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House Judiciary Committee Refers Former CIA Director To Justice Department For Prosecution

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On Tuesday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) referred former CIA Director John Brennan to the Justice Department for allegedly making false statements to Congress.

In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Jordan accused Brennan of lying in his 2023 Judiciary Committee testimony by denying that the CIA used the Steele dossier in prepping the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment on Russian election interference, and falsely claiming the CIA opposed including it.

Declassified documents reportedly show Brennan approved the decision to include the dossier, despite objections from senior CIA officials.

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

Jeanine Pirro Announces Additional Charges Against DC Teens Over DOGE Employee 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 “Big Balls,” and another individual in early August.

According to Pirro, the pair had already been involved in another mugging — of a victim named Ethan Levine — 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.

“Lawrence 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,” Pirro said.

Pirro didn’t mince words when calling out judges who ignored her office’s repeated requests for jail time. Instead of protecting the public, the courts released Cotton-Powell on probation, giving him multiple chances to reoffend — and, according to prosecutors, he did just that.

Watch:

This latest attack became a flashpoint for President Donald Trump’s crackdown on violent crime in America’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 — a 15-year-old girl and boy — 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)

“I think the judge should be ashamed of himself,” said Trump.

Calling the outcome “terrible,” 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.

Pardoned Capitol Rioter Charged With Threatening To Kill Hakeem Jeffries

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Authorities arrested a pardoned Capitol rioter last weekend for allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Court documents obtained by CBS News said Christopher Moynihan was arrested Sunday after saying in text messages that he planned to “eliminate” Jeffries when the top House Democrat spoke at an event in New York City on Monday. 

The House Minority Leader spoke at the Economic Club of New York on Monday. 

CBS News reports:

According to a court filing by prosecutors in the New York state criminal case, Moynihan wrote, “Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live.”

Moynihan also allegedly stated: “Even if I am hated, he must be eliminated, I will kill him for the future,” the filing said.

Moynihan faces a felony charge of making a terroristic threat, according to court filings.

Moynihan was among the large group of Capitol riot defendants pardoned by President Trump nine months ago. In a shocking move only hours after returning to the White House, President Trump granted clemency to more than 1,500 other Capitol riot defendants.

Moynihan was found guilty in August 2022 of obstructing an official proceeding, and pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor charges. He was sentenced in February 2023 to 21 months in prison.

Elvert Barnes, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Moynihan’s arrest for allegedly threatening Jeffries was made by New York State Police, according to a statement by the agency that was confirmed by a state official. The investigation was initiated by the FBI, according to state police.

A state police statement said Moynihan was arraigned in local court in Clinton, a town in New York’s Hudson Valley region. He was remanded to the Dutchess County Justice and Transition Center “in lieu of $10,000 cash bail, a $30,000 bond, or an $80,000 partially secured bond.” 

The alleged threat against Jeffries is only the latest threat in part of a rapidly growing wave of threats against legislators and political figures. In a statement last month, Capitol Police said the number of threat investigations in 2025 had already eclipsed 14,000, more than the number of cases in all of 2024.  

Santos Breaks Silence Following Trump Commutation

By U.S. House Office of Photography - https://santos.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/santos.house.gov/files/evo-media-image/rep_santos_george_official.jpg, Public Domain,

Disgraced former congressman George Santos broke his silence after President Donald Trump unexpectedly commuted his sentence for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

During an interview on Sunday, Santos said he wanted to make it clear he was not “getting away” with his crimes.

“I understand people want to make this into ‘He’s getting away with it.’ I’m not getting away with it, I was the first person to ever go to federal prison for a civil violation … I don’t want to focus on trying to rehash the past and want to take the experience and do good and move on with the future. Repentance is an understatement. I have been dealt a second chance,” Santos said.

As part of his plea deal, Santos agreed to pay nearly $600,000 in restitution and forfeiture.

Asked on CNN’s “State of the Union” if he planned to pay back donors, Santos said he would “do my best to do whatever the law requires of me.”

According to the clemency grant, a photo of which was posted on X by U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin, Trump granted Santos an “immediate commutation of his entire sentence to time served with no further fines, restitution, probation, supervised release, or other conditions.”

In an interview on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends Weekend,” Santos said, “I do not have any pendencies with the law anymore. I have no restitution. I have no probation.”

Santos, 37, was less than three months into serving a seven-year sentence in federal prison when President Trump shared the news.

In announcing the commutation on his social media platform, Trump said Santos had been “horribly mistreated” and called him a “bit of a ‘rogue,'” but “at least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!”

Santos pleaded guilty in August 2024 and admitted to claiming relatives had made contributions to his campaign when, in fact, they had not. Santos conceded he was trying to meet the fundraising threshold to qualify for financial help from the National Republican Congressional Committee.

