Author name: Kyle Stevenson

Newsom in Crisis Mode After Halle Berry Publicly Accuses Him of ‘Devaluing’ California Women
Entertainment

Newsom in Crisis Mode After Halle Berry Publicly Accuses Him of ‘Devaluing’ California Women

/

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that he will include funding to expand access to menopause care in next year’s state budget, one day after actress Halle Berry sharply criticized him at the New York Times’ Dealbook Summit in New York, as reported by The New York Post.

Berry accused Newsom of “overlooking” and “devaluing” women by vetoing menopause-related legislation two years in a row.

Berry’s remarks drew significant attention at the event, where she said the governor “probably should not be our next president” because of the vetoes.

New York, NY – May 9, 2019: Halle Berry attends the “John Wick: Chapter 3” world premiere at One Hanson Place

“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,” Berry said. “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.”

When Newsom was approached Thursday by TMZ, he said, “Actually, I was just connected with her manager. We have the ability to reconcile that, so we’re reconciling.”

He confirmed that he plans to include menopause funding in the upcoming budget, saying, “I’ve included it in the budget next year.”

Newsom suggested Berry’s criticism resulted from a misunderstanding of his plans regarding the bill. “She didn’t know,” he said. “They didn’t understand we were already in the process of fixing it, so we’re getting it fixed.”

The legislation Berry supported would require health care plans to offer recommendations for menopause-related treatments and mandate additional training for health care providers in menopause care.

Newsom previously vetoed the bill over concerns that it would “unintentionally raised health care costs for millions of working women already stretched thin,” according to a spokesperson for his office.

The governor’s office confirmed that Newsom intends to include a proposal addressing expanded menopause care in the state budget on January 10.

“The Governor remains committed to fixing this issue – and we’ve been doing that work in real time,” a spokesperson told The Post.

Berry prefaced her comments on Wednesday with, “At this stage in my life, I have zero f–ks left to give,” before turning to California’s legislative battle over menopause coverage.

Her comments added renewed scrutiny to Newsom, who acknowledged in October that he is considering a 2028 presidential run. His term as governor ends in 2026.

Jake Tapper Calls J6 Pipe Bomb Suspect a ‘White Man,’ Photos Tell a Different Story
News

Jake Tapper Calls J6 Pipe Bomb Suspect a ‘White Man,’ Photos Tell a Different Story

/

CNN host Jake Tapper incorrectly described Washington, D.C., pipe bomb suspect Brian Cole Jr. as a “30-year-old white man” during Thursday’s broadcast of The Lead, moments before his own program displayed photos showing that Cole is a black man.

“Brian Cole Jr., a 30-year-old white man from the D.C. suburbs, is charged with transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce and with malicious destruction by means of explosion,” Tapper said on air.

Minutes later, The Lead aired images of the suspect that did not match Tapper’s description.

Cole, 30, was arrested and charged in connection with the pipe bombs placed outside the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters on January 5, 2021.

Breitbart News reported Thursday that Cole was “arrested and charged with placing the pipe bombs at the RNC and the DNC on January 5, 2021.”

The report stated he was also charged with transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce and attempted malicious destruction using explosive materials.

Additional charges may follow as the investigation continues.

According to federal officials, investigators linked Cole to the scene through a combination of license plate reader technology and cell tower data gathered nearly five years after the devices were planted.

Authorities have been working to close the case since the discovery of the explosives, which were found the day before unrest at the U.S. Capitol.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that the arrest represents the culmination of extensive investigative work.

“Today’s arrest was the result of good, diligent police work and collaboration on a case that languished for four years under the prior administration,” Bondi said.

“The American people are safer thanks to this morning’s successful operation.”

The investigation into the pipe bombs has involved multiple federal agencies.

Officials have repeatedly described the devices as viable, and the case remained a high priority due to the location of the explosives and their timing on the eve of congressional certification proceedings.

Cole’s charges include transporting an explosive device across state lines and attempted malicious destruction using explosive materials, but court filings indicate that more counts could be added as investigative teams review additional evidence.

