The Christmas season brings together family and friends to share memories of seasons past and discuss the true meaning of the holiday.
One little-known moment in America’s history is worth sharing with friends this Christmas season…
During a decisive point during the Battle of the Bulge, General George S. Patton’s Third Army became bogged down in its drive to relieve the legendary 101st Airborne Division trapped at Bastogne, Belgium.
The besieged Americans has just successfully defended the vital crossroads town from a German force that outnumbered them by nine-to-one but frigid winter conditions had grounded the Allied air force, neutralizing their advantage in the air and leaving Americans at severe risk.
With little hope of survival left Patton turned to his faith and requested Rev. Msgr. James Hugh O’Neill, chaplain of the Third Army, compose what became known as the “Weather Prayer.”
Here’s what it said:
“Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies, and establish Thy justice among men and nations. Amen.”
On the reverse side of the prayer card distributed to every GI under his command, Patton wrote:
“To each officer and soldier in the Third United States Army, I wish a Merry Christmas. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle. We march in our might to complete victory. May God’s blessings rest upon each of you on this Christmas Day. — G.S. Patton, Jr., Lieutenant General, Commanding, Third United States Army.”
A Christmas miracle brought clear skies the next day and American ground attack aircraft decimated the Nazis’ armored spearheads and the rest was history…
President Joe Biden hugs his family during the 59th Presidential Inauguration ceremony in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took the oath of office on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. (DOD Photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Carlos M. Vazquez II)
The Department of Treasury has finally agreed to hand over suspicious activity reports (SARs) related to Hunter Biden’s foreign business deals to the House Oversight Committee.
Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) initially requested information about the Biden family and their associates’ business transactions flagged by U.S. banks in January.
Under federal law, when banks suspect suspicious overseas activity by an account holder, it submits a “suspicious activity report” or “SAR” to the Treasury Department.
“Biden’s Treasury Department continues to make excuses for its failure to provide the suspicious activity reports that are critical to our investigation of the Biden family’s business schemes,” said Comer in a statement last week.
On Tuesday, the Kentucky Congressman announced the sudden change according to Fox News.
“After two months of dragging their feet, the Treasury Department is finally providing us with access to the suspicious activity reports for the Biden family and their associates’ business transactions,” Comer said. “It should never have taken us threatening to hold a hearing and conduct a transcribed interview with an official under the penalty of perjury for Treasury to finally accommodate part of our request.”
🚨 2 weeks ago, I subpoenaed bank records for 3 Hunter Biden business associates.
One of the associates, Rob Walker, was wired millions from CCP connected individuals. He then sent money to 3 Biden family members.
Hunter Biden is faced federal investigations into his finances since 2018.
Earlier this month, Comer called on Treasury Department official Jonathan Davidson, who serves as assistant secretary for legislative affairs, to appear for a transcribed interview “to explain why “the agency had not provided the requested information.”
However, Davidson’s interview has now been postponed because the Department has fulfilled the request.
Earlier this month, Davidson responded to Comer’s letter explaining the Treasury Department’s process to ensure that the “law enforcement sensitive material is identified and handled appropriately,” but said the process was “well underway” to respond to the committee’s request.
“The Department has been working to complete all necessary review, including consultation with law enforcement agencies,” Davidson wrote in the March 3 letter to Comer. “These processes ensure that sensitive material extraneous to the Committee’s inquiry is not inadvertently disclosed and that law enforcement sensitive material is identified and handled appropriately.”
Davidson explained that “review of law enforcement sensitive materials is a standard aspect of the process of providing Congress with access to BSA-protected information.”
“All of these processes—which are designed to ensure proper protection of potential or ongoing investigations and other law enforcement interests—are already well underway for your request, but they take time,” Davidson wrote. “The Department is working to complete these processes as soon as possible and consistent with the timeframes for processing similar requests in the past, including requests received from committee chairs in the prior Congress that took months to complete.”
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy delivers remarks at the 2021 Capitol Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in Washington DC, December 1, 2021. USDA Forest Service photo by Tanya E. Flores.
Last month, over 20 House Republican lawmakers refused to vote for Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s bid for House Speaker. However, after 15 grueling rounds of voting McCarthy finally held the Speaker’s gavel.
Not every holdout got exactly what he or she had asked for, some won plum committee assignments from McCarthy, here’s what we know so far:
Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, a vocal McCarthy foe during the speaker fight, flipped to “present” in the 14th round. Gaetz will continue to serve on the Judiciary panel and was appointed by the Speaker to the new weaponization subcommittee.
Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona a former head of the Freedom Caucus and one of the five so-called “Never Kevins,” kept his position on the powerful Judiciary and Oversight committee. The Arizona Congressman was also named chairman of the Judiciary’s subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance. Ultimately, Biggs changed his vote to “present” on the final ballot for speaker, helping propell McCarthy over the finish line.
Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina flipped to back McCarthy on the 12th ballot, and will continue to serve on both the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees. McCarthy also named Bishop to the Judiciary’s new subcommittee on the “Weaponization of the Federal Government.”
Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, the vocal McCarthy critic who voted “present” on the 14th and 15th ballots, was awarded a seat on the Oversight and Accountability Committee. She will also continue to serve on the Natural Resources panel.
Rep. Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, the freshman Congressman flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot and won seats on the Homeland Security Committee and Budget committees.
Rep. Mike Cloud of Texas flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot. The Lone Star state Congressman won a new seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee, which controls federal spending. McCarthy also named him to the new select committee investigating the origins of the Covid pandemic.
Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia, another lawmaker who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will serve on the Appropriations Committee for the first time.
Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona will serve on the Homeland Security Committee.
Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida was nominated to run against McCarthy for speaker and flipped to him on the 12th ballot. Donalds was named by McCarthy as the “speaker’s designee” on the influential Steering Committee, which decides which lawmakers get committee gavels and seats. Donalds also won a coveted spot on the Financial Services Committee, a top panel known on Capitol Hill as an “A” committee.
Rep. Bob Good of Virginia, one of the Never Kevins who flipped to “present” in the last round of voting, will serve on the Budget and Education and Workforce committees.
Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot and was reinstated by Republicans on two committees —Oversight and Natural Resources panels. He was named chairman of the Natural Resources subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland will continue to serve on the Appropriations panel. Harris, a physician, will be the chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration subcommittee.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot. The freshman Congresswoman won a seat on the Oversight and Natural Resources panels.
Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois will remain on the Agriculture Committee.
Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, one of the “Never Kevins” who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, was named by the speaker as one of nine Republicans on the Rules Committee. Additionally, the South Carolina congressman will remain on the Financial Services panel and will serve on the Budget Committee too.
Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee won a seat on the Financial Services Committee.
Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus who brokered a deal between conservatives and McCarthy, will remain on the Foreign Affairs Committee. Perry also won a new seat on the Oversight committee.
Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana, a “Never Kevin” who flipped to “present” on the final ballot, will continue to serve on Natural Resources.
Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, who helped Perry negotiate a deal with McCarthy, was tapped to serve on the Budget committee and the influential Rules Committee. The Lone Star state congressman will also keep his seat on the Judiciary panel.
Rep. Keith Self of Texas will serve on the Foreign Affairs panel.
Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, who flipped from “present” to vote for McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will continue to serve on the Judiciary panel.
On Wednesday, the FBI and other U.S. intelligence agencies disclosed alarming developments regarding Iran’s alleged interference in the 2024 presidential election. The joint statement, released by the FBI, Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), confirmed that Iranian cyber actors attempted to share stolen information from the Trump campaign with the Biden-Harris campaign.
The report indicated that Iranian hackers sent unsolicited emails containing nonpublic Trump campaign data to individuals connected to the Biden-Harris campaign in late June and early July. While the agencies found no evidence that the recipients responded to the emails, the incident has sparked concerns about foreign interference in the U.S. election.
The Biden-Harris campaign condemned the Iranian cyber activity, emphasizing its cooperation with law enforcement since being informed of the phishing attempts. Campaign spokesperson Morgan Finkelstein stated that the emails targeted the personal accounts of staff members rather than official campaign addresses, adding, “We condemn in the strongest terms any effort by foreign actors to interfere in U.S. elections.”
Meanwhile, the Trump campaign accused Iran of trying to help the Harris-Biden ticket and demanded clarity on whether the stolen material had been used. Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt questioned, “What did they know, and when did they know it?”
Karoline Leavitt speaking with attendees at the 2022 Student Action Summit at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. [Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore ]
The matter has now drawn attention on Capitol Hill, with House Intelligence Committee members weighing in. Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) noted that there was no evidence the Biden campaign responded to the unsolicited emails, while praising Harris and Biden for recognizing that foreign election interference is unacceptable.
