Author name: LifeZette

Shotgun Maniac Shot by Cops After Queens Blast as Two Relatives Found Dead [WATCH]
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Shotgun Maniac Shot by Cops After Queens Blast as Two Relatives Found Dead [WATCH]

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A violent scene in Far Rockaway turned into a nightmare Saturday when police shot a shotgun armed man outside a Queens home after an explosion erupted from the residence, then found two relatives dead inside, according to police and sources.

The NYPD responded around noon to Ocean Crest Boulevard near Hartman Lane after a 911 caller reported shots fired inside the home.

What officers encountered was not some routine domestic disturbance, but the kind of chaos that reminds sane people why police still matter.

Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh said the caller gave dispatchers a terrifying warning before officers arrived.

“The caller stated that her husband was armed and had a history with mental illness,” he said.

The woman also told 911 that her husband, identified as 33 year old Kegan Thomas, “killed them,” McIntosh said.

That chilling message set off a rapid police response to a home that had already become a deadly crime scene.

When officers arrived, the wife was outside the residence and told them she had heard gunshots.

She said “and when she walked into the room she saw a body on the bed,” McIntosh said.

According to McIntosh, the woman ran out of the building and called 911 after seeing the body.

“Additionally, she told responding officers to be careful because her husband has a shotgun,” he said.

By 12:15 p.m., the NYPD had called in its Emergency Services Unit, the specialized officers who get summoned when a bad situation has the potential to get much worse. In this case, it did exactly that.

As officers prepared to force entry into the home, McIntosh said “a large fiery explosion erupted from the house,” turning an already dangerous call into a full blown combat zone.

The cause and type of explosive remain under investigation.

Sources said the suspect then emerged from the home wearing a bulletproof vest with extra ammunition inside it.

He was also armed with a shotgun, giving officers little room for hesitation.

Police said the suspect confronted officers and refused to obey their commands.

A police source said he was shot by multiple officers after ignoring “numerous commands to drop the shotgun,” which is about as clear a warning as anyone should need.

McIntosh described the confrontation in detail.

“Officers issued numerous verbal commands for the subject to put his hands up so he could drop the weapon,” he said.

The suspect still did not comply, according to police.

“After failing to comply with repeat commands to put his hands up and still armed (with) the shotgun, officers discharged their weapons and struck the subject.”

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Thomas was taken to Jamaica Hospital in critical condition and was undergoing surgery, sources said.

McIntosh said he has no criminal record and no mental health history with the NYPD, a detail investigators will likely continue examining as they piece together what led to the violence.

Inside the home, police found two bodies with bullet wounds, sources told The Post.

The victims were believed to be the suspect’s mother in law and sister in law.

The horror of the scene was matched only by the danger officers faced while entering it.

In a city where politicians and activist types regularly lecture police from safe rooms and press conferences, this was the real world again, a shotgun, an explosion, body armor, dead victims inside, and officers moving toward it.

“Again, it cannot be overstated that the bravery of the officers who responded today … they ran toward the danger with no hesitation,” McIntosh said.

That kind of praise was not just official boilerplate.

Investigators are still working to determine what explosive was set off inside the residence and whether the blast was deliberately triggered as officers closed in.

The crime scene left behind is expected to require careful processing, given the combination of gunfire, fire, possible explosives, and two deaths inside the home.

The NYPD shooting will be reviewed, as police involved shootings always are.

But the early account paints a stark picture, officers responded to a woman begging for help, faced an armed man in body armor after an explosion, and fired only after repeated commands were ignored.

For the neighbors in Far Rockaway, the quiet of a Saturday afternoon was shattered by gunfire, flames, and a deadly family tragedy.

For the officers who answered the call, it was another reminder that when everyone else runs out, somebody still has to go in.

US Forces Cripple Tanker Defying Hormuz Blockade After Repeated Warnings [WATCH]
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US Forces Cripple Tanker Defying Hormuz Blockade After Repeated Warnings [WATCH]

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U.S. military forces disabled a tanker trying to push through the Strait of Hormuz on July 24, after officials said the crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted to run a regional blockade.

The message from American commanders was not exactly subtle, keep testing the line and there will be consequences.

The vessel, identified as the M/T Lavine, was stopped after U.S. forces fired into its engine room, according to Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for CENTCOM. “The ship is no longer transiting to Iran,” Hawkins said.

Military officials said the strike was part of a broader enforcement effort in one of the world’s most sensitive maritime corridors.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical passage for global energy traffic, which makes any blockade enforcement there a high stakes operation from the first warning to the final shot.