The error made during Tapper’s broadcast circulated quickly on social media, as viewers pointed out the discrepancy between his verbal description and the images aired shortly afterward.

Federal authorities have stated that additional investigative steps remain underway and that the case will continue to develop as more information is processed and reviewed.

Schumer Pushes Obamacare Subsidy Extension Despite Strong GOP Resistance Ahead Vote
News

Schumer Pushes Obamacare Subsidy Extension Despite Strong GOP Resistance Ahead Vote

/

Senate Democrats released their plan Thursday to keep Obamacare subsidies from expiring at the end of the year, but the proposal faces significant resistance in the Republican-controlled Senate, as reported by Fox News.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York announced that Democrats will move forward with legislation that would extend the current subsidies for three years without any changes.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks during a press conference announcing that the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse Tech Hub is one of 12 winners of federal grant money that will be used to create a regional semiconductor center Tuesday, July 2, 2024 at Monroe Community College in Rochester.

“I’m announcing that Senate Democrats will introduce legislation for a clean, three-year extension of the current [Obamacare] tax credits,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.

“This is the bill, a clean, three-year extension of [Obamacare] tax credits that Democrats will bring to the floor of the Senate for a vote next Thursday. And every single Democrat will support it.”

Democrats’ strategy mirrors an option already outlined by House Democrats.

The Senate is expected to vote by Dec. 11, a timeline set by Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, who previously guaranteed Democrats the opportunity to present a proposal of their choosing. Senate Republicans, however, have pushed for a bipartisan agreement that includes reforms, but no such plan has emerged.

Republicans have insisted that any extension must include policy changes such as income caps and provisions ensuring taxpayer dollars are not used to fund abortions.

While Democrats have said they are willing to consider some reforms, Schumer’s announcement signaled a preference among Senate Democrats for a clean renewal of the subsidies.

Schumer’s new proposal goes further than what Senate Democrats put forward while the government was still shut down last month.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks about President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget director nominee, Russell Vought, arguing he will use the position to implement Project 2025 if confirmed, in Washington on Jan. 23, 2025.

During that period, Democrats floated a one-year extension, a plan rejected by Republicans, who argued that healthcare discussions would only take place after the government reopened.

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming sharply criticized the latest plan, pointing to the length of the shutdown and Democrats’ shift in strategy.

He said Democrats had “finally, after all this time, decided what they want,” but predicted the offer would not attract enough Republican votes.

“It is a complete failure, and the best they can do is say three-year extension,” Barrasso said.

“It’s not really a credible offer at all. That’s what the Democrats are talking about. I don’t, I cannot in any way, imagine supporting such a thing, because it just highlights the fact that they don’t have a solution for the problem they’ve created with the failure of Obamacare.”

President Donald Trump has also indicated he is not open to a simple extension of the subsidies, adding another obstacle for Democrats. At the same time, Republicans have not yet unified around an alternative.

Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, have been developing a Republican plan that would likely direct the subsidy funds into Health Savings Accounts rather than sending payments directly to insurance companies.

They presented concepts during a closed-door GOP meeting on Tuesday, but no consensus was reached.

Schumer argued that Democrats’ proposal represents the final chance to prevent subsidy expirations and limit premium increases. “If Republicans block our bill, there’s no going back,” he said.

“We won’t get another chance to halt these premium spikes before they kick in at the start of the New Year. Those insurance premiums in January will land like a hammer blow on the American people.”

Stephen A. Smith Clashes With ‘The View’ Over Sen. Kelly’s Video on Military Orders
Entertainment

Stephen A. Smith Clashes With ‘The View’ Over Sen. Kelly’s Video on Military Orders

/

ESPN host Stephen A. Smith engaged in a heated exchange Thursday on ABC’s “The View” after criticizing Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., for appearing in a video that urged U.S. military and intelligence personnel to refuse “illegal” orders, as reported by Fox News.