Iran, for its part, has denied any involvement. The Iranian Mission to the United Nations issued a statement rejecting the accusations, calling for the U.S. to provide substantiated evidence.
This revelation follows reports last month of internal communications from the Trump campaign being hacked, including emails that were allegedly leaked to Politico. The leaked documents included a 271-page dossier on Trump’s running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, detailing potential vulnerabilities in his political record.
The developments have intensified concerns regarding foreign influence and interference in the 2024 election, as well as the need for investigations and safeguards to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
Days after announcing his campaign for Senate, Congressman Matt Rosendale (Mont.) is ending his campaign.
On Friday, Rosendale released a statement explaining the quick decision to end his campaign.
“Instead of one of those phony statements from politicians, here’s my statement on why I’m withdrawing my candidacy for the U.S. Senate,” Rosendale said in a statement. “As everyone knows, I have planned to run for the U.S. Senate and to win both the primary and the general election. However, the day I announced, President Trump then announced that he was endorsing a different candidate.”
“I have long been a supporter of the president, and remain so,” he continued. “But I have been forced to calculate what my chances of success would be with Trump supporting my opponent. This race was already going to be tough, as I was fighting against Mitch McConnell and the rest of the Republican establishment in Washington. But I felt like I could beat them, as the voters do not agree with them choosing who would be the next U.S. Senator from Montana.”
Rosendale said that Trump’s endorsement of retired U.S. Navy SEAL and businessman Tim Sheehy meant that he would not have the resources needed to win the primary.
Rosendale shared he spoke with Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and they agreed that it was best for the party’s chances to regain control of the U.S. Senate if he ended his campaign.
Daines responded to Rosendale’s announced on X, writing: “I appreciate Matt’s many years of service to Montana. It will take all Republicans working together to defeat Jon Tester in November.”
Broadway star Patti LuPone declared multiple times that the Kennedy Center under President Donald Trump should be blown to smithereens.
In a wide-ranging interview with the New Yorker, published on Monday, it was noted that LuPone mentioned “more than once” that she wanted to see the “Trumpified” Kennedy Center “blown up.”
From the New Yorker:
She’s even angrier at the rest of the country. She told me, more than once, that the Trumpified Kennedy Center “should get blown up.” In the S.U.V., apropos the current Administration, she pronounced, “Leave. New York. Alone. Make it its own country. I mean, is there any other city in America that’s as diverse, as in-your-face? It’s a live-or-die city, it really is. Stick it out or leave.”
Trump named himself the chair of the Kennedy Center in February. Trump had previously shaken things up and replaced all members of the board. Numerous artists departed their roles with the Kennedy Center in the wake of Trump’s changes.
In a Truth Social post announcing the board changes, Trump took issue with “drag shows” allegedly targeted toward young people.
“Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP,” he wrote at the time. “The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”
In her New Yorker interview, LuPone did offer praise to a close collaborator who has become a rather outspoken conservative in recent years: David Mamet. The playwright and filmmaker announced in 2008 that he was no longer a “brain-dead liberal.” The New Yorker described Mamet as going “full MAGA.”
“The writing, once I understood the rhythm, became the easiest thing to speak,” LuPone said. “I learned more about acting from David Mamet than I learned in four years at Juilliard.”
President Donald Trump signs Executive Orders, Monday, February 10, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House photo by Abe McNatt)
President Trump signed an executive order Thursday that would strip funds from NPR and PBS.
“No media outlet has a constitutional right to taxpayer subsidies, and the Government is entitled to determine which categories of activities to subsidize,” Trump wrote in the order, instructing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to cease indirect and direct federal funding for the two outlets.
The president has accused both organizations of projecting biased viewpoints to the public.
“Which viewpoints NPR and PBS promote does not matter. What does matter is that neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to tax paying citizens,” he wrote in the order.
NPR receives about 1 percent of its funding directly from the federal government, while its 246 member institutions — operating more than 1,300 stations — receive on average 8 percent to 10 percent of their funding from CPB, according to the outlet.
“The big impact would be on rural stations, stations in geographies that are quite large or complex in order to be able to receive broadcast or infrastructure, costs are very high,” NPR CEO Katherine Maher said in an interview on the network earlier this month.
“You could see some of those stations really having to cut back services or potentially going away altogether,” she added.
Her counterpart echoed those concerns.
