Author name: Don Palladino

J6 Pipe Bomber Suspect Brian Cole Details Emerge, Raise Massive Cover-Up Questions
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J6 Pipe Bomber Suspect Brian Cole Details Emerge, Raise Massive Cover-Up Questions

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The suspect accused of planting two pipe bombs near the U.S. Capitol on January 5, 2021, has been identified as Brian Cole Jr. of Woodbridge, Virginia, according to two sources briefed on the arrest.

Cole, 30, is in FBI custody following nearly five years of investigation and is charged with use of an explosive device, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday.

The FBI took Cole into custody in northern Virginia.

He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Friday in Washington, D.C. Authorities have not released additional details, but a federal law enforcement source told Fox that agents are carrying out “court-enforced activity” at Cole’s residence.

A criminal complaint filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Washington describes Cole as 5 feet 6 inches tall and wearing corrective eyeglasses.

He resides in a single-family home with his mother and other relatives and works in the office of a bail bondsman in northern Virginia.


The complaint does not identify which bail bondsman employs him.

Cole’s step-grandfather, Earl Donnette, told NBC News in a phone call that he spoke with the FBI about his step-grandson but declined to comment further.

Bondi said the investigation into the attempted bombing “languished” for four years under Joe Biden’s administration.

“The FBI, along with U.S. Attorney Piro and all of our prosecutors, have worked tirelessly for months, sifting through evidence that had been sitting at the FBI with the Biden administration for four long years. Let me be clear there was no new tip. There was no new witness. Just good, diligent police work and prosecutorial work,” Bondi said.

FBI Director Kash Patel credited the U.S. Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro for their work on the investigation.

Authorities discovered the pipe bombs near the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters around the time thousands of protesters nearby began moving toward the Capitol over the 2020 election results.

Neither device detonated, but investigators determined that both were viable and dangerous.

Video footage released by the FBI showed the suspect placing the devices near the two headquarters more than 16 hours before law enforcement located them.

The individual seen in the footage wore a gray hoodie, Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers, a mask, glasses and gloves.

Cole’s identity remained unknown for years as federal authorities reviewed evidence connected to the devices and the scene.

The arrest ends a lengthy search that spanned multiple agencies and involved extensive review of surveillance video, interviews and forensic analysis.

Federal officials have not released information regarding potential motives, and court filings so far outline only Cole’s physical description, residence and employment details.

Cole will face the initial proceedings of the federal case in Washington, where further information related to the charges and the evidence is expected to be presented.

Halle Berry Has ‘Zero F**ks Left to Give’ Torches Gavin Newsom’s Treatment of Women
Entertainment

Halle Berry Has ‘Zero F**ks Left to Give’ Torches Gavin Newsom’s Treatment of Women

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Actress Halle Berry used her appearance at the DealBook Summit on Wednesday to criticize California Gov. Gavin Newsom, saying he has “overlooked women” and should not be considered for the presidency.

Berry spoke at the Lincoln Center event in New York City before Newsom took the stage.

“At this stage in my life, I have zero f–ks left to give,” Berry said, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

She then directed her comments toward the governor.

“Back in my great state of California, my very own governor, Gavin Newsom, has vetoed our menopause bill, not one, but two years in a row. But that’s OK, because he’s not going to be governor forever, and the way he has overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us, he probably should not be our next president either. Just saying.”

Her remarks reportedly drew gasps from the audience. Newsom’s current term ends in 2026, and he has acknowledged he is considering a 2028 presidential run.

Polling has consistently listed him as a potential contender in a Democratic primary, alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Berry’s criticism followed Newsom’s decision in October to veto a bill aimed at expanding menopause care in California.

It was the second consecutive year he rejected similar legislation.

The proposal would have required healthcare plans to provide guidance on menopause-related treatments and mandated training for healthcare providers on menopause care.

Berry, 59, is the founder of Respin, a women’s health and longevity company focused in part on menopause support.

She said the issue is personal and reflects broader concerns about how women in midlife are treated.

