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    Tucker Carlson Holds Funeral for Dan Bongino’s Career Following Epstein Outburst

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Dan Bongino via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Is FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino circling the drain? His former Fox News colleague says so.

    On Sunday, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson essentially hosted a funeral for Bongino’s career and credibility after the former Fox contributor reportedly threatened to resign over Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

    On Culture Apothecary, host Alex Clark asked Carlson to weigh in on the feud.

    “Well, as we’re recording this, Dan Bongino is threatening to resign if Pam Bondi does not resign as AG. What does that tell us, in your opinion?” she inquired.

    “Well, it tells us that Dan Bongino got shafted, completely shafted. And I’m saying this as a friend of his, and someone who respects and likes him, but also just as an observer, I’m an informed observer of it,” replied Carlson. “So Pam Bondi, who’s, by the way, I don’t hate Pam Bondi, she’s a totally nice person. If he was here, you would enjoy-, I don’t know if you know her, but she’s a very nice person. I’m not against Pam Bondi in the slightest. But the fact is she got on television on Fox News and started saying stuff like, ‘I’ve got the client list on my desk!’ And actually, no, you don’t. And, ‘I’ve got thousands of videos of Epstein having sex with kids.’ Well, actually, no, you don’t. Most of the material was commercial porn taken off his computer. Like, that’s just not true. Why did she say that? Probably because she’s insecure and she’s trying to please the audience, I would expect.”

    “Do you think Dan is upset because his integrity is being questioned now over her mistake?” followed up Clark.

    “Of course! Oh my gosh! So you’re Dan, and you’re a media figure, and you’ve got one of the biggest podcasts in the country, and you’re making tons of money, and you’re having a great time — which he was. You just built this brand new studio in Florida, you work with your wife who you really like, which he does, and you get the call saying, ‘You be deputy FBI director,’ and you’re like, ‘I love Donald Trump, I love this country. I will cut my pay into a 10th of what it was, and I will leave my house and move to D.C.,’ which is a kind of prison sentence itself,” answered Carlson. “‘And I will do this because I love the president, I love the country,’ and you’re there a few months, and all of a sudden everybody thinks you’re covering up Epstein’s crimes, and it kind of wrecks Dan’s career. Like he can’t go back-, it’s gonna be very hard at this point, I mean, things may change, but as of today, pretty hard for Dan to go back to his podcast audience and be like, ‘I’m telling you the truth,’ when they all think that he’s covering up for Epstein.”

    “Who did that? Pam Bondi did that,” he added, before going on to say he “feel[s]” for Bongino.

    The Justice Department last week released a memo concluding there was no evidence suggesting the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender kept a “client list” to blackmail high-profile individuals. The memo also found no evidence to suggest foul play in Epstein’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.

    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, “He ain’t coming back.”

    CNN reports that Trump — who has been desperate to move past the Epstein story — was furious at Bongino, as well as FBI Director Kash Patel. Vice President JD Vance reportedly tried to hammer out a peace between the administration’s top Justice Department officials. But CNN reports that Bongino is still very much hanging by a thread.

    “It remains to be seen if Bongino ultimately resigns, which he told others he was considering,” the CNN report stated. “But sources say his relationship with the White House has become basically untenable. Even if he does not quit now, some inside the administration believe he will not stay in the job long-term.”

    However, President Donald Trump said on Sunday he believes FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is “in good shape” following a reported clash with Attorney General Pam Bondi.

    “I spoke to him today,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews. “Dan Bongino, very good guy. I’ve known him a long time. I’ve done his show many, many times. And he sounded terrific actually. No, I think he’s in good shape.”

    Watch:
    Discussion of the Epstein files begins around 14:14 in the video.

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    Trump Announces Pardon For Democrat Congressman

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    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.

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    Taxpayers May Be Forced To Cover Legal Fees For NY AG Letitia James Amid Fraud Probe

    By
    Seijah Drake
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    5
    Alec Perkins from Hoboken, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    New York taxpayers could soon find themselves footing the legal bill for Attorney General Letitia James as she prepares to defend herself against a federal investigation into alleged mortgage and real estate fraud. Buried in New York’s newly approved operations budget is language that opens a $10 million fund to reimburse state officials — including James — for “reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses” tied to investigations launched by the federal government after January 1, 2025.