He also stipulated that he committed other fraud, including charging donor credit cards without authorization and convincing donors to give money by falsely stating the money would be used for TV ads. He also stipulated he stole public money by applying for and receiving unemployment benefits during the pandemic to which he was not entitled.

Santos claimed Sunday that others, like former President Joe Biden, had also used their pardon power for politically charged reasons, “So pardon me if I’m not paying too much attention to the pearl-clutching of the outrage of my critics, and of the people, predominantly on the left, who are going to go out there and try to make a big deal out of something like this.”

“People are going to like me. People are going to hate me. It doesn’t matter whoever gets clemency in the future, or whoever that person might be,” he said. “I’m pretty confident if President Trump had pardoned Jesus Christ  off the cross, he would have had critics. So that’s just the reality of our country.”

Santos said he wasn’t ruling out future political plans, but said he likely wouldn’t consider it within the”next decade.”

“I’m 37 years old. I can tell you this, not that I can see in the next decade,” he said. “I am all politicked out.”

Santos said his time behind bars made him want to focus on prison reform. 

“America today has 250,000 federal inmates, approximately, and I think it would be much nicer to look at reducing that number. And if I can be a part of helping that, I would, I think that would be a great road to follow in the future,” Santos said.

Air Force One Hunting Stand Incident Prompts Increased Security Measures

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President Donald Trump signs Executive Orders, Thursday, April 17, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

President Donald Trump’s return to Palm Beach on Sunday was marked by heightened security measures after the Secret Service uncovered a potential threat near Palm Beach International Airport just days earlier. According to a White House official speaking to Fox News, President Trump boarded Air Force One quickly using the smaller set of stairs — a precaution taken “due to increased security measures.”

The enhanced protections followed the discovery of a suspected hunting stand last Friday positioned within clear sight of the Air Force One landing and boarding area — an alarming find that prompted immediate coordination between the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI, and local law enforcement.

“Prior to the President’s return to West Palm Beach, USSS discovered what appeared to be an elevated hunting stand within sight line of the Air Force One landing zone,” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital. “No individuals were located at the scene. The FBI has since taken the investigatory lead, flying in resources to collect all evidence from the scene, and deploying our cell phone analytics capabilities.”

Patel noted that the structure has not yet been linked to any individual, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi confirmed that agents acted swiftly and decisively, working “closely” with the FBI and Palm Beach County law enforcement to secure the area.

“There was no impact to any movements, and no individuals were present or involved at the location,” Guglielmi said, emphasizing that the discovery did not disrupt the President’s schedule.

“While we are not able to provide details about the specific items or their intent, this incident underscores the importance of our layered security measures,” he added.

The incident comes at a time of renewed focus on security for the President. The discovery follows the conviction of Ryan Routh, who was found guilty just weeks ago of attempting to assassinate President Trump from a sniper’s nest he set up on a Palm Beach golf course.

The parallels between the two cases — both involving elevated shooting positions and close proximity to Trump’s movements — have raised serious concerns about ongoing threats to his safety. Law enforcement officials are reportedly reviewing whether the newly found stand could be connected in any way to previous plots or individuals of interest.

Federal authorities have not disclosed whether the device or structure contained any surveillance equipment or weapons components, citing the ongoing investigation. Still, the rapid response demonstrates the robust coordination between the Secret Service and federal investigative teams tasked with protecting the former President.

Smartmatic, Executives Indicted In Alleged Foreign Bribery Scheme

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Missvain, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Federal prosecutors have indicted Smartmatic and several former executives in a case alleging foreign bribery and money laundering tied to election contracts.

The indictment, filed in the Southern District of Florida, accuses Smartmatic’s parent company, SGO Corp., of paying roughly $1 million in bribes between 2015 and 2018 to a former election official in the Philippines. The goal: to win or retain contracts for voting machines and related election services.

Bribery Scheme Allegedly Funded Through Slush Accounts

According to the Justice Department, the scheme relied on over-invoicing, shell companies, and coded financial documents to create and maintain slush funds used to pay off officials.

Prosecutors also intend to present evidence that funds from a major voting equipment contract with Los Angeles County were diverted into these same slush funds to support the bribery operation.

Three Executives Named

The executives indicted are Roger Alejandro Pinate Martinez, Jorge Miguel Vasquez, and Elie Moreno. Some have pleaded not guilty and are seeking to have the charges dismissed.

Smartmatic has publicly denied the allegations, calling them “factually and legally incorrect” and politically motivated. The company said it intends to vigorously fight the charges.

As The Wall Street Journal reports:

The case underscores the Trump administration’s willingness to enforce the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in select circumstances. President Trump in February paused enforcement of the law, saying it hurts the ability of American firms to do business in countries where gratuities or gifts are common. The Justice Department later resumed enforcement with a focus on cases that relate to U.S. strategic interests, but it closed nearly half of its pending investigations.

