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    Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn Arrested

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0

    Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn was briefly arrested this week in Cape Coral, Florida — yet the setback may not slow what many believe is a mounting effort to reenter national politics.

    Authorities took Cawthorn into custody on a warrant stemming from an August 19 citation for driving without a valid license in Naples. He was released shortly thereafter on a $2,000 bond and is expected to appear in court to resolve the matter. Supporters have dismissed the incident as a minor technicality, unlikely to derail his ambitions.

    From Conservative Trailblazer to Political Lightning Rod

    Cawthorn burst onto the national stage in 2020 as one of the youngest Republicans ever elected to Congress, winning his North Carolina seat at just 25 years old. He quickly became a symbol of youthful conservative energy and unapologetic defiance of the Washington establishment.

    But his meteoric rise ran into turbulence during his lone term. In early 2022, he alleged that some D.C. elites had invited him to a cocaine-fueled “orgy,” a claim that drew sharp criticism from GOP leadership. Weeks later, police body camera footage showed him being pulled over while driving a car he mistakenly believed he owned, and he was also cited for bringing a firearm through airport security — his second such incident in less than a year.

    Republican leadership, once supportive, gradually distanced themselves. The controversies overshadowed his legislative work and contributed to his loss in the 2022 Republican primary.

    Florida Could Offer a Second Act

    Now, Cawthorn may be plotting a political revival — this time from Florida’s 19th Congressional District, where Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) is expected to step down to run for governor. Axios recently reported that Cawthorn has been exploring a run to fill the soon-to-be-open seat, potentially offering him a clean slate and new political base in one of the country’s most Republican-leaning regions.

    If he enters the race, Cawthorn could return to Washington older, more seasoned, and still armed with the anti-establishment instincts that made him a grassroots favorite. For many conservatives, his resilience — and willingness to challenge entrenched power — could be the very qualities the GOP needs in its next generation of leadership. for the second time in nine months.

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    Campus Chaos Erupts At UC Berkeley Ahead Of Ending Tour by Turning Point USA

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3

    On Monday afternoon in Berkeley, a bloody confrontation broke out near the campus of the University of California, Berkeley as the conservative student-activist group Turning Point USA (TPUSA) held its final stop of the “This Is The Turning Point” tour. The event featured noted conservative voices Dr. Frank Turek and actor-activist Rob Schneider, and came just two months after the murder of TPUSA’s founder, Charlie Kirk, at a campus event in Utah on Sept. 10.

    According to video from Fox News Digital, the skirmish began around 4:30 p.m. PST. Two men were seen grappling in the altercation, with one suffering a serious facial injury and blood clearly visible. A mob of agitators—many wearing keffiyehs and carrying left-wing protest signs—surrounded the fight. The local police, including officers donning shields and batons, appeared challenged to regain control of the crowd.

    The Berkeley Police Department reported at least two arrests by 6 p.m.—one individual was arrested for battery. A university spokesperson clarified the brawl occurred off campus grounds and declined further comment.

    Turek, in a recent interview ahead of the event, said he urged Kirk to make the Berkeley stop of the tour: “If I could go to any one event with him, it would be that one… I wanted to go to UC Berkeley because it is so progressive and liberal in their views, and I wanted to provide evidence that Christianity was indeed true.”

    As departure began, protesters reportedly surrounded all exits to the venue, heckled attendees, and shouted obscenities as they filtered out. It remains unclear how many individuals were injured in the fight.

    Kirk, Trump & the Conservative Youth Movement
    Charlie Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012, with the mission of mobilizing conservative students on college campuses. His organization became a central pillar of conservative youth activism.

    Kirk’s relationship with Donald Trump evolved into a potent alignment:

    • Kirk was considered a key figure in helping Trump make inroads with younger voters, a segment Democrats long dominated.
    • He developed a direct line to the Trump orbit; multiple sources note that his influence extended beyond student activism into campaign strategy.

    Kirk’s impact on the GOP’s youthful base, combined with his focus on campus organizing, made him a strategic asset to the Trump-aligned Republican coalition. As one analysis put it: “Kirk’s efforts significantly contributed to Trump’s appeal among younger voters.”

