Crime

Home Crime

Trump Announces Pardon For Democrat Congressman

1
President Donald Trump signs Executive Orders, Monday, February 10, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House photo by Abe McNatt)

We want to extend our sincere apologies for the technical issues that took our site offline today. Our team worked diligently to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.

We deeply appreciate your patience and continued loyalty. Your support means everything to us, and we remain committed to providing you with the most timely, relevant, and engaging content possible.

Thank you for sticking with us — we’re glad to be back and better than ever.

— The Great America News Desk Team

A shocking announcement…

President Donald Trump announced a “full and unconditional pardon” on Wednesday for Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, Imelda.

“For years, the Biden Administration weaponized the Justice System against their Political Opponents, and anyone who disagreed with them. One of the clearest examples of this was when Crooked Joe used the FBI and DOJ to ‘take out’ a member of his own Party after Highly Respected Congressman Henry Cuellar bravely spoke out against Open Borders, and the Biden Border ‘Catastrophe,’” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“Sleepy Joe went after the Congressman, and even the Congressman’s wonderful wife, Imelda, simply for speaking the TRUTH. It is unAmerican and, as I previously stated, the Radical Left Democrats are a complete and total threat to Democracy! They will attack, rob, lie, cheat, destroy, and decimate anyone who dares to oppose their Far Left Agenda, an Agenda that, if left unchecked, will obliterate our magnificent Country,” Trump continued. “Because of these facts, and others, I am hereby announcing my full and unconditional PARDON of beloved Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar, and Imelda. Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight — Your nightmare is finally over!”

The Texas Democrat openly criticized the Biden Administration’s open borders policy.

In 2024, the Department of Justice under the Biden administration then indicted Cuellar and his wife in for allegedly taking roughly $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijan-owned energy company and a Mexican bank, according to a news release at the time.

“The bribe payments were allegedly laundered, pursuant to sham consulting contracts, through a series of front companies and middlemen into shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar, who performed little to no legitimate work under the contracts,” the Justice Department said. “In exchange for the bribes paid by the Azerbaijani oil and gas company, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to use his office to influence U.S. foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan. In exchange for the bribes paid by the Mexican bank, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to influence legislative activity and to advise and pressure high-ranking U.S. Executive Branch officials regarding measures beneficial to the bank.”

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

Smartmatic Execs Accused Of Bribery Scheme Tied To $300M LA Voting Contract

Federal prosecutors in Miami say top Smartmatic executives funneled money from a $300 million Los Angeles County voting contract into an illegal slush fund.

According to the Justice Department, Smartmatic co-founder Roger Alejandro Piñate Martinez and two others used shell companies and fake invoices to siphon off cash from the taxpayer-funded deal. That money allegedly ended up in bribes paid to government officials in Venezuela and the Philippines.

Joe DePaolo of Mediaite offers further insights:

Smartmatic is suing Fox News for $2.7 billion — alleging the network defamed them by promoting President Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen election in the days and weeks after the 2020 vote.

The new filing is part of a corruption case in Florida against the three Smartmatic executives for allegedly operating a bribery and money-laundering scheme in which they are accused of paying off an election official in the Philippines to help secure $182 million in contracts. The DOJ also claims the executives carried a similar plot with a Venezuelan official — whom the executives gave a home with a pool in 2019, according to prosecutors.

The DOJ hasn’t charged Smartmatic as a company, nor has it accused any L.A. County officials of wrongdoing. Still, the department is clearly using the L.A. contract to establish a pattern of corrupt practices tied to the voting tech firm.

DePaolo continues:

Notably, the original case against the Smartmatic executives was brought in August 2024, during the final months of the Biden administration.

In a statement provided to the Los Angeles Times, Smartmatic spokesperson Samira Saba said the DOJ’s filing contained misrepresentations that were “untethered from reality.”

The DOJ’s latest move builds on earlier charges against the same executives. Federal prosecutors had previously accused Piñate of laundering money through a similar slush fund to bribe election officials in the Philippines during the 2016 elections.

To be clear, no one is alleging votes were tampered with or election results altered. The charges focus strictly on financial corruption — kickbacks, shell firms, and international bribery.

READ NEXT: Former Trump Ally Issues Fiery Response To Shock Report

War Department Takes Out Cartel-Owned Drone

By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0

On Wednesday morning, the White House confirmed drone activity from Mexican drug cartels caused the sudden closure of U.S. airspace over El Paso, Texas.

In a statement to Newsweek the White House said: “Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones.

“The FAA and DOW have determined there is no threat to commercial travel.”