“There’s nothing more American than PBS, and our work is only possible because of the bipartisan support we have always received from Congress,” PBS CEO Paula Kerger said in a statement. “This public-private partnership allows us to help prepare millions of children for success in school and in life and also supports enriching and inspiring programs of the highest quality.”
Trump’s executive order comes weeks after the administration attempted to dismantle Voice of America and affiliated news services. A federal judge blocked the effort.
It’s unclear whether PBS or NPR will file a lawsuit over potential funding cuts ordered by the president, however, both entities say the public is in dire need of their services.
“About 20 percent of Americans live in an area without any other local news coverage other than their local public radio station,” Maher said.
Washington – 3rd Congressional District – Joe Kent
Joe Kent. Photo via Joe Kent for Congress WA-03 on Facebook.
Joe Kent won a contested Republican Primary against pro-impeachment Jaimie Herrera Beutler earlier this year, much to the dismay of her fellow “Impeach” voters. Now, Kent is in a fight to keep the seat in Republican hands. Axios Seattle reported that after Herrerra Buelter’s “primary loss in August, the non-partisan Cook Political Report reclassified the race from “likely Republican” to “leans Republican.”
“Kent is a staunch pro-lifer” and “has previously said he supports the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and would like to see a nationwide abortion ban.” “I believe life begins at conception,” he told Portland’s KGW news station in July. Joe Kent is also a staunch gun rights defender and has made known “his belief that the Second Amendment does not allow for restricting gun ownership rights in any way and he would oppose new restrictions.”
Axios Seattle also noted that Kent has criticized “the recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act as (an example) of government overspending that (has ) fueled inflation. He also has blamed Biden for high gas prices.”
“Political prognosticators believe the race skews in Kent’s favor. Trump won the district in 2020 by 4 percentage points. He endorsed Kent, who edged out Herrera Beutler despite a crowded primary. The Cook Political Report considers the race to “lean Republican.” Still, that is a downgrade from its earlier “solid Republican” rating before Herrera Beutler fell short.”
Michigan – 3rd Congressional District – John Gibbs
John Gibbs. Photo via John Gibbs for MI-03 on Facebook.
Another certified RINO-Hunter, Gibbs beat out the now-to-be one-term anti-Trump freshman Peter Meijer who was one of the Republicans who voted to impeach 45 last year. Gibbs has solid conservative credentials from his service in the Trump Administration as Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for Community Planning and Development. His background of truly living the American dream and going from growing up lower class to graduating from Harvard helps appeal to a wider demographic than just the Republican base voter.
The Cook Political Report ranks the seat as having a partisan voter index (PVI) of EVEN and an overall rating of “Toss-Up.”
New York – 14th Congressional District – Tina Forte
Tina Forte. Photo courtesy of Tina Forte for Congress.
New Yorker Tina Forte is running to unseat Democrat (Socialist) Darling Alexandra Ocasio – Cortez. According to Forte’s website, “Tina has been a vocal activist, fighting for families, and calling out hypocritical politicians. She has raised awareness for veterans issues, fought against draconian lockdowns and mandates, demanded schools open for students, and always supported our law enforcement.” Forte is a “small business owner, wife, mother, and grandmother.”
Forte has a tough uphill climb in the general election, but even some of the Democrats in AOC’s district don’t like her as it appeared that some of them protested a town hall of hers last week. Still: “An AOC spokesperson dismissed the protesters,” and told The New York Post “late Thursday that “the disruptors at last night’s town hall are part of a far-right wing group that regularly protests at vaccine clinics, against LGBTQ rights, etc. They were not constituents.”
Ohio – 13th Congressional District – Madison Gesiotto Gilbert
Madison Gesiotto speaking at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. Photo by Gage Skidmore.
When he chose to run for Ohio’s Senate seat, OH-13’s current representative Tim Ryan vacated a seat that he has narrowly won the past few cycles. A lawyer, commentator, and former Team Trump spokeswoman, Gesiotto Gilbert is a complete package.
Gilbert is also a similar kind of candidate to Christina Hagan – who ran for the seat twice in an attempt to unseat Ryan. Now with Ryan out of the picture, Republicans are working hard to finally win the seat. Ohio is also a pretty pro-Trump state, so Gilbert’s time spent as a Trump campaign surrogate is serving her well with the Republican base in that state and district.