“In 2025, there is a lot to still be talked about and discovered and uncovered, especially if you are a woman who is navigating midlife and thoughtfully considering your longevity, because in 2025 I, Halle Berry, and women of my age are simply devalued in this country,” she said.

“Our culture thinks that, at 59 years old, I am past my prime, and that women my age start to become invisible in Hollywood, in the workplace, on social media. Women are pressured to stay forever 35.”

In response to Berry’s comments, spokesperson Izzy Gardon told The New York Post that Newsom vetoed the menopause bill due to concerns about cost increases for consumers.

“The Governor has deep admiration for Ms. Berry’s advocacy and looks forward to working with her and other stakeholders on this critical issue,” Gardon said.

“He shares her goal of expanding access to menopause care that too many women struggle to get. He vetoed the bill because, as written, it would have unintentionally raised health care costs for millions of working women already stretched thin — something he’s determined to avoid.”

Gardon added that the governor’s office remains open to future collaboration on menopause care policy.

“We’re confident that by working together this year, we can expand access to essential menopause treatment while protecting women from higher bills,” he said.

Josh Shapiro Angrily Rejects Harris Book Claims, Calls Them ‘Complete and Utter Bullsh*t’
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Josh Shapiro Angrily Rejects Harris Book Claims, Calls Them ‘Complete and Utter Bullsh*t’

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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro publicly pushed back against claims made about him in former Vice President Kamala Harris’ new book on the 2024 presidential campaign, sharply disputing her characterization of their vice-presidential selection meeting, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

The comments came during an interview with The Atlantic’s Tim Alberta, who had an advance copy of Harris’ book, “107 Days,” when he met with Shapiro earlier this fall.

Vice President Kamala Harris greets the crowd in Jenison Field House on the Michigan State campus Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.

Alberta wrote that Shapiro had received no advance notice of what Harris planned to publish. When the reporter told him that the book included criticism of his conduct during the running-mate vetting process, Shapiro’s reaction shifted noticeably.

“The man I observed over the next several minutes was unrecognizable. Gone was his equilibrium,” Alberta recounted, noting that Shapiro moved “between outrage and exasperation” as excerpts were read to him.

According to Alberta, Harris wrote that Shapiro behaved as if he were “measuring the drapes,” asking about featuring Pennsylvania artists in the vice-presidential residence and signaling “that he would want to be in the room for every decision” she would make if elected.

Harris also claimed Shapiro attempted to dominate their meeting about potentially joining her ticket, to the point that she reminded him “that he would not be co-president.”

“She wrote that in her book?” Shapiro asked when Alberta relayed the claim about the residence artwork.

“That’s complete and utter bullsh*t.”

Shapiro added, “I can tell you that her accounts are just blatant lies.”

Alberta reported that sources familiar with the meeting from both the Harris and Shapiro camps found Harris’ account “mostly consistent” with their own understanding of the interaction.

He wrote that Shapiro arrived “in an edgy mood,” frustrated by internal Democratic criticism surrounding his consideration for the ticket.

Alberta noted that Shapiro, who is Jewish, was “especially irked by anti-Semitic innuendo from the left.” According to the reporter, Shapiro conducted the meeting as though he were interviewing Harris instead of the other way around.

Shapiro acknowledged he had asked many questions. “I did ask a bunch of questions,” he said. “Wouldn’t you ask questions if someone was talking to you about forming a partnership and working together?”

When asked whether he felt betrayed by Harris for including the claims in her book, Shapiro replied, “I mean, she’s trying to sell books and cover her ass.”

Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks at a campaign rally on Wednesday October 30, 2024 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis.

Alberta wrote that Shapiro paused, appeared frustrated, and then corrected himself. “I shouldn’t say ‘cover her ass.’ I think that’s not appropriate,” he said. “She’s trying to sell books. Period.”

Shapiro also discussed former President Donald Trump, offering an assessment of his political impact. “Donald Trump has been a once-in-a-generation political figure who’s managed to connect on a deeper cultural level,” he said.

Reflecting on the 2024 election, Shapiro said, “We can’t ignore the fact that elections are binary choices. And so you’re asking people, at least in the last case, to choose between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.”

