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    Accused Kirk Assassin’s Shaky Aim Could Keep Death Penalty Alive, Prosecutors Say

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0

    The accused assassin of conservative activist Charlie Kirk may have hit his alleged target, but prosecutors say his history of misses could help keep the death penalty on the table.

    Tyler Robinson, 23, allegedly “seldom hit the bullseye and sometimes missed the target altogether” while practicing with the rifle authorities believe was used to kill Kirk, Utah prosecutors said in a court filing made public Tuesday.

    The claim strikes directly at the defense’s bid to knock out the aggravating factor that could make Robinson eligible for execution if he is convicted.

    Robinson’s attorneys argue that the fatal bullet traveled above the crowd at Utah Valley University rather than through it. Only one round was fired, Kirk was the only person struck and no bystanders were wounded, the defense noted.

    But prosecutors say that argument ignores the risk Robinson allegedly knew he was taking when he fired a high-powered rifle from the roof of the campus’s Losee Center toward a courtyard packed with thousands of people.

    Evidence recovered from Robinson’s southern Utah home allegedly included targets he had used to practice with his grandfather’s rifle, according to Fox News Digital and KSL’s coverage of the filing.

    Those targets, prosecutors contend, show Robinson knew he was capable of missing — and that a miss from the rooftop could have sent a bullet into the crowd or struck someone standing near Kirk.

    The state also pointed to evidence that the alleged gunman had to race across the roof, reassemble the rifle, get into position and fire within roughly one minute. He allegedly loaded four cartridges before taking the shot.

    Taken together, prosecutors say, Robinson’s hurried setup, extra ammunition and spotty practice record support a reasonable inference that he understood the danger to people other than Kirk.

    Several spectators were allegedly positioned between the rooftop and Kirk, while others were gathered close to the Turning Point USA founder onstage, prosecutors wrote.

    Robinson’s lawyers see the scene very differently.

    In a 41-page defense brief, they described an open-air shooting with a “clear line of sight.” They argued that the bullet struck its intended target, no second round was chambered and no one else was directly behind or beside Kirk in the bullet’s path.

    The defense maintains that the state has shown only that harm to a bystander was possible — not that Robinson knowingly created the high probability of another death required to sustain the aggravator.

    That distinction could decide whether Robinson faces a possible death sentence.

    Utah’s aggravated-murder statute allows prosecutors to rely on evidence that a defendant knowingly created a great risk of death to someone other than the person killed. Robinson’s lawyers want Judge Tony Graf Jr. to strike that aggravating circumstance before trial, which would remove capital punishment as a possible sentence.

    At this stage, however, prosecutors need only establish probable cause to send the charges to trial. They argue that Graf must draw reasonable inferences in the state’s favor rather than weigh competing interpretations as a jury would.

    Prosecutors went further in their latest filing, accusing Robinson’s attorneys of ignoring controlling case law and saying they had “violated their ethical duty of candor to the Court.”

    The state is also pressing a separate claim that Kirk was targeted because of his political expression. Prosecutors have cited an allegedly political message engraved on one of the cartridges, as well as messages Robinson allegedly sent about Kirk before surrendering.

    Robinson is accused of driving from southern Utah to Orem and fatally shooting Kirk in the neck as the 31-year-old activist answered questions during a Turning Point USA event on Sept. 10, 2025.

    Prosecutors allege that Robinson later admitted responsibility to several people and instructed his roommate to delete incriminating messages. He is charged with aggravated murder and six additional crimes but has not yet entered a plea.

    The two sides presented evidence during a weeklong preliminary hearing in July and have since traded written arguments over whether the case — and its potential death penalty — should proceed.

    Graf is scheduled to hear closing arguments on Sept. 1 before deciding whether Robinson will stand trial on all seven charges.

    For Robinson’s defense, the argument is that the fatal shot was precise enough to spare everyone else.

    For prosecutors, his battered practice targets tell the more dangerous story.

    END THE INDOCTRINATION OF AMERICA’S STUDENTS – your input is urgent.

    Rubio Hits ICC President With Sanctions as Trump Escalates Sovereignty Fight

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    (Miami - Flórida, 09/03/2020) Presidente da República Jair Bolsonaro durante encontro com o Senador Marco Rubio..Foto: Alan Santos/PR

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio imposed sanctions Tuesday on the president of the International Criminal Court and one of its senior trial lawyers, escalating the Trump administration’s campaign against the Hague-based tribunal.