New Hampshire – 1st Congressional District – Karoline Leavitt
Karoline Leavitt speaking with attendees at the 2022 Student Action Summit at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. [Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore ]
The Gen Z former Trump White House staffer made history last month when she won her primary for New Hampshire’s First Congressional District seat, setting her up for a November showdown with incumbent Democrat Congressman Chis Pappas. Leavitt worked in the Trump White House and was endorsed by a number of Trump’s closest allies early in her campaign – including her old boss and former White House Press Secretary Kaleigh McEnany and Elise Stefanik – House Republican Conference Chairwoman for whom Leavitt worked as Communications Director after leaving the White House.
The Cook Political Report ranks the seat as having a partisan voter index (PVI) of EVEN and an overall rating of “Toss-Up.”
A new national poll by Quinnipiac reveals a close and highly competitive race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. According to the poll, conducted between Sept. 19-22, Trump leads Harris by 1%, securing 48% of likely voters’ support compared to Harris’ 47%. (The previous August poll showed a different story, with Harris leading by 2%.)
Quinnipiac is a well-known polling institution that gained attention during the 2020 election cycle when it predicted an 11-point victory for President Biden – though the final margin was just 4.5 percentage points.
Both Trump and Harris show strong support within their own parties, but Trump edges out Harris slightly among independent voters, with 47% compared to Harris’ 44%. Notably, Trump also holds a 14-point advantage with male voters, while Harris leads by 12 points among women.
When looking at age demographics, Harris performs best among older voters (65+), where she has an 8-point lead. She also wins the youngest voters (18-34), but only by 3%. Trump, on the other hand, captures the majority of voters in the 35-64 age group.
Key Findings on Racial and Ethnic Voters
A crucial factor in this tight race is the support from racial and ethnic groups:
Black Americans overwhelmingly support Harris, with 83% expressing their preference for the Democratic candidate.
Hispanic voters, however, tilt toward Trump, with 52% supporting him compared to 44% for Harris.
Nearly two-thirds of likely voters, 64 percent, said they would like a second debate between the White House contenders. Around 31 percent of respondents thought otherwise. Last week, Harris accepted an invitation for a second showdown from CNN. Trump said during his campaign event in North Carolina that it’s “too late to do another” debate.
Another new poll, conducted by CNN and SSRS, found a similar split among likely voters. In the national poll, also released Tuesday, Harris received 48 percent support, while Trump got 47 percent.
Harris currently has a near-4 percent lead over Trump in the latest The Hill/Decision Desk HQ aggregate of polls. The vice president stands at 50.4 percent. The ex-president is at 46.5 percent.
The bottom line? The race is still too close to call with 41 days left until Election Day.
As Vice President Kamala Harris continues her campaign, avoiding direct interviews and carefully selecting debate settings, questions about the authenticity of her support base are growing. The latest example is the endorsement from a group called “Police Leaders for Community Safety,” which Harris’s campaign and media outlets touted as a “stunning endorsement” from a group that typically backs Trump.
However, scrutiny reveals that the group is far from a major law enforcement organization. USA Today notes that “Police Leaders for Community Safety” was only formed in 2024, describes itself as representing “dozens of police officials,” and is led by Sue Riseling, a former chief of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department. The group is primarily composed of former law enforcement members, many of whom lean left politically.
The newspaper explained that “as the group has only been around since June, this marks the first endorsement for Police Leaders for Community Safety, with the group throwing their support for Harris.”
The organization – which says it is led by a diverse group of prominent police professionals who have been at the helm of numerous major national law enforcement leadership groups – highlights that its mission is to champion “policies to make communities and the people in them safer, improve and evolve policing, and safeguard the rule of law.”
Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr
“This endorsement reflects Vice President Harris’ track record and unwavering commitment to public safety and the rule of law,” Sue Riseling, chair of Police Leaders for Community Safety, said.
Police Leaders for Community Safety board member David Mahoney, a former Dane County, Wisconsin, sheriff and past president of the National Sheriffs’ Association, said that Harris “spent her prosecutorial career protecting people, supporting victims and holding accountable those who have harmed others and betrayed the public trust. As a lawmaker, she has fought hard for the critical law enforcement-backed policies needed to fight crime and protect the public.”
Critics have accused the Harris campaign of astroturfing, creating a façade of grassroots support by highlighting endorsements from groups with little influence in the law enforcement community. This comes in stark contrast to Donald Trump’s endorsement from the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the nation’s oldest and most influential law enforcement organization, which has supported Trump in the last three elections.
FOP President Patrick Yoes emphasized the importance of public safety and border security, stating that Trump’s policies align with the values of law enforcement officers across the country.