The panel confronted Smith over his remarks, prompting a back-and-forth that continued throughout the segment.

Co-host Sunny Hostin opened the discussion by calling Smith “loud and wrong” for condemning Kelly. After the show aired the clip of Smith’s original commentary, Hostin asked whether he wanted to reconsider.

“I’m not changing a thing,” Smith replied.

“I didn’t stutter when I said it.”

Hostin responded, “OK. You want to stay loud and wrong?”

Smith answered, “Well, you can call it loud and wrong all you want to. You’re entitled to your opinion, I’m entitled to mine.”

The controversy centers around a video released last month featuring six Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Kelly.

In the video, they urged military and intelligence community members to rely on their consciences and refuse to obey “illegal” orders, stating, “This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community officials against American citizens.”

Smith sharply criticized Kelly during his XM radio commentary last Wednesday.

“Respectfully, senator, what the hell are you doing?” Smith said. “Looking into the camera and telling military men and women to ignore the commander-in-chief? How dare you? How dare you do that?”

While debating on “The View,” Hostin attempted to counter Smith’s argument by referencing past comments from Pete Hegseth stating military members should not follow unlawful orders. Hostin said this aligned Hegseth with Kelly.

Smith rejected the comparison. “First of all, I don’t give a damn what Pete Hegseth has to say, because I will tell you right now, he was never qualified for the job… I don’t care what he has to say. Let me get that out the way,” Smith said.

Smith continued by arguing that Kelly’s military background puts him in a precarious position when making public statements on military compliance.

“You can be implicated for implying something if you are a former military member, or you are a present military member,” he said.

“It wasn’t what Mark Kelly said, it’s the fact that he was a combat Navy pilot who served in the military who would tell folks, ‘ignore an order,’ when it could get them in a world of trouble.”

Co-host Joy Behar and Hostin interjected to note that Kelly explicitly referred to ignoring “illegal” orders. Smith replied, “I said illegal. I’m talking about illegal.”

TV Personality Joy Behar

Hostin insisted, “He said you don’t have to follow an unlawful order, and that is in the military code of conduct. It didn’t sound like you were aware of that.”

“Which I’m aware of,” Smith said.

“But it didn’t sound like you were aware of that during your show,” Hostin said.

“I disagree with you,” Smith responded.

Smith later added that “two governors” had texted him to say he was wrong, aligning with “The View” co-hosts’ position. Hostin replied, “You are wrong.”

Smith countered, “And I had two senators that reached out to me and said ‘you aren’t wrong at all.’”

Minnesota Race Shifts as Mike Lindell Explores Campaign to Unseat Tim Walz
News

Minnesota Race Shifts as Mike Lindell Explores Campaign to Unseat Tim Walz

/

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has taken a formal step toward a possible run for governor of Minnesota, filing paperwork to explore a 2026 challenge against Gov. Tim Walz, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

The Minnesota Star Tribune reported Wednesday that Lindell registered the Mike Lindell for Governor committee with the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board, beginning the initial phase of what could become a statewide campaign.

Chicago, Illinois USA – 08-21-2024: Democratic National Convention Chicago, United Center DNC 2024 – Day 3

The filing does not guarantee that Lindell will enter the race. Speaking to the Star Tribune, Lindell said he plans to make a final decision soon.

“I am going to announce either way on Dec. 11,” he said, noting that he “isn’t 100 percent yet.”

If he moves forward, Lindell would enter an already crowded Republican field. Candidates currently in the race include Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, 2022 GOP nominee Scott Jensen, State Rep. Kristin Robbins, businessman Kendall Qualls, and attorney Chris Madel.

Several of those candidates had been seeking the endorsement of President Donald Trump, but the dynamics could shift if Lindell joins the contest. Lindell has been a longtime ally of President Trump, and the relationship has been publicly visible over the years.

Lindell told the Star Tribune that internal polling suggests he would be strong in hypothetical matchups. “If there was someone to win, it would be me,” he said.