    The new designations target ICC President Tomoko Akane, a Japanese judge, and Abdoulaye Seye, a Senegalese senior trial lawyer.

    “These individuals have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials whose government has not consented to ICC jurisdiction,” Rubio said, according to CNN.

    The sanctions generally block any property or financial interests the two officials have within the United States or under the control of U.S. citizens. Americans are also prohibited from conducting most transactions with them, effectively cutting Akane and Seye off from the U.S. financial system.

    Rubio described the ICC as a corrupt, politically driven institution that has exceeded its authority. He said the sanctions were part of the administration’s “unwavering mission to protect Americans from this sham of a court.”

    The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. Israel is also not a member and does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction.

    The ICC nevertheless maintains that it can prosecute alleged crimes committed on the territory of member states, even when the accused comes from a country that has not joined the court. That jurisdictional dispute lies at the heart of Washington’s confrontation with the tribunal.

    Trump Laid the Groundwork

    President Donald Trump did not immediately issue a separate public statement on Tuesday’s sanctions. However, the White House established the administration’s position in a February 2025 executive order authorizing penalties against ICC personnel.

    In that order, Trump accused the court of taking “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”

    Trump said the ICC had endangered American service members and officials while abusing its authority against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant in November 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity connected to the war in Gaza. Both Israel and the United States have rejected the accusations and the court’s authority.

    Trump’s executive order declared the ICC’s efforts against protected American and allied officials an extraordinary threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy.

    Washington has also fought the court over its past investigation into the conduct of U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

    A Campaign to Dismantle the Court

    The latest sanctions are part of a broader State Department-led campaign to weaken the ICC’s ability to operate.

    Rubio announced that effort in July, promising to use sanctions, visa restrictions, diplomatic pressure and other government powers to dismantle the court “brick by brick” if necessary.

    The administration is also pressuring other countries to withdraw their funding and participation. Nations that cooperate with American law enforcement, host U.S. forces or rely on Washington’s security support have been urged to reject the ICC’s authority over American personnel.

    Rubio said Tuesday that the administration is prepared to take additional action until the court is no longer capable of threatening American sovereignty. The State Department has described the effort as a whole-of-government response.

    The administration has already sanctioned multiple ICC prosecutors and judges. Prosecutor Karim Khan was among the first officials targeted after pursuing the warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant.

    According to The Guardian, Seye has also been linked to investigations involving Israeli settlement funding and the distribution of weapons to settlers in the West Bank, although Rubio’s announcement did not identify the specific actions that led to Tuesday’s designation.

    Court Fight Moves to U.S. Soil

    The sanctions campaign is now facing several legal challenges inside the United States.

    Three ICC judges sued the Trump administration in New York in June, arguing that the penalties imposed against them were unlawful. Human rights organizations have filed separate lawsuits claiming the sanctions interfere with their ability to document alleged crimes and assist international investigations.

    Two advocacy groups said the restrictions had produced a “chilling effect” on their work. Four additional organizations filed another lawsuit last week, arguing that the administration was unlawfully obstructing their international justice work.

    The ICC had not issued a public response to the new designations as of Tuesday afternoon.

    END THE INDOCTRINATION OF AMERICA’S STUDENTS – your input is urgent.

    Mystery Impostor Slips Into UK Prime Minister’s Messages

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles delivers remarks during the Memorial Service for Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Sunday, September 21, 2025.(Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

    Britain’s new prime minister thought he had a direct line to President Donald Trump’s inner circle. Instead, he was messaging a mystery impostor.

    Prime Minister Andy Burnham exchanged a handful of messages with someone posing as White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, according to a bombshell Politico report citing four officials.

    Burnham eventually smelled a rat and cut off the contact. But by then, at least some of the exchange had taken place after he entered 10 Downing Street on July 20—turning an apparent digital con into a security headache spanning two governments.

    One person briefed on the communications insisted that only a “few messages” were exchanged and that they were “of no significance.”

    British officials were not quite relaxed enough to let the matter drop.

    The British Embassy in Washington raised the incident directly with the White House, two officials told Politico. Downing Street offered only a stone wall in response to questions: “We do not comment on national security matters.”