CENTCOM said the Lavine was not the only vessel to challenge the blockade.

Officials described the incident as one of twelve forced turnarounds involving ships that attempted to breach the restriction and were redirected away from the strait.

“As of July 25, CENTCOM has redirected 12 commercial vessels trying to run the blockade, disabled 2 that didn’t comply, and boarded 2 to ensure total compliance,” the combat command said in a statement on X.

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That is a fairly clear scorecard for anyone still pretending American warnings are just diplomatic background music.

Hawkins said the crew of the Lavine had been warned after four prior attempts to get around the blockade.

At some point, even the most stubborn captain should be able to read the room, especially when the room includes U.S. naval power.

The operation comes as President Trump reportedly stepped back from a larger escalation after the thirteenth consecutive night of strikes.

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The New York Times reported that the pause was tied to concerns about a reduced stockpile of anti missile interceptors.

That detail adds another layer to the administration’s calculations in the region.

Trump has been weighing how far to push Tehran and its network of troublemakers without draining key defenses that America may need if the situation widens.

American forces also boarded the M/T Charminar in the Arabian Sea for a compliance inspection.

Officials said the purpose was to confirm the ship was not carrying prohibited goods, and after passing inspection, the vessel was allowed to continue its voyage.

That boarding showed the other side of blockade enforcement.

Comply, get inspected, move along, which seems simple enough unless someone is determined to turn a commercial vessel into a geopolitical stunt.

The military released video footage showing U.S. naval operations connected to the enforcement mission.

The roughly forty two second clip begins on an aircraft carrier flight deck as helicopters prepare to launch.

The video then shows armed military personnel roping onto the deck of a commercial tanker at sea.

The name “CHARMINAR” is clearly visible on the vessel’s superstructure as Marines and sailors carry out the verification boarding.

Later footage shifts to overhead targeting imagery marked “UNCLASSIFIED” and “M/T LAVINE.”

A bright explosion can be seen on the tanker’s deck and superstructure after the precision strike meant to disable the ship.

The release of the footage appears designed to make the point publicly and unmistakably.

Washington is not merely issuing strongly worded statements while hostile actors and blockade runners play games in a dangerous waterway.

For the crews and governments watching from the region, the lesson is plain.

The U.S. military is prepared to inspect compliant vessels, redirect violators, and disable ships that keep ignoring warnings like the rules are optional.

The Strait of Hormuz has long been a pressure point where bad actors test American resolve.

This time, the Lavine got a very expensive reminder that U.S. naval warnings are not suggestions.

“When the Democrats Say, ‘There Is No Proof of Fraud…’”: Jillian Michaels [WATCH]
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“When the Democrats Say, ‘There Is No Proof of Fraud…’”: Jillian Michaels [WATCH]

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Fitness personality and commentator Jillian Michaels criticized Democratic opposition to voter identification requirements and other election reforms, arguing that claims of widespread election security are difficult to verify without stronger safeguards.

Michaels questioned assertions that there is no evidence of voter fraud, saying the current election system lacks measures that would make such claims easier to assess.

“When the Democrats say there is no proof of fraud, how do you know?” Michaels said.

“You don’t require ID. You can’t find something you’re not looking for.”

She argued that Democrats have declined to address what she described as vulnerabilities in the election system.

“Democrats absolutely refuse to fix these vulnerabilities because they’re hiding behind accusations of racism and voter suppression,” Michaels said.

According to Michaels, voter identification requirements and similar election integrity measures should not be viewed as discriminatory.

“But I think we’ve established that nobody honestly believes requiring clean vote rules and basic identity verification is discriminatory,” she said.

Michaels contended that political considerations, rather than concerns about discrimination, explain Democratic resistance to election reforms.

“The real reason that Democrats resist reform is because the current system benefits them politically,” she said.

“That is the answer. Everyone knows it.”

She concluded by arguing that political incentives discourage efforts to change the current system.

“When the loopholes tilt in your favor, you don’t have an incentive to close them.”

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FBI Bags Fourth Most Wanted Fraudster in Just Five Weeks [WATCH]
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FBI Bags Fourth Most Wanted Fraudster in Just Five Weeks [WATCH]

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The FBI has hauled another accused pandemic relief fraudster back onto American soil, and this time the destination is the Southern District of Florida.

Elaine Escoe, 41, is now facing federal charges tied to an alleged scheme that prosecutors say siphoned more than 32 million dollars from COVID relief programs.