    The Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating the protests at the University of California (UC), Berkeley, in the wake of several arrests at a Turning Point USA event.

    “We saw all of this at Berkeley back in 2017. @UCBerkeley was sued, and settled the case,” Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon wrote on the social platform X Tuesday, responding to another post claiming that “Antifa has turned Turning Point’s event at UC Berkeley in California into an absolute WARZONE.”

    “The @CivilRights will investigate what happened here, and I see several issues of serious concern regarding campus and local security and Antifa’s ability to operate with impunity in CA,” she added.

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    Massie Slams DOJ, Trump Administration Over Epstein Files: ‘This Is the Epstein Administration’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3

    Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) delivered sharp criticism of President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi during a fiery appearance Sunday on ABC’s This Week, accusing the administration of failing to deliver real transparency on the Jeffrey Epstein files.

    Speaking with host Martha Raddatz, Massie — one of the most outspoken Republicans pushing for full disclosure of Epstein-related records — questioned Bondi’s performance during last week’s high-profile House Judiciary hearing.

    “She came with a book full of insults, one for each congressperson,” Massie said. “She obviously had one for me. And, you know, I’ve been there when [former AG] Merrick Garland was there. Obviously, politically, I don’t agree with him, but he performed much better in terms of at least not looking bad. And, unfortunately, we didn’t get the answers we wanted about the Epstein Files Transparency Act from her.”

    Massie also took aim at Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche over a letter sent Saturday claiming the Department of Justice has now produced “all” Epstein files.

    “I know the DOJ wants to say they’re done with this document production,” Massie said. “The problem is they’ve taken down documents before we were able to go over to the DOJ and look at the unredacted versions. They took down some of the most significant documents. Two of them involving Virginia Giuffre’s case and other things, the picture of Epstein at — in a room where it’s got CIA written on the boxes. That’s been taken down. We want to be able to look at all these files. They can’t keep those documents down after they’ve already produced them.”

    New Report Raises Questions About DOJ’s “Full Release” Claim

    Massie’s concerns come as a new investigation by Channel 4 News is raising fresh doubts about whether the Justice Department has truly released the full Epstein archive.

    According to internal emails reviewed by the broadcaster, federal investigators expected to process between 20 and 40 terabytes of data seized from Epstein’s properties — including his Florida mansion, New York townhouse, and private island. Other early-stage emails referenced totals as high as 50 terabytes.

    In one internal email from 2025, officials reportedly said they were “looking at approximately 14.6 terabytes of archived data.”

    By contrast, Channel 4 noted that the most recent release of roughly 3.5 million documents amounted to just over 300GB — which the outlet said represents only about 2% of the data investigators were discussing.

    “They claimed that 6 million pages were identified, including duplicates — they released over 3 million,” Channel 4’s U.S. editor Asnushka Asthana said. “Both those numbers are tiny compared to the amount collected according to today’s emails.”

    One investigator described the data dump as chaotic and incomplete:

    “Imagine if we had seized the papers from approximately 100,000 filing cabinets. Then that all just got dumped in one big pile… And then any of those documents that was larger than 100 pages couldn’t be opened. That’s what we’ve got.”

    Massie Turns Fire on Trump

    Raddatz closed the interview by asking Massie directly about President Trump, who has thrown his support behind Massie’s primary challenger, Ed Gallrein, and has repeatedly attacked the Kentucky congressman over his push for transparency.

    Massie did not hold back.

    “Look, this is about the Epstein class, the people who are funding the attacks against me,” Massie said. “They may or may not be implicated in these files, but they were certainly rubbing shoulders with the people who are in these files. They’re billionaires who are friends with these people. And that’s what I’m up against in Washington, D.C. Donald Trump told us that even though, you know, he had dinner with these kinds of people in New York City and West Palm Beach, that he would be transparent. But he’s not. He’s still in with the Epstein class. This is the Epstein administration, and they’re attacking me for trying to get these files released.”