    CBS News reported that the BBC independently confirmed the exchange and said it was limited to written messages. Burnham and the impostor never spoke by phone, according to that account.

    The White House also pushed back on the most alarming theory circulating in London.

    “This incident had nothing to do with the Chief of Staff’s devices being hacked,” a White House official told CBS News.

    That distinction matters because Wiles’ identity has already been hijacked once in a sprawling Washington impersonation scheme.

    In May 2025, senators, governors, business executives and other prominent figures received texts and calls from someone claiming to be Trump’s powerful gatekeeper. Wiles told associates that her personal phone had been hacked, and CBS News reported that one or more unknown people used contacts from the device to target senior officials.

    The messages came from unfamiliar numbers, and some recipients were asked to shift the conversation to Telegram. The FBI launched an investigation.

    The earlier scheme grew stranger as it unfolded. As Mediaite reported, citing The Wall Street Journal, one lawmaker was asked to prepare a list of people Trump should pardon. In another case, the impersonator requested a cash transfer. Targets also noticed broken grammar and oddly formal language that did not sound like Wiles.

    The fake-Wiles operation was not an isolated stunt. An impostor later used artificial intelligence to mimic Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s voice and writing style while contacting foreign ministers and American officials.

    The FBI warned in December that malicious actors have been impersonating senior state, White House, Cabinet and congressional figures since at least 2023. The schemes often begin with a text, quickly jump to an encrypted app and then turn toward sensitive information, authentication codes, introductions or money, according to the bureau’s public alert.

    Burnham took office less than a month ago after replacing Keir Starmer. An official government biography says he returned to Parliament in June and became Labour leader on July 16 before entering Downing Street four days later.

    Who contacted him, how the impostor reached him and what the pair discussed remain unknown.

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    Canadian Woman Who Slapped Teen Over Trump Merch Deported

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    8
    Image via Pixabay

    A Canadian woman who admitted slapping a teenage girl during a confrontation over patriotic clothing at the Jersey Shore has been ordered deported after pleading guilty to a reduced assault charge.

    Kaitlyn Tracey, 33, had overstayed her visa and was living in the United States illegally when the July 3 clash erupted on the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk.

    An immigration judge in Texas ordered Tracey removed from the country Tuesday, shortly before she entered a guilty plea in the New Jersey criminal case.

    Tracey appeared by phone from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Texas for the proceeding in Ocean County.

    Guilty Plea Ends Viral Assault Case

    Under a plea agreement, Tracey pleaded guilty to one count of simple assault.

    Prosecutors dismissed the remaining charges, which included endangering the welfare of a child, harassment and obstruction.

    Tracey received a one-day jail sentence with credit for time served. She had already spent several weeks in the Ocean County Jail before being transferred to federal immigration custody.

    The criminal case may be over, but its consequences are not. Tracey now faces removal to Canada and is expected to be barred from legally returning to the United States for an extended period.

    Patriotic Shirt Sparked Boardwalk Confrontation

    The altercation unfolded on the evening of July 3, when Tracey approached a group of four teenagers at Point Pleasant Beach.

    Authorities said the dispute escalated after she confronted one of the teens, who was wearing a “USA 250” tank top marking America’s approaching 250th anniversary.

    Video that quickly spread across social media appeared to show Tracey slapping the girl across the face during the argument.

    The footage drew national attention and prompted action from local police and federal immigration authorities.

    After Tracey’s arrest, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that she had remained in the country after her visa expired. The agency later dubbed her the “Maple Leaf Menace” in public statements.

    Defense Calls Clash “Unfortunate”

    Defense attorney Francis Hodgson told the court that Tracey had otherwise been a productive, law-abiding resident.

    “She arrived here on a passport some years ago. She met her husband and didn’t leave, but while she was here, she maintained employment and was a productive member of society,” Hodgson said.

    He called the confrontation “unfortunate” and said Tracey had accepted responsibility for her actions.

    “[Tracey has] taken responsibility for her role in it, and this is a reasonable judgment … consistent with other similar-type matters that happen every day during the summer on this boardwalk,” Hodgson told the court.

    Victim’s Family: “Thank Goodness For Cameras”

    Prosecutors said the victim’s family supported the plea agreement.

    The teen’s parent attended the hearing remotely but did not speak publicly. Judge Guy P. Ryan instead read portions of the family’s victim impact statement into the record.

