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Suspect In Tesla Arson Attacks Facing 40 Years In Prison

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He’s done…

A man linked to arson attacks at the Tesla Albuquerque Showroom and the Republican Party of New Mexico (RPNM) headquarters is facing 40 years behind bars after being indicted this week.

On February 9, two Tesla vehicles were damaged in an arson attack at the Tesla Albuquerque Showroom. The building was also damaged that day with graffiti reading “Telsa Nazi Inc.,” as well as swastika symbols spray-painted in red and black paint on the showroom’s exterior walls.

Nearly two months later on March 30, Albuquerque’s RPNM office was damaged in an arson attack which damaged the entrance. At both scenes, investigators located matching glass containers of improvised flammable mixtures with distinctive green lids.

Wagner was linked to the fires through surveillance footage, along with video of a white Hyundai Accent and matching scene evidence, federal investigators said.

Agents from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) raided Wagner’s house in Albuquerque on April 12.

There, investigators reported finding assembled fire-starting devices, ingredients matching the flammable mixtures found at the scene, a jar with a similar green lid, black and red spray paint, and a stencil bearing the phrase “ICE=KKK,” which matched the graffiti sprayed at the RPNM headquarters.

Wagner now faces two counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire, and will stay in custody while he awaits his detention hearing on April 16. If convicted, Wagner faces between five and twenty years behind bars for each count.

“All of these cases are a serious threat to public safety, therefore there will be no negotiating. We are seeking 20 years in prison,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi, who had previously labeled vandalism of Tesla dealerships to be “domestic terrorism.”

“Let this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence,” Bondi said. “We will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences.

“Hurling firebombs is not political protest,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche added. “It is a dangerous felony that we will prosecute to the maximum extent.

Woman Arrested After Traveling To D.C. While Threatening To Assassinate Trump

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Gage Skidmore Flickr

An Indiana woman has been arrested after threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump.

On Monday, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced Nathalie Jones, 50, of Lafayette, Indiana, was arrested in the District of Columbia on Saturday in connection with making a series of threats on social media in which she threatened to kill President Trump.

“Hi everyone, it’s Judge Jeanine. I just wanted to let you know here from the United States Attorney’s Office in D.C. that an individual by the name of Nathalie Rose Jones is now in custody, charged with two federal crimes for knowingly and willfully threatening to take the life of the President of the United States,” Pirro said in a clip she released on social media.

“She did come from New York to Washington, D.C. and she has been threatening and calling for the removal of the president and even worse as she got to D.C. Her threats were on Facebook and Instagram and she continued to call the president a terrorist and was working to have him eliminated. She is now in custody. She will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Make no mistake about that,” Pirro said with a hint of a smile.

On Facebook between August 6 and August 15,  “Nath.Jones” allegedly continued to post threatening comments about President Trump. In an August 6 post directed at the FBI, Nath.Jones wrote that “I am willing to sacrificially kill this POTUS by disemboweling him and cutting out his trachea with Liz Cheney and all The Affirmation present.”

            On August 14, in a post directed to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Nath Jones allegedly wrote “please arrange the arrest and removal ceremony of POTUS Trump as a terrorist on the American People from 10-2pm at the White House on Saturday, August 16th, 2025.”

            On August 15, the U.S. Secret Service conducted a voluntary interview with Jones, during which she stated the President was a “terrorist” and a “nazi,” that if she had the opportunity, she would take the President’s life and would kill him at “the compound” if she had to, that she had a “bladed object,” which she said was the weapon she would use to “carry out her mission of killing” the president, and that she wanted to “avenge all the lives lost during the Covid-19 pandemic,” which she atrributed to President Trump’s administration and its position on vaccinations.

            On August 16, Jones joined a protest demonstration that started at Dupont Circle, and circumnavigated the White House complex. Following the march, the U.S. Secret Service interviewed Jones for a second time, during which she admitted that she had made threats towards President Trump during her interview the previous day. She denied having any present desire to harm the President of the United States. Law enforcement arrested her and she confirmed that she was the owner of the Facebook user account “Nath Jones” and that she had posted the threatening statements.

Pirro, who was best known in recent years for her hot takes on The Five, is now the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Her office also put out a statement on the arrest, which read, “Nathalie Rose Jones, 50, of Lafayette, Indiana, was arrested in the District of Columbia on Saturday, August 16, and charged in connection with making a series of threats on social media in which she threatened to kill President Trump, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.”

“Jones was charged in a complaint in U.S. District Court with threatening to take the life of, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States, and transmitting in interstate commerce communications containing threats to kidnap any person or any threat to injure the person of another,” added the statement.

