions of an itinerant worshipper

    Keturah Hickman

    The sermon

    The message, titled “Is There in Fact a True Religion from God’s Standpoint?” began with statistics: 85% of the world identifies as religious, 31% Christian, across 45,000 denominations — with a new one forming every 2.2 days. “But how does Jehovah want to be worshipped?” he asked.

    He read from Mark 7:6-7 and James 1:26, then cited Solomon: True religion is to fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). More verses followed — Isaiah 48:17-18, Micah 6:8, Matthew 7:16 — arguing that true belief and conduct must fit like a well-tailored suit, not mismatched pieces.

    He condemned most Christian denominations for justifying slavery so that men might Christianize pagan souls for the kingdom of God. He pointed out that the Jehovah’s Witnesses never supported such horrid beliefs. (He failed to mention that slavery was already abolished by the time they came along.) He warned against fatalism, ancestor worship, and faith in human institutions. “If a religion permits or promotes practices the Bible condemns, it is not true,” he said, citing Colossians 3:10, John 8:32, James 3:17-18, and others.

    “Truth is found in the word of God,” he concluded. “When we love the word, we are peaceable.”

    The sermon ended with the JW hymn “My Father, My God and Friend (Hebrews 6:10)."

    All along the Watchtower

    After the hymn, an elder read from "The Watchtower," the denomination’s monthly study magazine. Before the group was called Jehovah’s Witnesses, it was the Watch Tower Society, founded by Charles Taze Russell in 1881.

    The article that day was “Jehovah Heals the Brokenhearted” (Psalm 147:3). The elder read each paragraph aloud, then passed the microphone for congregants — men and women, in person or on Zoom — to share reflections.

    Here are some highlights.

    • Satan wants us to wallow in our feelings. Jehovah wants us to defy Satan and serve Him. When we do that, He sees us and is moved to help us.
    • Jehovah doesn’t keep track of our sins, but only of the good we do.
    • Jehovah does not put a time limit on our prayers as if it were a therapy session. We can pray to Him for as long as we like, and He’ll keep listening.
    • The Son’s sacrifice forgives our past sins so we can move ahead into the future.
    • We can comfort each other by being gentle and genuine.
    • We are not to blame for how others hurt us.

    It was repetitive but sincere — an hour-long group meditation on comfort and resilience.

    The service ended with another hymn. There was no tithe, and communion is held only once a year for those who believe they are among the 144,000 destined for heaven.

    The congregants

    Afterward, several congregants welcomed us. One woman, Linda, about 70, explained that she had converted from Protestantism before marrying.

    “There aren’t many differences between us and other churches,” she said, “except that we don’t teach what other places teach.”

    “Such as?”

    “We teach that Jehovah is Almighty God and that Jesus is His son and our Messiah. And we don’t believe in hellfire,” she said. “You can’t really find that idea in the Bible.”

    I asked her if that meant that she believes everyone goes to heaven or if they just die.

    She said, “The Bible says 144,000 go to heaven to be kings and priests to be the government of the kingdom of heaven that will come to Earth. I personally don’t want to go to heaven, but want to remain on Earth when we’re resurrected. I want to live among the animals and trees and plants and not rule over others.”

    Linda gave me a small Bible — I gladly accepted it because it was lightweight and would fit perfectly into my backpack, and until now I had only been able to carry a New Testament. She explained to me that the Jehovah's Witnesses didn’t approve of many of Scofield’s notes in the KJV and that their version had more accurate cross-references. I love having various versions of the Bible to read through, so there was no complaint from me!

    She invited us to join her husband and friends at a cafe for a late lunch. And so we went with about 20 other congregants. I sat by a woman just a little older than I. Ozzy had been raised in the Jehovah's Witnesses and had spent much of her youth as a traveling nanny. She told me that nearly six years ago she had married a Grace Baptist Church man and had a daughter with him. They eventually divorced. “I’m just grateful my daughter is learning about God in both homes she’s raised in," she said.

    Although Ozzy did not speak ill of her ex-husband, it was clear that she thought her expression of faith was more valid than his. So I asked her what was different between the two theologies, in her opinion.

    “That’s a good question," Ozzy said. "Not much."

    Then she added:

    Except how we define the Trinity — you know, you can’t find that word in the Bible. I’ve searched every translation of the Bible, so I know. We both believe in the concept, though JW is more literal and bases their definition on how the Bible describes it. We believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three separate entities united by a common will. Grace Bible Church is more Catholic when they talk about the Trinity.

    After a day with them, I found them sincere and Bible-focused, hardly cult-like. They loved God, quoted Scripture freely, and treated us with warmth — even when I somewhat aggressively asked about one of their more infamous beliefs.

    “I have heard that your church does not allow people to get blood transfusions and that this has caused many people to die.”

    "Yes, we believe blood is sacred and not to be spilled in war nor ingested for any reason," Linda responded. "But blood can be divided into four components, and it is okay to receive any of those minor fractions.

    "Most people don’t even need blood transfusions as much as they used to," she added, noting that "scientists have discovered that there are healthier ways to fill a low blood count with supplements and iron.”

    Are the Witnesses a cult?

    I’m not sure what makes a group a cult any more. Some say it’s when people follow a man rather than the Bible — but the Jehovah's Witnesses have no central figure. They encourage personal Bible study.

