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Rosie O’Donnell Asks For Prayers As Daughter Chelsea Faces ‘Scary Future’ In Prison

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By David Shankbone - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3937757

TV personality Rosie Oโ€™Donnell is appealing for prayers as her daughter Chelsea faces what she calls a โ€œscary future.โ€

Oโ€™Donnell posted on Instagram: โ€œMy child Chelsea Belle โ€“ before addiction took over her life โ€“ I loved her then, I love her now as she faces a scary future โ€“ prayers welcomed. #addiction awareness #love #family.โ€

According to court documents reviewed by Fox News Digital, Chelsea had her probation revoked on October 22 and was sentenced to serve time in prison.

In a written statement, Oโ€™Donnell said, โ€œI have compassion for those struggling with addiction โ€” Chelsea was born into addiction and it has been a painful journey for her and her four young children. We continue to love and support her through these horrible times. Prayers welcomed.โ€

Last year, authorities charged Chelsea with two counts of felony possession of methamphetamine and felony possession of narcotic drugs, along with two counts of possession/illegally obtaining prescription drugs and resisting or obstructing an officer. Her arrest followed a traffic stop in Niagara, Wisconsin, where officers pulled over a vehicle for loud exhaust โ€” they recovered a clear smoking device on Chelseaโ€™s person that tested positive for methamphetamine, and a prescription pill bottle containing a handful of pills and a crystal-like substance was found in her possession. At the time, Chelsea was out on bond for separate charges including child neglect and drug possession.

Oโ€™Donnellโ€™s Instagram post on December 3 responding to Chelseaโ€™s earlier arrest read: โ€œSo yes this is true โ€“ after being bailed out by her birth mother โ€“ Chelsea was arrested again โ€“ and is facing many charges related to her drug addiction โ€“ we all hope she is able to get the help she needs to turn her life around.โ€


Bring in the Trump context

Itโ€™s worth noting that Rosie Oโ€™Donnell has for years been a vocal critic of Donald Trump, and the public feud between them has become almost legendary. Back in December 2006, while hosting the daytime talk show The View, Oโ€™Donnell called Trump out over his handling of the Miss USA controversy and mocked him as no moral authority for young people โ€” saying, โ€œThis is not a self-made manโ€ฆ left the first wife, had an affair, left the second wife, had an affairโ€ฆโ€ People.com+2The List+2

Trump responded with scorn, calling Oโ€™Donnell โ€œa woman out of controlโ€ and a โ€œloser,โ€ threatening legal action though he never followed through. People.com+1 Over the years he repeatedly used her name as a punchline โ€” during the 2016 Republican primary debate when asked about his language toward women he quipped, โ€œOnly Rosie Oโ€™Donnell.โ€ The New Daily+1

In recent years their feud escalated further: After Oโ€™Donnell announced she had moved to Ireland following Trumpโ€™s second inauguration (January 2025), Trump publicly floated the idea of revoking her U.S. citizenship, calling her โ€œa Threat to Humanityโ€ and saying โ€œshe should remain in the wonderful country of Ireland, if they want her.โ€

Epstein Files Threaten Tp Upend Trump Legacy

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By Ralph Alswang, White House photographer - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/clinton-epstein-maxwell/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=143417695

Tensions are rising after the Justice Department claimed it had no evidence that notorious sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein had a client list, blackmailed powerful people, or was murdered.

Democrats in Congressย sayย they will introduce measures this week to press for the disclosure of files reported to Epstein, a wealthy financier and convicted sex offender who was found dead at the age of 66 in his New York City jail cell in 2019 after being arrested on sex trafficking charges involving young girls.ย 

Rep.ย Ro Khannaย (D-Calif.) is calling on House Republicans to hold a vote demanding the Trump administration release the โ€œFULL Epstein files.โ€

โ€œWhy are the Epstein files still hidden? Who are the rich & powerful being protected?โ€ Khanna said in a post on the social platform X over the weekend.