    Though the budget provision does not mention James by name, sources familiar with the matter confirmed to The New York Post that the fund was included with her case in mind. The fund could also apply to other state officials targeted by a Trump administration-led Department of Justice as it reopens investigations into political and institutional corruption.

    The controversy stems from a criminal referral issued last month by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), whose director, William Pulte, accused James of falsifying mortgage documents and misrepresenting her residency status. According to the referral sent to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, James claimed a Virginia home — allegedly purchased on behalf of her niece — as her primary residence, a move that could constitute mortgage fraud.

    James, who gained national prominence for her high-profile civil fraud case against Donald Trump, has come under scrutiny for what critics now call a double standard. Once the face of the “no one is above the law” mantra, she now finds herself leaning on state funds and a private legal defense to fight the allegations. A spokesperson for her office called the probe “political retribution” and vowed to fight what they characterized as a “revenge tour” orchestrated by Trump.

    But Republicans are not buying the victim narrative.

    “This is what corruption looks like in plain sight: political insiders rigging the system to protect their own, while hardworking families get shortchanged,” said New York GOP Chair Ed Cox. “Tish James used her office to wage partisan lawfare against her political opponents, and now New Yorkers are footing the bill for the consequences.”

    Critics also slammed what they describe as a legal “bailout” hidden in plain sight. The language in the budget states that any state employee facing a federal investigation related to their duties may seek reimbursement — a clause that could be used broadly and, according to opponents, easily abused.

    The legal support fund is likely to inflame already tense debates over partisanship, misuse of public resources, and institutional trust. With New York’s top law enforcement officer now potentially under federal investigation, questions will continue to mount over the ethical boundaries between public office and political warfare — and who ends up paying the price.

    Dan Bongino Returns To Fox News Following Time In Trump Admin

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0

    Dan Bongino is officially back at Fox News.

    After nearly a year as deputy director of the FBI under President Donald Trump, Bongino has returned to Fox as a contributor, according to a Monday afternoon report from The New York Times media reporter Michael Grynbaum.

    His comeback was announced during the Monday night episode of Sean Hannity’s show at 9:00 p.m. ET.

    Dan Bongino via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Grynbaum noted that Bongino has expressed regret at times about stepping away from his former life in media. Just weeks into the FBI role, he admitted on Fox & Friends that he missed what he left behind.

    “I gave up everything for this,” Bongino said at the time.

    First Appearance Back Focuses on High-Profile Disappearance

    Bongino’s first major appearance after returning centered on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC Today co-host Savannah Guthrie.

    Speaking on Hannity Monday night, Bongino outlined three troubling possibilities in the case, emphasizing that investigators are still operating with very limited evidence.

    “The first [possibility] would be, obviously, it’s a kidnapping. That was an intended kidnapping for a ransom payment…” he said.

    He then explained a second scenario — that the situation may have spiraled out of another crime entirely.

    “The second possibility would be this was just a crime that went awry. Someone was at the house, maybe it was a burglary, maybe something went bad, and you’ve got some bad actors committing another crime unrelated — in other words, requesting a ransom for something you didn’t do just to take advantage of a situation like this.”

    Bongino’s third possibility raised an even more unsettling idea: that the disappearance may not involve a kidnapping at all.

    The third possibility, he said, is that Guthrie’s disappearance could have resulted from a medical emergency or another non-criminal event that was later misunderstood or misrepresented.

    Bongino Highlights Lack of Evidence

    Bongino pointed to the complete absence of digital and forensic indicators — no DNA, no license plate hits, no cellphone activity, and no surveillance leads — as a major reason investigators are struggling.

    He explained that when authorities cannot locate someone within the first few days, it can suggest either extremely sophisticated perpetrators or something else entirely.

    “The story you’ve been told, or you may have believed may not be the story,” he said.

