Author name: Robert Walsh

BODYCAM: Penis Costume Wearing ‘Aunt Tifa’ Arrested at ‘No Kings’ Protest in Alabama
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BODYCAM: Penis Costume Wearing ‘Aunt Tifa’ Arrested at ‘No Kings’ Protest in Alabama

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Newly released body-worn camera footage shows a Fairhope police colonel confronting and arresting a 61-year-old woman during an Oct. 18 protest, where she was dressed in an inflatable penis costume.

The video is now at the center of a legal dispute over whether the arrest violated her First Amendment rights.

The footage, provided to AL.com by the legal team representing Renea Gamble, captures Col. Andrew Babb approaching her during the “No Kings” demonstration along Greeno Road.

In the recording, Babb tells Gamble that her costume would not be allowed in what he describes as a community with standards.

“I’m not going to sit here and argue with you,” Babb says in the video. “If my kids came by here to see this, how would I explain this?”

Gamble replies, “Are you recording?”

Babb responds, “How would you explain to my children what you are supposed to be? This is a family town. I’m not going to have someone out here dressed like this. It’s abusive.”

Babb also adds, “I would hate for her grandkids to see her like this.”

Gamble was arrested on misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Her attorneys, David Gespass and Kathleen Johnson, filed a 13-page brief seeking dismissal of the charges, citing the body-camera footage and arguing that the arrest occurred while she was taking part in a political protest.

According to the brief, Gamble was participating in the demonstration wearing a cartoon-style inflatable penis costume purchased from a Spirit Halloween location in Foley.

Court documents note it was the final one available at the store.

The case is being handled in Fairhope Municipal Court, with a trial date set for Jan. 6, 2026.

The arrest has drawn nationwide scrutiny after images of Gamble in the costume circulated widely online.

The incident was also featured on late-night television, including commentary from comedian Stephen Colbert.

In their filing, Gamble’s attorneys referenced past examples of Supreme Court-protected public demonstrations involving offensive or provocative imagery, noting instances such as Nazi marches, Ku Klux Klan cross burnings, flag desecration protests, and Westboro Baptist Church demonstrations at military funerals.

They argued that these longstanding protections illustrate why the charges should be dismissed.

“Can one deny that each of these actions would be more offensive to more people than a protester in an anatomically imprecise phallic costume?” Gespass and Johnson wrote in the brief.

The filing also states that no one at the Oct. 18 demonstration appeared ready to engage in a physical altercation over Gamble’s presence or attire.

“Until (police) arrived, no one present appeared so offended by Ms. Gamble’s costume as to be ready to fight over it,” the brief reads.

It adds that the protest’s message was aimed at Donald Trump and that “he was, by all accounts, nowhere near Fairhope.”

The court will determine next year whether the charges against Gamble will move forward.

Southwest Meltdown: Screaming Passenger Removed After Delayed Flight Tantrum
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Southwest Meltdown: Screaming Passenger Removed After Delayed Flight Tantrum

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A passenger at Denver International Airport was removed by security after a confrontation at a Southwest Airlines gate that was recorded and shared widely online.

The incident occurred Friday and was posted on TikTok by user Taylor Graboyes, who filmed the exchange between the woman and airline employees.

The video showed the passenger yelling at gate agents after learning that the flight was delayed and that she would not be able to board because the flight was full.

The woman, who has not been identified, could be heard shouting questions at staff while holding her phone up as if recording the exchange.

“Do you guys feel safe?” she yelled during the confrontation.

She continued to direct questions at the gate agent.

“How dare you treat me this way?” she said, raising her voice repeatedly as she questioned why the flight had not begun boarding.

At one point, she asked, “Who are you? Why is our plane late?”

She also mocked the employee for “shaking” as the discussion continued.

The passenger then asked, “Why are not we boarding?”

The phrasing drew attention from viewers online. Commenters on the TikTok video remarked on the wording, with some making light of it and noting that it sounded unusual.