โ€œOn Tuesday, Iโ€™m introducing an amendment to force a vote demanding the FULL Epstein files be released to the public,โ€ he continued. โ€œThe Speaker must call a vote & put every Congress member on record.โ€

The Justice Department last week released a memo concluding there was no evidence suggesting the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender kept a โ€œclient listโ€ to blackmail high-profile individuals. The memo also found no evidence to suggest foul play in Epsteinโ€™s death, which had previously been ruled a suicide.

The memo spurred fierce backlash from many Trump supporters, who had long called on the government to release material on Epstein that they argue would expose wrongdoing at the highest level of elite circles.

Far-right activistย Laura Loomer,ย a staunch ally ofย President Trump,ย said Sunday night there should be a special counsel toย examine the handling of filesย related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Loomer, who has bashed Attorney Generalย Pam Bondiย for her handling ofย the Epstein documents, told Politicoโ€™s Playbook newsletter that aย special counsel should be appointedย โ€œso that people can feel like this issue is being investigated, and perhaps take it out of [Bondiโ€™s] hands, because I donโ€™t think that she has been transparent or done a good job handling this issue.โ€

Much of the frustration from MAGA allies has been directed at Attorney Generalย Pam Bondi,ย who said earlier this year that files were on her desk but then seemed to suggest they did not exist by releasing the memo last week. Bondi argued she was referring to the case file on Epstein, not a specific โ€œclient list.โ€

Trump has remained adamant in his position andย has fiercely defendedย Bondi against the onslaught of backlash.ย 

โ€œWhatโ€™s going on with my โ€˜boysโ€™ and, in some cases, โ€˜gals?โ€™ Theyโ€™re all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! Weโ€™re on one Team, MAGA, and I donโ€™t like whatโ€™s happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and โ€˜selfish peopleโ€™ are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies,ย Jeffrey Epstein,โ€ Trump said in the social media post on Saturday.

Dan Bongino, the Deputy Director of the FBI, reportedly threatened to leave the bureau if Attorney General Pam Bondi remains on the job due to her handling of the Epstein files, a source close to Bongino told The Daily Wire.

One source close to Bongino predicted to Axios, โ€œHe ainโ€™t coming back.โ€ Trump administration officials, however, are saying that Bongino remains on the job.

President Donald Trump said on Sunday he believes FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is โ€œin good shapeโ€ following a reported clash with Attorney General Pam Bondi.

โ€œI spoke to him today,โ€ Trumpย toldย reporters at Joint Base Andrews. โ€œDan Bongino, very good guy. Iโ€™ve known him a long time. Iโ€™ve done his show many, many times. And he sounded terrific actually. No, I think heโ€™s in good shape.โ€

Watch:

FBI Director Kash Patelย broke his silenceย on Saturday amid rumors that he might also consider leaving if Bondi stayed, saying in a post to X that the โ€œconspiracy theoriesโ€ were not true and that he would continue to serve under Trump as long as the president wanted him to be there.

Woman Who Admitted Trump Death Threats To Secret Service Released By Judge

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A woman arrested last month for allegedly making death threats againstย President Donald Trumpย has been released by a federal judge who has clashed with the Trump administration several times this year.

Federal Chief Judge James Boasberg ordered the release of 50-year-old Nathalie Rose Jones under electronic monitoring and instructed her to visit a psychiatrist in New York City once she obtains her personal belongings from a local police station.

Her release comes after U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya had ordered her held without bond, citing alarming conduct, including online posts proclaiming willingness to “disembowel” Trump and stage his arrest, and statements admitting she would kill him with a bladed weapon at “the compound.”

Jones took part in a “dignified arrest ceremony” for Trump at a protest in Washington, D.C., which circumnavigated the White House complex and was arrested following an investigation into her series of concerning Instagram and Facebook posts. 

In early August, Jones labeled Trump a terrorist, referred to his administration as a dictatorship, and stated that Trump had caused extreme and unnecessary loss of life in relation to the coronavirus

“I am willing to sacrificially kill this POTUS by disemboweling him and cutting out his trachea with Liz Cheney and all The Affirmation present,” an Aug. 6 post directed at the FBI states.