Susie Wiles’ Lawyer Denies Approving FBI Recording

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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)

An attorney representing White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in 2023 is disputing claims that he agreed to allow the FBI to record a phone call with his client without her knowledge, according to a report from Axios.

“If I ever pulled a stunt like that I wouldn’t – and shouldn’t – have a license to practice law,” the unidentified attorney told Axios. “I’m as shocked as Susie.”

The denial comes amid renewed scrutiny over the FBI’s investigative tactics during Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probes into President Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 election.

Wiles, who managed Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and now serves as White House chief of staff, was reportedly stunned to learn that the FBI subpoenaed her phone records in 2022 and 2023 as part of those investigations. According to Axios, she told associates, “I am in shock.”

Reuters first reported the subpoenas, which were issued during Smith’s investigations into Trump’s efforts to challenge the 2020 election results and his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.

According to Fox News, the records obtained through subpoena included toll data — such as phone numbers and the dates and times of calls — but did not include the content of conversations.

The controversy escalated after two FBI officials reportedly claimed that agents recorded a 2023 phone call between Wiles and her attorney. The officials alleged that the attorney was aware the call was being recorded and gave consent, though Wiles herself was not informed.

However, the attorney has “categorically” denied consenting to any recording, Axios reporter Marc Caputo wrote on X. Wiles reportedly believes her lawyer and suspects that Biden-era FBI officials may have misrepresented what occurred.

Separately, Fox News Digital reported that at least 10 FBI employees were fired Wednesday in connection with the matter.

The developments have drawn strong reactions from Trump allies and conservative commentators.

Trump 2024 co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita wrote on X that he knows the attorney and believes him, calling the situation “a violation of basic constitutional rights every American has” and urging accountability.

OutKick founder Clay Travis also weighed in, writing, “So the lawyer Biden’s FBI eavesdropped on during a call with Susie Wiles said he had no idea it happened. This is a huge story. Biden’s FBI spied on Trump’s campaign manager in the 2024 campaign.”

In a separate statement obtained by Fox News Digital, Patel — whose phone records were also reportedly subpoenaed — criticized prior FBI leadership.

“It is outrageous and deeply alarming that the previous FBI leadership secretly subpoenaed my own phone records — along with those of now White House chief of staff Susie Wiles — using flimsy pretexts and burying the entire process in prohibited case files designed to evade all oversight,” Patel said.

Trump Rival Eric Swalwell Suspends Campaign

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) announced Sunday that he is suspending his campaign for governor of California, just over 48 hours after multiple reports surfaced alleging sexual assault and misconduct involving a former aide and other women.

“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” Swalwell wrote in a post on the social platform X. “To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”

The San Francisco Chronicle first reported Friday that Swalwell allegedly sexually assaulted a former aide in 2019 and 2024, incidents in which the woman was said to be too intoxicated to give consent. CNN later reported that four women had accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct, including one who alleged rape.

Swalwell forcefully denied the claims.

“They are absolutely false. They did not happen,” Swalwell said in a video posted on X on Friday. “They have never happened, and I will fight them with everything that I have. They also come on the eve of an election where I have been the frontrunner candidate for governor in California.”

His attorney has also sent cease-and-desist letters to several of the accusers, according to CNN.

Despite those denials, political support for Swalwell unraveled rapidly. Within hours of the initial reports, his campaign co-chairs — Reps. Adam Gray (D-Calif.) and Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) — publicly urged him to exit the race. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), a longtime power broker in California politics, also called for him to drop out and said the allegations should be “appropriately investigated with full transparency and accountability.”

An unsigned letter from members of Swalwell’s congressional office and campaign described the allegations as “abhorrent, beneath the dignity of those serving in public office and betrays the trust of all Californians,” according to Politico.

Calls for his resignation from Congress have also grown, spanning both parties.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) said she plans to file a motion to expel Swalwell from the House. Expulsion would require a two-thirds vote, meaning significant Democratic support would be necessary. Some Democrats have already indicated they would back such a move if Swalwell does not step down.

Separate investigations may further complicate his situation. The Department of Homeland Security said Sunday it is probing allegations that Swalwell illegally employed a nanny, while Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office confirmed it is reviewing the sexual assault claims.

Before the allegations emerged, Swalwell had been widely viewed as a leading contender in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. He had secured endorsements from major groups, including the California Teachers Association and the California Medical Association — both of which have since rescinded their support.