Graboyes’ video included the passenger’s continued demands, including her statement that someone should “come and get [her] fired.”

She also said she intended to sue the employee.

The situation began after the flight was delayed and the woman was then told she would not be boarding because the flight was full.

Airlines sometimes oversell seats based on expected no-shows, and passengers may be denied boarding when all seats are taken.

The passenger objected to the decision. “You tell me I cannot board now? Because I questioned why it is late,” she said.

@unacceptabletay literally what is wrong w ppl lol #airport #dia ♬ original sound – tay ⋆⭒˚.⋆

Witnesses in the comments on the video said the exchange continued until airport security arrived.

According to Graboyes, it took approximately 30 minutes before security personnel reached the gate and escorted the passenger away. Other passengers in the terminal cheered as she was led out.

Graboyes wrote in the comments that she checked on the gate employee afterward.

She said the worker was visibly upset and had been crying following the encounter. “She had tears in her eyes when I went over to check on her afterwards I felt so bad,” she wrote.

Viewers online responded with criticism of the passenger’s behavior.

“Has this lady never experienced a delay of any sort?” one commenter wrote.

Another said, “If there is one place on this entire planet to behave it’s the damn airport.”

Others remarked on rules related to disruptive behavior during air travel, asking whether some travelers believe that consequences such as the no-fly list are not real.

Are AOC Donors Getting ‘Stuffed’ by Her ‘Bait and Switch’ Turkey Giveaway?
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Are AOC Donors Getting ‘Stuffed’ by Her ‘Bait and Switch’ Turkey Giveaway?

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s annual Thanksgiving turkey distribution drew scrutiny this year after her appeal for contributions directed donors to a campaign fundraising page rather than to community groups coordinating the giveaway.

In an email sent two weeks before Thanksgiving, Ocasio-Cortez asked supporters, “Will you chip in $5 or anything you can today to help us bring the joy of the holiday season into homes around NYC this year?”

Selecting the link in the message led to an ActBlue page prompting a one-time or recurring political donation.

TikTok Screenshot-AOC

The page included a disclosure that it was “paid for by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Congress” and reminded contributors that donations were not tax-deductible.

Records show that since 2019, Ocasio-Cortez has participated in turkey distributions similar to those held by numerous New York City officials.

In 2021, she reported raising $33,589.64 for three local charities by directing donors to support organizations conducting the drives.

This year’s fundraising method differed from that prior structure, as contributions were collected through her campaign committee.

Former City Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli said, “A campaign is not supposed to be a pass-through for charitable work.”

He questioned how funds would be used if contributions exceeded the cost of turkeys, adding, “This is a clear case of why a campaign is not a charitable organization.”

City Councilman Robert Holden, who hosts turkey drives without asking the public for donations, also commented.

“Socialists like AOC and Mamdani love to promise everything for free, but somehow it always ends with them shaking down working people under the guise of community good will,” he said.

“It is a typical bait and switch, pretending to be for the people while quietly pillaging them for every dollar they can get.”

A review conducted by The Post found that among more than a dozen New York City elected officials who run annual turkey programs, Ocasio-Cortez and Rep.

Gregory Meeks were the only two using campaign funds. Ocasio-Cortez was the only one who asked constituents to contribute financially.

Other officials worked with local charities, community groups, or grocery stores that donated turkeys.

City Council Member Sandra Ung distributed 526 turkeys last year donated by area businesses.

Federal Election Commission data for 2024 show Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign made a $13,101 purchase at Westside Foods in the Bronx three days before Thanksgiving.

That expenditure may have been related to the distribution.

Paul Kamenar of the National Legal and Policy Center reviewed the structure of the solicitation.

“She’s pitching: give it to me to help out people, and then it says it’s going to her benefit,” he said. He described the project as “a shady deal she’s cooking up here” and stated, “It appears that AOC’s turkey giveaway project may be a fraudulent scheme to solicit donations for her campaign.”

He added, “Clearly, a full investigation and audit need to be conducted.”

