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    Retired 4-Star Navy Admiral Found Guilty In Bribery Case

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    A retired four-star admiral who once served as the Navy’s second-highest ranking officer, was convicted of bribery and other conspiracy charges on Monday. The conviction marks the most senior member of the U.S. military ever convicted of committing a federal crime while on active duty.

    Following a five-day trial, retired four-star Adm. Robert Burke, 62, was found guilty on Monday of a scheme to direct lucrative contracts to the training company Next Jump in exchange for a $500,000-a-year job after leaving the Navy, according to a news release from the Department of Justice. 

    Burke is facing up to 30 years in prison for his role in the scheme to direct contracts potentially worth millions of dollars to a New York City-based company that offered training programs to the Navy.

    Burke, who served aboard attack and ballistic missile submarines, rose through the ranks to eventually become chief of naval personnel in 2016 followed by vice chief of naval operations in June 2019. He then took command of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and Allied Joint Forces Command in June 2020 before retiring in summer 2022.

    Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, co-CEOs of Next Jump, allegedly participated in the scheme to get a government contract in exchange for offering Burke a position with the company.

    Kim and Messenger were each charged with bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery, according to the case’s unsealed indictment. They face trial in August, which is when Burke will be sentenced. 

    Kim and Messenger, via their company Next Jump, provided a workforce training pilot program to a small component of the Navy from August 2018 through July 2019. However, the deal appeared to go downhill and the Navy terminated a contract with the company in late 2019 and directed it not to contact Burke.

    The Hill reports:

    But in summer 2021, Messenger and Kim met with Burke in Washington, D.C., to reestablish their company’s business relationship with the Navy. While at the meeting, the two “agreed that Burke would use his position as a Navy Admiral to steer a contract” to their firm — as well as influence other Navy officers to award another contract to the company — in exchange for his future employment there, according to the Justice Department. 

    Burke in December 2021 then ordered his staff to award a $355,000 contract to Next Jump to train personnel under Burke’s command in Italy and Spain, which the company performed in January 2022. 

    In October 2022, Burke began working at Next Jump with an annual salary of $500,000 and a grant of $100,000 in stock options. 

    Burke was accused of making several false and misleading statements to the Navy to conceal the scheme, such as implying that his discussions to join Next Jump began months after the contract was awarded.

    “When you abuse your position and betray the public trust to line your own pockets, it undermines the confidence in the government you represent,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro wrote in a post on X following the conviction. 

    Report: Minnesota Lawmaker Behind ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ Bill Accused Of Soliciting Teen

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    5
    Arrest image via Pixabay

    Hours after introducing a bill proposing “Trump derangement syndrome” (TDS) as a form of mental illness police arrested Minnesota state Sen. Justin Eichorn for soliciting a minor.

    According to The Hill, Bloomington Police Department detectives had communicated with Eichorn, who was under the assumption he was talking to a 17-year-old female. He arrived Monday to meet the teen in person but was instead met by local officers.

    He was later booked at the Bloomington Police Department jail and was expected to be transported to the Hennepin County Adult Detention Center. A felony charge of soliciting a minor to practice prostitution was pending, authorities said in a statement Tuesday.

    “As a 40-year-old man, if you come to the Orange Jumpsuit District looking to have sex with someone’s child, you can expect that we are going to lock you up,” Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said in a statement. “I have always advocated stiffer penalties for these types of offenses…We need our state legislature to take this case and this type of conduct more seriously.”

    Eichorn, who is married with four children, represents St. Paul, Minn., according to his legislative profile. 

    The bill, sponsored by Republican State Senators Eric Lucero, Steve Drazkowski, Nathan Wesenberg, Justin Eichorn, and Glenn Gruenhagen, seeks to amend the state’s definition of mental illness by adding a specific reference to TDS. According to the text of the bill, mental illness would include “Trump Derangement Syndrome” or an organic disorder of the brain that significantly impairs an individual’s ability to function in daily life. (RELATED: Minnesota Republicans Propose Bill Classifying “Trump Derangement Syndrome” as Mental Illness)

    The bill describes TDS as “the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal persons that is in reaction to the policies and presidencies of President Donald J. Trump.” According to the proposal, individuals affected by TDS exhibit symptoms of paranoia and an inability to separate legitimate political disagreements from perceived personal or psychological pathology in Trump’s behavior.

