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GOP Rival Threatens to Stalk Trump Across the Country Until He Debates

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Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is not letting Donald Trump off so easily…

Christie, one of Trump’s fiercest Republican critics, pledged Sunday to follow the leading candidate “around the country” if the former president does not debate.

“Well, if he doesn’t do any of the debates, Howie, you know, we’re going to give him another chance,” he told Fox News’s Howard Kurtz on “Media Buzz.” “I’m sure he’s not coming to the Reagan debate. We’ll give him another chance in Alabama. But if he doesn’t come there, then I’m going to follow him around the country. Wherever he goes, I’ll go. And we’ll wind up talking to each other one way or other. And he knows that’s true.”

When pushed further on the topic, Christie confirmed he would change his schedule to follow Trump around.

Trump refused to participate in the first Republican presidential debate, citing his massive lead in the polls and his rocky relationship with Fox News and Rupert Murdoch. Trump also indicated he does not plan to participate in the next debate.

Kurtz also asked the former governor if he has been “selling” Republicans as he attacks the former president, questioning whether Christie is just telling voters what they “want to hear about Trump.”

“You know, first, you have to make sure that you distinguish yourself from the front-runner, and I’m doing that. But also, you’ve got to tell people about what you’re for and what your experience will get them a chance to do,” he said.

“The American people are tired of being lied to,” he added. “They’re tired of being lied to by Joe Biden when he said the other day that he’s reduced the deficit when, in fact, he’s going to double the deficit this year. They’re tired of being lied to by Donald Trump when he says the election in 2020 was stolen, and that’s all he wants to talk about going forward is that and the fact that he’s out on bail in four different jurisdictions.”

Trump Attacks WSJ, Fox News Over Reported Popularity Amongst Republicans

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    Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Former President Donald Trump is done playing nice…

    In a series of harsh Truth Social posts the White House hopeful released a scathing rebuke of some of Rupert Murdoch’s top American media properties.

    “In a phony and probably rigged Wall Street Journal poll, coming out of nowhere to softened the mental incompetence blow that is so obvious with Crooked Joe Biden, they ask about my age and mentality. Where did that come from?,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social website. “Now that the Globalists at Fox & the WSJ have failed to push their 3rd tier candidate to success, they do this.”

    The former president took a shot at Fox specifically, calling out the network over a multi-million dollar settlement it paid Dominion Voting Systems in April.

    “The Wall Street Journal & Fox are damaged goods after their failed DeSanctimonious push & stupid $780,000,000 ‘settlement.’ MORONS!!!” Trump said.

    In a final social media post late Sunday, Trump criticized Fox’s coverage of his popularity within the GOP and with American voters more generally.

    “The Wall Street Journal and FoxNews keep pushing the narrative, through Trey Gowdy and others, that ‘BOTH’ Crooked Joe Biden and 45th President Donald J. Trump are unpopular within their own Party,” he said. “This happens to be true for Crooked Joe, where they won’t even let RFK Jr. have his votes fairly counted (more RIGGING, and STEALING Elections!), but VERY untrue for ‘TRUMP,’ where I have a 90% Approval Rating, and am crushing the ‘second tier’ candidates by 50, 60, and even 70 Points. THAT’S POPULAR!”

    The current front-runner for the Republican nomination for president, skipped the first GOP debate last month, partly due to what he says is a “hostile” relationship with Fox and Murdoch.

    Trump has said he does not plan to attend the Sept. 27 debate.

    Court Rules in Favor of Controversial Texas Border Barrier

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    Gavel via Wikimedia Commons Image

    The Fifth Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Texas’ floating border barrier on Thursday, dealing a blow to the Biden administration and pro-immigration groups.

    Senior U.S. District Court Judge David Ezra originally ordered Texas officials to remove the floating barriers from the river that Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) had installed before the Appeals Court granted a motion from Texas.