A Trump administration official told Fox News that the initial lockdown came in response to “Mexican cartel drones” that breached U.S. airspace. The FAA had announced Wednesday morning that all flights to and from El Paso were being grounded, including commercial, cargo and general aviation. The restriction was initially set to be effective from February 10 at 11:30 p.m. MST to February 20 at 11:30 p.m. MST.

“Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones. The FAA and DOW have determined there is no threat to commercial travel,” the official told Fox News.

Restrictions set earlier by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been lifted and authorities say there remains no threat to commercial air travel.

“The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal,” the FAA said on its X account.

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

Secret Service Employee Fired Over Charlie Kirk Comments

2

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

Republican Congressman Calls For Swift Investigation Following Disturbing Office Discovery

3

Rep. Dave Taylor (R-Ohio) is calling for a full investigation after a disturbing image surfaced showing what appeared to be an altered American flag — twisted into a swastika — displayed behind one of his staffers during a virtual meeting.

The image, first reported by Politico and amplified on social media by an Ohio blogger, quickly drew outrage. But Taylor’s office says it may not be what it appears.

“I am aware of an image that appears to depict a vile and deeply inappropriate symbol near an employee in my office,” Taylor said in a statement. “The content of that image does not reflect the values or standards of this office, my staff, or myself, and I condemn it in the strongest terms.”

Taylor emphasized that he acted immediately, directing Capitol Police to investigate what he described as a potentially malicious act.

“Upon learning of this matter, I immediately directed a thorough investigation alongside Capitol Police, which remains ongoing,” the statement continued.

A spokesperson for the congressman suggested the image might have been the result of “foul play or vandalism,” not any endorsement of the offensive imagery by his staff. The photo appeared to show Angelo “AJ” Elia, a legislative correspondent who joined Taylor’s office in January, sitting at his cubicle with the doctored flag visible behind him.

Elia — who recently earned a master’s degree in legislative affairs from George Washington University — has not commented publicly. Taylor’s office has not said whether any personnel actions have been taken while the investigation proceeds.

The controversy comes amid renewed scrutiny of conservative youth organizations after Politico reported on leaked Telegram messages allegedly showing racist and anti-Semitic comments from some Young Republican leaders. The timing of the leak, combined with the sudden surfacing of the photo from Taylor’s office, has raised questions among some Republicans about whether politically motivated actors are attempting to smear conservatives ahead of the 2024 election cycle.

The image was first posted on X (formerly Twitter) by Ohio blogger DJ Byrnes, who claimed a friend had a Zoom meeting with Taylor’s office and noticed the symbol. “A friend in DC had a Zoom call with Congressman Dave Taylor’s office today … Taylor’s legislative correspondent, Angelo Elia, had what can only be described as an American swastika flag prominently displayed in his background,” Byrnes wrote Wednesday.

Trump ‘Seriously Considering’ Diddy Pardon: Report

4
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.

Report: House Task Force Releases Scathing Assassination Disclosure

1
Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Americans still want answers…

On Monday, the House Task Force investigating the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania released its initial findings.

Lack of adequate planning, a narrow field of vision for local snipers, the absence of a unified command post and fragmented communication were among the main findings in the 53-page report that examined how 20-year-old shooter Matthew Crooks was able to climb atop a building with a line of sight to Trump and fire at him. 

“Although the findings in this report are preliminary, the information obtained during the first phase of the Task Force’s investigation clearly shows a lack of planning and coordination between the Secret Service and its law enforcement partners before the rally,” the report said.

U.S. Secret Service (USSS) personnel at the event “did not give clear guidance” to state and local authorities about how to manage security outside of their hard perimeter, nor was there a central meeting between USSS and the law enforcement agencies supporting them the morning of the rally – two findings presented as key failures in the 51-page report.

The House Task Force investigating the attempts on Trump’s life is expected to release its final report by Dec. 13.

Read the interim report in its entirety:

Crooks’s bullet came within inches of killing the former president and injured his ear. Shots also killed one rally attendee and seriously wounded two others. 

The latest report also detailed information about Crooks’ autopsy report and the chain of events that led to release of the remains to the Crooks’s family. The Butler County Coroner’s office released the remains after the FBI concurred that no additional evidence was necessary, the report said. 

The autopsy report found that Crooks died from one gunshot wound to the head, found negative results for alcohol or drugs of abuse, but was positive for antimony, selenium, and lead. Heightened levels of lead could have been due to time spent at the shooting range, the Allegheny County Chief Medical Examiner said.

The House force is made up of a bipartisan group of lawmakers and has also been assigned to investigate the September apparent assassination attempt on Trump in at the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. 

