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Trump-Backed Candidate Vows To Pardon Cop Convicted Of Manslaughter In Death Of Fleeing Suspect

A Trump-endorsed Republican running for New York governor is making a bold promise: he’ll pardon an NYPD sergeant sent to prison over a split-second decision that turned deadly.

Bruce Blakeman made the pledge outside City Hall, throwing his support behind former Sgt. Erik Duran—now facing three to nine years behind bars for the 2023 death of a fleeing suspect.

“I took this job to save lives,” Duran told a judge at sentencing. “I felt terrible once I saw Eric Duprey crash.”

Duprey, 30, had just sold drugs to an undercover officer and sped off on a motorized scooter when Duran—working in plainclothes—grabbed a nearby cooler and hurled it.

The cooler struck Duprey. He lost control. Moments later, he was dead.

Prosecutors wanted even more time—pushing for a five- to 15-year sentence—but Bronx Judge Guy Mitchell said the case should send a message.

“They had enough to investigate and catch him on a different day,” Mitchell said. “The distinction is that the deceased will no longer be seen again by his family.”

The ruling stunned police advocates, who say the conviction punishes a cop for making a high-pressure call in the line of duty.

“It wasn’t only Sgt. Duran… Every law enforcement officer who makes a split-second decision… was also on trial,” said Vincent Vallelong, head of the NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association, calling it “one of the darkest days” for the force.

Duran—believed to be the first NYPD officer in decades imprisoned over a duty-related death—has already been fired and is expected to appeal.

Blakeman, currently Nassau County executive and a former Port Authority official during 9/11, is now turning the case into a campaign flashpoint as he takes on Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.

With Trump’s backing and a law-and-order message, the race is quickly becoming a referendum on policing, prosecution—and where New York draws the line.

READ NEXT: Congressman’s Sudden Death Upends Key Race

CNN Commentator Suggests He’ll Run for Senate if Trump Tells Him To

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CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings signaled that he would run for Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) seat in 2026 if President Donald Trump tells him to.

During an interview with Jennings on the Real America’s Voice show Bolling!, host Eric Bolling asked, “A lot of people are floating your name to take over, to jump into Mitch McConnell’s Senate seat next year in ’26. You thinking about it?”

“Yeah, I haven’t made any announcements about that,” replied Jennings, who worked as a special assistant for former President George W. Bush. “There’s three people in the race, I know them all, like them all, have been in and out of their lives in varying degrees over the years. I’ve supported them all in various endeavors, so I’m confident the seat will remain Republican.”

He continued, “I do think politics is a team sport, and I think Trump’s the head coach. And eventually he’s gonna weigh in on this, and my political advice would be to anybody, you know, if he calls a play, we’re gonna have to run it. I wouldn’t want to run against the president in Kentucky. So, I don’t really have any announcement about it at the moment.”

After Bolling pressed, “If Trump taps you, you’re gonna run?” Jennings said cryptically, “I pay very close attention to everything the president says.”

McConnell, who has held his Senate seat since 1985, announced in February he would not seek re-election in 2026 amid growing concerns over his health.

Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and businessman Nate Morris have all declared their candidacy in the race.

Ex-AOC Aide Launches Primary Challenge Against Pelosi

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Never too early…

Progressive Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)’s ex-chief of staff Saikat Chakrabarti announced plans to challenge former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for the seat she has held for over two decades.

In a lengthy post announcing his candidacy, Chakrabarti spoke about his time with AOC.

“After serving as her campaign manager and first chief of staff, I returned to San Francisco where for five years I’ve led a policy think tank that develops comprehensive solutions to the problems that both America and San Francisco face,” he wrote in a statement on X.

“Now, I want to bring those solutions to Congress. I’m going to run a very different kind of campaign than most. Instead of spending hours each day doing “call time” with big money donors — I’m going to spend every day talking with voters. I know! What a radical idea,” he stated.

Chakrabarti said his campaign would offer an “alternative vision” to President Trump and Elon Musk’s form of government.

“Watching Trump and Elon freely unleash chaos in their illegal seizure of government, it’s become clear to me that the Democratic Party needs new leadership,” he said. 

