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AG Bondi Reveals The Grim Reason She’s Carrying Fake Fentanyl

Attorney General Pam Bondi will stop at nothing to eradicate fentanyl from the streets.

On Wednesday, Bondi revealed that she carries around a vial of fake fentanyl to show that just a tiny amount can be deadly.

While appearing on Fox & Friends from the White House lawn, Bondi discussed the importance of recent drug trafficking busts in several states that turned up massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and guns.

To illustrate her point, she said she keeps a small bottle of “fake fentanyl” to remind herself how just a tiny amount can prove deadly.

“Each pill has the potential to kill a human being. A human life. An American life. I’ve been carrying around a little vial with fake fentanyl in it, the amount it takes to kill you, and it looks like a couple of grains of salt,” Bondi told Fox & Friends co-host Lawrence Jones.

On Tuesday, Bondi announced that authorities made one of the biggest fentanyl busts in U.S. history with the seizure 409 kilos of fentanyl pills and 11.5 kilos of fentanyl powder.

Bondi said that around 35 kilos of methamphetamine, 35 kilos of meth, 7.5 kilos of cocaine and 4.5 kilos of heroin were also seized along with $5 million in cash and 49 rifles and pistols.

Sixteen people were arrested in the operation. Six of the individuals are in the U.S. illegally, Bondi said. 

Bondi also teased a joint announcement with FBI Director Kash Patel of a major child exploitation ring bust later in the morning, while urging parents to take notice of their children’s online habits.

“Your kids have no right to privacy on the internet,” she said, adding, “Children are getting recruited on the internet from being on games, social media or any social media platform. Parents, you’ve got to monitor what your kids are doing because they think they are talking to other children and they are not. They are talking to monsters often.”

“You’ve gotta be all in your children’s business,” Jones added.

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

Attorney General Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel announced Wednesday that 205 alleged child sex predators who preyed on children online have been arrested in the last week. 

The arrests are part of a new joint operation by the Justice Department and FBI called “Operation Restore Justice” which saw 115 children across the country rescued in the process, Bondi and Patel said.

Bondi called the operation “historic and “unprecedented.”

“These depraved human beings, if convicted, will face the maximum penalty in prison some life,” Bondi said at a press briefing.

“We will find you. We will arrest you, and we will charge you. If you are online targeting a child, you will not escape us. The FBI and the Department of Justice will come after you. And we will prosecute you.”

Government Employee Arrested After Disclosing Classified Info With FBI Agent

Authorities arrested a government employee in Virginia on Thursday over accusations he shared classified information with an officer or agent of a foreign government.

Nathan Vilas Laatsch, a 28-year-old IT specialist employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) since 2019, has been arrested and charged with attempting to transmit classified national defense information to a foreign government, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Laatsch, who held a Top Secret security clearance and worked in the DIA’s Insider Threat Division, was apprehended in northern Virginia after an undercover FBI operation. The investigation after the FBI received a tip that someone was offering to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government. Subsequent communications revealed that Laatsch expressed ideological disagreements with the current U.S. administration and a willingness to share sensitive materials.

Over several weeks, Laatsch engaged with an FBI agent posing as a foreign government representative. He allegedly transcribed classified information onto a notepad and, on May 1, deposited a thumb drive containing documents marked as Secret and Top Secret at a prearranged location in a northern Virginia park. The drive also included a message indicating his intent to provide a sample of the information he could access.

Following the initial drop, Laatsch communicated his desire for citizenship in the foreign country, citing concerns about the long-term trajectory of the United States. He also indicated openness to other forms of compensation. Between May 15 and May 27, he continued to transcribe and remove classified information, concealing notes in his clothing. On May 29, at another prearranged drop-off, Laatsch was arrested by the FBI upon delivering additional classified materials.

FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized the persistent risk of insider threats, stating, “The FBI remains steadfast in protecting our national security and thanks our law enforcement partners for their critical support.”

Laatsch is scheduled to appear in court in Alexandria, Virginia on Friday.

Pennsylvania Man Charged For Allegedly Threatening To Kill Trump

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President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud at the Royal Court Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

A 22-year-old Pennsylvania man is facing federal charges after allegedly making violent threats against President-elect Donald Trump just days before he was set to take office.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Jacob Buckley of Port Matilda posted several alarming threats on TikTok under the username “Jacob_buckley” on January 16. His posts included, “I’m going to kill Trump” and other comments targeting MAGA supporters.