    In the wake of Eichorn’s arrest, his colleagues have urged him to resign.

    “We are shocked by these reports and this alleged conduct demands an immediate resignation,” Minnesota State Republicans wrote in a statement, posted on X. “Justin has a difficult road ahead and he needs to focus on his family.”

    Report: Jan. 6 Rioter Convicted In Plot To Kill Federal Agents

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Tyler Merbler, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    A convicted Jan. 6 rioter has now been found guilty of planning to kill federal agents who were investigating his role in the Capitol attack.

    Edward Kelley, 35, was convicted Wednesday by a jury of conspiracy to murder federal employees, solicitation to commit a crime of violence and influencing a federal official by threat following a three-day trial per The Hill.

    gov.uscourts.tned.107879.85.0Download

    Federal prosecutors said Kelley developed a “kill list” of FBI agents and others who participated in the investigation into his conduct on Jan. 6, hatching a plan to murder them while awaiting trial in his Capitol attack case. 

    A defendant who pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors testified that he and Kelley plotted attacks on the FBI field office in Knoxville, Tenn., using car bombs and explosives attached to drones, according to the Justice Department. They also discussed assassinating FBI employees in their homes or public places, like movie theatres.

    Prosecutors showed a recording at trial of Kelley stating “every hit has to hurt.”

    In his Capitol riot case, Kelley was convicted of 11 counts following a two-day bench trial, including obstructing law enforcement officers during a civil disorder; assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers; and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or ground.

    He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison at sentencing in May.

    Suspect Detained After Vandalism At Vice President JD Vance’s Cincinnati Home

    By
    admin
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    1
    Police image via Pixabay free images

    One suspect is in custody Monday morning after vandalizing Vice President JD Vance’s Cincinnati home.

    U.S. Secret Service agents assigned to Vance’s protective detail detained a man on the property shortly after midnight after finding several broken windows at the home. The suspect was later turned over to the Cincinnati Police Department.

    Authorities said Vance and his family were not home at the time of the incident and were not in Ohio.

    Multiple news outlets have confirmed the vandalism, but officials have not released the suspect’s identity or a possible motive. No injuries were reported.

    In a post on X, Vance thanked law enforcement and supporters for their responses and messages of concern.

    “I appreciate everyone’s well wishes about the attack at our home,” Vance wrote. “As far as I can tell, a crazy person tried to break in by hammering the windows. I’m grateful to the Secret Service and the Cincinnati police for responding quickly.”

    Vance also urged the media to exercise restraint in covering the incident, citing concerns for his children.

    “We try to protect our kids as much as possible from the realities of this life of public service,” he wrote. “In that light, I am skeptical of the news value of plastering images of our home with holes in the windows.”

    The Secret Service has not indicated whether the damage was targeted or random, and the investigation remains ongoing.

    While agents responded quickly, the incident is likely to raise fresh questions about the security vulnerabilities of high-level government officials, including the president and the vice president.

    READ NEXT: Sec. Of War Moves To Censure Senator Mark Kelly

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    Escaped Louisiana Inmate Releases Video Pleading With Trump For Help: Watch

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    A desperate plea for help…

    The man identifying himself as Antoine Massey, one of 10 escapees from the Orleans Justice Center (OJC) last month, claimed he was “let out” — and showed papers to the camera in a viral video supposedly backing up his story. The men fled the jail through an opening behind a toilet. Graffiti was left near the point of escape that read, “To Easy LoL.”

    Eight of the 10 men have been apprehended by authorities.

    “They say that I broke out,” he said. “I didn’t break out. I was let out.”

    Massey claimed he has a signed affidavit clearing him of an assault charge, alleging the person who accused him of the assault swore previous statements given were false.

    “If the individual depicted in the video is indeed Antoine Massey, we strongly urge him to come forward and turn himself in to the proper authorities,” the Orleans parish sheriff’s office said in a statement about the video. “Cooperating with law enforcement is in his best interest and may help avoid additional charges. It is important that justice is served appropriately and that due process is followed.”