“I respect what Nancy Pelosi has accomplished in her career, but we are living in a totally different America than the one she knew when she entered politics 45 years ago,” Chakrabarti said in the statement. 

“In an interview with Ezra Klein after Trump’s victory, Pelosi said the Democrats don’t need to change. I disagree.”

Chakrabarti followed the statement by acknowledging the race would be “nearly impossible” and requires months of organizing.

“I know it might seem like it’s a little early to start running. But the fact is, it’s almost impossible to defeat incumbents in our system — even at a time when both Congress and the Democratic Party stand at record-low approval ratings,” he wrote.

The challenge to the veteran lawmaker comes as the Democrat Party desperately seeks to rebound after its massive 2024 losses.

“We have no coherent message,” Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) told The New York Times on Sunday. “This guy is psychotic, and there’s so much, but everything that underlines it is white supremacy and hate. There needs to be a message that is clear on at least the underlying thing that comes with all of this.”

The DNC elected Minnesota party leader Ken Martin on Saturday, who said during his victory speech they needed to “to rebuild our coalition.”

“The policies that we support and the message that we have is not wrong,” Martin told the NYT. “It is a messaging problem and a brand problem. Those voters are not connecting our policies with their lives.”

Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls On Trump To Pardon George Santos

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Marjorie Taylor Greene -Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, via Wikimedia Commons

Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) is coming to the defense of disgraced former Congressman George Santos, who is currently serving out his prison sentence.

On Monday, Greene called on President Trump to issue a pardon to Santos, who began his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, New Jersey last month after being sentenced to 87 months in prison for wire fraud and identity theft. (RELATED: Disgraced Former Rep. George Santos Gets Over 7 Years In Prison)

In a letter to President Trump’s U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin, Greene wrote:

I am writing to request that your office urge the President to commute the sentence of former Congressman George Santos. In April 2025, Mr. Santos was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. I wholeheartedly believe in justice and the rule of the law, and I understand the gravity of such actions. However, I believe a seven-year sentence for such campaign-related matters for an individual with no prior criminal record extends far beyond what is warranted.

As a Member of Congress, I worked with Mr. Santos on many issues and can attest to his willingness and dedication to serve the people of New York who elected him to office. He committed himself to serving his constituents and did whatever it took to represent their interests in Washington, D.C. He is sincerely remorseful and has accepted full responsibility for his actions. Furthermore, my office has spoken with a pastor of his who discussed the regret and remorse of Mr. Santos, agreeing that the sentence imposed is a grave injustice.

While his crimes warrant punishment, many of my colleagues who I serve with have committed far worse offenses than Mr. Santos yet have faced zero criminal charges. I strongly believe in accountability for one’s actions, but I believe the sentencing of Mr. Santos is an abusive overreach by the judicial system.

Commuting his sentence would acknowledge the severity of his actions and simultaneously provide a path forward in allowing him to make amends for his crimes and strive to better serve the people in his community.

In May, Santos teared up on Piers Morgan Uncensored and pleaded with Trump for a pardon, “commutation, clemency, whatever the president is willing to give me,” after being sentenced.

The former congressman also requested protective custody after expressing fear of being “brutalized” in prison.

“I’m not fearful of dying in there, I’m more fearful of being severely brutalized and harmed, if you get my drift,” he said.

Watch:

Last month, during an interview with Tucker Carlson, Santos also expressed concern that his time in prison could be a “death sentence.”

“Tucker, can I be honest with you?” Santos asked Carlson, who called Santos’s prison sentence unfair compared to lesser sentences handed to violent criminals.

“I hope you will,” Carlson responded.

“I don’t know that I survive it. They’re putting me in a violent prison. It’s a medium facility. I’m not a street-wise guy. I don’t know how to fight. I’m a gay man. We– statistics tell you what happens to gay men in prison. I didn’t know I survived this. I, I’m being honest. I mean, I can’t change that,” Santos said, later saying his only hope is prayer and a longshot pardon from President Donald Trump.