    Watch:

    Bondi Stands By DOJ Position

    Despite the mounting scrutiny, Bondi has insisted the Justice Department has complied fully with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

    In a February 14 letter to lawmakers, she stated that the department had “released all ‘records, documents, communications and investigative materials’” in its possession, along with a list of “all government officials and politically exposed persons” referenced in the released materials.

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    Cuban Regime Finally Loses a Longtime Fugitive: Joanne “Assata” Shakur Dies in Havana

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3

    Havana, Cuba — On September 25, 2025, Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Joanne Deborah Byron — better known by her aliases Joanne Chesimard and Assata Shakur — died in Havana at the age of 78 due to health complications and the rigors of old age.

    This news brings to a close a decades-long saga in which a convicted murderer escaped justice, was shielded by a hostile foreign regime, and became a symbol for radical causes.

    A Fugitive’s Origin: From Violent Crime to Escape to Cuba

    In 1977, Chesimard was convicted on multiple serious charges including first-degree murder, armed robbery, and other felonies after a 1973 shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike that left State Trooper Werner Foerster dead.

    She escaped prison in 1979, spent years underground, and resurfaced in 1984 under asylum in Cuba — a regime that refused U.S. extradition requests.

    For decades, the United States and New Jersey authorities pushed Cuba to hand her over. She carried the dubious distinction of being the first woman ever placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists list, with a $1 million reward for her capture.

    A Death Without Accountability

    Her passing in Havana presents a bitter irony: after decades of immunity facilitated by a foreign government, she dies free — far from the prison cell where she was supposed to serve life in the U.S.

    New Jersey officials immediately expressed outrage. They reiterated that justice was never fully served for Trooper Foerster’s family.

    Cuba’s complicity in harboring Chesimard has long been roundly condemned by American leaders. Senator Marco Rubio recently denounced Havana for providing “a safe haven for terrorists and criminals, including fugitives from the United States.”

    What She Represented — and What the U.S. Must Learn

    For defenders of law and order, her story is a cautionary tale of diplomatic failure and ideological double standards.

    • Rule of Law Must Be Absolute: A convicted cop killer escaping and living with impunity is a stain on the integrity of the justice system.
    • Foreign Regimes Should Not Shield Criminals: Cuba’s refusal to extradite Chesimard fashioned her into a political symbol, rather than merely a criminal. That sets a dangerous precedent.
    • Consistency in Foreign Policy Matters: If the U.S. does not forcefully demand accountability from regimes that shelter fugitives, it weakens its moral and strategic footing.

    Now that she has died abroad, the question of bringing her remains home may arise. But more importantly, the memory of Trooper Foerster — his sacrifice and service — must remain central. And the mission remains: to hold foreign governments accountable when they interfere with American justice.

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    Justice Department Sues Chicago Over Sanctuary City Laws

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    Gage Skidmore Flickr

    On Thursday, President Trump’s Justice Department sued the state of Illinois, the city of Chicago, and local officials over laws creating a so-called “sanctuary city.” 

    The lawsuit filed in Illinois, against Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and others, claimed that several state and local laws are “designed to and in fact interfere with and discriminate against the Federal Government’s enforcement of federal immigration law in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution.”

    “The challenged provisions of Illinois, Chicago, and Cook County law reflect their intentional effort to obstruct the Federal Government’s enforcement of federal immigration law and to impede consultation and communication between federal, state, and local law enforcement officials that is necessary for federal officials to carry out federal immigration law and keep Americans safe,” the lawsuit states.

    The complaint cites Pritzker’s comments on CNN late last month, when he said he’s eager to cooperate with federal immigration officials to “get rid” of criminals but questioned the basis for targeting undocumented migrants that are “law-abiding” and have integrated into communities. 

    “In rejecting congressionally authorized means of enforcing federal immigration law, including detainers and administrative warrants, these provisions constitute unlawful direct regulation of the Federal Government,” the lawsuit states. 

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

    Florida Reporter Suspended After Texting MAGA Congressman After Kirk Shooting

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1

    No room for this behavior…

    A reporter with a popular Florida political website was immediately suspended after attempting to capitalize on the shooting of political activist Charlie Kirk.