    Abbott’s legal team said on Thursday that “buoys have nearly eliminated illegal crossings of people and drugs where they’ve been placed.”

    The Daily Wire has more:

    Ezra’s order followed the Department of Justice suing Texas over the barrier, citing environmental and humanitarian concerns. Ezra, a Reagan appointee, said Texas’ actions had violated the Rivers and Harbors Act (RHA) of 1899. 

    “The Court finds that the barrier’s threat to human life, its impairment to free and safe navigation, and its contraindication to the balance of priorities Congress struck in the RHA outweigh Texas’s interest in implementing its buoy barrier in the Rio Grande River,” the judge wrote. “The harm to navigation is clearly evident from the evidence presented, while the State of Texas did not present any credible evidence that the buoy barrier as installed has significantly curtailed illegal immigration across the Rio Grande River.”

    Abbott argued that Ezra’s ruling was wrong and vowed that Texas would challenge it. 

    “This ruling is incorrect and will be overturned on appeal,” Abbott said in a statement. “We will continue to utilize every strategy to secure the border, including deploying Texas National Guard soldiers and Department of Public Safety troopers and installing strategic barriers.”

    Is ‘The Fix In’ Again? What’s Up With Hunter Biden’s Legal Case?

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    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)

    ANALYSIS – Federal prosecutors are seeking a grand jury indictment of Joe Biden’s son, Hunter. And while the investigation is a fresh setback to his father’s 2024 re-election bid, some believe ‘the fix could still be in.’

    It is unclear what charges the U.S. Attorney for Delaware David Weiss plans to file against Hunter. 

    But, according to court papers, the newly named ‘special counsel’ said he expects an indictment before September 29, which is just before the statute of limitations runs out on Hunter’s felony gun charge.

    Of course, the time has almost run out because Weiss took years to complete the hyper simple investigation — and is still stalling.

    And Weiss didn’t have to announce the grand jury indictment is coming. He could have just done it instead.

    The court filing is related to a felony gun charge alleging that Hunter Biden illegally possessed a firearm in October 2018 while he was a drug user. He is also under federal investigation for his business dealings and failing to pay taxes on tens of millions of dollars earned mostly from shady foreign sources in 2017 and 2018.

    In June, Hunter Biden agreed to a sweetheart plea deal where he would plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offences, and separately get a ‘diversion’ program for the gun charge. The plea agreement fell apart after U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, appointed by President Donald Trump, correctly questioned it during a court appearance in July.

    It turned out Hunter Biden believed the deal would give him blanket immunity from any future prosecution. Federal prosecutors were forced to admit that wasn’t really the case. 

    Weiss didn’t have the authority to give global blanket immunity then. But as ‘special counsel’ appointed by Joe Biden, Weiss does now.

    Due to foot dragging and failures to cooperate by the FBI and other federal agencies, congressional Republicans are considering launching an impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden, alleging that he had played a role in his son’s shady foreign business affairs and influence peddling scheme.

    The inquiry would give the Congress full authority to force the reluctant, partisan bureaucrats to pony up all records requested.

    In July, the House of Representatives oversight committee said bank records showed Joe Biden’s family and associates received $20 million from oligarchs in Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine during his vice presidency from 2009-2017.

    “If you look at all the information we have been able to gather so far, it is a natural step forward that you would have to go to an impeachment inquiry,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy recently said on Fox News.

    That’s why the actions of Weiss are concerning. Many legal experts, and Republican opponents, see Weiss using the gun charge as leverage to get Hunter to renegotiate another, similarly weak, plea deal.

    As the New York Post reported:

    David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor, told The Post that an indictment on that gun charge is “not that significant” and could be merely “a placeholder” — meaning Weiss could still potentially bring a case against Biden related to any potential illegal foreign dealings or felony tax charges.

    “It’s holding in place the ability to use his leverage — a felony gun charge — in negotiations with Hunter Biden to resolve his global criminal exposure,” Weinstein said.