He also wrote on the TikTok account, “I’m going to kill Trump,” and, “Bro we going into a literal oligarchy in 4 days and im going to kill Trump,” according to prosecutors. 

Federal prosecutors confirmed that Buckley was charged by criminal information for threatening Trump as the incoming President. The investigation was led by the U.S. Secret Service.

“The maximum penalty upon conviction on the Information is 5 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment,” the office added. 

If convicted, Buckley could face up to five years in prison, along with fines and supervised release.

This case comes just weeks after another man—37-year-old Carl Montague of Rhode Island—was charged for allegedly threatening to kill Trump and members of his incoming administration on Truth Social. Montague’s posts included violent threats aimed at Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.

Report: House Task Force Releases Scathing Assassination Disclosure

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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.

West Virginia Librarian Charged For Allegedly Recruiting People To Assassinate Trump

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Police image via Pixabay free images

A West Virginia woman was arrested in Ripley over the weekend after authorities said she used social media to issue threats against President Donald Trump.

Police arrested 39-year-old Morgan L. Morrow and charged her with making terroristic threats. Investigators allege Morrow attempted to recruit others online to help carry out violence against the president. (RELATED: Suspect Held Without Bail After Alleged Assault On Congressman)

According to the New York Post, Morrow was arrested over a TikTok video suggesting that finding a terminally ill sniper among 343 million Americans should not be difficult. The remark was cited in a criminal complaint obtained by Charleston-Huntington’s WOWK.

Morrow is being held at the South Central Regional Jail. No bond has been set, and the investigation remains ongoing.

The Post continues:

The Jackson County Public Library staffer was detained at her home and allegedly admitted to police that the TikTok was “intended as a threat directed toward President Donald J. Trump.”

Morrow revealed her “personal reasons for wishing harm upon the president,” according to the complaint, which did not elaborate on what they were.

Morrow claimed she had no intention to personally carry out the threat, the complaint said.

But deputies said such statements are “designed to encourage, inspire or entice others to carry out the threatened act, regardless of whether the speaker publicly intends to personally do so.”

“When you saddle up on the horse of stupidity, you have to be prepared for the ride that follows,” Jackson County Sheriff Ross Mellinger told local media(RELATED: Shot In The Butt: Fighting The Wrong Guy At The Wrong Apartment)

The arrest comes amid heightened scrutiny of threats against public officials. In recent years, federal authorities have prosecuted multiple cases involving threats, plots, or attempts targeting President Trump.

WATCH:

READ NEXT: 19-Term Incumbent To Leave Congress Amid Health Controversy

Appeals Court Rejects Trump Request To Stay Criminal Sentencing

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Just in…

The New York Court of Appeals has denied a motion filed by President-elect Donald Trump to stay the Jan. 10 sentencing in the New York v. Trump case.

New York Judge Juan Merchan set Trump’s sentencing date in the case earlier this month, ahead of his inauguration as president on Jan. 20. 

Trump filed a motion to stay the Jan. 10 sentencing with the New York State Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. 

The New York Court of Appeals denied Trump’s request Thursday morning. The status of his appeal at the U.S. Supreme Court is pending.

Trump remains set to be sentenced on Friday, Jan. 10, at 9:30 a.m., pending the Supreme Court’s decision. He plans to attend virtually. 

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

Musk Trolls Trump Over Epstein Case As Feud Escalates

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UK Government, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Détente is over…

Elon Musk reignited his very public, and very messy, feud with President Donald Trump, announcing plans to launch a third major political party just hours after Trump signed the $3.3 trillion One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law.

But Musk didn’t stop there.

By early Monday, the billionaire tech mogul was back to openly mocking the president following new reporting on the Department of Justice’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s death.

On X, the platform he owns, Musk posted a meme titled “The Official Jeffrey Epstein Pedophile Arrest Counter.” The image read “0,” with Musk captioning it:

“What’s the time? Oh look, it’s no-one-has-been-arrested-o’clock again …”

The DOJ and FBI concluded their joint probe into the disgraced financier’s 2019 death, reaffirming the official narrative that the child sex offender died by suicide and that there’s no evidence of a blackmail scheme or a so-called “client list.” The two-page memo, first reported by Axios late Sunday, noted that no further arrests are expected.

According to the memo, surveillance footage revealed no unauthorized access to Epstein’s cell, aligning with the medical examiner’s determination of suicide. The administration is also releasing footage showing no movement in Epstein’s section of the jail the night of his death.