    Interestingly, 65% of members are converts — adults who join by conviction, not birth. While many leave, those who stay do so deliberately. Angry ex-members exist in every religion, and that alone doesn’t define a cult.

    Much of JW doctrine is nothing your average Protestant would quarrel with: anti-abortion but pro-birth-control, personal responsibility for family size, and no institutional oversight (beyond guidance from JW Broadcasting in New York). There’s also no enforcement mechanism for rules on blood transfusions or holidays.

    There are 8.6 million Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide, compared to 15.7 million Jews, 17 million Mormons, and 22 million Seventh-day Adventists. Many Protestants single out the denomination's rejection of transfusions, but the Jehovah's Witnesses are neither faith healers nor anti-medicine. They are pacifists but politically moderate and scientifically literate.

    Charles Taze Russell

    Jehovah's Witnesses founder Charles Taze Russell was raised Presbyterian. At age 13 he left his church to embark upon a kind of quest for the truth, for a time backsliding into unbelief.

    Known for writing Bible verse on fences as a way to evangelize, he founded a group called the Bible Student Movement in 1879. Much like Mormons, the Two by Twos, and the Jim Roberts Group, his group grew by sending out pairs of men to preach the word of God directly from the Bible.

    Despite Russell's zeal, his life was riddled with scandal. He divorced his wife after she demanded a larger editorial influence on "The Watch Tower." He sued for libel often, occasionally winning — one time the jury mockingly ruled in his favor but gave him only one dollar, and so he filed an appeal and received $15,000.

    After wrongly predicting the end of the world numerous times, Russell died in 1931. The group split apart. Approximately a quarter of the members remained faithful to Russell’s successors and began calling themselves Jehovah’s Witnesses.

    Their use of the name “Jehovah” also irritates critics, though it appears in the King James Bible (Exodus 6:3; Psalm 83:18; Isaiah 12:2; 26:4).

    Their rejection of the Nicene Trinity remains the sharpest point of division — a doctrine codified by the Catholic Church and later adopted by nearly all of Protestantism. It’s an irony of history: Protestants who define themselves against Rome still use Rome’s creed as the boundary of belief. Disagreement with that doctrine, however, does not make a faith a cult.

    The trend to schism

    One striking point from the sermon stayed with me: Every 2.2 days a new denomination is created.

    Until the 16th century, Christianity had only a handful of branches. Now there are 45,000. The JW speaker said it is because everyone seeks truth; I think it’s because we’ve forgotten love.

    As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13: “If I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.”

    What merit is truth without love? God does not honor self-righteous division. This, perhaps, was Martin Luther’s and Henry VIII’s greatest sin — their pride tore Christ’s body into pieces.

    Protestants readily maintain friendly regard for Judaism, which does not accept Christ’s divinity, while showing far less tolerance for groups such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, or Adventists — who profess Jesus as Lord and Redeemer.

    For this reason, I urge believers: Visit all churches. Seek unity where possible. Not to follow fads, but to love the whole body of Christ — even the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

  • Armed Florida homeowner fights back against 4 thugs who reportedly try to force their way into his residence Mon, 24 Nov 2025 17:25:00 +0000


    Four unidentified individuals arrived at a south Florida home Saturday evening and tried to force their way inside, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office told WPLG-TV.

    However, the homeowner was armed with a gun and opened fire.

    'Everyone has a duty and a right to defend themselves when attacked. Good job homeowner!!!'

    Indeed, gunshots and a male hollering in pain are audible on two home surveillance videos that are part of WPLG's report. The station in a separate story said it all went down in the area of Southwest 141st Street and 110th Avenue in Miami-Dade’s Richmond Heights neighborhood around 6:40 p.m.

    The homeowner struck one of the subjects in the upper body, deputies told WPLG, adding that the other three individuals fled the scene in an unknown direction.

    The wounded male died at a nearby hospital, the station said, adding that the Homicide Bureau of the sheriff's office has taken over the investigation.

    RELATED: Elderly Texas homeowner armed with hunting rifle spots burglar who broke through back door. It doesn't end well for intruder.

    The mother of the fatally shot male told WPLG the next morning in the separate story that she's "in shock, disbelief" and "hurt."

    The mother, who did not provide her name, added to the station that while she was told that her son "tried to break into someone's house," she also noted, "That's not him.”

    Commenters under WPLG's Facebook post about the mother's reaction offered a number of opinions in the aftermath:

    • "I am truly sorry for this mother, but the son apparently was involved with the wrong people and participated in a fatally stupid crime," one commenter wrote. "No doubt that the homeowner feared for his life with four men trying to force their way inside. Either she really didn't know her son at all, or he was easily misled."
    • "I'm pretty sure she is distraught," another user observed. "But the bottom line is her son committed a crime. I feel bad for her, but not for him. Break into my home and find out."
    • "Everyone has a duty and a right to defend themselves when attacked," another commenter declared. "Good job homeowner!!!"
    • "The son should have made better choices, and he would still be here," another user noted.
    • "Play FAFO in Florida and this is the result!!!" another commenter exclaimed. "Love our freedom to protect ourselves."

    Authorities were continuing to search for the three remaining suspects, WPLG reported, adding that those with information can call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

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

News Web Sites

Columnist/Blog Web Sites


This page has been visited 54 times today and 109,068 times since May 11, 2015.