Escoe was indicted in 2025 on charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud, and money laundering.

After a federal arrest warrant was issued in May 2025, prosecutors say she skipped court and fled to Jamaica.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche made clear that the Justice Department views the case as another warning shot to those who treated pandemic aid like a personal jackpot.

“She fled the country believing she could escape justice but ultimately could not.”

According to federal officials, Jamaican authorities captured Escoe after receiving a tip.

She had reportedly been living under the fake identity “Harley Newman,” which apparently did not work out quite the way she hoped.

Her return to South Florida came through a coordinated effort involving the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service office at the U.S. Embassy in Kingston, the Jamaican Constabulary Force, and Jamaica’s fugitive apprehension team.

That is a lot of manpower for one alleged fraudster who thought a plane ticket could solve her problems.

Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division said the arrest sends a direct message.

“Elaine Angene Escoe’s arrest and return to the United States demonstrates that no one is beyond the reach of American justice,” he said.

McDonald added that the Fraud Division will not be letting up on those accused of raiding public funds.

“The Fraud Division will continue to vigorously prosecute those who steal from the American people.”

Court records allege that Escoe and her fellow conspirators submitted, or caused others to submit, fraudulent applications seeking more than 32 million dollars from multiple federal pandemic programs.

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Those programs included the Paycheck Protection Program, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, and Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds.

Prosecutors say the applications included false claims about businesses, payroll, revenue, and operations.

In plain English, the alleged scheme involved inventing or inflating business activity so federal money could be pulled out of programs meant to keep legitimate employers afloat.

Authorities also say the conspirators created fake tax documents, fabricated bank records, and other phony financial materials.

Lenders and program administrators allegedly relied on those records when approving loans and grants, which is how the money kept flowing.

FBI Director Kash Patel pointed to Escoe’s capture as part of a broader crackdown under the bureau’s Most Wanted Fraudsters List.

He said the FBI and its partners have now captured four Most Wanted Fraudsters in five weeks, a pace that should make other fugitives overseas start sleeping a little less comfortably.

Patel also tied the enforcement push to President Trump, Vice President Vance, and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.

According to Patel, the four captured suspects were arrested across three continents and are accused of nearly 1.8 billion dollars in combined fraud after spending more than 3,500 days on the run collectively.

The alleged operation was not limited to applications tied to businesses controlled by the conspirators.

Prosecutors say some applications were submitted for third parties in exchange for massive kickbacks, sometimes reaching 50 percent of the loan proceeds.

Federal officials say the proceeds were then laundered among members of the group.

That detail adds another layer to what prosecutors describe as a sprawling abuse of relief programs created during a national emergency.

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida said Escoe allegedly helped orchestrate a scheme that took more than 32 million dollars from programs meant for American workers and businesses.

“Defendants cannot escape accountability simply by leaving the country,” he said.

Quiñones also credited the federal, state, and international partners who helped bring Escoe back.

“This coordinated effort demonstrates that we will pursue fugitives wherever they go and bring them back to face justice.”

Escoe is the last remaining defendant charged in the alleged scheme.

After a December 2025 trial, Alfred Davis, Cher Davis, and Latoya Clark were convicted by a federal jury, while James McGhow and Gino Jourdan previously pleaded guilty.

The sentences already handed down were not exactly a slap on the wrist.

Alfred Davis received 235 months in prison, Cher Davis received 87 months, Clark received 70 months, Jourdan received 46 months, and McGhow received 42 months.

The FBI Miami West Palm Beach Resident Agency is leading the investigation, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations Miami and the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office.

The case also fits into the Trump Justice Department’s wider push to claw back money stolen from the American people.

The FBI announced the Most Wanted Fraudsters List on June 4, and the results came fast.

Herb Kimble, accused in a 1.2 billion dollar telemedicine and medical equipment scheme, was arrested in the Philippines just four days later.

Escoe was added to the list on June 8 and was captured less than two months later.

For alleged fraudsters who thought the COVID money train would roll forever, the new message from Washington is blunt enough, the ride is over.

Minnesota Schools Push Taxpayer Funded Trans Dolls with Removable Genitalia for Preschoolers [WATCH]
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Minnesota Schools Push Taxpayer Funded Trans Dolls with Removable Genitalia for Preschoolers [WATCH]

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Taxpayer funded transgender dolls with removable genitalia are reportedly set to be made available in some Minnesota classrooms, reaching children as young as four years old.

According to the report, the dolls are being presented as a first of their kind educational tool for young students.

That detail alone should make parents sit up straight.