But millions remain skeptical.

Dr. Michael Baden — a former New York City chief medical examiner hired by Epstein’s brother — disputes the ruling. Baden said several fractures in Epstein’s neck, including to the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage, were “extremely unusual” in suicide cases and more consistent with homicide. He also said he had never seen injuries like Epstein’s in his 50 years of investigating prison deaths.

Despite that, the DOJ insists the matter is closed.

Musk himself added to the speculation last month, claiming in a now-deleted tweet that Trump was implicated in the Epstein files.

“[Trump] is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public,” Musk wrote.

He followed with: “Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.”

Trump has vigorously denied any involvement with Epstein’s nefarious activities, insisting, “I was never on Epstein’s Plane, or at his ‘stupid’ Island.”

Responding to Musk’s Epstein files claim, the president reposted a statement from Epstein’s former lawyer David Schoen, who insisted Epstein had “no information to hurt President Trump.”

While Trump’s name does appear in Epstein’s flight logs, no documented evidence of impropriety has emerged. Trump has acknowledged a past friendship with Epstein, which he says ended in the mid-2000s.

Unlike last month’s spat, Trump hit back immediately at his former ally.

In a post Sunday, the president called Musk’s behavior “off the rails,” accusing him of becoming a “TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks.” He slammed third parties as agents of “Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS” and said the U.S. system isn’t built to accommodate them.

“We have enough of that with the Radical Left Democrats, who have lost their confidence and their minds!” Trump wrote.

Trump turned up the heat over the weekend, threatening to revoke Musk’s government contracts — a bold strike at the heart of his rival’s wallet.

So far, Ghislaine Maxwell remains the only person convicted in connection with Epstein’s sex trafficking operation. She is currently serving a 20-year sentence.

Anarchist Arrested In Murder-For-Hire Plot Targeting Top Government Official

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A 29-year-old man has been arrested for what federal authorities describe as a brazen “murder-for-hire” online plot targeting the U.S. Attorney General.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Minnesota resident Tyler Maxon Avalos was taken into custody on October 16 after a tipster notified them of his alleged TikTok post offering a $45,000 bounty on the life of Pam Bondi, the U.S. Attorney General.

The post reportedly featured Ms. Bondi’s photo with a red target icon over her forehead and the caption: “WANTED: Pam Bondi / REWARD: 45,000 DEAD OR ALIVE (PREFERABLY DEAD). Beneath the image: ‘Cough cough. When they don’t serve us, then what?’”

Court filings reveal Avalos used the handle “Wacko” on TikTok and had references to an “An Anarchist FAQ book” in his profile. Authorities further noted his criminal history of violence: a July 2022 felony stalking conviction in Dakota County (Minnesota), an August 2016 felony third-degree domestic battery charge in Polk County, Florida, and an April 2016 misdemeanor domestic assault in Dakota County (originally a felony domestic assault by strangulation). The affidavit describes media concerns that Avalos has “anarchist ties,” though the FBI has not publicly confirmed a full motive.

Federal prosecutors say Avalos now faces a charge of interstate transmission of a threat to injure another person — a federal crime carrying potentially years in prison. His attorney, Daniel Gerdts, stated only that his client “is not guilty of any crime.”

Recent incidents of violence targeting Republican or conservative figures

While the Bondi case is extraordinary, it aligns with a growing body of incidents in which political actors — particularly those associated with the Republican side — have been targeted:

  • In September 2024, at least one apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump (the Republican former-President and leading 2024 nominee) was reported.
  • More broadly, an analysis by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) found that between 2016 and 2025 there were 25 attacks and plots targeting elected officials, candidates, judges and other government figures motivated by extremist partisan beliefs — more than triple the number in the previous 25 years combined.
  • While some of the high-profile cases involve Democratic officials (for example, the June 2025 shootings of Minnesota legislators), the broader trend applies across the ideological spectrum: violence is trending upward, not just against one side but throughout government—and conservatives are explicitly among the targets.

Polls & studies confirm the spike in political violence

The Bondi bounty scheme emerges against a backdrop of disturbing data indicating rising public concern and creeping acceptance of politically motivated violence:

Other surveys show that while majorities condemn political violence, many believe it will increase. For example, a CBS News poll found that people of all parties overwhelmingly find political violence unacceptable — yet they are concerned it will escalate.

