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    Pardoned Ex-Proud Boys Leader Announces Run for Office

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    Tyler Merbler, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio revealed on Wednesday that he would run for office after receiving a pardon from President Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

    “It’s been a great two weeks, Greg,” he told Newsmax host Greg Kelly. “Two weeks ago I was in prison and just last night I was in Mar-a-Lago at the president’s house.”

    “That is so amazing,” replied Kelly. “From prison to Mar-a-Lago, the most exclusive house in the world, possibly more exclusive than the White House.”

    After the Newsmax host asked Tarrio what his next steps would be, he announced his intention to run for office.

    “Last time I was on, I told you that I was gonna take some time, and I was going to really think about what I was going to do,” said Tarrio. “And I think my future is in politics. I think I’m gonna take a serious look at running for office at some point in 2026 or 2028, and I believe that there is a path for that because it is my passion.”

    He continued, “I wanted to take some time to really think about it and I think I’ve made up my mind. I think that I’m going to go ahead and push, and again, there’s a lot of things that need to be aligned for that to happen, so I am gonna take my time with picking what office specifically, what district. Is it gonna be local? Is it gonna be at a federal level? I don’t know, but I will tell you that I have made a decision.”

    Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years in prison in September 2023 after being convicted of seditious conspiracy for his role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots, even though he was not present at the Capitol that day.

    Tarrio’s sentence was cut short last month after President Donald Trump signed pardons for defendants linked to the Capitol riot.

    Billionaire Threatens To Primary Lawmakers Who Vote Against RFK Jr. Confirmation

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    The fight is on…

    Billionaire Nicole Shanahan, who was the running mate of independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., threatened to primary senators who vote against his nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

    With Kennedy’s confirmation hearing set to begin on Wednesday morning, Shanahan wrote on X on Tuesday, where she posted a video warning senators not to oppose his nomination.

    “He is more than qualified,” Shanahan said. “He’s proven, principled, and prepared to lead. I’ll list I’ll share a list below of key senators. If they represent your state, they need to hear from you. If they don’t, please call your own senator and ask them to vote yes.”

    She then addressed several senators whose votes she said she would monitor.

    “The two candidates I helped elect, Senator Raphael Warnock and Senator Jon Ossoff, please know I will be watching your votes very closely,” Shanahan added. “I will make it my personal mission that you lose your seats in the Senate if you vote against the future health of America’s children.”

    Shanahan listed more senators, including “Lisa Markovsky” a clear nod to Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski also voted “no” on Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon.

    “And more than that, I also want to say to Senators Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Lisa Markovsky, Susan Collins, Bill Cassidy, Thom Tillis, James Lankford, Cory Booker, John Fetterman, Bernie Sanders, and Catherine Cortez Masto,” she said. “This is a bipartisan message and it comes directly from me. While Bobby may be willing to play nice. I won’t. If you vote against him, I will personally fund challengers to primary you in your next election, and I will enlist hundreds of thousands to join me.”

    Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has reservations and made it clear she’s hesitant about supporting RFK Jr. for the role/

    “Well I’m certainly concerned about it. I know others have other, other points of concerns that they want to drill down on and try to get some commitments, public commitments, from him on,” the senator said. “But vaccines are important.”

    Police Arrest Would-Be Assassin Targeting Trump Cabinet Officials

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    Arrest image via Pixabay

    Capitol police have arrested a Massachusetts man who allegedly traveled to Washington, D.C. armed with Molotov cocktails and a knife to kill newly-confirmed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

    Ryan Michael “Reily” English, who turned himself in to U.S. Capitol Police at 3:12 p.m. ET Monday, said he traveled to Washington, D.C., initially planning to kill Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., a police affidavit revealed.

    By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America – Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0

    But English shifted his target to Bessent after stopping at a library in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and reading that the Senate was voting Monday on his nomination as President Donald Trump’s Treasury chief, the document said.

    CNBC reported English contemplated throwing the Molotov cocktails at Bessent’s feet, according to the affidavit, which was filed in Washington, D.C., federal court. And if he were able to get close enough, English said, he would have stabbed Bessent with a knife.

    Bessent’s nomination was confirmed about three hours after English’s arrest. President Trump’s Cabinet nominee received bipartisan backing and was confirmed Tuesday with a 77-22 vote.

    English has been charged with unlawful receipt, possession or transfer of a firearm, as well as carrying a firearm, explosive or incendiary device on Capitol grounds.

    The affidavit said English approached an officer at the south door of the Capitol and said, “I’d like to turn myself in.” English told the officer that he was carrying weapons, including two Molotov cocktails.

    Two officers detained and searched English, finding two devices constructed of 50-milliliter vodka bottles with gray cloth affixed to their tops. They also found a folding knife and a lighter, according to the court documents.

    He said he was at the Capitol to “kill Scott Bessent,” the affidavit said.

    Police said they searched the vehicle and found a 750-milliliter bottle of 100-proof vodka and a gray sweatshirt with cloth cut off the sleeves.