    The 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder was speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday when the shooting occurred. Video taken by students attending his speech shows Kirk appearing to have been shot in the neck after the sound of a single gunshot was heard. Kirk was later pronounced dead after being rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

    Kirk was a popular figure in conservative media circles and a prominent supporter of President Donald Trump, encouraging the young voters in his organization to vote for Trump during his presidential campaigns and speaking at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee last year.

    News of the shooting stunned politicians and commentators on both sides of the aisle, who offered prayers for his family and condemnations of political violence.

    Wednesday afternoon, after news of the shooting had spread but before it was known that Kirk had died, A.G. Gancarski, a reporter with the Florida Politics website, texted Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL), a Republican elected to Congress earlier this year in a special election.

    According to a screenshot posted by Fine, Gancarski asked him “if Charlie Kirk getting shot affects your position on campus carry?”

    “If gun control had been in play could the tragedy have been avoided?” Gancarski added.

    “I learned that Charlie Kirk was shot 23 minutes ago. I am repulsed that you would even think to ask a political question when all anyone should be doing is praying for his survival,” Fine wrote back. “Never contact me again.”

    Fine shared a screenshot of the texts on social media along with a caption that read, “You don’t hate the media enough.”

    Less than an hour later, Peter Schorsch, the founder and publisher of Florida Politics, posted that he had “immediately suspended [Gancarski] from his position with [Florida Politics].”

    Schorsch then noted that he had “urged [Gancarski] to go dark on social media for the time being while we address this situation,” and invited anyone with comments or questions to email him. Gancarski’s account on X has been set to private and is no longer publicly viewable.

    Another X user posted a screenshot of a tweet Gancarski had purportedly sent to Fine before deleting it and locking down his account. In the screenshot, Gancarski replied to Fine that it was a “valid question” because Fine “ran a bill that would have allowed ‘campus carry’” as a state senator, but had left the legislature by the time of the April 17 shooting at Florida State University.

    “I stand by the question,” Gancarski wrote. “Tragedy is ultimately what tests policy positions.”

    Mediaite and other outlats have not yet confirmed the authenticity of this screenshot, but it does accurately display Gancarski’s username on X and most recent profile photo. Mediaite reached out to Schorsch for comment but did not receive a reply.

    Screenshot via Mediaite
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    Suspects Charged In Plot To Kill Top Noem Deputy

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Police image via Pixabay free images

    Two brothers from Absecon, New Jersey, were arrested Tuesday and charged in connection with alleged online threats targeting Tricia McLaughlin, the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs and a top public-facing spokesperson for Secretary Kristi Noem, authorities said.

    Ricardo Antonio Roman-Flores and Emilio Roman-Flores, who are twins, were taken into custody after investigators alleged they posted violent statements on X about McLaughlin and federal immigration officers, including an alleged call to “Shoot ICE on sight,” according to the account of the case shared by law enforcement officials.

    Investigators allege one brother responded to McLaughlin with: “[The Second] Amendment is in place for moments like this. Shoot ICE on sight,” followed by: “We Americans should find you, tar you, feather you, and hang you as we did to anyone serving tyrants before the Revolutionary War.” A second, partially redacted post attributed to the other brother reportedly read: “Shoot ICE on sight.”

    Prosecutors say the threats went further—allegedly escalating to talk of torturing and killing McLaughlin “in a medieval fashion.” McLaughlin has been front-and-center defending DHS enforcement actions on TV and online, and she’s repeatedly framed threats against officers as downstream of increasingly incendiary politics around immigration.

    The charge sheet, as described, splits like this:

    • Emilio: unlawful possession of an assault weapon, possession of prohibited weapons, conspiracy, terroristic threats, criminal coercion and cyber harassment.
    • Ricardo: one count of conspiracy—terroristic threats.