He added, “We can have this kind of theoretical conversation about Trump, but, like, it was always Trump versus somebody.”

Sen. Ron Johnson Says His Team Was Offered Hunter Biden’s Laptop in 2020 but Declined After FBI Warning
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Sen. Ron Johnson Says His Team Was Offered Hunter Biden’s Laptop in 2020 but Declined After FBI Warning

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Sen. Ron Johnson said his team was offered a copy of Hunter Biden’s laptop weeks before the New York Post published its October 2020 report, but he chose not to accept it due to concerns about the circumstances and an FBI briefing he later described as an “ambush.”

Johnson discussed the episode during an interview on “Pod Force One” with The Post’s Miranda Devine, as reported by The New York Post.

“You got the one that was going to be given to us, but we couldn’t accept,” Johnson said, recalling how the offer first came to his staff.

Hunter Biden leaves the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, after jury selection in his federal gun trial in Wilmington, Delaware on Monday June 3, 2024.

“It did sound like a suspicious story. I mean, something you had to be careful. You had to properly vet it. You had to do your due diligence on it. So, we thought it could have been stolen property. I had no idea. So, we had to kind of follow our rules of integrity.”

The laptop, abandoned in 2019 at a Delaware repair shop, was believed by the shop owner, John Paul Mac Isaac, to have been dropped off by Hunter Biden, although he could not be completely certain.

Copies of the hard drive were circulated before ultimately reaching The Post, which published its report on Oct. 14, 2020, three weeks before the election.

The story included an email suggesting Hunter Biden introduced Burisma adviser Vadym Pozharskyi to his father, then–Vice President Joe Biden.

Following publication, the story was suppressed by Facebook and X, which restricted sharing of the report and temporarily blocked The Post from its account.

Additionally, 51 current and former intelligence officials publicly questioned the authenticity of the laptop material at the time. The device was later cited by federal prosecutors in Hunter Biden’s firearms case.

“The FBI, obviously got Hunter Biden’s laptop in December of 2019. So, they could authenticate it, they knew it was real,” Johnson said.

Johnson described how, in August 2020, shortly before his team was offered the hard drive, the FBI summoned him and Sen. Chuck Grassley for briefings warning them about potential Russian and Ukrainian disinformation.

He recalled being told, “you got to be careful about what you hear out of Russia and out of Ukraine, and spread disinformation.”

Johnson said agents also suggested that negative information about Hunter Biden could be part of such efforts.

He said he became “quite livid,” arguing that the briefing contained nothing new and questioning the motivations behind it.

When asked if it was an ambush, he responded, “Yes, it absolutely was. It was meant to throw us off the track.”

Johnson said his team received the offered laptop copy in late September 2020 and contacted the FBI, only to be met with weeks of delays. The FBI already had the device in its possession.

Johnson, who chairs the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, noted that he did not originally run for office to conduct inquiries.

“I didn’t come to the Senate to investigate,” he said, explaining that his focus had been on issues such as Obamacare and the national debt. He became involved in investigative work after becoming chairman of the Homeland Security Committee in 2015.

“When the Hillary Clinton email scandal broke, not only is it my responsibility to investigate corruption within government, but specifically, this had to do with federal records and the law she probably broke in terms of the Federal Records Act,” he said.

“So, that began my investigatory career.”

Tennessee Voters Crushed Democrat Hopes as Van Epps Secures GOP Seat
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Tennessee Voters Crushed Democrat Hopes as Van Epps Secures GOP Seat

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Republican nominee Matt Van Epps won Tuesday’s special election in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, defeating Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn in a closely watched contest to fill the seat vacated by former Rep. Mark Green, who resigned in June to take a private sector position.

The Associated Press projected Van Epps as the winner as ballots continued to be counted.

In his victory statement, Van Epps said, “This race was bigger than just one campaign. It represented a defining moment for Tennessee and for the direction of the country.”

Early returns showed him leading by roughly nine points.

The district, which covers central and western parts of the state and includes sections of Nashville, has been firmly Republican for years.