    Cornell Law Professor Robert Hockett told The Post he agreed that an indictment on the gun charge could be used to bring about a larger settlement to shut all this down.

    Weinstein added that he doesn’t believe Weiss “is going to end up playing hardball” in potential negotiations with Hunter’s legal team.

    But Hockett said that Weiss would be cautious to avoid the appearance of going easy on the president’s son, especially given the barrage of criticism Weiss received on the prior plea deal.

    Still, the GOP-led Congress should move ahead forcefully on an impeachment inquiry. It may be the only way to finally get to the truth about the Bidens’ shady deals.

    Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of Great America News Desk.

    Biden Under Pressure to Fire Energy Secretary After Alleged Ethics Violations

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    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm should be removed from her position amid a “litany” of alleged ethics violations, a group of conservative leaders report.

    More than a dozen conservative leaders, including Media Research Center President Brent Bozell, sent a letter to President Joe Biden requesting Granholm’s resignation “based on a series of violations of federal ethics laws and regulations,” the MRC reports.

    “In light of the repeated ethical lapses, as well as the apparent tolerance of a lax culture of ethical compliance at the Department of Energy, it is crucial for ensuring the trust of the American people that Secretary Granholm be immediately relieved of her duties,” the letter to Biden states.

    The letter lists a “litany of abuses of public trust,” including:

    Failure to accurately report financial holdings

    Participating personally and substantially in matters directly benefiting a company in which she had a financial interest

    Inappropriately using her official position to promote products for multiple companies in which she had a financial interest or covered relationship

    Abusing her position of authority and misusing government resources to advance partisan activities in violation of the Hatch Act

    Signaling to career civil servants and senior political leadership under her command that policy objectives take priority over basic compliance with ethics and legal obligations.

    The letter also accuses Granholm of using her office to boost the value of her stock in Ford Motor Company.

    “The recent revelations about Secretary Granholm’s continued financial ownership of Ford stock while acting to enrich – and at times even publicly endorse – the company is egregious,” the letter read. “However, it is simply the latest incident evidencing recklessness at best and intentional disregard for the law at worst.”

    The leaders also demand Granholm’s resignation for engaging in prohibited partisan political activity noting the Office of the Special Counsel found Granholm violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits government employees from using their positions to engage in some forms of political activity, in an October 2021 interview.

    “Taken together, these episodes cast serious doubt on the Secretary’s fitness to hold a cabinet seat,” the letter reads.

    “You often speak of maintaining the highest standards for your administration’s appointees. It is past time that you demonstrate that this promise holds some meaning,” the letter concludes.

    Granholm would not the first Biden administration Energy Department official to resign in disgrace.

    Former Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Kelly Speakes-Backman amid allegations she used her office to benefit a former employer.

    Senior DOE official Samuel Brinton was also fired and later arrested for stealing womens’ luggage from airports.

    Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of Great America News Desk.

    Investigators Swoop in on Documents that Could Show Joe Biden was in on Influence Peddling Scheme

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    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    Congressional investigators may soon have, and could reveal to the public, hidden government documents showing how then-Vice President Joe Biden used his office and taxpayer funds to boost his family’s alleged influence-peddling business.

    U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-KY) is demanding the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) turn over records regarding how Biden’s activities as Vice President coincided with his middle-aged son Hunter’s activities in Ukraine. 

    “Comer is requesting all unredacted documents and communications in which then-Vice President Joe Biden used a pseudonym; Hunter Biden, Eric Schwerin, or Devon Archer is copied; and all drafts of then-Vice President Biden’s speech delivered to the Ukrainian Rada in December 2015,” a statement from the Committee announced.

    “Joe Biden has stated there was ‘an absolute wall’ between his family’s foreign business schemes and his duties as Vice President, but evidence reveals that access was wide open for his family’s influence peddling,” said Comer.