    ICE Director Todd Lyons said the arrests came within three days of the alleged posts and warned that threats against federal officials will be prosecuted. “We will find you, we will arrest you, and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. We are not afraid of you,” Lyons told Fox News Digital. He added: “If you threaten our law enforcement or DHS officials, we will hunt you down, and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

    DHS is trying to make a broader point: this isn’t just one ugly thread online—it’s part of a threat environment they say has intensified alongside the administration’s border crackdown. In a DHS release dated Oct. 30, 2025, the department claimed ICE personnel have faced an “8,000% increase in death threats,” citing harassment and threats aimed at officers and their families.

    The issue has also surfaced in recent disputes over whether public-facing tools that track immigration enforcement activity endanger federal officers. In a Reuters report published Monday, a developer sued the Trump administration after an app that let users share locations of immigration agents was removed from Apple’s store; the administration cited safety concerns for federal officers, while the developer argued the app relied on public observations.

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    Report: Senator Under Federal Criminal Investigation For Alleged Mortgage Fraud

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    Photo via Gage Skidmoer Flickr

    California Senator Adam Schiff (D) is under criminal investigation.

    Fox News host Laura Ingraham broke the news on Tuesday night on “The Ingraham Angle,” saying the source said a criminal investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland on possible charges involving mortgage fraud.

    The investigation comes a month after a story broke about the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sending a criminal referral to the Department of Justice (DOJ) alleging that Schiff, in multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms.

    In a 2011 affidavit signed by the then-California congressman, Schiff certified that a property in Montgomery County, Maryland, is his primary residence.

    Schiff also owns a condominium in Burbank, California, which he has also claimed as his primary residence as recently as 2023, during his campaign for Senate.

    Fox News reports:

    Pulte later received a memo from the Fannie Mae financial crimes investigations concluding that Schiff allegedly engaged in “a sustained pattern of possible occupancy misrepresentation” on five Fannie Mae loans.

    Schiff and his wife purchased a home in Potomac, Maryland, in 2003 for $870,000, according to the letter. They entered into a Fannie Mae-backed mortgage agreement for $610,000 at a rate of 5.625% over a term of 30 years, asserting the property would be their primary and principal residence. 

    The letter said they reaffirmed that the Maryland home was their primary residence in mortgage refinancing filings in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013, despite Schiff being an elected official representing the state of California at the same time. 

    In 2023, the letter notes, a spokesperson for Schiff asserted that, “Adam’s primary residence is Burbank, California, and will remain so when he wins the Senate seat.”

    A spokesperson for Schiff in 2023 told CNN that, “Adam’s California and Maryland addresses have been listed as primary residences for loan purposes because they are both occupied throughout the year and to distinguish them from a vacation property.” 

    The federal housing official wrote that he believes Schiff’s alleged misconduct could be violations of federal criminal codes banning wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and false statements to financial institutions. 

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    Georgia Man Arrested Over Alleged Threats To Kill Tulsi Gabbard

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1

    FBI agents arrested a Georgia man after making numerous death threats against Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard.

    Aliakbar Mohammad Amin, of Lilburn, Ga., was charged on Friday with “transmitting interstate threats to injure” Gabbard and her family, according to the DOJ press release.

    “Threatening to harm public officials is a criminal act that cannot be excused as political discourse,” acting U.S. Attorney Richard Moultrie, Jr. said in a statement. “Our Office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will vigorously prosecute individuals who commit these acts of violence.”

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

    Prosecutors allege Amin sent text messages between March 29 and April 1 that contained threats against Gabbard and her husband, including, “You and your family are going to die soon,” and “I will personally do the job if necessary.”

    “The home you two own . . . is a legitimate target and will be hit at a time and place of our choosing,” Amin wrote in another text, according to the DOJ.

    Other texts allegedly included, “Prepare to die, you, Tulsi, and everyone you hold dear. America will burn,” and “Death to America means death to America literally, Tulsi is living on borrowed time.”

    Federal agents later found a firearm at Amin’s house while executing a search warrant, the DOJ said.

    “The FBI sees all threatening communications as a serious federal offense. We will employ every investigative tool and resource available to identify those responsible and ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Paul Brown, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office, said in a statement.