President Donald Trump carried it by 22 points in last year’s presidential election, and Green won re-election in 2022 and 2024 by more than 20 points.

Even so, polling ahead of the special election indicated a competitive race following Democratic gains in the 2025 elections.

Asked on Election Day whether the margin mattered, Van Epps told Fox News Digital, “a win is a win.”

He added, “we’re going to press as hard as we can to win by the biggest margin we can, and then we’re going to hold the majority in ’26.”

Behn, a state representative and former healthcare community organizer often compared to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, addressed supporters after the results came in.

“Although tonight is not the final result of what we wanted…it is the beginning of something so powerful in Tennessee and across the South,” she said in her concession remarks.

Speaking earlier at a Nashville Democratic Party office, she told supporters, “Whatever happens, win or lose, you’ve inspired a country. You’ve shown people the South has something to say.”

When asked by Fox News Digital whether she felt she had achieved a form of victory without carrying the election, Behn said, “For me, we’ve already won over the hearts and minds of so many Tennesseans and across the country. What starts here changes this country.”

She also said, “I think the electorate is shifting to accept a candidate like me that has a progressive track record.”

Behn centered her campaign on affordability and healthcare.

National Democratic groups highlighted her gains in the heavily Republican district.

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said in a public statement,

“What happened tonight in Tennessee makes it clear: Democrats are on offense and Republicans are on the ropes.”

He added, “Aftyn Behn’s overperformance in this Trump +22 district is historic and a flashing warning sign for Republicans heading into the midterms.”

House Majority PAC said, “Tonight’s results make it clear: No House Republican’s re-election should be considered safe next November.”

The National Republican Congressional Committee pointed to Van Epps’ background as a combat veteran and former Tennessee Department of General Services commissioner.

NRCC Chair Richard Hudson said, “Tennesseans know they can trust Van Epps to fight for their safety, security, and prosperity. No one is better positioned to take up the mantle and deliver results for Tennessee families, workers, and small business owners.”

President Trump endorsed Van Epps during the primary and congratulated him on social media following the win, writing that it was a “BIG Congressional WIN” and “Another great night for the Republican Party!!!”

Van Epps told supporters in his victory speech, “Our victory was powered by a movement of Tennesseans that are ready for change. We are grateful to the President for his unwavering support that charted this movement and catapulted us to victory. President Trump was all-in with us. That made the difference. In Congress, I’ll be all-in with him.”

Responding to Democratic claims about their momentum, Van Epps told Fox News Digital, “we have the resounding victory. This is a victory for Republicans. It’s a victory for our district. It’s a victory for President Trump. We are going to take this momentum forward, and we’re going to win in 2026.”

Outside groups from both parties poured millions into the race, and both national committees deployed staff to the district.

House Speaker Mike Johnson campaigned with Van Epps on Monday, telling Fox News Digital, “Special elections are strange because a lot of people take for granted in a deep red district like this that the Republican is just going to win automatically. Nothing’s automatic.”

Johnson phoned President Trump during one rally, allowing him to address supporters by speakerphone.

“Let’s make it a sweeping victory,” Trump said. “The whole world is watching Tennessee right now.”

Later that evening, Trump joined Van Epps for a tele rally. Other Republicans, including Gov. Bill Lee, Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, and several members of Tennessee’s congressional delegation, joined the candidate on the trail.

Democrats also sent notable figures to support Behn. Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, LaTosha Brown of the Black Voters Matter Fund, and former Vice President Al Gore participated in a virtual rally the night before the election.

Behn faced sustained criticism from Republicans over past statements.

In a 2020 podcast, she said, “I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the things that make Nashville apparently an ‘it’ city to the rest of the country. But I hate it.”

She said in a CNN interview that she was a “private citizen” when she made those remarks and described frustration with tourist congestion.

Republicans also pointed to a 2019 op-ed titled, “Tennessee is a racist state, and so is its legislature,” and resurfaced comments critical of law enforcement from an old social media account.

Van Epps said in an interview, “She does not represent the values of Tennessee or of America. She is as far left as you can get. She’s a radical.”