The FEC told The Post that politicians who solicit donations on behalf of community organizations are not required to report how much money is raised or how those funds are spent.

That means there is no official accounting of how many contributions result in turkey purchases or how much remains with the campaign.

Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign declined to explain why donors were directed to her political committee rather than to community groups, but her campaign manager Oliver Hidalgo-Wohlleben said, “For our Thanksgiving turkey fundraiser, we set a goal that we raise towards and if we surpass it then we order more.”

Ocasio-Cortez discussed the event in an Instagram story on Saturday.

“I want to talk to you all about all the contributions you’ve made,” she said.

“We’ve been able to provide over 1,600 turkeys in the Bronx, and then all of your support and fundraising has raised an additional $20,000 above our raise goal which we are giving 100% to local food pantries to help feed families this Thanksgiving.”

Past statements from the congresswoman list different totals for earlier years’ turkey distributions.

She wrote in her online pitch that she handed out 600 turkeys in 2024, while a campaign video from that year stated 1,000. She put her 2021 number at 650.

Her campaign did not answer follow-up questions about those figures.

Republican National Committee spokesperson Kiersten Pels commented on the arrangement.

“Ocasio-Cortez is running a con under the guise of a charity drive,” she said.

“Slapping a ‘turkey’ label on a campaign fundraiser to trick voters into thinking they’re helping charities is exactly the kind of scam that she and the socialist wing of the Democratic Party rely on.”

Meanwhile…

Dem Lawmakers ‘Resist’ Trump Message Could Face Military Review Trump Says
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Dem Lawmakers ‘Resist’ Trump Message Could Face Military Review Trump Says

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President Donald Trump said Friday that a video released by a group of Democratic lawmakers with military and intelligence backgrounds — urging service members to refuse undefined “illegal” orders — amounted to “treasonous” behavior.

He also said War Secretary Pete Hegseth is examining the matter, which he suggested could involve reviews by military courts.

The video, published earlier in the week, featured Senators Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan along with several House Democrats. In the recording, the lawmakers told military personnel they “can refuse illegal orders… you must refuse illegal orders” and warned that “the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home.”

“We know you are under enormous stress and pressure right now, Americans trust their military, but that trust is at risk. This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens like us. You all swore an oath to protect and defend this constitution,” the lawmakers said.

“Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders… you must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our constitution.”

The message drew immediate pushback from senior White House officials, including Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller.

President Trump labeled the video “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH” in a Truth Social post.

Speaking on the “Brian Kilmeade Show” on Friday, the president said he believed the remarks crossed a serious line.

“Well, if you look at sedition, if you look at, uh, you know, that type of, it’s a form of a very strong form of being a traitor. It’s a terrible thing to say. I must tell you, I heard it and I thought it was some kind of a comedy situation. I thought that would, you know, it was some kind of a skit and cause I couldn’t believe that they’d say it,” Trump said.

He added that some Democrats appeared reluctant to defend the video.

“And I watched Democrat congressmen and one Democrat Senator yesterday in one of the shows Didn’t even want to discuss it. They said, whoa, don’t get me into that one. They didn’t want to get into it. That is a really serious charge. I’ll tell you what, what they said is, and it was, I mean, I don’t know about the modern day things because, you know, modern day is a lot softer. But in the old days, if you said anything like that, that was punishable by death.”

Trump said the lawmakers involved are in “serious trouble,” adding, “I’m not threatening death, but I think they’re in serious trouble. In the old days, it was death.”

He also said Hegseth is reviewing the situation.

“I know they’re looking into it militarily. I don’t know for a fact, but I think the military is looking into it, the military courts,” Trump said.

The Democrats featured in the video have defended their statements and accused the president of “threatening” them.

They have not explained what specific “illegal” orders they were referring to.

Their comments come as the War Department has carried out nearly two dozen strikes on drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche criticized the video during an interview with Fox News on Thursday, calling it “abhorrent” and comparing it to “a propaganda video by one of our enemies trying to recruit the military to become spies.”