Four year olds are still learning how to tie shoes, share crayons, and get through a school day without a nap, yet some adults apparently believe they need dolls designed around gender ideology.

The report says the dolls will be available to children in certain Minnesota classrooms.

It is the latest example of public education drifting far from reading, counting, and basic classroom structure, while taxpayers are expected to smile and keep writing checks.

Parents have every reason to ask why public money is being used for this kind of material.

A classroom is not supposed to be a laboratory for whatever cultural experiment activists want to test on children who still need help opening juice boxes.

Conservative families have warned for years that the left was moving its gender agenda into younger and younger grades.

Every time parents objected, they were told they were overreacting, spreading panic, or falling for right wing outrage.

Now the report describes dolls with removable genitalia being made available to children as young as four.

That is not a math lesson, a phonics lesson, or a civics lesson, no matter how many consultants try to dress it up in academic language.

The obvious question is who decided this belonged anywhere near preschool aged children.

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Another question is whether parents were fully informed before these materials were introduced or approved for classroom use.

Supporters of this agenda often hide behind words like inclusion and representation.

Those words sound soft and harmless, which is exactly why they are useful when adults want to smuggle highly controversial ideas into settings where children are too young to understand the debate.

This is the familiar playbook.

Push a radical concept into schools, insist it is just about kindness, then accuse parents of cruelty when they object to age inappropriate material being handed to their children.

The use of taxpayer funds makes the issue even more insulting.

Families struggling with groceries, gas, housing, and property taxes are now expected to fund classroom materials that many of them would never allow in their own homes.

Minnesota has become one of the states where progressive politics often moves through government institutions with very little concern for ordinary families.

The attitude from the activist class is simple, they know best, parents can catch up later.

A classroom for four year olds should be one of the least political places in America.

It should be filled with alphabet charts, picture books, building blocks, and patient teachers helping children develop basic social and learning skills.

Instead, stories like this keep convincing parents that public schools are being used to normalize ideas that belong far outside early childhood education.

The left keeps demanding trust while giving parents fresh reasons not to offer it.

The report also arrives in a media environment where many major outlets would rather ignore stories that make progressive institutions look extreme.

Independent reporting has become essential because the establishment press frequently treats parental concern as the real problem.

For parents, this is not complicated.

They want transparency, age appropriate instruction, and schools that respect the family instead of trying to outrank it.

If school officials believe dolls with removable genitalia belong in classrooms for four year olds, they should be willing to say so plainly and defend it publicly.

No jargon, no hiding behind committees, no pretending parents are the issue.

The bigger fight is over who gets to shape the minds of young children.

In Minnesota, this report suggests too many people in education are still confused about the answer.

Suspected Islamic Extremist Hunted After Berlin Pride Van Attack Kills One, Injures 16 [WATCH]
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Suspected Islamic Extremist Hunted After Berlin Pride Van Attack Kills One, Injures 16 [WATCH]

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A deadly attack shattered Berlin’s Christopher Street Day celebration Saturday night after a white van plowed into a crowd near the route of the city’s massive LGBTQ+ event, killing one person and injuring at least 16 others.

Authorities said the driver fled after the crash, setting off an urgent police manhunt across the German capital.

The suspect was identified as Abdul B., age 21, and officials said he was already known to law enforcement.

“The suspect is known to police.

He is known to us as a member of Islamic circles here in Berlin, and our search for this person is proceeding at full speed,” police spokesman Florian Nath said.

That detail will sound painfully familiar to Europeans who have watched officials repeatedly discover, usually after blood is on the pavement, that dangerous extremists were already somewhere in the security files.

Once again, the public is left asking why known threats remain free to turn crowded streets into crime scenes.

The attack happened around 10 p.m. near Tiergarten park, along a route that had been used earlier by the pride march.

Police said the van drove into the park area, struck multiple people, and then crashed into a tree.

The event had drawn hundreds of thousands of people to Berlin for what organizers and city officials described as a major celebration of tolerance and public life.

Within minutes, that atmosphere gave way to sirens, panic, and a heavy police presence.

At least one victim died, while several others reportedly suffered life threatening injuries.

Officials also said investigators were looking into witness accounts suggesting some victims may have had stab wounds in addition to injuries from the vehicle impact.

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Police stressed that it was too early to make final conclusions about those reports.

Authorities urged witnesses to provide videos, photos, or any other evidence that could help reconstruct what happened.