Smartmatic said Thursday that it had cooperated with the government’s investigation and blamed the move to file charges on “powerful interests.”

“Smartmatic will continue to stand by its people and principles,” it said. “We will not be intimidated by those pulling the strings of power.”

The company has been in court for the past several years after suing conservative news outlets and allies of Trump who said voting-machine companies rigged the 2020 election for Joe Biden. Many defendants such as Fox News continue to fight Smartmatic’s claims, while Newsmax agreed last year to pay $40 million to settle with the company, according to regulatory filings.

Corporate Indictment Raises Stakes

This latest filing marks a shift from earlier 2024 charges, which focused on individual executives but did not name the company itself. Now, SGO/Smartmatic is listed as a corporate defendant — a rare move in high-profile election technology cases.

The implications could be wide-ranging, especially for Smartmatic’s government contracts, reputation, and exposure to regulatory scrutiny.

Impact on Ongoing Defamation Lawsuits

The indictment could also influence Smartmatic’s high-profile defamation lawsuits, including its ongoing case against Fox News. Defendants may attempt to leverage the federal charges to undermine Smartmatic’s credibility or weaken its legal posture.

What Comes Next

Prosecutors will need to prove the full trail of transactions, how the funds were concealed, and that there was intent to break the law. The defense is expected to challenge the case on both factual and legal grounds — possibly including arguments about the statute of limitations and jurisdiction.

Key developments to watch include any plea deals, dismissals, or trial outcomes; whether Smartmatic loses government contracts; and how the case shapes public confidence in election infrastructure.

Trump Files Another Defamation Suit Against The New York Times

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

President Donald Trump filed a new $15 billion defamation suit against The New York Times on Thursday, following the dismissal of a similar lawsuit last month.

In the suit, Trump accuses the Times of printing false and defamatory statements about his business career that damaged his professional reputation. The suit also names multiple reporters for the Times and Penguin Random House, which published a book on Trump’s business career. 

Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

“The statements in question wrongly defame and disparage President Trump’s hard-earned professional reputation, which he painstakingly built for decades as a private citizen before becoming President of the United States, including as a successful businessman and as star of the most successful reality television show of all-time— The Apprentice,” the suit said. 

It was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Two articles published by the Times in September 2024, and the book “Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success,” are the subject of the suit. The reporters named as defendants include Susanne Craig, Russ Buettner, and Peter Baker. 

The suit listed several claims it said were defamatory, including an allegation that Trump received millions of dollars from his father through “fraudulent tax evasion schemes.” Another claim was that Trump’s father gave him “taxable gifts masquerading as loans, a likely tax fraud that went unnoticed.” 

The suit said that these kinds of statements hurt Trump’s business ventures, including his social media company, Truth Social. 

“Statements falsely casting aspersions on President Trump’s reputation as a businessman or the Trump Organization’s legitimacy therefore cause direct and easily foreseeable harm to these businesses’ value, revenue, and profitability,” the suit said. 

Last month, Trump filed a similar lawsuit targeting the Times and multiple reporters he said made defamatory statements to maliciously interfere in the outcome of the 2024 election. That suit was tossed out by Judge Steven Merryday, who said it was improper. 

Democrats In Disarray: Pennsylvania Party Turns on Fetterman Ahead of 2028

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Top Democrats in Pennsylvania are already maneuvering to challenge Sen. John Fetterman in a 2028 primary — a political civil war brewing in one of the most important battleground states in America.

Why It Matters

Fetterman was once the Democrats’ golden boy after flipping a Republican Senate seat in 2022. But now, even as voters in Pennsylvania continue to view him relatively favorably, many in his own party are turning on him for showing a softer tone toward President Donald Trump and rejecting the far-left orthodoxy of Washington Democrats.

The result: A full-blown Democratic power struggle years before the next Senate race.

The Democrats Lining Up Against Fetterman

Party insiders say several prominent Pennsylvania Democrats are preparing possible primary challenges or leaving the door open if Fetterman decides to retire:

1️⃣ Rep. Brendan Boyle — a Philadelphia liberal and loud Fetterman critic — has called him “Trump’s favorite Democrat” and accused him of visiting Trump at Mar-a-Lago to “kiss the ring.”

2️⃣ Rep. Chris Deluzio, a freshman from western Pennsylvania, is trying to craft a populist brand in the Rust Belt, holding rallies with Sen. Bernie Sanders and courting national progressive support.

3️⃣ Former Rep. Conor Lamb, who Fetterman defeated in the 2022 Democratic primary, has resurfaced with praise from left-wing figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) for repeatedly taking swipes at Fetterman.

When Axios reached out, Fetterman dismissed the story as “clickbait” and pointed to his actual voting record, showing he has sided with Trump just 6% of the time — less than Boyle, who aligned with the president nearly 14% of the time. “Actual numbers. Less clicks,” Fetterman said.