My Pillow founder Mike Lindell fires up Donald Trump supporters during a campaign rally on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at the Waukesha County Expo Center in Waukesha, Wis.

Gov. Walz has already indicated he intends to run for re-election in 2026, seeking a third four-year term. Minnesota Public Radio reported that if successful, he would become the first governor in the state’s history to win three consecutive four-year terms.

Former Gov. Orville Freeman won three consecutive two-year terms in the 1950s, before Minnesota shifted to its current system.

Walz’s bid comes after his role as Kamala Harris’ running mate during the 2024 election cycle. The ticket lost the general election, and analysts have noted that his vice-presidential run could become an issue in the upcoming statewide race.

Another challenge for Walz has been ongoing criticism tied to the large Somali fraud scandal uncovered during his tenure. State oversight surrounding the incident has remained a point of contention, and Walz has faced sustained scrutiny over the matter.

Lindell’s potential entry would likely reshape the GOP primary landscape, bringing a well-known national figure into an already competitive field. He said he will make his intentions clear on December 11.

Virginia Twin Brothers Arrested in Alleged Plot to Delete U.S. Government Databases
News

Virginia Twin Brothers Arrested in Alleged Plot to Delete U.S. Government Databases

/

Two Virginia men previously convicted in a federal conspiracy case were arrested again after authorities said they attempted to delete government databases hosted by a federal contractor, as reported by Fox News.

The Justice Department announced Wednesday that twin brothers Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter, both 34, were indicted last month on charges related to allegedly accessing and destroying systems used to store U.S. government information.

According to the DOJ, the arrests follow earlier reporting from Bloomberg News in May that outlined how the brothers allegedly compromised data across several federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service and the General Services Administration.

The DOJ noted that this incident marks a continuation of misconduct dating back years. In 2015, both men pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges linked to breaches at the State Department and a cosmetics company, and each served several years in prison.

After completing their prison sentences, the brothers became engineers for Opexus, a federal contractor that provides services for processing government records.

The DOJ said that after their employment with the contractor ended, the pair attempted to retaliate by accessing computers without authorization.

Prosecutors said they issued commands designed to prevent others from modifying databases, deleted data, stole information, and attempted to conceal their actions.

The indictment states that in February, Muneeb Akhter deleted nearly 100 databases containing U.S. government information.

Some of the deleted records included Freedom of Information Act files managed by federal agencies and sensitive investigative materials belonging to federal government components.

Prosecutors said that roughly one minute after deleting a Department of Homeland Security database, Muneeb Akhter allegedly used an artificial intelligence tool to ask how to clear system logs following the deletion of databases.

Investigators also said the brothers discussed clearing out their home ahead of a possible police search. Company laptops assigned to them were wiped before being returned to the contractor.

The DOJ further alleges that after his termination, Muneeb Akhter accessed U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission information without authorization.

He is also accused of stealing IRS data stored on a virtual machine, including federal tax details and other identifying information for at least 450 individuals.

The indictment additionally accuses Sohaib Akhter of trafficking a password that could be used to access a U.S. government computer.

“These defendants abused their positions as federal contractors to attack government databases and steal sensitive government information. Their actions jeopardized the security of government systems and disrupted agencies’ ability to serve the American people,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the DOJ’s Criminal Division said in a statement.

Muneeb Akhter is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and to destroy records, two counts of computer fraud, theft of U.S. government records, and two counts of aggravated identity theft.

Sohaib Akhter is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and to destroy records, as well as computer fraud.

Erika Kirk Rejects Left’s Gun Narrative in Wake of Her Husband’s Assassination
News

Erika Kirk Rejects Left’s Gun Narrative in Wake of Her Husband’s Assassination

/

Erika Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA and the widow of Charlie Kirk, appeared Wednesday at The New York Times DealBook Summit for a closing interview with journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin.

The event, held in New York, is known for featuring high-profile guests, including past appearances by Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

Sorkin noted at the start of their conversation that Charlie Kirk had been scheduled to appear at the summit before his assassination.