    Ted Eytan from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    Before transporting English into custody, police said they found a receipt in his pocket with a note written on the back of a receipt:

    “Judith dear god I am so sorry. You must understand I can feel myself dying slowly b/c of my heart. This is terrible but I cant do nothing while nazis kill my sisters,” the note read, according to the affidavit.

    “I love you. This is awful. Im so sorry. I love u. Please stay alive and heal. you can. you are strong enough. [F—] them for pushing us so far. you dont deserve this. Im so sorry for lying and plotting and lying. Please survive [7 hearts],” it read.

    In addition to his initial intention of killing Hegseth or Johnson, English told police he considered burning down the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

    English said that he surveilled the Capitol grounds and figured he would have to kill at least three police officers in order to get to Bessent. English “expressed acceptance and content with the possibility of suicide by cop,” the affidavit said.

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

    Democrat Senator Announces He Won’t Seek Re-election

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2

    Michigan Democrat Sen. Gary Peters announced he will not seek re-election when his term ends in Jan. 2027.

    Peters, a two-term senator and former congressman, told the Detroit News that he will start a “new chapter,” spending more time with family after nearly two decades of public service. 

    “I always thought there would be a time that I would step aside and pass the reins for the next generation. I also never saw service in Congress as something you do your whole life,” Peters told the outlet. 

    “And that goes back to 2008 when I first won that House seat. I thought it would be for a matter of a few terms that I would serve, and then I would go back to private life.” 

    His decision to retire leaves open a senate seat in a state President Donald Trump won in 2024.

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

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

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    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.

    Trump Reveals Biden Left ‘Inspirational Letter’ For Him In Resolute Desk

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    By Dan Scavino - https://twitter.com/Scavino45/status/924068892984725504, Public Domain

    President Donald Trump described the letter former President Biden left him inside the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as “inspirational” and teased reporters that he may release the “very nice” note at some point.

    Trump was asked about the letter, which he found inside the Resolute Desk on Monday with a little help from Fox News Senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy, during a press conference announcing a $500 billion investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure.

    “It was a very nice letter,” Trump told reporters. “It was a little bit of an inspirational-type letter. Enjoy it, do a good job. Important, very important. How important the job is.”

    The president added that he appreciated the letter so much that he may release it to the public.

    “It was a positive, for him, in writing it,” Trump continued. “I appreciated the letter.”

    Trump found the letter – addressed to “47″ – after Doocy asked if President Biden left him a letter while he was signing a flurry of executive orders in the Oval Office on Monday in front of a gaggle of reporters.

    “He may have. Don’t they leave it in the desk? I don’t know,” Trump told Doocy before discovering the white envelope. “Thank you, Peter. It could have been years before we found this thing.”

    “As I take leave of this sacred office I wish you and your family all the best in the next four years. The American people – and people around the world – look to this house for steadiness in the inevitable storms of history, and my prayer is that in the coming years will be a time of prosperity, peace, and grace for our nation.

    “May God bless you and guide you as He has blessed and guided our beloved country since our founding.”

    The letter was signed “Joe Biden” and dated Jan. 20, 2025.

    The presidential tradition of leaving a letter to their successor began in 1989 when President Ronald Reagan left the White House after two terms in office, with former President George H. W. Bush taking over.

    Bush continued the tradition despite losing the White House to former President Bill Clinton after just one term in office. The tradition has carried on to this day through Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Trump and Biden.

    Biden has said Trump left him a “very generous letter,” but has so far declined to share the content of what Trump wrote, deeming it private.

    Trump Releases America First Priorities After Being Sworn In

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Shortly after officially being sworn in as 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump issued a number of priorities he plans to enact.

    Also, while delivering remarks after being sworn in the President announced plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.”

    MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN

    • President Trump will take bold action to secure our border and protect American communities. This includes ending Biden’s catch-and-release policies, reinstating Remain in Mexico, building the wall, ending asylum for illegal border crossers, cracking down on criminal sanctuaries, and enhancing vetting and screening of aliens.
    • President Trump’s deportation operation will address the record border crossings of criminal aliens under the prior administration.
    • The President is suspending refugee resettlement, after communities were forced to house large and unsustainable populations of migrants, straining community safety and resources.
    • The Armed Forces, including the National Guard, will engage in border security, which is national security, and will be deployed to the border to assist existing law enforcement personnel.
    • President Trump will begin the process of designating cartels, including the dangerous Tren de Aragua, as foreign terrorist organizations and use the Alien Enemies Act to remove them.
    • The Department of Justice will seek the death penalty as the appropriate punishment for heinous crimes against humanity, including those who kill law enforcement officers and illegal migrants who maim and murder Americans.
       

