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Lawmakers Swiftly Denied While Attempting To Access Dept. Of Education

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Image via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Thirtyย House Democratsย on Friday morning attempted to enter the Department of Education building in Washington, D.C., to meet with acting Education Secretary Denise L. Carter, but they were stopped by security.

A man who said he was a federal employee did not make it clear why the lawmakers had not been allowed into the building.

Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) asked the man whether he was doing so of his own volition or had been ordered to block the door, to which the man responded that he was doing his job.ย 

Fox News reports:

As they surrounded the man in front of the door, lawmakers repeatedly insisted that they had the right to enter the building and slammed the Trump administration over a “lack of transparency.”

President Donald Trump and Republicans have advocated for shutting down the Department of Education, saying that the states are better equipped to handle education. Trump on Tuesday said that if Linda McMahon, his pick for education secretary, is confirmed, she should work to “put herself out of a job.”

Ninety-six members of Congress, led by Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) wrote a letter to Carter requesting a meeting. The department acknowledged receipt of the letter but did not set up a meeting.

An aide made it inside the building and explained to security that lawmakers were there. Members then tried to go inside the building, and at that point, the doors were locked, Fox News is told.

Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who served in Trumpโ€™s first administration, slammed the department and called for a revamp in an opinion piece.

“A complete reset begins with ending the failed experiment resident in the Department of Education. The bureaucrats have focused on mandating DEI, when students needed the focus to be on ABC and 123,” DeVos wrote. “President Trump and Congress should take their corrosive power away and instead block grant all necessary education funding directly to the states.”

“This reset must also ensure that no child in America is trapped in a failing school,” DeVos added.

Elon Musk, whose Department of Government Efficiency is expected to recommend major spending cuts, became the subject of Democratsโ€™ ire as lawmakers protested against him on Capitol Hill this past Tuesday.

In response to lawmakersโ€™ fears, Trump said that Musk “can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval.”

Trump Targets $1 Billion In Damages From โ€˜Strongly Antisemiticโ€™ Harvard

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PaWikiCom, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump said he is seeking $1 billion in damages from Harvard University, blasting the Ivy League institution as โ€œStrongly Antisemiticโ€ and accusing it of failing to protect Jewish students on campus.

In a late-night series of posts on Truth Social Monday, Trump said Harvard should be facing criminal charges, not just civil penalties, for what he described as the universityโ€™s inability โ€” or refusal โ€” to rein in antisemitism.

Trump also took aim at The New York Times, which reported earlier that he had โ€œbacktrackedโ€ in his administrationโ€™s dispute with Harvard.

According to the Times, Trump had dropped his administrationโ€™s demand for a $200 million payment to the federal government โ€œin hopes of finally resolving the administrationโ€™s conflicts with the university, according to four people briefed on the matter.โ€

Trump called that reporting โ€œcompletely wrong.โ€

He accused the paper of being run by โ€œfraudstersโ€ who intentionally misrepresent him โ€” something he said the public will soon recognize as he pursues a $15 billion lawsuit against the newspaper.

โ€œI hereby demand that the morons that run (into the ground!) the Times change their story, immediately,โ€ Trump posted.

That message came roughly 40 minutes after Trump unleashed a separate post sharply criticizing Harvard itself.

He said the university has been โ€œbehaving very badlyโ€ and has been feeding โ€œnonsenseโ€ to the Times for some time. Trump accused Harvard of attempting to escape accountability by offering superficial policy changes that failed to seriously address antisemitism on campus.

Here is the key section of Trumpโ€™s post:

โ€œThey wanted to do a convoluted job training concept, but it was turned down in that it was wholly inadequate and would not have been, in our opinion, successful. It was merely a way of Harvard getting out of a large cash settlement of more than 500 Million Dollars, a number that should be much higher for the serious and heinous illegalities that they have committed.โ€

Trump added:

โ€œThis should be a Criminal, not Civil, event, and Harvard will have to live with the consequences of their wrongdoings. In any event, this case will continue until justice is served.โ€

The president also criticized Harvard President Dr. Alan Garber, saying:

โ€œDr. Alan Garber, the President of Harvard, has done a terrible job of rectifying a very bad situation for his institution and, more importantly, America itself. He was hired AFTER the antisemitism charges were brought โ€” I wonder why???โ€

Trump concluded by announcing he is โ€œnow seeking One Billion Dollars in damagesโ€ from the university.