Sorkin referenced prior discussions he had with Charlie Kirk after mass shootings across the United States.

“He was a real believer, as you know, in the Second Amendment, and I’m curious how you think today about gun violence in America, given what happened to him,” Sorkin said.

Erika Kirk responded, “It’s a thoughtful question. And I wouldn’t wish upon anyone what I have been through. And I support the Second Amendment as well. I do. But there’s a bigger and much deeper conversation to all of that.”

Kirk said her work on college campuses exposed her to concerns frequently raised by students.

She said campus counselors consistently told her that the primary issues facing students were “mental health, anxiety [and] depression.”

“And what Charlie knew, and he was trying to explain to students on campus, was that you have to understand that brain health is so important — how you eat, how you take care of yourself, how you nourish yourself, how you rest. And to him, it was much more deeper and intricate,” she said during her discussion with Sorkin.

Kirk said her experience since the assassination reinforced her belief that the underlying issue is not the existence of firearms, but the motivations and emotional state of individuals who choose violence.

“And what I’ve realized through all of this is that you can have — you can have individuals that will always resort to violence. And what I’m afraid of is that we are living in a day and age where they think violence is the solution to them not wanting to hear a different point of view. That’s not a gun problem. That’s a human, deeply human problem. That is a soul problem. That is a mental — that is a very deeper issue,” she said.

During the interview, Kirk also said she removed social media from her phone following the killing of her husband.

“Social media, like many things, it can be used for such good. And it can be used for such evil,” she said.

“And Charlie and I both intentionally, especially after he was murdered, I took it all off my phone. I don’t even have news apps on my phone. I have nothing on my phone. I let other people post for me and siphon through those comments. That is not — I do not have the brain space for that, and it would not be healthy for me either. I get called so many names, I genuinely don’t care. I really don’t. I told you this before — when you cast the bloody dead body of the person that you love, it pales in comparison to being called x, y, z.”

She added that Charlie Kirk had long recognized the role of social media in his work but made a point to limit his personal exposure to it.

She described their weekly routine, noting that Charlie would disconnect from technology each Friday evening.

“It did not happen overnight. This is something that he leaned into. And on Friday night, when he would get home from work, he would turn off his phone and he would shove it in the junk drawer, and he would say, ‘Shabbat Shalom,’ shove it in the drawer, and he was full Dad mode, fooling with the kids, sports mode on Saturdays for college football, and he could breathe,” she said.

Kirk said that the weekly break from digital engagement gave her husband the opportunity to rest and focus on time with their family.

“He had this sacred moment to just breathe and to rest and get away from the chatter, get away from the world and just have a moment to understand that life is so much bigger than the To-Do list, than the small problem that you’re facing that you’ll laugh at five years or five months, or five minutes from now. And he was really good about that,” she said.

Scott Bessent Exposes the New York Times’ Biased Reporting at Their Own Event
News

Scott Bessent Exposes the New York Times’ Biased Reporting at Their Own Event

/

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized The New York Times on Wednesday during the outlet’s own DealBook Summit, pushing back on its reporting about President Donald Trump’s health while contrasting it with the paper’s approach to Joe Biden.

The Times published a story titled “Signs of Fatigue: Trump Faces Realities Of Aging in Office,” which suggested the public had seen less of Trump and claimed he showed signs of mental decline.

Addressing that reporting, Bessent told Times financial columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin that the outlet questioned Trump’s ability to serve but did not focus on Biden’s mental capacity during his presidency.

“You had what was one of the greatest scandals of all time, that the coverage of the Biden administration, Joe Biden’s diminished capacity, and the cover up. And that’s why it’s probably fair to raise these questions. Where was the New York Times? We just had a three-hour cabinet meeting yesterday, Andrew,” Bessent said.

Bessent contrasted that meeting schedule with what he described as a lack of cabinet engagement under Biden.

“For ten months, the Biden administration did not have a cabinet meeting,” he said.