    “The parents recite that, ‘Thank goodness for cameras and cell phones to have documented this incident,’” Ryan said.

    The judge said the family came from an immigrant background and described themselves as proud Americans who had been celebrating Independence Day when the confrontation occurred.

    “The notoriety and publicity of this matter has indicated that they’re proud of their country, love their country, they have core values and refer to the history of their family,” Ryan said.

    He added that the victim and her parents “look forward to justice being served” and were grateful to the agencies involved in the case.

    Deportation Now Looms

    Following her arrest, Tracey was initially held at the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility in Newark. She was later transferred to an ICE processing center in Laredo, Texas, as her immigration proceedings continued.

    Officials have not announced when she will be removed to Canada.

    Ryan said during sentencing that the deportation order is expected to prevent Tracey from legally returning to the United States for “a very long time.”

    Husband’s Anti-Trump Posts Resurface

    The case has also brought new scrutiny to Tracey’s husband, Matt Geroni, who did not attend Tuesday’s hearing.

    Geroni previously posted TikTok videos criticizing conditions at Delaney Hall and asking supporters to help secure his wife’s release, even if that meant her deportation to Canada.

    His own social media history later became part of the controversy. Resurfaced posts appeared to show Geroni wishing death on President Donald Trump and members of Trump’s family.

    In one post, Geroni wrote that he was “praying the entire Trump family gets cancer,” including the president’s children. After an attempted assassination of Trump, he wrote in another post: “Praying the next assassination attempt works.”

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    ‘Security Agent’ With Hollow-Point Ammo Busted at Trump Golf Club Before President’s Visit

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0

    A California man allegedly filmed federal agents as they mapped out security for President Donald Trump’s visit to his Los Angeles-area golf club — then returned two days later with hollow-point ammunition in his pocket and a loaded pistol in his pickup truck, authorities said.

    Jeanine John Taele, 38, of Downey, was arrested Sunday at Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes, setting off a search that authorities say uncovered an illegally modified rifle, body armor, high-capacity magazines, radio devices and notebooks filled with “concerning statements” at his home.

    Now he is staring down cases in two court systems.

    Federal prosecutors charged Taele Tuesday with possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle, a felony carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

    The First Red Flag

    The encounter did not begin Sunday.

    According to an affidavit filed with the federal complaint, agents were conducting a security assessment at the golf club on Friday, July 31, ahead of Trump’s Aug. 4 visit when they spotted Taele walking across the grounds.

    He was wearing an earpiece, taking photographs and recording video of the agents’ security-planning work, prosecutors alleged. He eventually left in a vehicle.

    But Taele allegedly returned Sunday while federal agents were still working at the club. Staff recognized him and alerted the agents, authorities said.

    Taele then approached the agents and claimed he was employed by the State Department and assigned to a security detail at the property, according to the federal affidavit. He also acknowledged that a loaded firearm was inside his pickup in the club parking lot.

    Agents called the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. When deputies arrived, they learned Taele was already wanted in connection with a robbery investigation in El Segundo, prosecutors said.

    During a search, deputies allegedly found a 16-round magazine loaded with hollow-point ammunition in Taele’s pants pocket.

    Inside his truck, authorities said they found a loaded 9mm pistol, another magazine packed with hollow-point rounds, binoculars and a badge bearing the words “security protection agent.”

    The Search That Deepened the Mystery

    The arrest quickly widened into a federal security investigation.

    Detectives assigned to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force obtained a warrant and searched Taele’s Downey home Monday because of what the Sheriff’s Department called the incident’s potential security implications.

    Authorities said the search turned up an illegally modified AR-platform rifle, a 1911 .45-caliber pistol, an AR upper receiver, body armor, high-capacity magazines, bulk rifle and pistol ammunition, an earpiece and two radio signal devices.

    Investigators also seized multiple notebooks containing what they described only as “concerning statements.” Officials have not disclosed what was written in them.

    “We are thankful he was apprehended before the President’s visit,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in announcing the federal charge. He said investigators were still working to determine Taele’s motive.

    FBI Los Angeles chief Patrick Grandy said the alleged conduct raised serious red flags and left “no room for error” given the previous attempts on Trump’s life.

    State Charges — And a Separate Robbery Case

    Taele also faces three California weapons counts: receiving a large-capacity magazine, carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle and possessing a short-barreled rifle or shotgun, TIME reported, citing the state complaint.