The next day, Jones voluntarily agreed to an interview with the Secret Service, during which she called Trump a “terrorist” and a “nazi,” authorities said. 

She said that if she had the opportunity, she would kill Trump at “the compound” if she had to and that she had a “bladed object,” which she said was the weapon she would use to “carry out her mission of killing” the president.

Following the protest in Washington, D.C on Aug. 16, Jones was interviewed again by the Secret Service, during which she admitted that she had made threats towards Trump during her interview the previous day. 

She was charged with threatening to kill, kidnap, or seriously hurt the president and sending messages across state lines that contained threats to kidnap or harm someone.

However, Jonesโ€™s lawyers argued their client was unarmed and had no real desire to follow through with the threats, appealed Upadhyayaโ€™s detention decision, and Boasberg overturned Upadhyayaโ€™s detention order.

U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C.,ย Jeanine Pirro, whose office pushed for the indictment, blasted the juryโ€™s refusal on Tuesday.

“A Washington D.C. grand jury refused to indict someone who threatened to kill the President of the United States. Her intent was clear, traveling through five states to do so,” Pirro told Fox News in an exclusive statement. 

“She even confirmed the same to the U.S. Secret Service. This is the essence of a politicized jury. The system here is broken on many levels. Instead of the outrage that should be engendered by a specific threat to kill the president, the grand jury in D.C. refuses to even let the judicial process begin. Justice should not depend on politics,” Pirro added.

Judge Boasbergโ€™s Background
Judge Boasberg, a Barack Obama appointee, has repeatedly clashed with the Trump administration. In March, he issued a restraining order halting deportations of Venezuelans under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, ordering planes to return to U.S. soil and demanding an investigation into compliance. He later threatened contempt proceedings, prompting appellate review and momentum that led to Supreme Court rulings affirming dueโ€‘process requirements. Trump publicly labeled Boasberg a โ€œRadical Left Lunaticโ€ and sought his impeachment. Additionally, Trumpโ€‘aligned officials, including AG Pam Bondi, filed a complaint over Boasbergโ€™s remarks warning of a constitutional crisis and criticizing the administrationโ€”remarks Bondi argued had no factual basis and undermined judicial impartiality. (RELATED: DOJ Files Complaint Against Judge Boasberg Over Anti-Trump Comments, Deportation Case Actions)

Recent Assassination Attempts Targeting Donald Trump

1. Butler, Pennsylvania Rally โ€” July 13, 2024

  • What happened: Former President Trump was addressed at a campaign rally near Butler, PA, when 20โ€‘yearโ€‘old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a nearby rooftop with an ARโ€‘15โ€‘style rifle. Trump was grazed in the upper right ear; one attendee, firefighter Corey Comperatore, was killed, and two others critically injured. Secret Service counterโ€‘snipers neutralized Crooks seconds after he began firing.

Aftermath & investigations: A House task force released a report by December 2024. A Government Accountability Office audit (July 2025) found that the Secret Service failed to share vital threat intelligence internally, and suffered planning and communication breakdowns. Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley criticized entrenched mismanagement and cited funding under a recent bill to help rebuild the agency. Meanwhile, six Secret Service agents received suspensionsโ€”the longest up to 42 daysโ€”for their roles in the security failure. The agency has since overhauled protocols, including deploying drones and increasing law enforcement coordination.

2. West Palm Beach, Florida Golf Course โ€” September 15, 2024

  • What happened: While golfing at his Trump International Golf Club, Trump was threatened by 59-yearโ€‘old Ryan Wesley Routh. The suspect was seen aiming a rifle from shrubbery. A Secret Service agent intervened, no shots were fired at Trump, and Routh fled but was later detained.
  • Legal proceedings: Routh faces federal charges including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate. He remains in custody, and a federal trial is scheduled to begin September 8, 2025.