    “We already have evidence of then-Vice President Biden speaking, dining, and having coffee with his son’s foreign business associates. We also know that Hunter Biden and his associates were informed of then-Vice President Biden’s official government duties in countries where they had a financial interest,” Comer added.

    “The National Archives must provide these unredacted records to further our investigation into the Biden family’s corruption,” Comer demanded.

    “In August 2019, then-presidential candidate Joe Biden stated that when he was Vice President there was ‘an absolute wall between the personal and private, and the government’ and ‘that is why I have never talked with my son or my brother, or anyone else in the distant family about their business interests, period,’” the Committee noted.

    But evidence, documents and eyewitnesses report otherwise.

    “Witness testimony reveals then-President Biden spoke on speakerphone with his son’s foreign business associates over 20 times, dined with corrupt foreign oligarchs in Washington, D.C., and met with his son’s Chinese business associate for coffee in Beijing. Emails in NARA’s custody also reveal how Hunter Biden and his associates were copied on official government email,” the Committee revealed.

    Below is the full text of the letter:

    The Honorable Colleen Shogan

    Archivist of the United States

    National Archives and Records Administration

    700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

    Washington, D.C. 20408

    Dear Dr. Shogan:

    The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating President Biden’s meetings and communications with certain family members and their business associates during his tenure as Vice President. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has published the Biden Vice Presidential Records Collection, which contains information relevant to the Committee’s work. Many of these records have been redacted for publication pursuant to the Presidential Records Act (PRA) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). To further our investigation, it is essential that the Committee review these documents in their original format.

    The Committee seeks unrestricted special access under the PRA to Case Number 2023-0022-F, entitled “Email Messages To and/or From Vice President Biden and Hunter Biden related to Burisma and Ukraine,” which has been published on NARA’s website. These records have been redacted for public release pursuant to the PRA and FOIA. For example, an email bearing the subject “Friday Schedule Card,” is withheld in part under a “P6” and “b(6)” restrictions, denoting personal information regarding the subject under the PRA and FOIA respectively.  Attached to this email, and made available on the NARA website, is a document that indicates on 9:00 a.m. on May 27, 2016, Vice President Biden took a call with the president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko. It is concerning to the Committee, however, that this document was sent to “Robert L. Peters”—a pseudonym the Committee has identified as then Vice-President Biden. Additionally, the Committee questions why the then-Vice President’s son, Hunter Biden—and only Hunter Biden—was copied on this email to then-Vice President Biden.

    To further our investigation, the Committee needs to review these documents in their original format. The Committee also requests access to certain other documents and information described below. Please provide these documents no later than August 31, 2023:

    Complete, unredacted versions of all documents from Case Number 2023-0022-F; 

    Any document or communication in which a pseudonym for Vice President Joe Biden was included either as a sender, recipient, copied or was included in the contents of the document or communication, including but not limited to Robert Peters, Robin Ware, and JRB Ware;

    Any document or communication in which Hunter Biden, Eric Schwerin, or Devon Archer was included either as a sender, recipient, copied, or was included in the contents of the document or communication; and

    All drafts from November 1, 2015 to December 9, 2015 of then-Vice President Biden’s speech delivered to the Ukrainian Rada on December 9, 2015.

    Special access to presidential records may be granted “to…Congress” and “to the extent of matter within its jurisdiction, to any committee… if such records contain information that is needed for the conduct of its business and that is not otherwise available….” Furthermore, the PRA subjects Vice-Presidential records to its provisions “in the same manner as Presidential records.”

    The Committee’s need for these Vice-Presidential records is specific and well-documented. The Committee seeks to craft legislative solutions aimed at deficiencies it has identified in the current legal framework regarding ethics laws and disclosure of financial interests related to the immediate family members of Vice Presidents and Presidents—deficiencies that may place American national security and interests at risk. The Committee is concerned that foreign nationals have sought access and influence by engaging in lucrative business relationships with high-profile political figures’ immediate family members, including members of the Biden family. For additional information regarding the Committee’s legislative purpose regarding its investigation of the Biden family’s international business, the Committee would direct you to three bank records memoranda it has released this year.