    Prosecutors separately charged him with second-degree robbery over an alleged Nov. 4, 2025, incident that El Segundo police were investigating before his arrest at the golf club.

    Taele pleaded not guilty Tuesday. A judge set his bail at $250,000, ordered him not to possess weapons, barred him from Trump National Golf Club and prohibited him from leaving California while the case is pending. His next state court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 26.

    He was also expected to make his first appearance in federal court Wednesday on the rifle charge.

    Authorities have not publicly accused Taele of plotting to attack Trump, and no motive has been announced. The Sheriff’s Department said it had identified no credible threat to the surrounding community, while the Secret Service, FBI, ATF and local investigators continued to examine the case.

    The Secret Service said it investigates any conduct that could signal a threat or a directed interest in a protected person. The Trump Organization thanked local and federal authorities for their swift response.

    Trump’s Tuesday evening Republican National Committee event at the golf club went forward. The president briefly addressed the arrest during an appearance on “Fox News @ Night.”

    “The only thing I get a little solace from is, they say only consequential presidents,” Trump said. “And I am definitely consequential.”

    The scare came two years after a gunman wounded Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and after Ryan Routh’s 2024 attempt to kill Trump at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Routh was sentenced to life in prison earlier this year.

    END THE INDOCTRINATION OF AMERICA’S STUDENTS – your input is urgent.

    Secret Service Reveals Security Lockdown for Trump’s WHCA Dinner Do-Over

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    There will be no second chances for a security nightmare.

    Nearly three months after gunfire and chaos cut short the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, the Secret Service is locking down Washington’s Waldorf Astoria for President Donald Trump’s return Friday night.

    The revamped protection plan includes a private entrance, individually assigned digital tickets, government ID checks, airport-style screening, a heavy police presence and road closures surrounding the Pennsylvania Avenue hotel.

    “Our agency grows and adapts from every event we secure, and we have engaged with WHCA to ensure attendees are given timely information in the unlikely event of an emergency during the event,” Secret Service communications director Anthony Guglielmi told Fox News Digital.

    Unlike the April 25 dinner at the Washington Hilton, guests will not enter through the hotel’s main lobby. The ballroom will be accessible through a separate, secured entrance, with every pre-screened attendee required to present a unique QR code and valid identification.

    “Guests will see a visible police presence around the Waldorf Astoria hotel,” Guglielmi said, adding that everyone holding a ticket will pass through “airport-style magnetometer screening.”

    Roads immediately surrounding the hotel will also be closed Friday evening, while detailed arrival instructions are being sent directly to ticket holders.

    The Secret Service and a private security company hired by the WHCA have worked together to close the gaps exposed during the April attack, according to People.

    That night descended into panic before Trump could deliver his speech.

    Federal prosecutors say Cole Tomas Allen, 31, charged through a magnetometer outside the Washington Hilton ballroom while carrying a shotgun. Secret Service Officer Victor Gonzales was struck in the chest but survived because he was wearing a ballistic vest.

    Gonzales returned fire as other agents swarmed Allen, who was arrested before reaching the ballroom where Trump, administration officials and hundreds of journalists were gathered.

    Authorities recovered a 12-gauge shotgun and a .38-caliber pistol from Allen, according to the Justice Department.

    Prosecutors allege Allen traveled from California to Washington by Amtrak and checked into the Hilton one day before the attack. Shortly before the shooting, he allegedly sent a pre-scheduled message to relatives and a former employer apologizing for what he was about to do.

    Allen has pleaded not guilty to four federal charges, including attempting to assassinate the president and assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon. He remains behind bars awaiting trial, CBS News reported.

    While the Secret Service has maintained that its agents successfully prevented Allen from reaching Trump or the ballroom, Friday’s tighter perimeter makes clear that officials are taking no chances.

    The venue itself is also a major departure from tradition.

    For decades, Washington’s glitzy annual gathering of reporters, celebrities and political power brokers has unfolded inside the sprawling Washington Hilton. Friday’s redo will instead take place inside the Old Post Office building, which housed the Trump International Hotel before becoming the Waldorf Astoria.

    The gathering will also be dramatically smaller. Roughly 680 guests are expected, compared with approximately 2,600 people who attended in April, according to People. There will be no red carpet or surrounding weekend party circuit.