“CTA’s democratically elected board has voted unanimously to rescind our endorsement of Representative Eric Swalwell in his campaign for Governor of California. We withdraw all support,” the California Teachers Association wrote on X.

The race is now far more uncertain. Democratic strategists say candidates such as billionaire Tom Steyer and former Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) could gain traction as voters reassess their options ahead of the June 2 primary.

Swalwell’s political downfall marks a dramatic turn for a congressman who rose to national prominence as one of former President Donald Trump’s most outspoken critics. A frequent presence on cable news, Swalwell served as an impeachment manager during Trump’s first Senate trial and was a vocal advocate for investigations into Trump’s conduct and associates.

The two have traded barbs for years, with Trump repeatedly targeting Swalwell in speeches and on social media, often mocking him personally and politically. Swalwell, in turn, built a national profile by positioning himself as a leading Democratic counterweight to Trump, including during his brief and unsuccessful 2020 presidential campaign.

Secret Service Employee Fired Over Charlie Kirk Comments

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A U.S. Secret Service employee has been placed on immediate administrative leave after reportedly celebrating the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk in a social media post, Fox News Digital confirmed Friday.

“The U.S. Secret Service will not tolerate behavior that violates our code of conduct. This employee was immediately put on administrative leave, and an investigation has begun,” a Secret Service spokesperson told Fox News when asked about the employment status of Anthony Pough.

Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

According to Real Clear Politics, Pough had posted on Facebook celebrating Kirk’s death, accusing the conservative leader of spreading “racism.”

“If you are Mourning [sic] this guy .. delete me. He spewed hate and racism on his show,” Pough wrote, according to the outlet. He also referenced the recent Evergreen High School shooting in Colorado that left two students injured, writing, “Especially when we should be mourning the innocent children killed in Colorado.”

Pough further claimed that Kirk’s death was “karma,” writing, “At the end of the day, you answer to GOD and speak things into existence. You can only circumvent karma, she doesnt [sic] leave.”

Kirk was attending a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon when a single shot rang out and struck Kirk in the neck. He was transported to a local hospital and was pronounced dead just hours later. 

Real Clear Politics reported that Pough was in “Phase 2” of his career with the Secret Service, a stage where agents are focused on protective assignments. He had not yet been assigned to any regular detail protecting former President Donald Trump. According to the agency’s website, Phase 3 typically involves post-protective field, protection, or headquarters assignments.

Kirk was shot Wednesday afternoon while attending a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University. He was struck once in the neck and later pronounced dead at a local hospital. He is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two young children, ages 1 and 3. The couple married in 2021. (RELATED: MSNBC Fires Analyst Matthew Dowd For ‘Unacceptable’ Charlie Kirk Comments)

Kirk leaves behind his wife, Erika Kirk, as well as their two children, ages 1 and 3. The Kirks married in 2021.

Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance accompanied Kirk’s casket back to Arizona, where he resided with his family, on Thursday via Air Force Two. 

READ NEXT: Report: Homeland Security Confirms Probe Into Immigration Status Of Boston Lawmaker

Report: Comey Skipping First Court Appearance In Trump Threat Case

Former FBI Director James Comey will no longer have to make an upcoming court appearance in North Carolina after a federal judge agreed to cancel the hearing tied to charges that he threatened President Donald Trump through a controversial social media post.

U.S. District Judge Louise Flanagan conditionally approved Comey’s request to waive the appearance after his attorneys argued he had already made an initial court appearance last week in Alexandria, Virginia.

Comey surrendered to authorities during that appearance, was formally read his rights, and did not enter a plea.

His legal team argued that federal criminal procedure rules provide “for an initial appearance in the singular,” making another hearing unnecessary. Prosecutors with the Department of Justice reportedly supported the request.

Judge Flanagan ruled that the North Carolina hearing would be canceled if Comey filed the required waiver by Friday. Otherwise, the hearing would proceed as scheduled.

The former FBI chief is facing two federal charges tied to a May 2025 Instagram post showing seashells arranged to read “86 47” — a message prosecutors say amounted to a threat against Trump’s life.

According to prosecutors, the phrase “86” is widely understood as slang for eliminating or getting rid of someone, while “47” refers to Trump, the 47th president.

The charging document alleges:

“On or about May 15, 2025, in the Eastern District of North Carolina, the defendant, JAMES BRIEN COMEY JR, did knowingly and willfully make a threat to take the life of, and to inflict bodily harm upon, the President of the United States, in that he publicly posted a photograph on the internet social media site Instagram which depicted seashells arranged in a pattern making out ‘86 47,’ which a reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States.”

Comey has fiercely denied the accusations and claimed the prosecution is politically motivated.