    Massey has a history of being on the run. According to NOLA.com, Massey, 32, has made multiple escape attempts from detention centers dating back to 2007 when he was a minor.

    Massey also sought help from rappers like Lil Wayne and Meek Mill when he’s back in “custody.” He denied allegations of threatening a maintenance worker as part of the latest escape. There is a $50,000 reward being offered for information leading to Massey’s arrest.

    “I’m saying people that been through the system that know it’s corrupt. Lil Wayne, Donald Trump, please, I’m asking for help. You know what I’m saying?” he said.

    Government Employee Arrested After Disclosing Classified Info With FBI Agent

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3

    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.

    Florida Reporter Suspended After Texting MAGA Congressman After Kirk Shooting

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    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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    Trump Accuses Adam Schiff Of Mortgage Fraud

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    4
    Photo via Gage Skidmoer Flickr

    On Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump accused former impeachment leader Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif) of committing mortgage fraud.

    “I have always suspected Shifty Adam Shiff (sic) was a scam artist,” Trump wrote. He then claimed that Fannie Mae’s Financial Crimes Division had determined that Schiff had improperly declared a Maryland home as his primary residence to secure better mortgage terms, despite representing California in Congress.

    “Adam Schiff said that his primary residence was in MARYLAND to get a cheaper mortgage and rip off America, when he must LIVE in CALIFORNIA,” Trump alleged, before outlining what he described as a fraudulent timeline beginning in 2009 and ending in 2020.

    According to Trump’s post, the alleged “fraud” began on February 6, 2009, with the refinancing of a property in Maryland, and continued “through multiple transactions” until October 13, 2020, when the property was finally “correctly designated as a second home.” He concluded the post with a familiar refrain: “Crooked Adam Schiff (now a Senator) needs to be brought to justice.”

    As of Tuesday morning, no independent confirmation of such an investigation has been reported.

    Schiff’s ownership of the Maryland property was reported on during his Senate campaign by CNN, which at the time reported that the then-House member wasn’t likely to face any legal repercussions because the law at issue is ambiguous when it comes to the definition of a primary residence.

    However, Schiff’s spokesperson during the campaign and his current press secretary, told CNN last year that he has claimed both his properties as primary residences for mortgage purposes “because they are both occupied throughout the year and to distinguish them from a vacation property.”

    The animosity between Trump and Schiff has been swirling for year and dates back to at least 2017, when the California lawmaker emerged as one of Trump’s most vocal critics during the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Schiff later served as the lead impeachment manager during Trump’s first impeachment trial in 2020, drawing attacks from the former president, who routinely referred to him as “Pencil Neck” and “Shifty Schiff.”

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    Justice Department Sued For Hidden Documents On Pennsylvania Trump Shooter

    By
    Donny Ferguson
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    1

    Americans may know more about the man who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, after a legal watchdog filed a federal lawsuit for documents being concealed by the Justice Department.

    The non-profit public interest law firm Judicial Watch announced in a statement it “filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice for all records regarding Thomas Matthew Crooks, who attempted to assassinate President Trump on July 13, 2024.”

    “No more delays and excuses, the FBI should release what it has on the man who tried to kill President Trump a full year ago in Butler. Attorney General Pam Bondi should direct a full and immediate records response to this Judicial Watch FOIA lawsuit,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

    Judicial Watch notes it sued after the FBI “failed to respond to a July 24, 2024, FOIA request for:”

    All records, including but not limited to, investigative reports, interview summaries (Forms 1023), letterhead memoranda, photos, audio/visual recordings, database inquiries, interagency communications, and any other records, whether contained in the Central Records System or cross-referenced files, related to Thomas Matthew Crooks, born September 20, 2003 in Butler Township, PA and died on July 13, 2024, who attempted the assassination of former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024.

    All records of communication in any form, including but not limited to emails, text messages, encrypted app communications and voice recordings, between FBI officials and/or FBI sources, contractors, and assets on the one hand, and Thomas Matthew Crooks on the other hand.