    The Committee on Oversight and Accountability has specific jurisdiction over NARA under House Rule X. Additionally, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X. 

    To schedule the delivery of responsive documents or if you have questions regarding this request, please contact Committee on Oversight and Accountability staff at (202) 225-5074. Thank you for your prompt attention to this important investigation.

    Sincerely,

    James Comer

    Chairman

    Committee on Oversight and Accountability

    Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of Great America News Desk.

    Georgia Judge Releases Grand Jury Report on 2020 Georgia Election Interference

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    Gage Skidmore Flickr

    On Friday, a Georgia judge released the report from the special grand jury who investigated former President Donald Trump’s actions after the 2020 election.

    The report, which included charging recommendations for 3 US senators, led to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s recent indictment on racketeering charges. 

    Included among the list of recommended indictments were two former senators from Georgia who ran for reelection in 2020, former Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, as well as Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), and Georgia Lt. Gov Burt Jones.

    Willis eventually indicted Trump and 18 co-defendants in the case.

    Trump was charged with one count of violation of the Georgia RICO Act, three counts of criminal solicitation, six counts of criminal conspiracy, one count of filing false documents and two counts of making false statements.

    Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges.

    Read the report below:

    Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ordered the partial release of the special grand jury’s report in February but, at the time, did not release its recommendations on who should or should not be prosecuted. The partial report indicated a majority of the grand jury believed one or more witnesses may have committed perjury in their testimony and recommended that prosecutors pursue indictments against them.

    Governor Kristi Noem Of South Dakota Set To Endorse Trump Friday

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    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Kristi Noem is set to make waves in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries.

    According to inside sources, the popular governor of South Dakota is expected to endorse former President Donald Trump at a rally in Rapid City on Friday.

    The decision comes amid reports that Trump is considering Noem as his running mate.

    As CNN reports:

    Once a potential 2024 candidate herself, Noem initially inched away from Trump after last fall’s midterm elections and the launch of his latest campaign. She told The New York Times at the time that she didn’t believe the former president offered “the best chance” for the Republican Party in 2024.

    However, the South Dakota governor has since changed her tune, opting out of a White House bid and offering support for Trump. But Noem is still angling to be in the 2024 discussion. She’s remained in contact and on good terms with the former president, according to sources familiar with their interactions. Ads touting her state’s low taxes and job openings aired during last month’s first Republican presidential debate and since then on Fox News. She also attended that debate, bringing donors as guests.

    Noem has another connection: Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s former campaign manager and confidant, has advised her since 2020. Lewandowski’s on-again-off-again relationship with the former president has leveled, according to sources, and he now regularly speaks to Trump.

    “The fact is, none of them can win as long as Trump’s in the race. And that’s just the facts. So why run if you can’t win,” Noem, who has been in touch with Trump and his team, said of the former president’s primary rivals in an interview on Fox News’s “Fox and Friends.”

    Noem has generally demurred when asked about her interest in the vice presidency. Still, she told Fox News’ Sean Hannity, “Of course [I] would consider it” if Trump offered.

    This article first appeared in American Liberty News. Republished with permission.

    New Poll Exposes Democrats’ True Thoughts About Biden

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    Joe Biden via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    There’s a wealth of new polling data on the Democratic presidential nomination contest, with polls from The Wall Street Journal and Associated Press both finding that even Democratic voters are concerned that President Joe Biden is too old to run.

    The AP/NORC poll of adults (not registered voters) found that 77 percent of respondents believed Biden was too old to serve another term.

    And for the hardened Team Blue partisans who shout “ageism!” at such findings…69 percent of self-identified Democrats said Biden’s age is a big issue (among Republicans, it was a whopping 89 percent – which shouldn’t come as a surprise).