He also quoted the same New York Times report he had criticized, which said many Harvard employees believe the school has โ€œno option but to eventually cut a deal.โ€

Trumpโ€™s comments follow a federal task force report last year that accused Harvard of โ€œdeliberate indifferenceโ€ and โ€œwillful participationโ€ in antisemitic harassment of students and faculty.

According to the administration, the university became a hotbed for anti-Israel protests and antisemitism following Hamasโ€™s October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel.

โ€œThis hostile environment includes harassing speech, threats, and intimidation targeting Jewish and Israeli students, including calls for genocide and murder,โ€ the administration said in a June report. โ€œThe findings also extensively detail acts of physical intimidation and violence between students. This hostile environment denied, and continues to deny, studentsโ€™ fundamental educational opportunities.โ€

Trumpโ€™s administration previously attempted to freeze $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard over the allegations, but a federal judge blocked the move in September.

Trump Signs Executive Order Dismantling Dept. of Education

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President Trump signed an executive order Thursday seeking to facilitate his longstanding goal of eliminating the Department of Education.

While the order recognizes it would take an act of Congress to completely shutter the department, Trump directed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to do all she can to achieve its end.  

โ€œToday, we take a very historic action that was 45 years in the making,โ€ he said at a signing ceremony at the East Room of the White House that included multiple school-age children sitting at classroom desks. โ€œI will sign an executive order to begin eliminating the federal Department of Education.โ€ 

โ€œThe departmentโ€™s useful functions [โ€ฆ] will be preserved, fully preserved,โ€ Trump added, referring to Pell Grants, Title I funding and programs for students with disabilities. โ€œTheyโ€™re going to be preserved in full and redistributed to various other agencies and departments.โ€ 

โ€œBut beyond these core necessities, my administration will take all lawful steps to shut down the department. Weโ€™re going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible,โ€ he added at the ceremony, which was attended by Republican lawmakers and governors including Rep. Virginia Foxx (N.C.), Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The White House said earlier Thursday the Education Department will still keep its critical functions that are mandated by Congress.

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

Mike Pence Joins George Mason University’s Schar School as Distinguished Professor

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Mike Pence via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Former Vice President Mike Pence, a longtime champion of conservative principles and constitutional government, is taking on a new role in public serviceโ€”this time in the classroom. Beginning in the spring semester, Pence will serve as a Distinguished Professor of Practice at George Mason Universityโ€™s Schar School of Policy and Government in northern Virginia.

The university announced that Pence will teach undergraduate courses and host public-facing seminars, offering students direct insight from someone who has been at the highest levels of government. He will also participate in mentorship programs and moderated discussions with students pursuing careers in political science, law, and public administration.


A Voice of Conservative Principles and Constitutional Fidelity

Schar School Dean Mark Rozell praised Penceโ€™s commitment to principle, noting that the former vice president brings a โ€œdisciplined approach to communication and a deeply rooted conservative philosophyโ€ that will enrich discussions on federalism, the separation of powers, and the role of values in public life.

In his statement, Pence underscored his passion for preparing the next generation of leaders, saying:

โ€œThroughout my years of public service, I have seen firsthand the importance of principled leadership and fidelity to the Constitution in shaping the future of our nation. I look forward to sharing these lessons with the next generation of American leaders and learning from the remarkable students and faculty of George Mason University.โ€


From Congress to the White Houseโ€”and Beyond

Before serving as vice president under President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2021, Pence represented Indiana in Congress and later served as Governor of Indiana, where he advanced pro-growth economic policies and defended conservative values. As vice president, Pence was widely respected for his loyalty, discipline, and steady leadership throughout the administrationโ€™s first term.

Despite intense pressure on January 6, 2021, Pence upheld his constitutional duty to oversee the certification of the Electoral College voteโ€”a decision rooted in his firm belief in the rule of law and the limits of executive power. Although this choice drew criticism from some, it underscored his unwavering commitment to the Constitution.


Continuing to Shape the Conservative Conversation

In 2023, Pence briefly sought the Republican nomination for president, offering voters a vision rooted in traditional conservatism and warning against the growing influence of populism within the party. Though his campaign ended early, it reflected his enduring belief in limited government, personal responsibility, and strong national defense.

Now 66, Penceโ€™s next chapter allows him to invest his decades of experience in Americaโ€™s future leadersโ€”encouraging them to lead with principle, conviction, and respect for our founding ideals.