A recent study found that 86 % of Americans believe political violence is either a major or minor problem — the highest in two years. When asked whether political violence has increased over the past few years, 78 % said yes.

A Pew Research Center-sponsored survey found that Americans believe politically-motivated violence is increasing, and that polarization is seen as a key cause.

A PBS/NPR/Marist poll found that nearly one-third of Americans now believe political violence may be necessary to set the country back on track — up from 19 % about a year and a half earlier.

Other surveys show that while majorities condemn political violence, many believe it will increase. For example, a CBS News poll found that people of all parties overwhelmingly find political violence unacceptable — yet they are concerned it will escalate.

Trump Pardons Ex-MLB Star Darryl Strawberry

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President Donald Trump has officially pardoned former Major League Baseball star Darryl Strawberry, a move celebrated by supporters as another example of Trump’s commitment to second chances, redemption, and faith-driven transformation.

Strawberry, who became one of the most electrifying sluggers of the 1980s and 1990s, played a key role in leading the New York Mets to their 1986 World Series title and later joined the New York Yankees dynasty, winning championships in 1996, 1998, and 1999. Yet, behind the fame and success, Strawberry struggled with addiction and multiple run-ins with the law, leading to three separate suspensions from Major League Baseball.

A White House official confirmed to the Associated Press that the pardon recognizes Strawberry’s “faith in Christianity” and a decade-long commitment to sobriety. Since leaving the game, Strawberry has become a symbol of recovery and spiritual renewal. He now leads a faith-based ministry and a recovery center, helping others overcome the same challenges that nearly derailed his own life.

“President Trump believes in forgiveness and the power of personal transformation,” the official noted. “Darryl Strawberry represents both — a man who fell, got back up, and chose to make his life a testimony of hope.”

A Broader Effort on Clemency and Reform

This latest pardon comes amid a renewed focus by Trump on criminal justice reform and clemency for deserving Americans, particularly those who have demonstrated genuine rehabilitation and contributions to their communities.

In recent months, Trump has issued a series of pardons to figures who, in his view, were either wronged by the system or have since proven their reform. These include non-violent offenders, military veterans, and public figures who have turned their lives around through faith and service.

Strawberry’s Story Resonates Beyond Baseball

Darryl Strawberry’s transformation has become a beacon for those battling addiction and despair. His ministry work reaches into prisons, rehab centers, and churches nationwide, where he often speaks about faith, responsibility, and redemption.

Now, with his record officially cleared by the President, Strawberry’s story stands as a powerful reminder that America remains a nation of second chances — and that faith and perseverance can lead anyone from struggle to triumph.

READ NEXT: Trump Pardons Former Lawmaker Convicted In Corruption Probe

Trump Files Motion To Halt Hush Money Case Sentencing

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

Time is running out…

On Monday, President-elect Donald Trump’s legal team filed a motion urging Judge Juan Merchan to hold off on sentencing him on Jan. 10 in his New York criminal conviction.

Last week, the New York judge announced sentencing would move forward this Friday despite his imminent return to the White House

Trump’s attorneys told Merchan they are appealing his recent rulings upholding the jury’s guilty verdict and argued the judge must pause the case in the meantime. 

“By virtue of President Trump’s filing of appellate proceedings raising his claims of Presidential immunity, all proceedings in this Court are automatically stayed by operation of federal constitutional law,” Trump’s attorneys wrote in the new filing, which was made public Monday. 

“In the alternative, even if such a stay were discretionary, the Court should grant such a stay. The Court should vacate the sentencing hearing scheduled for January 10, 2025, and suspend all further deadlines in the case until President Trump’s immunity appeals are fully and finally resolved, which should result in a dismissal of this case, which should have never been brought in the first place,” they continued. 

They asked Merchan to notify the parties by 2 p.m. EST Monday whether he will cancel the sentencing and said they would be filing two appeals Monday in state court. 

“The Supreme Court’s historic decision on Immunity, the state constitution of New York, and other established legal precedent mandate that this meritless hoax be immediately dismissed,” Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung, who is set to become White House communications director, said in a statement. 

A New York jury found Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment made to adult film performer Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election so she would keep an alleged affair secret.  

It is the only one of Trump’s criminal prosecutions to have reached trial.

Trump’s sentencing in New York comes after the judge rejected two of his attempts to dismiss the case.

In scheduling Friday’s sentencing, Merchan rejected a proposal to delay the proceeding until after Trump’s White House term, calling it “less desirable” and citing a need for finality in the case.