Johnson called her “a dangerous far leftist,” and Trump claimed she “hates Christianity” and “hates country music.”

Behn responded to the criticism by telling supporters, “Clearly, I’m living rent-free in President Trump’s mind,” and joked, “I always love to hear from my fans.”

She told Fox News Digital she was “running on a very simple message of addressing the affordability crisis that Tennesseans are facing, and they [Republicans] don’t have a remedy for it.”

Mother Speaks After Gunfire Erupts During Toddler’s Birthday Party Where 4 Were Killed
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Mother Speaks After Gunfire Erupts During Toddler’s Birthday Party Where 4 Were Killed

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Four people — three of them children — were killed and 11 others wounded when gunfire erupted during a 2-year-old’s birthday party inside a Stockton, California banquet hall on Saturday, authorities confirmed, as reported by the New York Post.

The shooting broke out just as the toddler was cutting her birthday cake.

The child’s mother, Patrice Williams, described the chaos that unfolded as dozens of guests were gathered for the celebration.

“I actually thought it was my balloons popping. It was gunshots,” Williams said. “It was just unexpected. I don’t know what happened, and I’m just so shocked and lost.”

Williams said people immediately dropped to the ground when the gunfire began. She said her daughter was unharmed, though she did not get a clear look at the shooter or shooters and does not know why a child’s party would be targeted.

“They deserve to be in jail. They deserve to go to hell,” she said. “I’m sorry, but I just … it’s not respectable. It’s a kids’ party.”

Stockton authorities said three children — ages 8, 9, and 14 — were among those killed, along with a 21-year-old man. One of the wounded victims remains in critical condition.

Police identified two of the victims as 14-year-old Amari Peterson and 21-year-old Susano Archuleta.

Investigators have not announced arrests, but officials said early evidence points to the shooting being gang-related. Authorities have not released further details on the suspected motive or the number of shooters involved.

The mass shooting is one of the deadliest incidents in Stockton in recent years and adds to California’s ongoing struggles with violent crime. Local, state, and federal authorities are coordinating the investigation.

Williams said the birthday celebration had been planned as a cheerful gathering for her daughter before it was suddenly overtaken by tragedy.

She said she is still trying to understand how the violence unfolded so quickly and inside a venue crowded with children.

The investigation remains active, and Stockton police have urged anyone with information or video footage from the event to come forward.

Biden Autopen Scandal Erupts as Trump Cancels Thousands of Documents
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Biden Autopen Scandal Erupts as Trump Cancels Thousands of Documents

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President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening announced that all documents, executive orders, and contracts signed by Joe Biden using an autopen are deemed invalid.

Trump made the declaration in a series of statements posted to Truth Social, citing newly surfaced internal emails showing widespread autopen use during Biden’s presidency.

“Any and all Documents, Proclamations, Executive Orders, Memorandums, or Contracts, signed by Order of the now infamous and unauthorized ‘AUTOPEN,’ within the Administration of Joseph R. Biden Jr., are hereby null, void, and of no further force or effect,” Trump said on Tuesday evening.

He added that individuals who received federal actions under such signatures should consider them rescinded.

“Anyone receiving ‘Pardons,’ ‘Commutations,’ or any other Legal Document so signed, please be advised that said Document has been fully and completely terminated, and is of no Legal effect. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

The announcement followed a similar declaration last Friday, when Trump stated that any Biden-issued document signed with an autopen was “hereby terminated and of no further force or effect.” Trump also warned that Biden could face perjury charges if he claimed direct involvement in the autopen process.

“Any document signed by Sleepy Joe Biden with the Autopen, which was approximately 92% of them, is hereby terminated, and of no further force or effect. The Autopen is not allowed to be used if approval is not specifically given by the President of the United States,” Trump wrote.

“The Radical Left Lunatics circling Biden around the beautiful Resolute Desk in the Oval Office took the Presidency away from him. I am hereby cancelling all Executive Orders, and anything else that was not directly signed by Crooked Joe Biden, because the people who operated the Autopen did so illegally. Joe Biden was not involved in the Autopen process and, if he says he was, he will be brought up on charges of perjury. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Trump’s comments followed the release of internal emails showing Biden did not personally review the thousands of pardons issued at the end of his term.