    While Bongino declined to push one theory more strongly than the others, he emphasized that the lack of proof-of-life communication is unusual for legitimate ransom kidnappings.

    He also referenced commentary from veteran FBI Special Agent Lance Leising, noting that real ransom cases typically involve rapid contact and early confirmation that the victim is alive — patterns missing here.

    Multi-Agency Search Continues

    Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Arizona home earlier this month, triggering a multi-agency investigation that now includes the FBI.

    As the search intensified, Savannah Guthrie issued an emotional public plea, describing the situation as an “hour of desperation.”

    Authorities are also investigating an alleged ransom note tied to the disappearance, though the deadline referenced in the note passed Monday night without proof of life or resolution.

    Back to Media — and Still on Rumble

    Bongino will continue hosting his podcast on Rumble, which he recently rebooted after leaving the FBI in December.

    Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham said at the time she wasn’t surprised by Bongino’s departure, noting that he “loved his lucrative media life” and wanted to “get back to it.”

    President Trump joined Bongino’s first show back on Rumble.

    The president made headlines during his appearance when he said Republicans should “nationalize” the voting process in order to block “crooked” Democrat-led states from allowing illegal immigrants to vote.

    “These people were brought to our country to vote, and they vote illegally,” Trump said. “And it’s amazing the Republicans aren’t tougher on it. The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over, we should take over the voting in at least 15 places.’”

    The White House initially sought to soften Trump’s remarks, but the president doubled down on Tuesday, arguing that federal intervention could be warranted if states fail to administer elections fairly.

    “If states can’t count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take over,” Trump said. “The federal government should get involved.”

    Trump framed his argument as a response to what he described as “corruption” at the state and local level, particularly in more than a dozen states he has criticized in recent months.

    In response, Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) said he plans to introduce a Senate resolution on Monday denouncing any effort by a president to “nationalize” or “take over” state-run election systems ahead of the 2026 midterms.

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    FBI Foils Alleged Drone-and-Sniper Plot Targeting White House UFC Spectacle

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Image via gage Skidmore Flickr

    The FBI says it thwarted a chilling attack plot aimed at President Donald Trump’s blockbuster UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House lawn — an alleged scheme involving explosive drones, sniper teams, and even a planned rush on the White House gates.

    FBI Director Kash Patel revealed Tuesday that federal agents and law enforcement partners disrupted the plot just days before the historic event, which drew thousands of spectators to Washington, D.C., over the weekend.

    “Multiple individuals are now in custody and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold,” Patel said in a statement released Tuesday.

    According to reporting first detailed by Fox News Digital, investigators uncovered an alleged plan to launch explosive-laden drones at buildings near the UFC Freedom 250 venue, triggering panic and forcing a mass evacuation. Authorities say the conspirators allegedly intended to funnel fleeing crowds toward a pre-positioned sniper team waiting to open fire.

    Even more alarming, officials told Fox News Digital that a “second wave” of attackers allegedly planned to storm the White House gates amid the chaos.

    The FBI first learned of the threat on June 10 and quickly launched a multi-state investigation. One suspect was arrested in Cincinnati after investigators established probable cause, while additional arrests followed as agents unraveled what officials described as a broader network spanning multiple states. Five suspects were in custody as of Monday, and investigators identified at least 23 individuals allegedly discussing operational plans in encrypted Signal chats.

    According to Fox News Digital, investigators discovered messages detailing pre-operational activity and travel plans to Fredericksburg, Virginia, where some suspects allegedly intended to prepare for the attack.

    One suspect reportedly told investigators that potential targets included “capitalist elites,” billionaires, and politicians who had received donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), according to Fox News Digital.

    The operation involved at least a dozen FBI field offices and close coordination with the Department of Justice and U.S. Secret Service. Secret Service Director Sean Curran praised agents who worked “around the clock” to identify those responsible and prevent the alleged attack.

    Patel said the case demonstrated the FBI’s ability to move quickly when credible threats emerge against large public events.

    “We are built to detect, respond to, and bring to justice those who threaten the lives of American citizens — particularly during large gatherings like the historic UFC 250 fight,” Patel said.

    The UFC Freedom 250 event was one of the biggest spectacles ever held on White House grounds. Staged on the South Lawn as part of celebrations surrounding America’s upcoming 250th anniversary and Trump’s 80th birthday, the event attracted roughly 4,300 attendees, including approximately 1,200 active-duty service members.

    Trump himself attended the fights and later praised the event as “incredible,” calling it “one of the most exciting days in the history of the White House.”

    When asked about the alleged plot while attending the G7 summit in France, Trump said he had not yet been briefed on the details.

    Vice President JD Vance reacted to the revelations Tuesday morning, describing the allegations as “very, very dark stuff” and warning that heated political rhetoric can fuel violence.

    “This is what happens when people turn the rhetoric up so loud that disagreeing with somebody is a cause for violence,” Vance said during an appearance on Fox & Friends.

    The investigation remains ongoing, and officials say additional charges and court filings could reveal more details in the coming days.

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    Gunfire Erupts Outside White House, Sends Reporters Sprinting for Cover as Secret Service Kills Suspect

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    WASHINGTON — Chaos exploded just steps from the White House Saturday evening when a gunman allegedly opened fire at a Secret Service checkpoint, triggering a rapid exchange of gunfire that sent journalists diving for cover and locked down one of the most heavily guarded places on earth.

    The suspect — identified by Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department as 21-year-old Nasire Best of Dundalk, Maryland — was shot by Secret Service officers after authorities say he pulled a weapon from a bag and began firing near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW shortly after 6 p.m.

    “Secret Service police officers returned fire, striking the suspect, who was transported to an area hospital, where he later died,” the agency said in a statement.

    One bystander was also hit during the mayhem, though officials said investigators are still trying to determine whether the individual was struck by the suspect’s gunfire or during the exchange with officers. The victim was later reported in serious but stable condition.

    No Secret Service personnel were injured.

    The terrifying scene unfolded while President Donald Trump was inside the White House working in the Oval Office with aides, according to administration officials.

    But for reporters outside, the eruption of gunfire turned a routine evening into a mad scramble.

    ABC News correspondent Selina Wang said she was filming a social media segment on the North Lawn when the shots rang out.

    “I was in the middle of taping on my iPhone for a social video from the White House North Lawn when we heard the shots,” Wang wrote on X. “It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now.”

    Witnesses described an eruption of rapid gunfire that shattered the calm around the White House grounds. Journalists and staff members were quickly rushed inside as security teams locked down the area.

    Trump praised the officers involved and pointed to the incident as another reminder of mounting security threats.

    “Thank you to our great Secret Service and Law Enforcement for the swift and professional action taken this evening against a gunman near the White House, who had a violent history and possible obsession with our Country’s most cherished structure,” Trump wrote on social media.

    “The National Security of our Country demands it!”

    Sean Curran also commended the response, writing: “Our officers continue to operate heroically in a heightened political threat environment.”

    Authorities say Best was already known to the Secret Service.

    Court records show a stay-away order involving the White House had been issued against him in July 2025 after he allegedly tried to breach security and enter the White House complex. During that encounter, records indicate Best told officers he was “Jesus Christ” and allegedly said he wanted to be arrested. In a separate incident weeks earlier, he had reportedly been involuntarily committed.

    The shooting also adds to a troubling recent pattern around the White House and President Trump.

    Saturday’s incident marked the third gun-related security event in the president’s orbit in roughly the last month, according to reports, following another shooting tied to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner area and a separate armed security incident.

    Federal investigators, including the FBI, remain on scene as authorities continue trying to determine what drove the attack and whether warning signs were missed.

    For a few minutes Saturday night, the heavily fortified White House grounds looked less like a tourist landmark and more like an active war zone.

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    White House Teleprompter Operator Pays $172K After Betting on Trump’s Speeches

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0

    A former longtime White House teleprompter operator will hand over more than $172,000 after federal regulators found he used advance knowledge of President Trump’s speeches to cash in on prediction-market bets.

    Gabriel Perez, who ran the teleprompter for Trump since 2016, settled with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Friday. He must return $107,539 in profits and pay a $65,000 civil penalty. A three-year trading ban is also in place.

    According to the CFTC, Perez traded so-called “mention market” contracts on Kalshi between December 2025 and February 2026. These contracts pay out based on whether specific words or phrases appear in a speech. As teleprompter operator, Perez saw the prepared remarks before the President delivered them and used that nonpublic information to place winning bets.

    The agency said he misappropriated the material “in breach of his duty of trust and confidence,” generating over $107,500 in profits. The $65,000 penalty was reduced because of Perez’s “exemplary cooperation” with investigators. Kalshi flagged the activity and assisted the probe.

    Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed earlier that Perez was placed on unpaid administrative leave after the allegations surfaced. He is no longer employed by the federal government. The White House has long maintained strict ethics rules and previously warned staff against using nonpublic information for prediction-market bets.

    ABC News first reported the investigation last month. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan were notified but declined to pursue a criminal case.

    Kalshi’s lead lawyer welcomed the outcome, stating that no one is above the rules. The settlement closes the matter on a staffer who broke trust—and underscores that even in the White House, the rules apply.

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

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3

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

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

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

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

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

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

    A Death Without Accountability

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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    Report: Comey Skipping First Court Appearance In Trump Threat Case

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3

    Former FBI Director James Comey will no longer have to make an upcoming court appearance in North Carolina after a federal judge agreed to cancel the hearing tied to charges that he threatened President Donald Trump through a controversial social media post.

    U.S. District Judge Louise Flanagan conditionally approved Comey’s request to waive the appearance after his attorneys argued he had already made an initial court appearance last week in Alexandria, Virginia.

    Comey surrendered to authorities during that appearance, was formally read his rights, and did not enter a plea.

    His legal team argued that federal criminal procedure rules provide “for an initial appearance in the singular,” making another hearing unnecessary. Prosecutors with the Department of Justice reportedly supported the request.

    Judge Flanagan ruled that the North Carolina hearing would be canceled if Comey filed the required waiver by Friday. Otherwise, the hearing would proceed as scheduled.

    The former FBI chief is facing two federal charges tied to a May 2025 Instagram post showing seashells arranged to read “86 47” — a message prosecutors say amounted to a threat against Trump’s life.

    According to prosecutors, the phrase “86” is widely understood as slang for eliminating or getting rid of someone, while “47” refers to Trump, the 47th president.

    The charging document alleges:

    “On or about May 15, 2025, in the Eastern District of North Carolina, the defendant, JAMES BRIEN COMEY JR, did knowingly and willfully make a threat to take the life of, and to inflict bodily harm upon, the President of the United States, in that he publicly posted a photograph on the internet social media site Instagram which depicted seashells arranged in a pattern making out ‘86 47,’ which a reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States.”

    Comey has fiercely denied the accusations and claimed the prosecution is politically motivated.

    When the image was first posted, Comey later said he believed the shells represented a “political message” and claimed he did not realize the numbers could be interpreted as encouraging violence. He eventually deleted the post.

    The longtime Trump rival responded to the indictment in a video statement, insisting he has done nothing wrong.

    “But nothing has changed with me. I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let’s go,” Comey said.

    “But it’s really important that all of us remember that this is not who we are as a country, this is not how the Department of Justice is supposed to be.”

    The charges — threatening the president and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce — each carry a maximum possible prison sentence of five years. Prosecutors would need to prove Comey “knowingly and willfully” threatened to “take the life of” Trump.

    The case marks yet another chapter in the bitter feud between Trump and the former FBI director, whom Trump fired in 2017 during the early stages of the Russia investigation led by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

    It is also the second criminal case Comey has faced since Trump returned to the White House.

    Comey was previously charged with false statements and obstruction tied to his 2020 congressional testimony about FBI leaks. That case was ultimately dismissed after a court found the prosecutor’s appointment unlawful, though the Trump administration has appealed the decision.

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    Trump Pardons Ex-MLB Star Darryl Strawberry

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2

    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

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