“How are you going to invoke the 25th Amendment if the cabinet secretaries never see the president, which they didn’t? I hear from people in the Treasury Building that I see President Trump more in a day than my predecessor saw Joe Biden in half a year.”

Concerns about Biden’s mental acuity surfaced repeatedly during his presidency, including in March 2021 when The New York Times published the headline, “Biden ‘Doing 100 Percent Fine’ After Tripping While Boarding Air Force One.”

Video from that day showed Biden falling forward on the steps of the plane and appearing to lose his balance again before landing on his left knee.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the Times’ more recent reporting during a Monday briefing, saying the outlet’s description of Trump’s fitness for office was not consistent with the access reporters have had to the president.

“Oh, same outlet, same reporter who wrote that President Trump is not fit for the job. Are you kidding me? You all see him almost every single day. He is the most accessible president in history,” Leavitt said.

The White House released the results of Trump’s magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in October.

The findings stated that the 79-year-old president’s cardiovascular and abdominal systems are in good health.

Media outlets regularly dismissed questions about Biden’s mental capacity during his presidency, often referring to those concerns as partisan attacks.

That dynamic shifted after the June 27, 2024, debate between Biden and Trump, during which Biden appeared confused at points and spoke with a raspy voice.

DOJ Expands Election-Integrity Crackdown, Sues Six More States Over Withheld Voter Rolls
News

DOJ Expands Election-Integrity Crackdown, Sues Six More States Over Withheld Voter Rolls

/

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced Tuesday that it has filed lawsuits against six additional states—Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington—for refusing to turn over their statewide voter registration lists as required under federal law.

The action brings the total number of states now facing federal litigation to fourteen, as reported by the Gateway Pundit.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi, who has taken a substantially stronger election-transparency posture than prior administrations, said the continued refusal of states to comply with federal voter-roll laws threatens the integrity of national elections.

Feb 21 2025 Washington DC Pam Bondi walked out to do a interview with Fox .she did not talk to the press on the way there .

“Accurate voter rolls are the cornerstone of fair and free elections, and too many states have fallen into a pattern of noncompliance with basic voter roll maintenance,” Bondi said.

“The Department of Justice will continue filing proactive election integrity litigation until states comply with basic election safeguards.”

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet K. Dhillon, who is overseeing the department’s nationwide enforcement sweep, said states that withhold voter lists are undermining public confidence.

“Our federal elections laws ensure every American citizen may vote freely and fairly,” Dhillon said.

“States that continue to defy federal voting laws interfere with our mission of ensuring that Americans have accurate voter lists as they go to the polls, that every vote counts equally, and that all voters have confidence in election results. At this Department of Justice, we will not stand for this open defiance of federal civil rights laws.”

Dhillon said many of the explanations states have offered for withholding their lists are not supported by law.

“Mainly, they’re arguing privacy or that the reason the DOJ has given for this information isn’t the real reason. They always have some silly conspiracy theory going, but actually don’t have to give a reason,” she said.

Dhillon added that federal law entitles the department to obtain voter roll data and that states “don’t get to go back and forth with us.”

She specifically addressed claims involving Social Security data.

“One of the dumbest reasons that I hear put up is, ‘Oh, the Social Security number is confidential.’ Well, how can it be confidential from the federal government that issues the Social Security numbers? That’s really silly,” she said.

Dhillon also noted that several states withholding voter lists from federal authorities voluntarily share the same information with nonprofit organizations and outside groups.

“ERIC is one of them. So what’s the privacy concern? If you’re willing to give it to some nonprofit that benefits your political agenda, why aren’t you going to give it to the United States?” she said.

According to Dhillon, many states have begun complying after determining that litigation would be costly and unsuccessful.

She said the goal of the effort is to allow states to compare data, eliminate duplicate registrations, remove ineligible voters, and meet legal maintenance requirements.

“Each of these states is required to keep clean voter rolls. They’re not doing it, for the most part. This is red states and blue states,” she said.