When Carlson pressed Santos on whether he was being serious, Santos insisted he is not “exaggerating” his fear, saying he’s lived a “sheltered” life that in no way prepared him for prison.

READ NEXT: The Smart Play: Fines, Pressure, And Patience In The Texas House Showdown

Democrat Senator Pushes Back On ‘Rightward Shift’ Accusations, Defends Trump Meeting

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A Democrat Senator defended his recent meeting with President Trump after his recent bipartisan efforts have sparked criticism.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said on Monday that President Trump was “kind” and “cordial” at a Mar-a-Lago meeting that sparked scrutiny

“Overall, it was a positive experience. I mean, he was kind, he was cordial. It wasn’t in any kind of theater. It wasn’t trying to get your picture taken to kind of put something out on social media. It was just, really, a conversation. We actually spoke for over an hour,” Fetterman told “The View.”

Fetterman met with Trump at his Palm Beach resort earlier this month, ahead of the inauguration, and Trump left with praise for the Pennsylvania senator. 

“He’s a commonsense person. He’s not liberal or conservative. He’s just a commonsense person, which is beautiful,” Trump said in an interview with the Washington Examiner.

Fetterman’s open-minded approach to Trump and Capitol Hill Republicans has stirred speculation about the first-term senator’s motives, including questions about whether he was preparing to change parties.

During Monday’s episode of The View, Sunny Hostin ran back a clip of former police officer Michael Fanone, who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, on MSNBC this week. Fanone name-dropped Fetterman, having publicly endorsed his run for office, as a lawmaker who “ran for the hills” and abandoned law enforcement when Trump pardoned rioters.

Hostin added that critics “on the left” have called out the senator for undergoing a “rightward shift.”

“What do you say to those who are now, in a sense, questioning your commitment to the Democratic Party?” she asked.

Fetterman began by refuting the idea he had changed and underscoring his disgust at the Jan. 6 pardons.

First, I just want to say I am so sorry for what happened to that officer. I mean, he’s had a heart attack. His life – he almost died. I mean, I have had a stroke, same thing. Absolute empathy, and just appalled for witnessing what happened on January 6th, and I absolutely would reject pardoning people that were involved in that.

As for rightward? That’s just… that just happens not to be true. I have been on record too saying I am not going to become a Republican, you know? Although maybe some people might be happy on one side, but I would make a pretty terrible Republican because, you know, pro-choice, pro-really strong immigration, pro-LGBTQ, you know, just pretty, like… I don’t think I would be a good fit.

So I’m not going to change my party, and if I am going to do, I’m going to show up. I’ll give you the exclusive. I can announce. So I can’t keep chasing down every last thing that’s online because they just happen not to be true. Just look at my votes. Look at the things… I haven’t changed in a way.

Fox News Proposes Presidential Debate

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Looking east towards 6th Avenue along north (48th Street) side of Fox News building on a snowy afternoon. [Photo Credit: Jim.henderson, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons]

Fox News has invited Donald Trump and Kamala Harris to participate in another debate before Americans cast their ballots.

Fox has offered the candidates the opportunity to debate each other in Pennsylvania on two potential dates: Thursday, Oct. 24 or Sunday, Oct. 27. Fox News anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum would moderate the proposed debate.

The network claimed in a statement addressed to the Trump and Harris campaign that the final debate would be an “opportunity for each candidate to make his or her closing arguments” before November. And they referenced a New York Times op-ed which called for Harris to debate on Fox News.

“As made clear in The New York Times on Monday: ‘Harris Should Offer to Debate Trump Again – On Fox’ — this would present an opportunity for each candidate to make his or her closing argument,” said Fox News Media president and executive editor Jay Wallace in a statement.

Wallace added, “We’re including proposed criteria and format, which mirror those of the CNN & ABC debates; as well as data on our broad audience reach. We appreciate your consideration and look forward to the opportunity to foster informed political dialogue at this pivotal moment for our nation.”