When the image was first posted, Comey later said he believed the shells represented a “political message” and claimed he did not realize the numbers could be interpreted as encouraging violence. He eventually deleted the post.

The longtime Trump rival responded to the indictment in a video statement, insisting he has done nothing wrong.

“But nothing has changed with me. I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let’s go,” Comey said.

“But it’s really important that all of us remember that this is not who we are as a country, this is not how the Department of Justice is supposed to be.”

The charges — threatening the president and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce — each carry a maximum possible prison sentence of five years. Prosecutors would need to prove Comey “knowingly and willfully” threatened to “take the life of” Trump.

The case marks yet another chapter in the bitter feud between Trump and the former FBI director, whom Trump fired in 2017 during the early stages of the Russia investigation led by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

It is also the second criminal case Comey has faced since Trump returned to the White House.

Comey was previously charged with false statements and obstruction tied to his 2020 congressional testimony about FBI leaks. That case was ultimately dismissed after a court found the prosecutor’s appointment unlawful, though the Trump administration has appealed the decision.

Trump ‘Seriously Considering’ Diddy Pardon: Report

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The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a pardon of Sean “Diddy” Combs after he was found guilty of prostitution charges earlier this month.

A jury found Combs guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. More importantly, he was found not guilty of the most serious charges of racketeering, conspiracy, and sex trafficking. Due to the fact that he likely avoided a lengthy prison sentence, the verdict was considered a major win for the defense.

Now, Combs’ team reportedly wants the president to do away with those lesser charges, as well. According to a Tuesday report from Deadline, sources from within the administration said Trump has given serious thought to pardoning the music mogul.

The report continued:

Nearly two months after Trump publicly entertained the notion of a Diddy pardon in an Oval Office gaggle, a comprehensive get out of jail card for Combs is being “seriously considered,” an administration source tells Deadline.

Additionally, as several associates of the much-accused and currently incarcerated “All About the Benjamins” performer have been pitching the White House, other insiders confirm the topic has leveled up from “just another Trump weave to an actionable event” since Combs was found partially guilty in the his NYC sex-trafficking trial earlier this month. Of course, as a number of parties attest, this being the roller coaster of Trumpworld, any decision on a Combs pardon is in flux until POTUS actually puts his signature on paper.

As the report stated, the idea of Trump pardoning Combs is not a new one. Back in May, fellow music executive Suge Knight predicted that the president would lend Combs a hand in the event that he was convicted.

Ex-Federal Prosecutor Indicted For Stealing Copies Of Unreleased Jack Smith Report

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A former federal prosecutor has been indicted after allegedly taking copies of a still-unreleased volume of former special counsel Jack Smith’s report on his investigation into President Donald Trump — and allegedly disguising the files with names like “Chocolate_Cake_Recipe.pdf.”

The case is raising fresh questions surrounding the highly controversial legal effort against Trump and how officials involved in the process handled sensitive government materials.

Federal prosecutors charged former Justice Department official Carmen Lineberger, 62, with four counts tied to allegedly stealing and concealing government records. During a court appearance Wednesday in West Palm Beach, Florida, Lineberger pleaded not guilty and was released on her own recognizance.

According to the indictment, Lineberger — formerly the managing assistant U.S. attorney in Fort Pierce, Florida — received a restricted copy of a volume of Smith’s report last year and allegedly forwarded it, along with internal Justice Department communications, to personal Hotmail and Gmail accounts.

Prosecutors claim she attempted to conceal the transfer by changing file names to appear harmless, including “Chocolate_Cake_Recipe.pdf” and “Bundt_Cake_Recipe.pdf.”

The indictment, however, does not allege why Lineberger moved the files to personal accounts, nor does it accuse her of leaking the materials publicly. Court records also do not specify what other internal DOJ records may have been transferred alongside the Smith report.

If convicted on all charges — including obstruction of justice, concealing government records, and two misdemeanor theft counts — Lineberger faces a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison, though actual sentences in federal cases are often significantly shorter under sentencing guidelines.

The report at the center of the controversy remains largely hidden from public view.

The volume reportedly focuses on Smith’s investigation into classified documents found at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence after he left office. That investigation became one of Smith’s two major prosecutions against Trump during the 2024 election cycle.

Smith, appointed as special counsel in late 2022, led the federal government’s aggressive legal campaign against Trump. Beyond the Mar-a-Lago documents case, he also spearheaded the federal election interference prosecution tied to Trump’s challenges to the 2020 election results.