Event attendee Julian Meithig said he had been celebrating near the Brandenburg Gate and was planning to head to an afterparty when a friend warned him that “something bad happened there and there are a lot of fire trucks, a lot of emergency vehicles, ambulances.”

Meithig walked toward the scene and saw the aftermath of the attack. He later said “it’s a dark day for our community.”

About 15 minutes after the assault, the Christopher Street Day event was canceled.

Police flooded the area as emergency responders treated victims and investigators began searching for the suspect.

Berlin officials also activated a crisis hotline for people unable to locate loved ones after the attack.

In a city packed with visitors and residents for one of its largest annual public events, families were left scrambling for answers.

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner said that “following a peaceful and vibrant pride parade, the rally for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin was attacked in the most brutal manner.”

“This is an attack on our free and cosmopolitan society.”

“I have confidence in the police and security authorities, who will be working around the clock to investigate,” Wegner said.

The mayor’s words captured the official mood, but they also highlighted the uncomfortable reality facing Germany and much of Western Europe.

Leaders talk endlessly about open societies, but open societies still require serious borders, serious policing, and serious consequences for extremists who make their intentions clear.

For now, police say the suspect remains at large as of Sunday morning.

The manhunt is continuing, with officers seeking the public’s help as they work through evidence from one of Berlin’s most disturbing public attacks in recent memory.

Berlin has seen what happens when a known extremist threat allegedly reaches a crowded street, and the bill for that failure was paid by innocent people.

Maine Dems Crown Troy Jackson as Senate Nominee After Platner Collapse [WATCH]
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Maine Dems Crown Troy Jackson as Senate Nominee After Platner Collapse [WATCH]

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Maine Democrats have now made it official, Troy Jackson is their new U.S. Senate nominee after the party moved on from scandal plagued Graham Platner.

The state party declared Jackson the winner of its U.S. Senate Nominating Convention, setting him up to face incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.

The Maine Democrat Party said Jackson secured the nomination over the weekend with support from 566 delegates from across the state.

Party leaders are trying to project unity, because nothing says confidence like swapping candidates and insisting everything is perfectly normal.

“Congratulations to Troy Jackson on earning the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate,” Maine Democratic Party Chair Charlie Dingman said in a statement.

The party chair praised the process as if Democrats had just pulled off a master class in democracy instead of a rapid repair job.

“Maine Democrats engaged in this tightly scheduled nomination process with energy and enthusiasm.

Tens of thousands of Democrats participated in selecting delegates, and today our delegates chose our nominee in a process that was open, representative, and transparent,” Dingman continued.

He added that Maine Democrats are now “united to support our nominee and focus on what matters most: defeating Susan Collins this November.”

Dingman also tried to frame Jackson as the man for working Mainers.

“Mainers are looking for a senator who will fight for working families, lower costs, protect our freedoms, and stand up for Maine. We’re excited to get to work to elect Troy Jackson and build a stronger future for our state.”

Jackson, a former president of the Maine Senate, was widely expected to walk away with the nomination.

Most delegates had already pledged to support him over qualifying contenders David Costello, Dan Kleban, and Saundra Pelletier.

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One name apparently absent from the qualifying field was Ashley Webb, the self described transgender intersex candidate who previously drew attention for claiming to experience a monthly period through his rectum.

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Even by Democrat primary standards, that one apparently did not make the convention cut.

Jackson now becomes the face of the Democrat effort against Collins, but he is not exactly arriving without baggage.

He has long carried a reputation as a hot tempered political figure, which could complicate the party’s attempt to package him as a calm and steady alternative.

Earlier this month, the far left group Progressive Victory aired a serious allegation against Jackson.

The group claimed that he “struck a female colleague with a bottle he threw at her” during a disagreement, and said the account was supported by multiple witnesses.

The Washington Post has also described Jackson as someone who “once angrily threw a water bottle in a meeting after he couldn’t persuade a lawmaker to vote his way.”

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That is not exactly the kind of biography line campaign consultants usually put in glossy mailers to suburban voters.

Democrats, naturally, are hoping voters will look past all of that and focus on their usual talking points about costs, freedoms, and working families.

The problem is that voters in Maine may wonder why the party keeps producing candidates who require so much explaining.

Some Democrats are acting pleased with the switch, but not everyone sounds thrilled.

According to NOTUS, Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii laughed when she was asked whether Jackson had a better chance of winning than Platner.

“Let’s just say that we have a candidate,” she said.

That is the kind of ringing endorsement that usually belongs on a warning label, not a campaign brochure.

For Collins, the Democrat shuffle could be a political gift if her campaign can keep the focus on competence, stability, and the left’s increasingly odd candidate bench.