The rules proposed by Fox states that it will mute a candidate’s microphone when the time belongs to the another candidate. Moreover, Trump and Harris will not be permitted to interact with their campaign staff during commercial breaks

CNN has offered to host another debate on Oct. 23 — with the Harris campaign accepting the offer. 

Former Speaker Skewers Matt Gaetz During Podcast Interview

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

The claws came out…

It’s not a secret that former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is no fan of Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz after helping lead the charge to oust him from the Speaker’s office.

While the Florida Republican who filed a motion to vacate the chair in October 2023, which triggered a vote of the House on whether to remove McCarthy as speaker claims his actions were motivated by McCarthy’s mishandling of the office, the former Speaker discussed his own opinion on the shocking events.

McCarthy claims Gaetz wanted him to end a House Ethics Committee probe examining whether Gaetz had sexual relations with a minor.  In January, the left-leaning publication The Daily Beast reported that Gaetz privately told colleagues he was motivated by the ethics investigation.

Appearing on the PBD Podcast, McCarthy discussed the drama with host Patrick Bet-David.

The ex-speaker pointed to court filings unsealed last week in which witnesses testified that Gaetz was at a drug-fueled party that was attended by a 17-year-old.

“Everything I said has come to fruition,” McCarthy stated. “It’s unfortunate that one person would utilize something to stop what was coming after them and disrupt the entire Congress.”

“How is the relationship now?” Bet-David asked. “Because I know I saw you guys at the RNC where he walked up to you while you’re talking to somebody. ‘You wouldn’t be on the stage, you would be booed’ or something like that. Are you guys better know or–

“No!” McCarthy said. “I don’t hang around with pedophiles, I’m sorry.”

Watch:

The Department of Justice investigated Gaetz, but ultimately declined to prosecute.

GOP Senators Stand Firm Behind Stephen Miller Amid Party Tensions

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Republican senators are rallying behind senior White House aide Stephen Miller as some GOP lawmakers privately grumble that his blunt style and hardline immigration messaging could complicate the party’s midterm prospects.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) dismissed the idea that Miller is in trouble inside Trump’s inner circle, calling him a key architect of the administration’s aggressive border agenda.

“People can disagree with Stephen on rhetoric or policy,” Graham told The Hill, “but the question is, is he in jeopardy in Trump World? Absolutely not.”

Graham argued Republicans should stop hand-wringing over internal personality clashes and instead focus on going on offense against what he called the failures of the Biden years. He pointed to an upcoming Senate vote targeting sanctuary city policies, saying Miller played a central role in shaping the effort.

Miller’s defenders say he has been instrumental in delivering on the promises Trump made to voters — from tougher immigration enforcement to cracking down on fentanyl trafficking. Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), who represents a major battleground state, credited Miller with helping advance priorities that matter to working families.

Other prominent Republicans, including Senate GOP Conference Chair Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), also praised Miller’s long-standing role in border security and law enforcement policy.

Still, the controversy highlights growing tension inside the Republican conference as lawmakers head into an election cycle. Some senators, including Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), have criticized Miller’s demeanor and influence, arguing the White House should broaden its circle of advisers.

The debate comes as Washington faces a looming Homeland Security funding deadline, with Democrats threatening to block extensions unless the administration agrees to restrictions on ICE operations. Democrats have also escalated calls for investigations, impeachments, and removals of Trump officials tied to immigration enforcement — part of a broader effort to portray the administration as extreme.

Miller has also drawn attention for his unapologetic stance on Greenland and U.S. strategic power in the Arctic, which critics say risks alienating allies. Supporters counter that Trump’s tougher posture has strengthened America’s defensive position and forced long-overdue conversations about national security.

For many Trump allies, the bottom line is simple: Miller remains one of the president’s most trusted advisers — and Republicans who want to win should focus less on palace intrigue and more on policy fights Democrats are increasingly out of step on.

As Graham put it, Miller is “Karl Rove to MAGA,” and anyone betting on his downfall, he suggested, doesn’t understand how Trump’s White House works.

Marjorie Taylor Greene Attacks Republican Men As Rift With Republicans Grows

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Marjorie Taylor Greene -Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, via Wikimedia Commons

The claws are coming out…

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) lashed out at some of her critics who have taken issue with her upcoming appearances on The View and Real Time with Bill Maher.