According to the emails, staff members handled the decision-making and used the autopen to execute clemency documents without direct instruction from Biden.

The internal communications indicated that Biden did not approve individual names for clemency and did not review revisions made to the lists of inmates.

Staff ran the final versions through the autopen without Biden signing the documents himself.

The Oversight Project first uncovered the scope of autopen use earlier this year, revealing that thousands of clemency actions and executive documents were processed with an autopen rather than a handwritten signature.

In March, the group reported that two distinct autopen signatures, labeled Autopen A and Autopen B, were being used for pardons and commutations.

Later, investigators found evidence of a third autopen signature used beginning in the first week of Biden’s presidency for proclamations.

These findings expanded questions regarding how many federal actions were executed without Biden’s handwritten authorization.

The newly released records have intensified scrutiny of the process used under Biden, with investigators noting the difference between standard autopen use—historically limited and authorized directly by the president—and the broader pattern indicated in the internal communications.

Trump’s order applies to all executive actions bearing any of the autopen signatures linked to Biden’s presidency.

Officials have begun reviewing affected documents as the issue continues to develop.

Tim Walz Fraud Scandal Gets Teeth as Bessent Says They’re Following the Money
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Tim Walz Fraud Scandal Gets Teeth as Bessent Says They’re Following the Money

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Monday that the U.S. Treasury Department has opened a federal investigation into allegations that Minnesota tax dollars were diverted to the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab during the Biden-Harris administration and under Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

The investigation follows recent reporting that uncovered large-scale fraud schemes involving Minnesota social programs and remittances routed through Somali money-transfer networks.

Bessent released the announcement on X, stating that the allegations warranted immediate action.

“At my direction, @USTreasury is investigating allegations that under the feckless mismanagement of the Biden Administration and Governor Tim Walz, hardworking Minnesotans’ tax dollars may have been diverted to the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab,” Bessent wrote.

He added that the Treasury Department was moving quickly “to ensure Americans’ taxes are not funding acts of global terror,” and said the agency would release findings as the investigation continues.

Gov. Walz’s office told Fox News Digital that Walz said last week he would welcome an investigation if any connection were found between Minnesota state funds and Al-Shabaab.

The launch of the investigation follows a report published last month by Ryan Thorpe and Christopher F. Rufo of the Manhattan Institute.

The report examined fraud schemes tied to Minnesota’s Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services program, Feeding Our Future and additional organizations.

Thorpe and Rufo documented how the schemes operated and reported that individuals within Minnesota’s Somali community were responsible for significant portions of the fraud.

According to the report, federal counterterrorism sources confirmed that millions of dollars in stolen funds had been transferred to Somalia.

Thorpe and Rufo wrote that this was how Al-Shabaab ultimately obtained access to the money.

Their reporting focused in part on the question, “Where did the money go?” and tracked how Minnesota-based fraud rings moved funds abroad.

The report cited data showing that remittances play a major role in Somalia’s economy, with approximately 40 percent of Somali households receiving money from abroad.

In 2023, members of the Somali diaspora sent an estimated $1.7 billion back to Somalia, a figure exceeding the national government’s budget for that year.

Thorpe and Rufo reported that the stolen funds were funneled to Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group, through hawalas — informal networks of money traders used widely across East Africa and the Middle East.

Multiple law enforcement sources told the authors that Minnesota-based Somali networks had sent millions of dollars through these channels.

Former Seattle Police Department detective Glenn Kerns, who spent 14 years on a federal Joint Terrorism Task Force, described how the networks operated.

Kerns told Thorpe and Rufo that Somali participants used commercial flights from Seattle to move cash into hawala systems in Somalia. He said investigators pulled financial records and discovered that many of the individuals sending money were receiving federal benefits.

“We had sources going into the hawalas to send money. I went down to [Minnesota] and pulled all of their records and, well s—, all these Somalis sending out money are on DHS benefits,” Kerns told the authors.