    MAKE AMERICA AFFORDABLE AND ENERGY DOMINANT AGAIN

    • The President will unleash American energy by ending Biden’s policies of climate extremism, streamlining permitting, and reviewing for rescission all regulations that impose undue burdens on energy production and use, including mining and processing of non-fuel minerals.
    • President Trump’s energy actions empower consumer choice in vehicles, showerheads, toilets, washing machines, lightbulbs and dishwashers.
    • President Trump will declare an energy emergency and use all necessary resources to build critical infrastructure.
    • President Trump’s energy policies will end leasing to massive wind farms that degrade our natural landscapes and fail to serve American energy consumers.
    • President Trump will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord.
    • All agencies will take emergency measures to reduce the cost of living.
    • President Trump will announce the America First Trade Policy.
    • America will no longer be beholden to foreign organizations for our national tax policy, which punishes American businesses.


    DRAIN THE SWAMP

    • The President will usher a Golden Age for America by reforming and improving the government bureaucracy to work for the American people. He will freeze bureaucrat hiring except in essential areas to end the onslaught of useless and overpaid DEI activists buried into the federal workforce. He will pause burdensome and radical regulations not yet in effect that Biden announced.
    • President Trump is announcing an unprecedented slate of executive orders for rescission.
    • President Trump is planning for improved accountability of government bureaucrats. The American people deserve the highest-quality service from people who love our country. The President will also return federal workers to work, as only 6% of employees currently work in person.
    • President Trump is taking swift action to end the weaponization of government against political rivals and ordering all document retention as required by law. President Trump is also ending the unconstitutional censorship by the federal government. No longer will government employees pick and require the erasure of entirely true speech.
    • On the President’s direction, the State Department will have an America-First foreign policy.


    BRING BACK AMERICAN VALUES

    • The President will establish male and female as biological reality and protect women from radical gender ideology.
    • American landmarks will be named to appropriately honor our Nation’s history.

    Ohio Governor Reveals Choice To Fill Vance’s Senate Seat

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2

    Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will announce on Friday Lt. Governor Jon Husted as his pick to fill the Senate vacancy left by Vice President-elect JD Vance ahead of his inauguration on Monday, according to Fox News.

    The announcement will be made at approximately 1 p.m. 

    Vance gave the Senate notice of his forthcoming resignation on Jan. 9, which became official on the following day. He officially resigned 10 days prior to his and President-elect Trump’s swearing in. 

    “To the people of Ohio, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the privilege of representing you in the United States Senate. When I was elected to this office, I promised to never forget where I came from, and I’ve made sure to live by that promise every single day,” Vance said in a statement. 

    After Vance’s resignation, new Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) said in his own statement, “Ohio couldn’t be prouder of JD Vance! He has served our country with great honor, first in the Marines, then in the US Senate, and now as our 50th Vice President! I’m extremely thankful to JD for his early and unwavering support. A truly amazing journey for an outstanding guy!”

    Once the new senator is sworn in, Republicans will officially have a 53-vote majority.

    Report: Nancy Pelosi Not Attending Trump Inauguration

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    4
    Gage Skidmore Flickr

    A significant snub…

    Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will not be attending President-elect Trump’s inauguration on Monday, her spokesperson confirmed to The Hill.

    Pelosi’s spokesperson did not share a reason for the former Democrat leader skipping the Monday event. The former Speaker attended Trump’s first inauguration in 2017.

    Senior leaders of both parties typically attend presidential inaugurations, though Trump skipped President Biden’s inaugural event in 2021.

    Former first lady Michelle Obama also won’t be attending Trump’s second inauguration, though former President Obama will attend

    News of Pelosi not attending was first reported by ABC News.

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

    CNN Commentator Reports Every Single Trump Nominee May Get Confirmed

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2

    CNN’s Manju Raju predicted President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees will cruise through the confirmation process.

    Raju’s colleague Jim Acosta kicked off a segment on Monday morning by noting that “13 of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks will be on Capitol Hill this week for their confirmation hearings before the Senate,” including Secretary of Defense-designate Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio.

    “Manu, are any of these picks in jeopardy? What do you think?” asked Acosta.

    “Right now, it appears that a lot of them — if not all of them — will be confirmed. But there are still questions about how they will perform at this, these critical sometimes make-or-break moments during these confirmation hearings,” answered Raju. “Do they stumble? Do they offer any ammunition to one side or the other?”

    He continued:

    But for the moment, the Republicans are in line. And that’s really all that these nominees need in order to be confirmed. Remember, in order to get confirmed by the United States Senate, you need to have a simple majority of support. That means for the Republican-led Senate, which is 53-47, they can afford to lose three Republican senators on any party line vote. At the moment, we’re not hearing any opposition from Republican senators, many of them keeping their cards close to the vest. But there are several ones that we’re watching very closely this week.

    One of them, Pete Hegseth, coming before the Senate Armed Services Committee tomorrow. He has had a number of controversies emerge, including allegations of sexual assault back in 2017, allegations of excessive drinking on the job, and mismanagement of a veterans organization that he headed up. He has denied all of that. How does he perform when he is asked about that at the hearings?

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