Trump repeatedly blasted Smith as politically motivated and accused the Biden-era Justice Department of weaponizing federal law enforcement against him. His supporters argued that prosecutors were applying legal standards differently to Trump than to political allies and opponents.

The classified documents case eventually suffered major setbacks after Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that Smith’s appointment as special counsel violated constitutional requirements, throwing the future of the prosecution into uncertainty. Cannon also barred public release of the report volume involved in the current Lineberger case.

Now, the strange allegations involving hidden “cake recipe” file names are creating another unexpected chapter in the long-running legal and political saga surrounding Smith’s investigations of Trump.

Republican Lawmaker Gets Into Physical Altercation Outside US Capitol

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Ted Eytan from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Things were heated on Capitol Hill this week…

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) was caught in a run-in outside the Capitol on Thursday with a protester who challenged him over his stance on Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

The Republican reportedly shoved the man, who he later claimed had intentionally “bumped” into him after being approached near the Longworth House Office Building, according to Politico.

The incident occurred shortly after lawmakers wrapped up their final votes of the week.

Burchett’s spokesperson Will Garrett defended the congressman’s reaction in a comment to Politico, saying the protester had crossed a line.

“Everyone has a right to their opinion, and they can say all of the filthy stuff they want. But they don’t have the right to bump the congressman,” Burchett spokesperson Will Garrett said in a statement to The Hill

Capitol Police briefly detained and questioned the protester, though the department has not commented publicly.

Burchett, meanwhile, dismissed the confrontation with characteristic bite, telling reporters the activist “had bad breath.”

Last year, Burchett introduced a resolution to reject the United Nations’s decision to place the Israeli military on a list of child’s rights abusers.

“Israel is our greatest ally in the Middle East and their leadership tries to protect life. Hamas, on the other hand, hides behind innocent civilians like a bunch of cowards. We need to make it clear to the United Nations that the United States completely supports Israel’s efforts to wipe these terrorists off the map,” Burchett said at the time. 

House GOP Pressures Attorney General To Prosecute Officials Helping Subvert Deportations

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Multiple House Republicans are demanding the Justice Department prosecute elected officials and left-wing activist groups allegedly attempting to undermine the administration’s deportation efforts.

GOP Reps. Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, Andy Harris of Maryland, Eric Burlison of Missouri and Pete Sessions of Texas sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi Tuesday, exclusively obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation. 

“We write today to applaud your prosecution of Governor Kathy Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James and to respectfully request that you continue prosecuting individuals, organizations and elected officials who aid and abet illegal aliens in evading Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers,” the Republican lawmakers wrote. “Assisting aliens in avoiding deportation is illegal; therefore, we urge you to continue upholding the integrity of the American system.”

“Far-left politicians and nongovernmental organizations [NGOs] are flouting the law under the assumption that it will not be enforced. We ask that you demonstrate that such violations will not be tolerated.”

Read:

The letter alleges that left-wing organizations such as Code Pink, Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network and the Immigration Defense Project are actively providing resources to illegal migrants to evade detection by ICE.

The GOP congressmen also urged Bondi to prosecute elected officials helping illegal migrants evade detection by ICE.

Democrat New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy appeared to suggest that he was harboring an illegal migrant on his property on Feb. 3, leading border czar Tom Homan vowing to prosecute the elected official for appearing to violate federal law.

“And good luck to the feds coming in to try to get her,” the Democrat then added, speaking at an open discussion at Montclair State University.

Murphy walked back the shocking claim days later.

Homan warned New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that he is working with the DOJ to determine whether the left-wing firebrand violated federal law by hosting a virtual webinar advising illegal migrants on how to handle encounters with ICE on Jan. 11.

“Let’s hope she’s not educating the next person who gets out and murders a young college student in Georgia,” Homan said on Fox News on Feb. 16. “These are bad people we’re looking for. So she can call it education all she wants, but we all know it’s about evading law enforcement. These people have been ordered removed. The people we’re looking for now have final orders. They’re criminals. They’re in the country illegally.”

Bondi filed a lawsuit against Hochul and James on Feb. 12, citing a New York state law allowing immigrants to obtain a driver’s license regardless of legal status. The Trump administration hit Chicago and the state of Illinois with lawsuits on Feb. 6 over the city and state’s sanctuary laws, which restrict cooperation between local officials and ICE.

“This is a new DOJ,” Bondi said during a press conference announcing the Justice Department’s lawsuit against the state of New York. “We are taking steps to protect Americans, American citizens and angel moms.”

“New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. It stops today,” Bondi added. “We sued Illinois. New York did not listen. Now you’re next.”