A confidential source cited in the report stated, “The largest funder of Al-Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer.”

A former official who served on the Minneapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force told Thorpe and Rufo that funds exported from Somali communities in the United States and Europe ultimately strengthened the terrorist group.

“Every scrap of economic activity, in the Twin Cities, in America, throughout Western Europe, anywhere Somalis are concentrated, every cent that is sent back to Somalia benefits Al-Shabaab in some way,” the former official said.

The Treasury Department’s investigation is ongoing.

Sheriff: Violent Offenders Using CA Mental-Health Loophole as ‘Get-Out-of-Jail Strategy’
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Sheriff: Violent Offenders Using CA Mental-Health Loophole as ‘Get-Out-of-Jail Strategy’

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Over six years ago, California lawmakers enacted a broad mental-health diversion law by placing Assembly Bill 1810 inside a 900-page budget bill in 2018.

The legislation created a full diversion structure for defendants with qualifying mental-health diagnoses and passed with little public discussion.

Law enforcement officials now say the system allows defendants charged with serious felonies to avoid entering guilty pleas and instead receive treatment that, once completed, results in their records being cleared.

Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper and San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan outlined their concerns to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Cooper said inmates openly discuss diversion in recorded jail calls, describing it as a strategy to avoid consequences in cases including felony child abuse, attempted murder, residential burglaries and armed carjackings.

 

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A post shared by Jim Cooper (@sheriffjimcooper)

Stephan said the same issues are appearing in courtrooms throughout San Diego County.

The state does not monitor who receives diversion, how often participants reenter the system or whether they complete treatment.

Officials from multiple counties said this lack of tracking makes it impossible to determine long-term outcomes or identify repeat offenders.

After AB 1810 passed, lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 215 to address procedural gaps.

Four years later, Senate Bill 1223 widened eligibility further.

The revisions shifted the burden of proof onto prosecutors, lowered the threshold for diagnoses and shortened timelines for misdemeanor diversion.

Defendants now only need to show a mental-health condition “played a significant role” in the offense, a standard prosecutors say covers nearly any diagnosis listed in the DSM-5.

Cooper said the breadth of qualifying conditions has made diversion accessible to defendants with a range of diagnoses, including those unrelated to violent conduct.

He said the statute allows diagnoses from psychiatrists, psychologists and licensed therapists. Some evaluations, he said, are completed after the fact or without an in-person meeting.

One clinician handled roughly 300 cases and “always found” a condition, Cooper said.

Under current law, only a small group of crimes are automatically excluded, such as murder, voluntary manslaughter and certain sex offenses.

Charges including attempted murder, felony child abuse causing serious injury and armed carjackings remain eligible if the defendant can show a qualifying diagnosis.

Cooper cited several cases from Sacramento County.

In one, a one-year-old girl referred to as “Baby A” died from blunt-force trauma.

Her father admitted consuming alcohol while caring for her and was charged with felony child abuse.

He received diversion, and his record was later cleared. In another case, a diversion recipient later stabbed and killed a person.

A third case involved “Baby H,” a 20-month-old boy with severe injuries; both parents applied for diversion.

Cooper said the number of jail calls discussing diversion rose sharply.

“In 2024 for a three-month period, they had 890 conversations that mentioned mental health diversion,” he said.

“This year for a three-month period, it’s 11,000.”

The lack of tracking is one of Cooper’s primary concerns.

“No one in California can tell you how many folks have gotten mental health diversion,” he said.

While the Judicial Council records how many petitions are filed and granted, it does not identify unique individuals or track outcomes.

Stephan said her office is seeing similar issues in San Diego County.

She supports limited diversion for specific populations, including young defendants and veterans, but said the current framework extends far beyond those cases.

“California has really gone too far with the diversion laws,” she said.

Judicial Council of California AB 10 – Mental Health Diversion Petitions Granted

She noted the law applies to “serial residential burglaries,” violent carjackings and attempted murder.

Stephan cited a recent case involving a man accused of multiple residential burglaries and thefts who received diversion and later attacked his grandmother after leaving treatment.