Maine voters may now get to choose between a familiar Republican incumbent and a Democrat nominee whose party had to reassure everyone that its emergency nomination process was open, representative, and transparent.

The Maine Senate race was already expected to draw national attention, and Jackson’s nomination will likely intensify the fight.

Democrats want to convince voters they have found their champion, but Republicans will have plenty of material to argue that the party simply traded one headache for another.

Jessica Tarlov Tried a Socialist Gotcha and Got Flattened on Live TV [WATCH]
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Jessica Tarlov Tried a Socialist Gotcha and Got Flattened on Live TV [WATCH]

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Friday night on The Five delivered another tidy reminder that liberal talking points tend to sound much better in the green room than they do once Greg Gutfeld and Jesse Watters start asking basic questions.

Jessica Tarlov came into the segment ready to accuse her conservative colleagues of hypocrisy over the Trump administration taking equity stakes in companies such as U.S. Steel and Intel.

She clearly thought she had a neat little socialism trap set and waiting.

Instead, she stepped in it herself.

Tarlov began by insisting that conservatives have spent years tossing around the words socialist and communist without meaning them. “You’ve been calling every Democratic candidate for over a decade a socialist or communist ,” Tarlov said.

That might have sounded clever if the modern Democratic Party were not currently hosting an open socialist movement in broad daylight. Gutfeld immediately pointed out the obvious flaw.

“The socialists are calling themselves socialists! We didn’t name them the DSA,” he said.

That was the central problem with Tarlov’s argument from the start.

Conservatives did not invent the Democratic Socialists of America, nor did they force leftist candidates to campaign under the socialist banner while demanding government control, wealth redistribution, and the usual fantasy land economic agenda.

Tarlov wanted viewers to believe Republicans are simply using the word socialist as a lazy insult.

The trouble is that the left keeps supplying actual socialists, then acts shocked when people notice.

Still, she pressed ahead with the claim that government stakes in private firms under Trump amount to socialism, or perhaps communism, depending on whatever label might make her point sound scarier.

Gutfeld asked her to explain the supposed connection.

“Explain the stake and how it works, please. Like, how is that the same as socialism?” he said.

That question mattered because there is a real difference between the government supporting strategic industries and the government seizing control of production.

Democrats love blurring that line when Trump is involved, then suddenly rediscover nuance when their own side is writing checks.

Watters jumped in with the plain answer. “He’s not controlling the company, he’s just putting money into it, it’s industrial policy,” Watters said.

That should have been enough to end the lecture, but Tarlov kept digging.

“They have to pay a tithe to the U.S. government. Everyone knows that, that’s why they show up in the Oval Office.”

Gutfeld then brought up Tesla, a useful example because government loans and support for private industry are hardly some new Trump invention.

“What about Tesla? This happens a lot, the government gives money, loans, money gets paid back,” he said.

That is where the liberal argument really started to wobble.

If every government investment, loan, or stake in a company is socialism, then Democrats have been cheering socialism for a very long time while pretending it only becomes dangerous when Trump is attached to it.

Tarlov tried to draw a distinction by focusing on ownership.

“It is part ownership of an American company that is supposed to be distinct from the government. If you are not being massive hypocrites, but you are, and we are out of time,” she said.

The problem is that calling something hypocrisy does not make it so.

There is a practical difference between limited government involvement in strategic sectors and the left’s preferred model of turning the economy into a playground for bureaucrats, activists, and politically connected winners.

Then Watters delivered the line that cut straight through the performance.

“So you should love it then, right? Because you’re a liberal,” he said.

That was the moment the whole gotcha collapsed.

If Tarlov truly believes this is socialism, then why was she not celebrating it as a grand leap toward the left’s beloved government managed economy?

By the time she pivoted to polling and tariff revenue, the segment had lost any remaining pretense of seriousness.

Watters finally said what many viewers were probably thinking.

“You’re just rambling,” he said.

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Tarlov walked into the discussion convinced she was about to expose conservative inconsistency.

What she exposed instead was the familiar liberal habit of changing definitions on the fly, especially when Donald Trump is involved.

The left wants to call everything socialism, except actual socialists, unless those actual socialists are useful for energizing the base.

Tarlov tried to run that routine on live television, and Gutfeld and Watters made sure it did not survive contact with reality.