    “Let this arrest serve as a clear warning: if you engage in this kind of criminal behavior, you will be caught and you will go to prison,” Brown added.

    Gabbard thanked the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service and local law enforcement on Friday after the FBI announced the arrest.

    “Thank you @FBI, @USMarshalsHQ, and local law enforcement for your service and dedication in apprehending this radicalized, dangerous criminal who repeatedly threatened the lives of me, my family, and @realDonaldTrump. Thank you for your tireless work every day keeping the American people safe,” she wrote in a post on X.

    Threats against political officials have been on the rise, during the 2024 campaign cycle Donald Trump survived multiple assassination attempts.

    A recent study by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) has revealed a concerning trend: a significant portion of left-leaning Americans believe that political violence, including assassination, is justifiable against figures such as President Donald Trump and the de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk. The study surveyed over 1,200 U.S. adults and found that 38% of respondents felt that assassinating Trump would be at least “somewhat justified,” with this figure rising to 55% among those identifying as left-leaning. Similarly, 31% of overall participants, and 48% of left-leaning individuals, expressed some level of justification for assassinating Musk.

    This data suggests a troubling normalization of violent political rhetoric within certain segments of the population. The NCRI report highlights that this shift has been particularly pronounced following the December 2024 assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, allegedly by Luigi Mangione. Mangione’s actions have been glamorized in various online communities, leading to a proliferation of memes and discussions that endorse political violence.

    Screenshot via X [Credit: Elon Musk]

    Report: Trump Says He Will ‘Look At’ Pardon For Gretchen Whitmer Kidnapping Conspiracy

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivers remarks during a press briefing at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., on April 29, 2025.​ The visit marked President Trump’s 100th day in office, during which he announced the basing of F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets at Selfridge—underscoring the installation’s growing strategic role. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 2nd Lt. Paige Bodine)

    Speaking to reporters Wednesday from the Oval Office, President Donald J. Trump said he is open to reviewing the cases of those convicted in connection with the 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, calling the prosecutions potentially unjust and saying “a lot of people think they got railroaded.”

    “I’m going to look at it. I will take a look at it. It’s been brought to my attention,” Trump said in response to questions about possible pardons for the men convicted in the case.

    “I did watch the trial. It looked to me like somewhat of a railroad job, I’ll be honest with you. It looked to me like some people said some stupid things—you know, they were drinking—and I think they said stupid things.”

    The comments come as President Trump continues to highlight what he calls the Biden administration’s weaponization of federal law enforcement and the justice system—a message that resonates with many conservatives concerned about double standards in legal prosecutions.

    “A lot of people think they got railroaded,” Trump repeated. “And probably some people don’t. But I’ll take a look at it.”

    The case involved Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr., who were convicted in 2022 for what federal prosecutors described as a plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer from her Michigan vacation home during the COVID lockdowns. The prosecution’s narrative focused on the pair’s frustration over pandemic mandates, which they said amounted to government overreach.

    Fox was sentenced to 16 years in prison, and Croft to 19 years, on multiple conspiracy charges, including a scheme to use a weapon of mass destruction. Prosecutors claimed they were part of a larger militia movement called the “Wolverine Watchmen.”

    However, even mainstream legal analysts and civil liberties watchdogs raised concerns at the time about the FBI’s heavy involvement in the case, including the use of over a dozen informants and undercover agents who appeared to guide, encourage, and escalate the planning efforts.

    Some defense attorneys went so far as to claim that the plot was manufactured by federal operatives, with one legal team calling it a “federal setup from day one.” In fact, three other men tried later in connection with the plot were acquitted on all charges in 2023, further fueling criticism that the entire case may have been an exercise in political theater during a heated election cycle.

    President Trump’s interest in revisiting the case follows his recent high-profile pardon of former Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins, a well-known Virginia conservative convicted in a controversial cash-for-badges case. Trump described Jenkins as a victim of a “corrupt and weaponized Biden DOJ,” echoing his belief that the justice system has been used selectively to punish his political allies.

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