“We’re going to compare data, we’re going to help eliminate duplicates, help them root out fraud, and get people off the voter rolls who shouldn’t be there.”

The DOJ lawsuits cite three federal statutes that mandate transparency and access to voter registration files:

• The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) — requires states to maintain accurate and updated voter lists and provide them upon request.
• The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) — mandates modern, secure voter registration systems that may be evaluated by federal authorities.
• The Civil Rights Act of 1960 (CRA) — authorizes the Justice Department to inspect and copy voter registration lists and related election documents.

The fourteen states currently facing DOJ litigation for refusing to provide their full statewide voter files are California, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

Luna Drops Bombshell Numbers Tying Congress Members to Big Pharma, Vanguard, and BlackRock
News

Luna Drops Bombshell Numbers Tying Congress Members to Big Pharma, Vanguard, and BlackRock

/

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna detailed what she described as extensive financial conflicts of interest in Congress, arguing that lawmakers’ personal investments in major corporations hinder their ability to address issues ranging from housing to pharmaceutical pricing.

In a public statement, Luna presented data on congressional stock holdings and urged immediate action to restrict individual trading by lawmakers.

“Okay, I brought numbers because numbers do not lie,” Luna said.

She noted that members of both parties often claim to have solutions for affordability, the housing crisis, and pharmaceutical costs, but their personal financial interests tell a different story.

“So when you hear members of both parties saying that they have solutions for affordability, the housing crisis, pharmaceuticals, all this, and yet, you look at their personal investments, you’ll know that it’s literally just political gamesmanship,” she said.

Luna criticized the lack of meaningful restrictions on congressional trading, pointing to what she described as daily occurrences of insider behavior.

“Unless we actually prevent insider trading, which is happening every single day in Congress, if people are telling you otherwise, they are lying to you,” she said.

Luna called for reforms similar to rules governing the executive branch, stating that without them, lawmakers will remain financially tied to the same industries they are tasked with regulating.

She identified three major areas of concern: Big Pharma, BlackRock, and Vanguard.

“You have people on both sides that are controlled up for the three big ones, BlackRock, Vanguard and Big Pharma,” Luna said.

Presenting the data, Luna continued: “Okay, so in the house, you have 25% of members, and in the Senate, 30% of members that own personally totaling about $100 million in stocks in Big Pharma.”

She added that BlackRock and Vanguard holdings also represent a significant exposure.

“Then you have black rock and vanguard in Black Rock, that big, spooky organization that, in my opinion, is contributing to the housing crisis in this country because you’re buying up all those single family homes. Yeah, you have about 13 members reported holdings, but that’s a significant number, especially when you have only 535, members,” she said.

Luna emphasized that roughly a third of Congress has personal investments linked to the industries they oversee.

“So roughly, all that to say, roughly one in three members of Congress have exposure to either pharmaceutical, Big Pharma, BlackRock and Vanguard,” she said.

She questioned whether lawmakers could produce credible policy solutions while personally benefiting from those same sectors.

“Do you really think that they’re going to be able to fix and bring forward great solutions when they are personally benefiting and impacted off of the legislation that’s coming off the House floor? And the answer is no.”

She added that while she is willing to work with any lawmaker committed to reform, the current pace of action is insufficient.

“So look, I’m all for solutions. I will work with anyone to come forward with a solution, but to do nothing is not the angle.”

Luna referenced recent remarks by the Speaker of the House indicating support for addressing congressional stock trading.

“I know the speaker actually just went to the press and said that, you know, he’s wanting to stop the insider trading. That’s great. I think America wants us to stop instead of trading, and so I’m happy to work with him,” she said.

She concluded by calling on the public to demand change.

“But the point is is to do nothing is to do a great disservice to the American people. And I’m not going to be quiet, and I’m not going to let this go, because this is a serious issue. We really want to talk about the crux of the problems in this country. Look no further than the insider trading. It is really bad. It needs to stop. Frankly, the American people should be letting their voices heard on this.”

WATCH:


Scroll to Top