READ NEXT: Trump Calls for RICO as the Answer to Sanctuary City Chaos

Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn Arrested

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Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn was briefly arrested this week in Cape Coral, Florida โ€” 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 โ€œorgy,โ€ 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 โ€” 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 โ€” this time from Floridaโ€™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 countryโ€™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 โ€” and willingness to challenge entrenched power โ€” could be the very qualities the GOP needs in its next generation of leadership. for the second time in nine months.

Trump Orders Reopening Of Alcatraz Prison

By kevinmcgill from Den Bosch, Netherlands - KAM_8466, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31689361

On Sunday, President Trumpย said that he wants to reopen the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, theย historic prison offshoreย from San Francisco that closed more than 60 years ago.

โ€œFor too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering. When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm,โ€ Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

โ€œThatโ€™s the way itโ€™s supposed to be. No longer will we tolerate these Serial Offenders who spread filth, bloodshed, and mayhem on our streets. That is why, today, I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ, to house Americaโ€™s most ruthless and violent Offenders,โ€ he added.

The island, which sits less than 2 miles offshore, was first developed in the mid-19th century, with the original structures including a lighthouse.

Notableย figures includingย Al Caponeย and George โ€œMachine Gunโ€ Kelly were once held at Alcatraz, whichย was a federal prison fromย 1934-63.ย 

โ€œBoth the institution and the men confined within its walls reflect our society during this era,โ€ the National Park Service adds on a web page about the prison, which was also known as The Rock and gave that name to a popular Michael Bay action film set on the island.

In his Sunday post, Trump said Alcatrazโ€™s โ€œreopeningโ€ is going to โ€œserve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE.โ€

The Bureau of Prisons notes on its website that โ€œUSP [United States Penitentiary] Alcatraz closed after 29 years of operationโ€ due to soaring costs.

โ€œAn estimated $3-5 million was needed just for restoration and maintenance work to keep the prison open. That figure did not include daily operating costs โ€” Alcatraz was nearly three times more expensive to operate than any other Federal prison,โ€ the bureau says.

The move comes as the Trump administration has also sought to revitalize Guantanamo Bay and use it to house illegal migrants.

The plan has faced roadblocks, however, with a federal court issuing a temporary restraining order blocking theย Trump administrationย from sending three Venezuelan immigrants held in New Mexico to the Guantรกnamo Bay, Cuba, detention camp.

Lawyers for the trio said in a legal filing that the detainees โ€œfit the profile of those the administration has prioritized for detention in Guantรกnamo, i.e. Venezuelan men detained in the El Paso area with (false) charges of connections with the Tren de Aragua gang.โ€

Judge Rejects WHCD Shooterโ€™s Bid to Boot Blanche, Pirro From Case

A federal judge on Monday swatted down an effort by accused White House Correspondentsโ€™ Dinner gunman Cole Allen to force Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro off the case, ruling that neither official has a conflict of interest despite attending the event that erupted in gunfire.

U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden rejected Allenโ€™s argument that Blanche and Pirro should be disqualified because they were present at the April 25 White House Correspondentsโ€™ Association Dinner and later acknowledged they could have been among the victims had the alleged attacker made it inside the ballroom.

โ€œIn line with longstanding precedent, the Court finds that neither the officialsโ€™ dinner attendance nor their statements after the fact demonstrate a conflict of interest,โ€ McFadden wrote in an 18-page opinion. โ€œNor does Pirroโ€™s friendship with the President.โ€

Allenโ€™s attorneys had argued that Blanche and Pirro were potential victims and witnesses, creating at least the appearance of a conflict. They also pointed to Pirroโ€™s longstanding relationship with President Trump and her public comments identifying Trump as one of the alleged targets.

McFadden wasnโ€™t buying it.

Citing Allenโ€™s own writings, the judge noted that the suspect allegedly intended to target โ€œadministration officialsโ€ broadly rather than any specific individual.

โ€œAllen did intend to harm administration officials. He did not, however, name particular targets,โ€ McFadden wrote.