    But this must be a fluke, an outlier, and a one-off. Surely, the age issue can’t be that big a deal for Mr. Biden. Except The Wall Street Journal poll confirmed it is.

    The Journal asked a split question – one if voters think Biden’s mental fitness is sufficient for the job, the other specifically on whether he is “too old.”

    On the mental ability, 60 percent questioned Biden’s mental ability. On age, a total of 73 percent said he is “too old.”

    What are the comparable numbers for former President Donald Trump?

    A 49-46 split says Trump isn’t mentally up for the job. On age, another spilt, with 47 percent saying he’s too old and 45 saying he isn’t.

    As always with polls, the numbers are snapshots in time and subject to change.

    What these data points do, though, is reinforce narratives that have long been whispered in Democratic circles: Biden’s time has passed, and he would be wise to bow out and allow someone else to take the fight to what looks like Donald Trump in 2024.

    But such whispers against an incumbent are very hard to translate into hard reality. What could bring them a tad bit closer to the fore are the other items in the Journal poll, particularly the sense that most people think the economy has hit a rough patch, and they are feeling the effects:

    …58% of voters say the economy has gotten worse over the past two years, whereas only 28% say it has gotten better, and nearly three in four say inflation is headed in the wrong direction. Those views were echoed in the survey by large majorities of independents, a group that helped deliver Biden’s victory over Trump in the 2020 presidential race. Voters were almost evenly split on the direction of the job market.

    It’s not a wipeout for Biden, but the data are hardly comforting to an incumbent who has staked his presidency on a massive reworking of the economy, with government intervention and support leading the way. Team Blue partisans will say it’s early, these things take time, etc., etc. And they aren’t entirely wrong.

    But there’s also the iron law of politics to contend with: if you’re explaining, you’re losing. And until the data show voters are feeling better about their own particular economic situation, then Mr. Biden will need more than a slogan – “Bidenomics” – and promises of widespread prosperity to save his own political future.

    The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Great America News Desk. It first appeared in American Liberty News. Republished with permission.

    Gun Safe Manufacturer Cooperates With FBI, Promised ‘Bud Light Treatment’

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    FBI Headquarters Washington DC [Photo Credit: I, Aude, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons]

    America’s leading manufacturer of firearms safes has been promised the “Bud Light Treatment” by social media users after the company posted to X – formerly Twitter- admitting that it allowed federal authorities to access a customer’s safe.

    Payson, Utah-based gun safe manufacturer Liberty Safe issued a statement Tuesday evening noting that despite their actions, they were “committed to preserving customers’ rights, and remain unwavering in those values.”

    Per Newsweek, the “safe belongs to Nathan Hughes, 34, of Arkansas, who has been charged with felony civil disorder and several misdemeanors in the January 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol. The company added that it was unaware of any details surrounding the case and that it has repeatedly denied requests for access codes when a warrant wasn’t present.”

    Hughes appears to be friends with the Hodge Twins, a duo of conservative personalities who have a show on the network of conservative commentator Steven Crowder. The Hodge Twins shared a video earlier this week of the FBI raid on Hughes’ house.

    Political commentator Justin Hart called the raid by the FBI “overkill”, and encouraged X users to review the FBI complaint filed against Hughes late last month and draw their own conclusions.

    Amid an onslaught of social media backlash, Liberty Safe also turned off comments on the post which acknowledged their actions in complying with federal law enforcement.

    Still, that didn’t keep X users from memeing the company using the likes of Bud Light and Dylan Mulvaney.

    Other firearm safe manufacturers have also chimed in on the controversy, even though they have shied away from mentioning their competitors by name. Syracuse, New York-based manufacturer SecureIt Gun Storage noted in a release issued Wednesday afternoon that their safes are “not built with any override system.”

    This is a developing news story. Refresh the page for the latest updates. Republished with permission from American Liberty News.