Another defendant who carjacked two women and assaulted another inmate also received diversion after citing a methamphetamine disorder.

Stephan said diversion allows defendants to avoid guilty pleas and requires no supervision standards for treatment, leading to inconsistent outcomes.

She added that prosecutors often cannot use past offenses in court because of the way the burden of proof has shifted.

Judges, she said, frequently report that “their hands are tied.”

The law requires courts to grant diversion if certain conditions are met, and Stephan said those conditions are minimal.

Supporters of the program, including former state Sen. Jim Beall and organizations such as Disability Rights California and the ACLU of California, have argued that jail is not suitable for treating mental illness and that diversion can reduce incarceration for defendants with mental-health needs.

Cooper and Stephan said legislative changes could address the issues quickly.

Cooper recommended excluding felony child abuse with great bodily injury and restoring judicial discretion.

Stephan said the law needs a full rewrite and should eliminate eligibility for serious violent crimes.

Both officials said victims are frequently shocked when informed that diversion applies to cases involving significant violence.

Stephan said her office must update victims years after offenses because diversion delays outcomes.

Cooper said victims in his county express disbelief and frustration.

Stephan said voters would be surprised to learn the program never appeared on a statewide ballot.

“When a system no longer cares about victims or the community and only sides one way, it does not [work] anymore,” she said.

‘Seditious’ Dem Mark Kelly Faces Two-Front Fire: Pentagon Probe and China Funding Concerns
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‘Seditious’ Dem Mark Kelly Faces Two-Front Fire: Pentagon Probe and China Funding Concerns

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Sen. Mark Kelly is facing scrutiny after the Pentagon opened a formal investigation into his appearance in a video urging military and intelligence personnel to refuse “illegal orders” from the Trump administration.

Kelly, a retired Navy captain and Arizona Democrat, is one of six lawmakers under review for participating in the November video, which was directed at active-duty service members.

The video tells troops to resist commands they believe violate the Constitution and includes the message, “Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized the video.

“It brings discredit upon the armed forces and will be addressed appropriately,” Hegseth said.

The Pentagon is examining whether the lawmakers violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which applies to retired service members.

President Donald Trump responded on Truth Social, calling the group “TRAITORS” and sharing a post stating they were engaging in “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH.”

While media outlets characterized the comments as typical rhetoric, the situation prompted significant reaction within the military community because the suggestion of disregarding orders is treated as a serious matter.

As the investigation moves forward, Kelly is also facing renewed attention over his past involvement with World View Enterprises, a high-altitude balloon company he co-founded.

The company raised $8.1 million from Tencent, the Chinese technology firm that has drawn attention due to its ties to China’s government.

Kelly stepped away from the company years ago, but the investment has resurfaced alongside questions about foreign involvement in technology sectors.

A widely circulated post reignited criticism, stating, “Seditious Mark Kelly ‘started spy balloon company funded by China.’ He’s not for America or Americans.”

World View has said it did not export sensitive technology, though national security analysts have cautioned that foreign investment can create vulnerabilities.

Kelly has previously distanced himself from the company, but the subject has reappeared amid the current investigation.

Supporters of the lawmakers involved in the video said they were reminding service members of their constitutional responsibilities.

Sen. Ruben Gallego responded aggressively to critics, leading to further criticism from Republicans who said the remarks were inappropriate.

CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin commented that the lawmakers “erected a straw man,” noting that no illegal orders had been issued.

Kelly has also faced criticism for voting against paying U.S. troops during the October 2025 government shutdown.

Sen. John Fetterman voted in favor of troop pay, which left Kelly and others open to political criticism.

The combination of the Pentagon investigation and the renewed focus on the investment in World View has placed Kelly under heightened scrutiny.

Critics argue that participating in a video instructing troops on their response to potential orders while carrying past associations with foreign-funded projects raises questions about judgment and national security considerations.

Commentator Glenn Beck discussed the issue on his radio show, saying, “Once the military begins to decide on its own which orders are legitimate… you no longer have a republic.”

Beck said the video represented a shift that could have long-term effects.


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