“The Task Force will continue to rigorously investigate the July 13 assassination attempt in the coming months,” the report said, adding that it is “in the process of conducting more than 20 transcribed interviews of federal officials and others who may have knowledge relevant to the events of July 13.” 

This is a breaking news story. Click refresh for the latest updates.

Kari Lake’s Office In Lockdown After Receiving Suspicious Package

1
Image via Pixabay images

The situation is still developing…

A campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital that an intern at the campaign’s Phoenix office opened an envelope with a suspicious substance and a note that said, “caution anthrax.” 

The campaign called authorities, prompting a response from multiple law enforcement agencies and a hazmat team. 

Authorities have not confirmed if the substance was anthrax. The campaign spokesperson said the substance is now being tested. 

“The radical left, with help from the mainstream media, has escalated its attacks against me from baseless smears and legal harassment to physical threats. Today, my office received a suspicious envelope, potentially containing anthrax — an attempt to intimidate and silence me,” Lake said in a statement. “This isn’t just about me; it’s an attack on our movement. I won’t be intimidated, and those responsible must be brought to justice. The time to unite against these dangerous, un-American tactics is now.” 

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

GOP Senator Swatted Hours After He’s Branded ‘RINO’ By Trump

0

President Donald Trump is threatening to primary Indiana Republicans for declining to gerrymander the state and add GOP seats to Congress.

The president has repeatedly urged GOP-led states like Indiana to redistrict and give Republicans an advantage in the 2026 midterms.

Trump took to Truth Social Sunday to put “RINO Senators” on notice for “depriving” Republicans of a House majority.

“Very disappointed in Indiana State Senate Republicans, led by RINO Senators Rod Bray and Greg Goode, for not wanting to redistrict their State, allowing the United States Congress to perhaps gain two more Republican seats,” Trump wrote.

“The Democrats have done redistricting for years, often illegally, and all other appropriate Republican States have done it. Because of these two politically correct type ‘gentlemen,’ and a few others, they could be depriving Republicans of a Majority in the House, A VERY BIG DEAL!”

Trump took a shot at California’s Prop 50 redistricting measure that passed overwhelmingly and allows the state to redraw congressional districts in favor of Democrats. Prop 50 was proposed after Texas approved redistricting in favor of Republicans.

“California is trying to pick up five seats, and no one is complaining about that. It’s weak ‘Republicans’ that cause our Country such problems — It’s why we have crazy Policies and Ideas that are so bad for America,” Trump wrote, continuing:

Also, a friend of mine, Governor Mike Braun, perhaps, is not working the way he should to get the necessary Votes. Considering that Mike wouldn’t be Governor without me (Not even close!), is disappointing! Any Republican that votes against this important redistricting, potentially having an impact on America itself, should be PRIMARIED. Indiana is a State with strong, smart, and patriotic people. They want us to see our Country WIN, and want to, “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Senators Bray, Goode, and the others to be released to the public later this afternoon, should DO THEIR JOB, AND DO IT NOW! If not, let’s get them out of office, ASAP.

The Indiana state lawmaker was the target of a “swatting” incident just hours later, according to local authorities.

Sheriff Derek Fell said deputies were dispatched around 5 p.m. on Sunday after Terre Haute police received an email “advising harm had been done to persons inside a home, located in southeastern Vigo County.” Officers struggled to make contact at first, Fell said, but eventually confirmed the residents, including the senator, were safe.

Goode and his family “were secure, safe, and unharmed,” Fell said, adding that an investigation showed the threat was a hoax, “also known as ‘swatting.’”

In a brief statement, the senator said he and his family were “victims,” offering thanks to the sheriff and Terre Haute Police Chief Kevin Barrett for their “professionalism.”

The incident lands amid a tense and unusually public fight over redistricting in Indiana. GOP leaders froze the process on Friday when Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray refused to reconvene lawmakers to draw new maps favoring Republicans.

Earlier Sunday, Trump threatened to publish a list of GOP holdouts “later this afternoon,” though the promised names did not emerge.

Steve Bannon Released From Federal Prison

4
Image via Pixabay

A free man!

Nearly a week from Election Day and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon has been released from Federal custody.

On Tuesday, Bannon walked out of the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut with his head held high after serving his four-month sentence.

Bannon’s conviction stemmed from his refusal to cooperate with the House committee’s investigation into the January 6th Capitol riots in 2021. In 2022, a jury found Bannon guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress: one for failing to provide requested documents and another for refusing to testify before the committee.

According to his representatives, Bannon is expected to hold a press conference in Manhattan late Tuesday. He is also expected to resume his War Room podcast.

Bannon’s legal battles, however, continue. In December, he faces a New York state trial on separate charges, where he is accused of defrauding donors in a campaign to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy.