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Steve Bannon Released From Federal Prison

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Image via Pixabay

A free man!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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 Yorkโ€™s newly approved operations budget is language that opens a $10 million fund to reimburse state officials โ€” including James โ€” for โ€œreasonable attorneysโ€™ fees and expensesโ€ 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 โ€” allegedly purchased on behalf of her niece โ€” 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 โ€œno one is above the lawโ€ 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 โ€œpolitical retributionโ€ and vowed to fight what they characterized as a โ€œrevenge tourโ€ orchestrated by Trump.

But Republicans are not buying the victim narrative.

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

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 โ€” 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 Yorkโ€™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 โ€” and who ends up paying the price.

Former Democrat Candidate Charged With Domestic Battery

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Back in the spotlight…

A former Democrat candidate for the Virginia legislature, whose X-rated movies with her husband were exposed before the election, was charged with domestic violence this week.

Susanna Gibson Payne, 42, was arrested on September 22 for โ€œassault and batteryโ€ against a family member. Payne claimed that her husband, 44-year-oldย John David Gibson, has been harassing her amid their divorce since last year.

โ€œAfter my estranged husband, arrested three times since I filed for divorce, assaulted me during a June 2025 custody exchange while I protected our son, he filed a retaliatory criminal complaint against me,โ€ she said.

Payne said she turned herself in after a misdemeanor warrant was issued.

The Democratโ€™s husband denied ever assaulting his wife. Mediaite reported that Gibson was arrested in December for violating a protection order and using threatening language with his wife. He said the incident stemmed from a tense argument with his wifeโ€™s new boyfriend.

Payneย and Gibson grabbed headlines in 2023 when Payne was running for office, and videos the couple hadย postedย on the porn site Chaturbate were discovered and exposed.

The couple was accused of making the videos for โ€œtips,โ€ though they denied that the videos were for profit. At the time, Payne said she was determined to stay in the race.

โ€œMy political opponents and their Republican allies have proven theyโ€™re willing to commit a sex crime to attack me and my family because thereโ€™s no line they wonโ€™t cross to silence women when they speak up,โ€ she said.

Authorities Arrest Suspect After Making Threats Against Trump

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The threats won’t stop…

Aย Pennsylvaniaย woman was arrested earlier this week after allegedly making threats against former Presidentย Donald Trumpย before a scheduled rally at Penn State University.

Paul J. Gavenonis, 74, a registered Democrat and resident of Spring Township, reportedly made alarming comments while purchasing a parking pass at the universityโ€™s transportation office. According to witnesses, Gavenonis, who identifies as transgender, expressed hostility toward Trump, stating,ย โ€œI hate Donald Trump. Iโ€™d like to shoot that guy,โ€ย while making a gesture that resembled cocking a gun.

The remarks prompted the transportation office staff to alert authorities. According to The Daily Wire, Gavenonis also allegedly referenced climbing a building in the area but expressed concern over being spotted by students if carrying a firearm.

During her interrogation, Gavenonis reportedly said, โ€œFrankly, I hope someone would get him.โ€ After her arrest, she admitted to having a rifle at home.

Gavenonis was charged with making terroristic threats and disorderly conduct.

District Judge Steven Lachma denied Gavenonis bail, citing the seriousness of the allegations and potential security concerns.

Gavenonisโ€™ arrest follows two assassination attempts against Trump in the last few months of the 2024 campaign, as The Daily Wire reported.

In September, the former president was targeted in an apparent assassination attempt, when a 58-year-old man hid out for 12 hours near Trumpโ€™s golf course in Florida, allegedly to take a shot at him.

The assassination attempt came just two months after Trump was on stage at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13 when a gunman opened fire, hitting him in the ear, killing one Trump supporter, and injuring two others at the rally.

Gavenonisโ€™ preliminary hearing is set for Wednesday, Oct. 30.

Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News

Jeanine Pirro Announces Additional Charges Against DC Teens Over DOGE Employeeย Attack

By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America - Jeanine Pirro, CC BY-SA 2.0,

U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro announced Monday that two young men have been charged in connection with a violent summer attack on a federal staffer for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Federal prosecutors have charged Lawrence Cotton-Powell, 19, and Anthony Taylor, 18, with robbery, assault, and carjacking for their alleged roles in the beating of DOGE employee Edward Coristine, known to colleagues as โ€œBig Balls,โ€ and another individual in early August.

According to Pirro, the pair had already been involved in another mugging โ€” of a victim named Ethan Levine โ€” shortly before the brutal assault on Coristine. Both suspects, she said, are repeat offenders who should never have been on the streets in the first place.

โ€œLawrence Cotton-Powell is 19 years of age. He is now charged with robbery, first-degree robbery for which he faces 15 years in prison. He also faces a charge of assault with intent to commit robbery, another 15 years, and robbery for Edward Coristine, 15 years, assault with intent to commit robbery, another 15 years, and attempted carjacking, five years,โ€ Pirro said.

Pirro didnโ€™t mince words when calling out judges who ignored her officeโ€™s repeated requests for jail time. Instead of protecting the public, the courts released Cotton-Powell on probation, giving him multiple chances to reoffend โ€” and, according to prosecutors, he did just that.

Watch:

This latest attack became a flashpoint for President Donald Trumpโ€™s crackdown on violent crime in Americaโ€™s cities. Following the assault, Trump ordered National Guard deployments to crime-plagued areas like Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tennessee, while courts have blocked his efforts to extend the same law-and-order measures to other liberal-run cities like Seattle.

During an interview, Coristine said he was defending a woman when he was attacked by the group.

The charges against Cotton-Powell and Taylor follow outrage over two other teens โ€” a 15-year-old girl and boy โ€” who received only probation for their roles in the same attack. Both Pirro and Trump condemned the slap-on-the-wrist punishment. (RELATED: Police Apprehend Suspects Linked To DOGE Staffer Beating)

โ€œI think the judge should be ashamed of himself,โ€ said Trump.

Calling the outcome โ€œterrible,โ€ Trump and Pirro have urged lawmakers and local officials to enact tougher sentencing laws for youth offenders in D.C., arguing that the explosion of teen crime in the capital is the direct result of years of leniency and failed progressive policies.

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€

Cuban Regime Finally Loses a Longtime Fugitive: Joanne โ€œAssataโ€ Shakur Dies in Havana

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Havana, Cuba โ€” On September 25, 2025, Cubaโ€™s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Joanne Deborah Byron โ€” better known by her aliases Joanne Chesimard and Assata Shakur โ€” 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 Fugitiveโ€™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 โ€” 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 FBIโ€™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 โ€” 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 Foersterโ€™s family.

Cubaโ€™s complicity in harboring Chesimard has long been roundly condemned by American leaders. Senator Marco Rubio recently denounced Havana for providing โ€œa safe haven for terrorists and criminals, including fugitives from the United States.โ€

What She Represented โ€” 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: Cubaโ€™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 โ€” his sacrifice and service โ€” must remain central. And the mission remains: to hold foreign governments accountable when they interfere with American justice.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia Taken Into Custody By ICE

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Arrest image via Pixabay

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the immigrant deported to El Salvador who became a political flashpoint for the Trump administrationโ€™s immigration crackdown, wasย detainedย again on Monday

Speaking to reporters outside the ICE Field Office in Baltimore after Abrego Garcia was detained, his lawyer, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, said ICE officials had declined to tell them where they were detaining Abrego Garcia prior to his removal, or tell them why they were arresting him. 

“As of the last five minutes, Mr. Abrego Garcia has filed a new lawsuit in the federal district court for the District of Maryland challenging his confinement and challenging his deportation to Uganda, or to any other country unless and until he’s had a fair trialโ€” as in, an immigration court, as well as his full appeal rights,,” Sandoval-Moshenberg sad.

The habeas petition, filed in the U.S. District Court of Maryland, was assigned to U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, who has presided since March over his civil case.

Abrego Garcia, who fled El Salvador as a teenager and lived in Maryland, addressed supporters before entering his appointment.

โ€œMy name is Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and I want you to remember this, remember that I am free and I was able to be reunited with my family,โ€ he said. โ€œThis was a miracle. Thank you to God and thank you to the community. I want to thank each and every one of you who marched, lift your voices, never stop praying, and continue to fight in my name.โ€

Abrego Garcia’s legal fight for months has dominated U.S. headlines, after he was deported by theย Trump administrationย to El Salvador in violation of a 2019 court order. He faces a possible second deportation, this time to Uganda.

Shortly before his arrival Monday morning, immigration advocates, faith leaders, and other community members massed outside the field office at sunrise for a vigil, organized by two immigration advocacy groups.

The Trump administration returned him to the U.S. months after sending him to El Salvador, under orders from a federal judge and from the Supreme Court.

He was arrested upon return to the U.S. on human smuggling charges stemming from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennesee. He remained in federal detention until Friday, when he was released from U.S. custody and ordered to return to Maryland, where a judge said he could remain under electronic surveillance and under ICE supervision while awaiting trial.

ICE officials notified Abrego Garcia’s attorneys shortly after his release on Friday that they planned to deport him to Uganda.

The notice, sent by ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Adviser, said it was intended to “serve as notice that DHS may remove your client, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, to Uganda no earlier than 72 hours from now (absent weekends).”

Trump’s border czar Tom Homan told Fox News in an interview Sunday night that Abrego Garcia was “absolutely” going to be deported from the U.S, and said Uganda is “on the table” as the third country of removal.ย 

“We have an agreement with them. It’s on a table, absolutely,” Homan said in an interview on “The Big Weekend Show” Sunday evening.

“He is absolutely going to be deported,” Homan reiterated. 

For now, he said, Abrego Garcia “can enjoy the little time he has with his family. And for the person who says we’re not going to separate family, his family can go with him, because he’s leaving.”

Trump Assassination Attempt Suspect Seeks Judgeโ€™s Recusal From Case

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The man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course in September filed a motion requesting the judge recuse herself from the case.

Ryan Routhโ€™s legal team raised concerns about Judge Aileen Cannonโ€™s impartiality due to her appointment by Trump and the former presidentโ€™s public praise of her judicial decisions regarding his classified documents case,ย accordingย to the motion.

Routhโ€™s attorneys argued that the unique nature of the case could lead the public to question the fairness of the proceedings.

โ€œMr. Trump is the current Republican candidate for President in next monthโ€™s election. On the campaign trail, he has repeatedly praised Your Honor for her rulings in his case,โ€ the motion stated. โ€œBy repeatedly and publicly praising this Court by name for its rulings in his case, Mr. Trump has arguably bolstered the perception that the Court is partial in his favor. Moreover, were Mr. Trump to become President again in the future, he would be in a position to nominate Your Honor to a vacancy on a higher appellate court, including the U.S. Supreme Court.โ€

The defense highlighted the potential conflict of interest, given Trumpโ€™s role as the alleged victim in this case.

โ€œAs the alleged victim here, he has a significant stake in the outcome of this case too. Were he to become President in the future, he would have authority to nominate Your Honor to a federal judgeship on a higher court were a vacancy to arise.โ€

Cannon previously granted former Trumpโ€™s motion to dismiss the classified documents case in July, siding with his argument that Special Counsel Jack Smithโ€™s appointment was unconstitutional.

Trump To Sign Order To Prepare Guantanamo Bay For 30K Prisoners

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President Donald J. Trump participates in a roundtable discussion on immigration and border security at the U.S. Border Patrol Calexico Station Friday, April 5, 2019, in Calexico, Calif. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)

Presidentย Donald Trumpย announced Wednesday that he would sign an executive order for the Pentagon to prepare Guantanamo Bay to detain 30,000 “criminal illegal aliens.”

David B. Gleason from Chicago, IL, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

“Today I’m also signing an executive order to instruct the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to begin preparing the 30,000 person migrant facility at Guantanamo Bay,” Trump said. “Most people don’t even know about it.”

He said they need 30,000 beds to house the detainees, adding that putting them there will ensure they do not come back.

“Itโ€™s a tough place to get out of,” Trump added.

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