Behind the Scenes

Sources close to the senator say Fetterman has long harbored presidential ambitions, though he’s offered no clarity about whether he’ll seek reelection or run for higher office in 2028. Former aides suggest he’s grown weary of Washington’s political games and may not want to stay in the Senate.

Polls show his support slipping among Democrats — a recent Quinnipiac survey found a majority of Democratic voters in Pennsylvania disapprove of how he’s handling his job. That’s fueling speculation he might bow out or even consider switching parties (a rumor he’s repeatedly denied).

Democrats’ Infighting Spills Into Public

The feud is already turning nasty. Boyle has accused Fetterman of harming Democrats’ image by publicly criticizing the party. Deluzio shot back, saying he prefers working with the senior senator rather than “taking opportunistic shots” — a not-so-subtle dig at Boyle.

Lamb, meanwhile, stayed mum, saying he was “in the middle of a trial” but didn’t deny future political ambitions.

A Philadelphia-based strategist summed it up bluntly: “There’s a possibility of an opening in 2028, certainly, given the trajectory he’s on with Democrats.”

How GOP Could Benefit

For Republicans, the Democrats’ internal brawl is a gift. A drawn-out, bitter 2028 primary would drain resources, fracture the Democratic base, and push the party further left — all while Republicans focus on uniting around a single candidate. If Fetterman continues alienating the progressive wing and fighting off challengers, Pennsylvania Democrats could head into both the 2026 midterms and 2028 election cycle divided and demoralized.

Fetterman’s high-profile feuds also give the GOP fresh opportunities to court working-class voters in western Pennsylvania who once backed Trump — the same blue-collar bloc that helped Fetterman win in 2022 but now may be up for grabs.

The Bottom Line

Democrats’ biggest success story of 2022 has become a lightning rod within his own party. As Boyle, Deluzio, and Lamb sharpen their knives, Republicans are watching closely — and smiling — at the spectacle of Democrats turning on one of their own.

Federal Prosecutors Indict Former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton

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The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Federal prosecutors in Maryland have indicted former Trump national security adviser John Bolton for his alleged mishandling of classified documents, ABC News reports.

CNN’s Katelyn Polantz reported Tuesday that prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland met over the weekend to hammer out the details of a potential indictment. Citing unnamed sources, Polantz reported that the Maryland team had initially pushed back against DOJ leadership’s push to charge Bolton, but those objections have now “lifted,” and the team is “at work” on the case. (RELATED: DOJ Opens Criminal Investigation Into John Bolton, Docs Show)

Appearing on CNN’s The Situation Room with anchor Pamela Brown, Polantz explained that the disagreement was “about when to charge” Bolton — suggesting that some inside the DOJ were concerned about timing rather than substance. (RELATED: FBI Raids John Bolton’s Home In Classified Documents Probe)

“From what I had learned through sources,” Polantz said, “was that the dispute was over timing — whether to charge John Bolton very soon or prepare an indictment very soon to take it through the grand jury, or whether there needed to be more time since those searches of his home and office only took place a couple of weeks ago.”

In late August, FBI agents raided Bolton’s Maryland home and private office, seizing materials reportedly marked “secret,” “confidential,” and “classified,” including documents referencing weapons of mass destruction. Investigators also collected electronics and files labeled “Trump I–IV,” according to court filings.

Bolton — who has been a vocal Trump critic since leaving the administration — has firmly denied any wrongdoing.

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

Trump Warns Hamas of U.S. Military Action if Violence in Gaza Continues

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

President Trump warned Thursday that the United States will have “no choice” but to use lethal force against Hamas if the militant group does not stop its renewed violence in Gaza.

“If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The warning comes amid reports that Hamas has reasserted control in Gaza, launching a campaign of retribution following Israel’s withdrawal under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. According to Reuters, Hamas fighters have killed at least 33 people since the ceasefire began last week. One widely circulated video showed several men being dragged into a Gaza City square and executed.

On Wednesday, the U.S. military also issued a stern message to Hamas, urging the group to “immediately suspend violence and shooting at innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza.”

Residents in Gaza told Fox News Digital that Hamas fighters have returned to the streets and issued an ultimatum to suspected Israeli collaborators, giving them until Sunday to surrender and seek amnesty.

Hamas has also failed to uphold its agreement to return all deceased hostages to Israel. Families of the victims described the ongoing wait as “torturous.”

On Thursday’s episode of Fox & Friends, Orna Neutra — the mother of Israel Defense Forces Capt. Omer Neutra — said it is “devastating” to wait for her son’s remains to be returned.

“We came here on Sunday, prepared to receive him on Monday and, as the day went by and only four hostages were released, and our son wasn’t among them, it was devastating,” she said.

Omer Neutra, a fallen platoon commander, is one of two American citizens whose bodies have not yet been returned by Hamas under the first phase of the peace deal.