    Trump, however, will be back at the center of the room.

    The president is expected to deliver the remarks he never got to make in April, calling the rescheduled gathering a show of “Strength and Fortitude.”

    “We cannot allow Lunatics to change our way of life, or even its scheduling,” Trump wrote when the new date was announced.

    Much of Trump’s Cabinet is also expected to attend, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, according to Fox News Digital. First lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will miss the event because of prior commitments.

    Friday’s dinner will also put the spotlight back on the officer credited with helping prevent a potential massacre.

    Gonzales is set to receive the WHCA’s President’s Award for Exceptional Service for his actions during the attack.

    “Officer Gonzales played a significant role when he ran toward danger so that thousands of others could make it home safely,” former WHCA President Weijia Jiang said. “His courage stemmed from a dedication to service, which we are looking forward to honoring this week.”

    Three months after the first dinner ended with guests diving beneath tables and armed agents racing through the ballroom, the tuxedos are coming back out.

    This time, they will be arriving through a fortress.

    END THE INDOCTRINATION OF AMERICA’S STUDENTS – your input is urgent.

    Trump Slams Mamdani’s Netanyahu Arrest Threat: ‘Will Not Happen’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    8
    By Bingjiefu He - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,

    President Donald Trump drew a bright red line Monday after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani threatened to have Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrested on American soil.

    “Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America,” Trump declared in a Truth Social post.

    The president defended Netanyahu as a wartime leader confronting the Islamic Republic of Iran, which Trump accused of killing 52,000 protesters and spending decades targeting American troops.

    “The only ones that should be arrested are the people that led Iran into this unprecedented SPIRAL OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION,” Trump added, arguing that previous presidents should have confronted the regime years ago.

    Trump’s declaration came after Mamdani revived one of his most controversial campaign promises during an interview with The New York Times’ Lulu Garcia-Navarro.

    “I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague,” Mamdani said. “He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court.”

    The democratic socialist mayor said his administration is now examining whether he could use the New York Police Department to detain Netanyahu when the Israeli leader is expected to attend the United Nations General Assembly in September.

    “That’s an active conversation with our legal department in seeing what the prospects are we have here in our municipality,” Mamdani said.

    He insisted he would follow existing city law and would not attempt to write new rules specifically targeting Netanyahu.

    But Mamdani’s arrest talk faces a mountain of legal obstacles.

    The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court and does not recognize the court’s authority over Americans or Israelis. Foreign affairs are also controlled by the federal government, while diplomatic protections and head-of-state immunity could shield Netanyahu during a U.N. visit.

    U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz dismissed Mamdani’s proposal as “pure political theater.”

    “The U.S. is not party to the Rome Statute that underlies the ICC,” Waltz wrote on X, adding that the U.N. Headquarters Agreement grants protections to visiting foreign leaders and that “federal authority trumps any local mayor’s wishes.”

    Legal experts have expressed similar doubts. Syracuse University law professor Cora True-Frost said foreign affairs are the “exclusive power of the federal government” and that protections afforded to visiting diplomats would further restrict Mamdani’s ability to carry out his threat. NBC New York reported that several former prosecutors believe an attempt to enforce the ICC warrant could expose participating local officials to federal charges.

    The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024, alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. The court said judges found reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Gallant bore responsibility for alleged crimes including using starvation as a method of warfare.

    Israel has categorically rejected the allegations, maintaining that its military takes extensive precautions to protect civilians while battling a terrorist organization that embeds itself among the Palestinian population.

    Netanyahu’s office fired back Sunday by branding the ICC a “kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis.”

    “Under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s leadership, Israel has taken unprecedented wartime measures to minimize harm to civilians while confronting Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that uses Palestinians as human shields and deliberately targets innocent Israeli civilians,” his office said.

    It then turned its fire directly on City Hall.

    “Mr. Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York,” Netanyahu’s office concluded.

    Netanyahu has also accused the mayor of siding with “terror actors,” while Mamdani has repeatedly characterized Israel’s response to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre as genocide.

    The Trump administration, meanwhile, has backed its rejection of the ICC with more than words. It has imposed sanctions on court personnel and affiliated organizations involved in efforts to prosecute Israelis, declaring that neither the United States nor Israel is subject to the tribunal’s authority. The State Department has described the court’s actions as a threat to American sovereignty.