    “On July 13, 2024, then-Republican presidential candidate Trump survived an assassination attempt while speaking at an open-air campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump was shot and wounded in his upper right ear by 20-year-old Crooks, who fired eight rounds from his perch on top of a nearby building,” Judicial Watch explained, adding, “Crooks also killed one audience member, firefighter Corey Comperatore, and critically injured two others. Crooks was shot and killed by the counter sniper team of the United States Secret Service.”

    Judicial Watch has been pursuing the information for nearly a year, noting:

    In March 2025, Judicial Watch sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for records related to security provided for the July 13, 2024, rally in Butler, PA, during which there was an assassination attempt on President Trump (Judicial Watch Inc. v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (No. 1:25-cv-00704)).

    In September 2004, Judicial Watch sued the Department of Homeland Security for Secret Service and other records regarding potential increased protective services to former President Trump’s security detail prior to the attempt on his life at his July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (No. 1:24-cv-02495)).

     In August 2024, Judicial Watch obtained records from the district attorney’s office in Butler County, PA, detailing the extensive preparation of local police for the rally at which former President Trump was shot. The preparation included sniper teams, counter assault teams and a quick response force. On August 9, in response to a separate open records request, Judicial Watch obtained bodycam footage of the July 13 assassination events from the Butler Township Police Department.

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    Man Who Falsely Claimed To shoot Charlie Kirk Sentenced To Prison

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    Image via Pixabay

    In a strikingly bizarre footnote to the tragic assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a Utah man who falsely claimed responsibility for the fatal shooting has now been sentenced and faces up to 15 years in prison.

    Seventy-one-year-old George Hodgson Zinn — who dramatically approached law enforcement at Utah Valley University, yelling “I shot him — now shoot me” moments after Kirk was gunned down — has now pleaded no contest to obstruction of justice and guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to court records.

    While Zinn’s initial false confession drew headlines and confusion during the chaotic aftermath of the shooting — leading some to believe he was the shooter — investigators quickly ruled him out as a suspect in Kirk’s assassination.

    During questioning at a hospital after the incident, Zinn shocked authorities by admitting he had child sexual abuse material on his phone. A warrant later uncovered more than 20 images depicting abused minors, and prosecutors charged him accordingly.

    In Salt Lake County district court, Zinn was sentenced to zero to five years for obstruction and one to 15 years for each exploitation count, with the judge ordering the terms to run concurrently. The exact amount of time he will serve will be decided by the Utah parole board.

    Remembering Charlie Kirk: A Conservative Voice Silenced

    The backdrop to this strange prosecution is one of the most shocking episodes of political violence in recent U.S. history. On Sept. 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk — founder and executive director of the conservative youth advocacy group Turning Point USA and a leading voice in the MAGA movement — was assassinated by a sniper while speaking at an outdoor event on the Utah Valley University campus.

    Kirk, just 31 years old, had become one of the most recognizable young conservative figures in America. He built Turning Point USA from a student organization into a powerful grassroots force shaping Republican campaigns, energizing young voters, and challenging campus liberal orthodoxy across the country.

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

    His death prompted an outpouring of grief and outrage from Republican leaders and conservative grassroots activists, who saw the attack as not just a crime but part of a broader pattern of hostility toward conservatives. Thousands attended memorial events, and his legacy has become a rallying point in debates over political violence and free speech on college campuses and beyond.

    The suspect in the shooting — 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson — was later arrested and charged with aggravated murder. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, underscoring the gravity of the crime and the national attention still focused on the case.

    What This Means Going Forward

    Zinn’s sentencing closes one strange chapter in the unfolding story of the Kirk assassination, but it also highlights the turmoil that followed one of the most prominent conservative leaders of his generation. A man who tried — for reasons still unclear — to throw law enforcement off the trail of the real shooter now faces prison time for his own criminal behavior.

    Hero policeman Salvatore Oldrati was named Officer of the Year after stopping an armed suspect and now liberals want to ruin his life. His family is facing an uphill battle and crushing legal bills. Stand with the men and women who protect us. [Help Police Officers HERE]
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