โ€œNothing suggests that Allen knew that either Blanche or Pirro would attend the dinner. The focus on the administration at large, rather than particular individuals, dilutes the potential biasing effect.โ€

The judge further ruled that neither Blanche nor Pirro qualifies as a victim under the law and that both are unlikely to serve as trial witnesses. Their continued involvement in prosecutorial decisions, he said, does not threaten Allenโ€™s right to a fair trial.

McFadden also dismissed claims that Pirroโ€™s friendship with Trump โ€” and Trumpโ€™s pardon of her ex-husband during his first term โ€” created a disqualifying conflict.

โ€œPresidents routinely select high-ranking Justice Department officials from among their friends and supporters,โ€ the judge wrote.

โ€œPirroโ€™s relationship with Trump is hardly an aberration. And the Court sees no reason, on this record, that she cannot fulfill her duties because of that friendship.โ€

Allen, a 31-year-old California tutor and computer engineer, has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the shocking attack that sent the Washington Hilton into chaos and prompted the evacuation of President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other top administration officials.

Federal prosecutors allege Allen traveled from California to Washington armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives, checked into the hotel hosting the annual media gala, and then attempted to breach security while targeting Trump administration officials. Authorities say he fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer near a security checkpoint before being tackled and arrested. The wounded agent survived because of a bulletproof vest.

According to court filings, Allen allegedly emailed relatives a manifesto shortly before the attack outlining his grievances against the administration and indicating his intent to carry out violence against senior government officials. Prosecutors have charged him with attempted assassination of the president, assaulting a federal officer and multiple firearms offenses. If convicted on the most serious count, he could face life in prison.

The failed bid to remove Blanche and Pirro marks another setback for Allenโ€™s defense team as the high-profile prosecution moves toward trial.

Meanwhile, the White House Correspondentsโ€™ Association has announced plans to hold a rescheduled version of the dinner in July with significantly enhanced security measures.

Gabbard Sends Criminal Referrals To DOJ For 2 Officials Linked To Trump Impeachment

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Tulsi Gabbard via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has referred two former U.S. officials to the Justice Department for potential criminal investigation, escalating efforts to revisit the events that led to President Donald Trumpโ€™s first impeachment.

A spokesperson for Gabbard confirmed that the referrals target a whistleblower and former Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson, both of whom played central roles in the 2019 inquiry. The spokesperson did not specify what crimes were alleged, and any decision to pursue charges rests with federal prosecutors.

The move follows Gabbardโ€™s release of newly declassified testimony and documents that she argues show a โ€œcoordinated effortโ€ within the intelligence community to โ€œmanufacture a conspiracyโ€ used to justify Trumpโ€™s impeachment.

Atkinsonโ€™s actions were instrumental in advancing a whistleblower complaint that raised concerns about Trumpโ€™s July 2019 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In that call, Trump asked Zelenskyy to investigate thenโ€“former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.

The whistleblower wrote at the time: โ€œI have received information from multiple U.S. Government officials that the President of the United States is using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election.โ€

Gabbard has sharply disputed the legitimacy of that complaint and Atkinsonโ€™s handling of it. Her office said Atkinson relied on โ€œsecondhand informationโ€ and โ€œpoliticized, manufactured narratives,โ€ and โ€œdid not follow standard IG procedures.โ€

โ€œIn his own words, IC IG Atkinson recognizes that his conclusions were based on a โ€˜preliminary investigation,โ€™โ€ her office said, quoting testimony in which he acknowledged he had not determined whether the alleged actions โ€œactually took place.โ€

Under federal law, however, an inspector generalโ€™s role at that stage is limited to assessing whether a whistleblower complaint appears credible, not to fully investigate or verify the claims.

In a post on X, Gabbard accused โ€œdeep state actorsโ€ of constructing โ€œa false narrative that Congress used to usurp the will of the American people and impeach duly-elected President @realDonaldTrump in 2019.โ€

Atkinson, who was fired by Trump in 2020, previously defended his conduct, saying he had โ€œfaithfully dischargedโ€ his duties and served โ€œwithout regard to partisan favor or political fear.โ€

Democrats quickly condemned the referrals and the broader effort to revisit the impeachment.

Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said the whistleblower โ€œdemonstrated courage and principleโ€ in exposing Trumpโ€™s โ€œefforts to extort Ukraine and falsely smear his opponent.โ€

โ€œThis apparent criminal referral will amount to nothing because no misconduct occurred,โ€ Himes said. โ€œBut what it will do is chill future whistleblowers from coming forwardโ€ฆ I suspect that is precisely the point.โ€

Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, dismissed the declassified materials as โ€œa nothingburgerโ€ and โ€œanother sad attemptโ€ฆ to get in Donald Trumpโ€™s good graces.โ€

Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives in December 2019 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress tied to the Ukraine matter. He was acquitted by the Senate in early 2020 in a largely party-line vote and has consistently denied wrongdoing, calling his conversation with Zelenskyy โ€œperfect.โ€

The latest referrals come as part of a broader push by Gabbard and other officials to reexamine controversies from Trumpโ€™s first term, including intelligence assessments of Russian election interference. While some figures connected to those investigations have been subpoenaed in ongoing probes, no charges have been filed.

At the same time, the effort unfolds against a backdrop of renewed political and legal scrutiny surrounding Trump. While prior impeachment proceedings ended in acquittal and are widely viewed as politically unlikely to result in removal from office, they continue to shape partisan divisions in Washington. Any new impeachment-related efforts would face long odds in Congress, particularly given the high threshold required for conviction in the Senate.

Still, the renewed focus on the 2019 impeachment underscores how the political battles of Trumpโ€™s presidency continue to reverberate, with competing narratives over the Ukraine episode remaining central to broader debates about executive power, accountability, and the role of intelligence agencies in U.S. politics.

Ghislaine Maxwell Submits Plea To Supreme Court, White House To Intervene In Criminal Case

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Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

On Monday, Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein, called on the Supreme Court to overturn her sex trafficking conviction.

โ€œWe are appealing not only to the Supreme Court but to the President himself to recognize how profoundly unjust it is to scapegoat Ghislaine Maxwell for Epsteinโ€™s crimes, especially when the government promised she would not be prosecuted,โ€ attorney David Oscar Markus said in a statement. 

Maxwell’s attorney argues her conviction violates a nonprosecution agreement Epstein signed with federal prosecutors. The appeal turns on the scope of the 2007 deal, which let Epstein avoid federal charges for pleading guilty to state-level sex crimes in Florida and serving 18 months in prison. 

The deal was signed by the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Lower courts ruled the deal only covers that district and doesnโ€™t apply to federal prosecutors in New York, where Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison for aiding Epstein in abusing underage girls. 

โ€œRather than grapple with the core principles of plea agreements, the government tries to distract by reciting a lurid and irrelevant account of Jeffrey Epsteinโ€™s misconduct,โ€ Markus wrote in the new brief. 

โ€œBut this case is about what the government promised, not what Epstein did.โ€ 

Last week, Maxwell sat for a two-day interview with the Justice Departmentโ€™s No. 2 official, Todd Blanche. (RELATED: Justice Department Seeks Meeting With Ghislaine Maxwell In Epstein Case)

The new statement came as Maxwell made her final plea to the Supreme Court on Monday before the justices decide whether to take up her case. Maxwell filed the appeal in April, and the justices are poised to consider it upon returning from their summer recess.

The Justice Department has so far opposed Maxwellโ€™s Supreme Court appeal.