    Mamdani may be determined to turn Netanyahu’s expected September visit into an international showdown.

    Trump’s message was that the mayor will not get the chance.

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    ICE Detains Canadian Woman Accused Of Slapping Teen Over Trump Gear At Jersey Shore

    By
    admin
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    2
    By U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - https://www.ice.gov/about-ice/ero, Public Domain,

    A Canadian woman accused of slapping a teenage girl because she was wearing pro-Trump clothing at the Jersey Shore has landed in the custody of the very agency featured on the teen’s outfit.

    Kaitlyn E. Tracey, 33, is being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after police say she assaulted a 16-year-old girl during a Fourth of July weekend confrontation on the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk. ICE records show Tracey is currently being held at the Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark.

    According to NJ.com, the incident unfolded after Tracey allegedly approached a group of teenagers while recording them with her cellphone. Police say she took issue with the group’s “patriotic colored sweatpants with political wording,” including pants displaying the words “Trump” and “ICE.”

    Investigators allege Tracey then “slapped the victim across her face and body.”

    The Point Pleasant Beach Police Department said surveillance video captured Tracey allegedly “striking the juvenile female, once to the body and once to the face, with an open hand” before fleeing the scene.

    Authorities later identified Tracey through surveillance footage and other investigative methods before taking her into custody. She has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, simple assault, harassment and obstruction.

    The case took another turn when federal immigration authorities became involved.

    According to reports, Tracey entered the United States from Canada in 2024 but remained after her authorized stay expired, making her subject to immigration enforcement.

    A Department of Homeland Security official told the New York Post that the case reflects the Trump administration’s enforcement policy.

    “Illegal aliens who break our laws will be arrested and deported,” the official said, confirming Tracey is being held in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings.

    On Tuesday, a man identifying himself as Tracey’s husband posted an emotional video on social media announcing that she had been detained.

    “Yesterday, July 13, my wife was detained by ICE and brought to Delaney Hall in North New Jersey,” he said.

    He has since argued that the confrontation has been exaggerated, telling NJ.com, “This whole situation has been blown out of proportion and a person like Kate does not belong in any facility.”

    Although he acknowledged he was not present during the incident, he insisted his wife was not the aggressor and blamed online backlash for drawing national attention to the case.

    The allegations have fueled widespread reaction online because of the apparent irony that the woman accused of attacking a teenager over clothing supporting Trump and ICE ultimately ended up in ICE custody herself.

    Tracey is expected to appear in New Jersey court to face the criminal charges while separate immigration proceedings determine whether she will be deported to Canada.

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    Former CIA Director Sues Trump Administration as Criminal Probes Intensify

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3
    By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54581054338/, Public Domain,

    Former CIA Director John Brennan is taking the Trump administration to court as two Justice Department criminal investigations into his conduct continue to gather steam.

    In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court in Washington, D.C., Brennan asked a judge to order the Justice Department, the White House, the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to preserve records related to the ongoing probes, arguing the materials could prove critical if he is eventually charged.

    The filing does not seek to stop the investigations. Instead, Brennan’s attorneys contend that internal emails, memos and other communications may become key evidence if they later argue any prosecution was motivated by politics rather than the facts.

    “The evidence of vindictiveness in this matter is overwhelming,” Brennan’s lawyers wrote in the 46-page complaint.

    The lawsuit accuses the Trump administration of using the criminal justice system to target political opponents, claiming Brennan has been “vindictively singled out for investigation and prosecution.”

    Brennan, who led the CIA under former President Barack Obama, has spent years publicly criticizing President Donald Trump. The two have been locked in a bitter feud dating back to Trump’s first term, when Brennan sharply criticized Trump’s handling of intelligence matters and Trump responded by revoking Brennan’s security clearance in 2018, calling his conduct “erratic” and accusing him of making “wild outbursts” about the administration. Brennan later became one of Trump’s most outspoken intelligence-community critics on television and in public appearances.

    Now, that long-running political rivalry has become intertwined with a pair of Justice Department investigations.

    One investigation is examining whether Brennan made false statements to Congress during 2023 testimony regarding the intelligence community’s assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

    The second is a broader probe examining allegations that Obama- and Biden-era intelligence and law enforcement officials participated in a years-long effort to undermine Trump’s political career. No charges have been filed against Brennan in either investigation.