On Thursday, View co-host Whoopi Goldberg stunned her audience when she announced that Greene would be a guest on the show on Tuesday.

“I don’t know how many things we agree on,” Goldberg said amid the ongoing government shutdown. “But I know the one thing that she and I and all of us at this table agree on is this should not be affecting the American people.”

“I look forward to joining the ladies on The View on Tuesday!” Greene tweeted.

Greene will also appear on Real Time on Friday.

On Thursday evening, the lawmaker responded to some of her critics on X, who objected to the TV hits, given that the programs’ hosts are liberals:

There are pathetic Republican men (mostly paid social media influencers) attacking me for going on Bill Maher’s show and The View.

Here is my voting card and nothing has changed about me, I’m 1,000,000% America ONLY.

Sorry I’m not sorry I don’t obey Republican men’s demands that I, as a woman, don’t remain seen but not heard.

The text was accompanied by a screenshot of her “A” voting grade by the Conservative Review.

Greene has been a vocal critic of her party’s lack of a plan to control rising healthcare costs. The current government shutdown began on Oct. 1, when the Senate failed to muster the 60 votes needed to overcome a procedural hurdle to advance a government funding bill. Democrats, who have 47 seats, are withholding the necessary seven votes until Republicans agree to extend healthcare premium subsidies for Obamacare recipients. However, the GOP has yet to budge.

On Wednesday, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called on people to ignore Republican firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) and suggested her politics are becoming increasingly liberal.

Committee Chairman Sen. Ted Cruz asks questions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Executive Assistant Commissioner for Operations Support William Ferrara during testimony in a hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Space, Subcommittee on Aviation and Space, to discuss the role of the the air transportation industry in mitigating the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Washington, D.C., March 4, 2020. CBP Photo by Glenn Fawcett

Greene’s criticism of her Republican colleagues has escalated in recent days amid the government shutdown. Speaking on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Cruz urged people not to “spend much time worrying about what Marjorie is saying.”

“What I’ve found is that whenever an elected official decides that they are going to turn on Israel and hate Israel, you will very quickly see every other policy out of their mouth become very, very liberal,” Cruz continued. “And so suddenly Marjorie is for massive government spending and taxes and open borders and amnesty.”

“OK, fine,” he said. “That is not where the American people are. Where the American people are is real simple. We’re on Day 29 of the stupidest shutdown.”

Cruz followed Sen. Bernie Moreno’s (R-Ohio) plea for Greene to stop openly attacking House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

“If this is something she‘s passionate about, put pen to paper, write a bill, present an option,” Moreno said during an appearance on CNN’s “The Source.” “Don‘t just criticize what other people are doing.”

Trump VP Contender Calls Trump ‘The George Washington Of Our Moment’

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Do you agree?

Tech entrepreneur and former Republican presidential challenger Vivek Ramaswamy called former President Donald Trump “the George Washington of our moment” and labeled the 2024 election a “1776 moment” in history

Ramaswamy, who made an unexpected appearance at the Tuesday rally in Wisconsin, urged Trump supporters to view the former president as a modern-day Founding Father.

“Dig deep and ask yourself why it is that our founding fathers made the sacrifices they did 250 years ago,” he told the crowd.

He continued: “Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. We don’t often ask what became of them. I’m going to tell you what happened to them. Twelve of them had their homes ransacked by the British and burned down to the ground. Five of them were captured by the British and tortured until their deaths. Nine of them died in the Revolutionary War. Three more of them had their own kids die in the Revolutionary War. Many of them died bankrupt because they had their own private property seized before their deaths.

Ramaswamy concluded: “They made those sacrifices in 1776, and I believe today it’s a 1776 moment in 2024, and Donald Trump is the George Washington of our moment. That is what I believe.”

In the rest of his speech the Republican predicted a shake-up in the Democratic lineup: “I’m not going to sit here railing against Joe Biden because chances are, let’s be honest, he might not be the nominee that we’re running against.”