Markusโ€™s latest comments mark his most direct suggestion yet of Trump intervening. Markus said Friday he hadnโ€™t spoken to the president yet about a pardon and โ€œweโ€™re going to take one day at a time.โ€

Trump has punted on whether he would pardon Maxwell. Trump said Monday that โ€œIโ€™m allowed to give herโ€ a pardon, but โ€œnobodyโ€™s approached me.โ€ 

โ€œIโ€™m allowed to give her a pardon,โ€ Trump insisted, repeating a claim he made on his way to Scotland on Friday. โ€œNobody has approached me with it or asked me about it. Itโ€™s in the news about that, that aspect of it. But right now it would be inappropriate to talk about it.โ€

Indicted Congressman Eyes Party Switch After Potential Presidential Pardon

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Speculation on Capitol Hill is building that Congressmanย Henry Cuellarย (D-Texas), who is currently facing federal corruption charges, might consider switching parties if granted a presidentialย pardon. The potential shift has set political tongues wagging, fueled by Cuellarโ€™s complicated legal battle and reactions from both sides of the aisle.

The rumor is as follows:

Itโ€™s alleged someone is going to receive a pardon and flip from blue to red in the House of Representatives.

Now I fully believe that this person has only gotten indicted because of his wide open criticism of the current admin and his opposition toโ€ฆย https://t.co/WjCOGNNbcaโ€” George Santos (@MrSantosNY)ย December 26, 2024

Cuellar, a conservative Democrat, was indicted in May following a two-year investigation by the Department of Justice. The probe, linked to an ongoing corruption case, began after FBI agents raided his South Texas home and campaign office. While initial details were sparse, reports alleged that Cuellar cultivated relationships with Azerbaijani and Mexican business leaders, leveraging his congressional position to advance their interests in U.S. policy.

The indictment, if accurate, presents a damning picture. Between 2014 and 2021, Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, allegedly accepted $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities: an Azerbaijani state-owned oil and gas company and a Mexico City-based bank. Federal prosecutors claim these payments were funneled through bogus consulting contracts to shell companies under Imelda Cuellarโ€™s name, with little to no actual work performed.

In exchange, Cuellar allegedly influenced U.S. foreign policy to benefit Azerbaijan and supported legislative activities favorable to the Mexican bank. The charges against the Cuellars are sweeping, with potential penalties stacking up as follows:

Two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery and acting as an unregistered foreign agent (up to 5 years each).

Two counts of bribery of a federal official (up to 15 years each).

Two counts of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud (up to 20 years each).

Two counts of violating laws against unregistered foreign agents (up to two years each).

One count of conspiracy to commit money laundering (up to 20 years).

Five counts of money laundering (up to 20 years each).

Both Henry and Imelda Cuellar have pleaded not guilty, with the congressman insisting his actions were focused on serving South Texans. Despite the charges, Cuellar secured an 11th term in November, showcasing his political resilience among his constituents.

President-elect Donald Trump has eagerly weighed in on the case. Writing on Truth Social shortly after the indictment, Trump accused the Biden administration of targeting Cuellar and his wife for his conservative stance on border policy.

โ€œBiden just indicted Henry Cuellar because the respected Democrat Congressman wouldnโ€™t play Crooked Joeโ€™s open border game. He was for Border Control, so they said, โ€˜Letโ€™s use the FBI and DOJ to take him out!โ€™โ€ Trump wrote, calling the administration โ€œD.C. Thugsโ€ and labeling President Biden a โ€œthreat to democracy.โ€

The drama surrounding Cuellarโ€™s case, coupled with rumors of a potential party switch, has heightened tensions in Washington. Inside the Beltway, all eyes are on the congressman to see whether he will stay the course or make a stunning shift in a historically narrowly divided Congress.

Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News

Suspect In Tesla Arson Attacks Facing 40 Years In Prison

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He’s done…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

โ€œAll of these cases are a serious threat to public safety, therefore there will be no negotiating. We are seeking 20 years in prison,โ€ said Attorney General Pamela Bondi, who had previously labeled vandalism of Tesla dealerships to beย โ€œdomestic terrorism.โ€

โ€œLet this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence,โ€ Bondi said. โ€œWe will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences.

โ€œHurling firebombs is not political protest,โ€ Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche added. โ€œIt is a dangerous felony that we will prosecute to the maximum extent.