    According to the lawsuit, Brennan intends to challenge any future indictment as “unconstitutionally vindictive and selective.” His attorneys argue that preserving government records now is essential because losing those materials could make it impossible to determine whether prosecutors acted appropriately.

    The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb.

    Among those named as defendants are President Trump, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones and other officials involved in the investigations.

    CBS News has reported that some current and former Justice Department officials have raised concerns about personnel changes within the Brennan investigations after career prosecutors were replaced by lawyers viewed as more closely aligned with the administration. CBS reported that attorney Joseph DiGenova was brought in to oversee one of the investigations, while constitutional scholar John Yoo and former Trump election security official Kurt Olsen have also joined the effort in advisory roles.

    The Justice Department declined to discuss the existence of any investigation but pushed back on Brennan’s allegations.

    “While we cannot comment on the existence, or lack thereof, of an investigation, it is certainly rich that John Brennan is accusing anyone of a ‘retribution campaign,'” a DOJ spokesperson said.

    Brennan’s attorneys also point to more than 100 public statements Trump has made about the former CIA director since 2017, arguing those remarks could become relevant if criminal charges are ultimately filed.

    For now, Brennan has not been charged with any crime. His lawsuit seeks only to preserve records that could become evidence if the investigations eventually lead to a prosecution.

    Powerless families don’t stand a chance against government corruption without supporters like you. Read her story today — then join the fight and protect this mother.

    Report: Charlie Kirk’s Family To Attend Tyler Robinson’s Preliminary Hearing

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1

    Charlie Kirk’s family is expected to attend a pivotal court hearing next week as the criminal case against the man accused of assassinating the Turning Point USA founder moves forward.

    According to Fox News, Kirk’s parents and his widow, Erika Kirk, plan to be present for the preliminary hearing of Tyler Robinson, who is charged with fatally shooting Kirk during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.

    The hearing, scheduled for the week of July 6, will mark the first major court proceeding that Kirk’s family is expected to attend since Robinson was arrested in the days following the killing. A source familiar with the case told Fox News that the family does not plan to make any public statements.

    “The preliminary hearing is expected to be a raw, difficult moment for the family,” the source told Fox News.

    During the hearing, prosecutors will seek to establish probable cause to move the case toward trial. If the judge determines that sufficient evidence exists, Robinson will be ordered to stand trial.

    The hearing could still be delayed, however. The Utah Supreme Court is currently considering a defense appeal after Judge Tony Graf denied Robinson’s request to prohibit cameras from the courtroom. Erika Kirk, acting as a designated victims’ advocate, opposed the defense motion. According to Fox News, the state’s highest court could rule before the end of the week.

    Because the preliminary hearing will include evidence outlining the prosecution’s case, family members are expected to be confronted with graphic material. Fox News reported that prosecutors and defense attorneys have agreed to notify the family before particularly sensitive evidence is shown, allowing them the opportunity to leave the courtroom if they choose.

    Robinson, 22, has not yet entered a plea. He faces one count of aggravated murder, along with six additional charges, including weapons offenses, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering. Prosecutors have indicated they may seek the death penalty if he is convicted of the top charge.

    Unlike a trial, Utah law allows hearsay evidence during preliminary hearings. Judge Graf has also approved prosecutors’ request to present a recorded statement from Robinson’s former roommate, Twiggs, rather than requiring him to testify in person.

    According to court filings cited by Fox News, prosecutors allege Robinson confessed both in a handwritten note and in text messages exchanged with Twiggs after the shooting.

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

    Court filings also allege that after Twiggs texted, “You weren’t the one who did it right????,” Robinson responded, “I am, I’m sorry.”

    Investigators say they later recovered the suspected murder weapon—a Mauser rifle wrapped in a blanket—in a wooded area near the university. Prosecutors also allege text messages show Robinson and Twiggs discussed retrieving the rifle after the shooting. Twiggs has cooperated with investigators and has not been charged.

    Kirk, 31, founded Turning Point USA and was a father of two. He was participating in a campus question-and-answer event when he was fatally shot.

    The upcoming hearing follows another recent ruling in the case. Last week, Judge Graf determined that prosecutors had violated a previously issued gag order but rejected the defense’s request to remove the death penalty as a possible punishment, instead ordering expanded jury selection procedures should the case proceed to trial.

    This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

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