IRS Goons Try to Steal Tennessee Farmer’s Land Over Their Own Stupid $20K Screw-Up [WATCH]
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IRS Goons Try to Steal Tennessee Farmer’s Land Over Their Own Stupid $20K Screw-Up [WATCH]

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Newsmax host Carl Higbie highlighted the case of a Tennessee farmer who spent years trying to return an IRS refund sent in error, arguing the situation illustrates systemic failures within the federal tax agency. Higbie also credited country music singer John Rich with helping bring the case to the attention of senior Trump administration officials.

“You know, one of my favorite things to do is stand up for the little guy,” Higbie said. “That’s literally the backbone of the show. There is no better example of the little guy getting the shaft than when we have to deal with the IRS.”

Higbie praised what he described as increased responsiveness under President Donald Trump’s administration.

“Fortunately, under the Trump administration, we have people that are actually in touch with the public,” he said. “John Rich, for example, special envoy to American landowners has stepped in and listen to how this went.”

Rich explained that he had learned about the case involving Mr. Kirby, a Tennessee farmer.

“Just heard about Mr. Kirby, the farmer in Tennessee, who the IRS is threatening to seize his property for him not making payments on a refund that he never asked for, nor was it his,” Rich said.

“According to the facts, is how I know them now. He tried to return the money, and as we all know, sometimes the IRS just is a labyrinth of complexity.”

Higbie then detailed the dispute, saying it began in 2021 when Kirby filed his tax return expecting a refund of approximately $1,100.

“So, in 2021, under Biden, a local Tennessee farmer named Mr. Kirby filed his taxes dutifully, like he does every single year, and was supposed to get an $1,100 refund,” Higbie said.

Instead, the IRS allegedly sent Kirby more than $20,000.

“The IRS actually sent him over $20,000,” Higbie said. “Kirby was like, ‘Hold up, wait a minute, something ain’t right.'”

According to Higbie, Kirby repeatedly attempted to notify the IRS of the mistake.

“So he makes multiple calls-not one, not two-multiple calls to the IRS to let them know that they’ve made a mistake,” Higbie said.

He added that Kirby also wrote letters and later had his accountant attempt to contact the agency.

“He wrote them letters and things like that,” Higbie said. “He has his accountant reach out. They couldn’t get in touch with anybody either.”

Higbie said Kirby eventually placed the money into a separate account while waiting for guidance from the IRS.

“So he puts this money in this side account and just lets it sit there until he could get somebody on the phone,” Higbie said. “This went on for four years.”

According to Higbie, the IRS later demanded repayment of the money plus interest.

“Then in early January of 2025, Mr. Kirby received a letter from the IRS telling him to send the $20,000 back with interest,” he said.

Higbie said Kirby immediately returned the entire $20,000 but disputed the interest charges because the overpayment resulted from an IRS error.

“According to his accountant, he immediately sent all the money back-the full $20,000 amount-to the IRS,” Higbie said.

He explained that Kirby later met with an IRS employee, who instructed him to file an abatement request seeking relief from the interest.

“Mr. Kirby went with the agent, and the agent had him fill out this like abatement form to explain why he didn’t owe the interest on this money.”

Higbie said the IRS rejected that request after another lengthy delay.

“The IRS waited 18 more months from that time, and then they denied his petition,” he said.

He added that the IRS also withheld Kirby’s later tax refund to collect the disputed interest.

“This year, the IRS withheld Mr. Kirby’s $1,873 refund that was due to him from his regular income as a payment towards the interest on the 20k that they sent him in error four years ago.”

According to Higbie, the dispute escalated further this year.

“So fast forward to this month, July 4 of all days, 2026. The IRS sent him a letter stating intent to put a levy against his farm to pay the interest on the 20k.”

Higbie said Rich intervened after learning of the situation.

“Thankfully, to avoid armed conflict, John Rich has stepped in, and as of this afternoon, it looks like this actually may be solved.”

Rich said the Trump administration has prioritized cases involving ordinary Americans.

“These are the kinds of things that I think the Trump administration cares about-just regular citizens who are running into situations that are so maddening nobody’s ever listened to them before.”

He added, “Rest assured, Mr. Kirby’s farm ain’t going anywhere. It’s going to stay right there with him.”

Higbie said Rich later informed him the case was receiving attention from senior officials.

“Now, I spoke to John Rich… and he said this is being expedited to a resolution at the highest levels. The White House got involved.”

While praising the reported progress, Higbie questioned why the situation had persisted for years.

“When you have CPAs and yourself not able to get in contact with a civil servant serving, you can’t penalize people for that,” he said.

Higbie argued the IRS should have resolved the issue immediately once Kirby met with agency personnel.

“How could any human with an IQ above a pineapple not see this and say, ‘Yep, sorry about that. We’re going to take care of it, and it’s over.'”

He also cited what he described as a federal law requiring the IRS to abate interest in cases involving erroneous refunds.

“There’s a law that says they can’t do this,” Higbie said, referring to “26 U.S. Code 6404e2, the provision on mandatory abatement of interest on certain erroneous refunds.”

Quoting the statute, Higbie emphasized the word “shall.”

“The secretary shall not may not should shall abate the assessment of all interest on any erroneous refund under section 6602 until the date demanded for repayment is made.”

Higbie argued that Kirby’s repeated efforts to return the money should have ended the matter years ago.

“And since he tried like hell to pay it back and no one picked up the phone at the IRS, it must be forgiven.”

He concluded by calling for accountability among government officials involved in the case.

“These laws are in place to protect you, me, and Mr. Kirby, and every everyone in America,” Higbie said. “Not a single IRS agent or federal worker will change a thing after this story unless there are real consequences.”

Comparing the government’s actions to how taxpayers are treated, Higbie added, “If I stiffed the IRS for 20 grand over five years, they would lock me up.”

He ended by appealing directly to President Trump.

“So, Mr. President, how about we send a message that the people paid by our tax dollars cannot violate the laws they are taxed to enforce without consequences?”

WATCH:

First Amendment? Not If Liberals Get Offended! Shiloh Hendrix Case Exposed [WATCH]
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First Amendment? Not If Liberals Get Offended! Shiloh Hendrix Case Exposed [WATCH]

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Political commentator Brittany Hughes criticized the outcome of the case involving Minnesota resident Shiloh Hendricks, arguing that the prosecution reflects unequal treatment under the law and raises constitutional concerns about free speech protections.

Hughes opened by revisiting the incident that brought Hendricks national attention.

“So you might recall Shiloh Hendricks,” Hughes said. “She’s the white mom who was filmed in Minnesota last year, calling a black kid the N-word after catching him stealing stuff out of her toddler’s diaper bag on a playground.”

According to Hughes, Hendricks was recorded by a Somali migrant who continued filming her after the confrontation.

“She was recorded by a Somali migrant who then followed her around the playground and pestered her,” Hughes said. “But of course, we’re not supposed to care about that. We’re only supposed to care about the fact that this white lady used a slur against an autistic child that we were told at the time was five years old.”

Hughes said testimony presented during the trial established that the child was eight years old.

“Well, turns out the kid was actually eight, and we know that from court testimony this week because Shiloh Hendricks was actually on trial for using what prosecutors called fighting words,” she said.

Hughes criticized the prosecution’s legal theory, saying, “Apparently the First Amendment doesn’t apply to white ladies using words that non-white people don’t like.”

She compared Hendricks’ case with another criminal case she said has experienced significant delays.

“Oh, by the way, just your friendly reminder that De Carlos Brown stabbed Irina Zarutska to death on a train and was caught on camera, and he still has yet to go to trial because he’s been deemed incompetent,” Hughes said. “But this lady says a mean word and finds herself in front of a jury a few months later. So make of that what you will.”

According to Hughes, the jury convicted Hendricks of disorderly conduct in connection with the confrontation involving the man who recorded her.

“The jury ultimately found her guilty of disorderly conduct against the migrant man who walked around filming her and sentenced her to 200 hours of community service and $1,000 fine,” Hughes said. “And now she’s got a misdemeanor on her record.”

Hughes also referenced the criminal history of the man who filmed Hendricks.

“Which is even more insane when you consider the fact that the migrant man who was following her around with a cell phone, he was arrested and charged in 2022 with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old that he and another man had reportedly abducted, but he was released from jail.”

Hughes argued the differing outcomes illustrate unequal enforcement of the law.

“So in 2026, America, if you’re a Somali migrant, you can come to the United States, sexually assault a child, and get off scot-free,” she said. “But if you’re a white woman who says a mean word to a kid that you just caught stealing from you, and then have the audacity to say something to a man shoving a camera in your face, well, now that’s a bridge too far.”

Hughes concluded by arguing that the case raises broader constitutional concerns about free speech.

“The First Amendment does not exist to protect polite speech that everybody agrees with,” she said. “It exists to protect speech that other people find offensive. That’s literally the entire point.”

She closed by stating, “And make no mistake: what we just saw in this case was not only a gross miscarriage of justice, but a clear double standard based on the color of someone’s skin.”

WATCH:


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