“What is the reason that they all went on a video and encouraged young men and women to defy court orders without even giving a hint of what’s illegal, without even giving any suggestion of what law or what order they’re being asked to violate. You cannot do that in this country, especially if you’re a leader,” Blanche said.

He also indicated the Justice Department is examining the matter.

“And so what does the investigation look like? I think they should be held to account. I think that those congressmen should be required to answer questions about why they did what they did, and the American people deserve that, and so does President Trump.”

‘The View’ Co-Hosts Call Out Jasmine Crockett for Botched Epstein Smear on Republicans
Entertainment

‘The View’ Co-Hosts Call Out Jasmine Crockett for Botched Epstein Smear on Republicans

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Co-hosts of “The View” criticized Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas on Thursday after she incorrectly claimed that several Republicans had accepted campaign donations from Jeffrey Epstein.

The discussion centered on Crockett’s accusations and the subsequent confirmation that the contributions she referenced came from a different individual with the same name.

Crockett alleged that Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, former Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, and the National Republican Congressional Committee all took donations from Epstein.

Federal Election Commission records later showed that the contributions in question were from a self-employed physician also named Jeffrey Epstein.

According to the records, this individual made a $750 donation to Zeldin’s campaign on April 24, 2020, and a $250 donation on August 31, 2020.

Both contributions occurred a year after Epstein, the sex offender, died in Manhattan.

The same donor also gave two $250 contributions to Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign.

During the segment, Joy Behar asked for clarification about Crockett’s claims.

“Okay, it is also false that Mitt Romney and the NRCC took money … so it’s not true that they took money from Jeffrey Epstein?” she said.

“Okay, yes, a different [Jeffrey Epstein]. It’s so confusing and annoying!”

Alyssa Farah Griffin said Crockett’s comments shifted attention away from the seriousness of the Epstein case.

“But Joy, this is why people get so frustrated with politicians. Something horrible was done. We all agree on that. Epstein engaged in horrific crimes, but people care more about, well, my team didn’t do it, your team did,” she said.

Co-host Sara Haines said Crockett should acknowledge the mistake.

“When she said, my team looked into this quickly, when you’re going to throw out an accusation that big, which we all know this case is that big, just own it, say it was a mistake, and move on,” Haines said.

“Because to then try to say, well, they lie and we don’t lie, again, it’s the distrust in Congress and our politicians.”

Crockett addressed the issue in an interview on “The Source with Kaitlan Collins,” where she said she did not have adequate time to review the information provided by her team.

She said she did not believe she had lied about Zeldin accepting donations from Epstein.

“[Zeldin] admitted that he did receive donations from a Jeffrey Epstein, so at least I wasn’t trying to mislead people,” she said.

Crockett’s team also cited troll donations made under the name “JEFFREY EPSTEIN” listing the occupation as “CHILD MOLESTOR” and employer as “JEFFREY EPSTEIN.”

The contributions were processed through WinRed, which Crockett accused of accepting funds from Epstein.

The exchange unfolded as public attention remained focused on various political debates related to the release of Epstein-related documents.

Records revealed that Democratic Virgin Islands Del. Stacey Plaskett exchanged text messages with Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing involving President Donald Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen.

According to a Business Insider investigation, Epstein provided Plaskett with the name of a Trump Organization aide ahead of her questioning and also donated to her.

Accidental Shooting on Hunting Trip Leaves Texas Family Heartbroken
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Accidental Shooting on Hunting Trip Leaves Texas Family Heartbroken

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A Texas family is mourning the death of 45-year-old Jose Ramirez of Grapevine, who state officials say was killed in an accidental shooting during a weekend hunting trip in northeast Texas, as reported by Fox News.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) game wardens responded shortly after midnight on Saturday to what the agency described as a fatal hunting accident.

According to information provided to local outlet KLTV by TPWD, Ramirez was removing a firearm from a vehicle when it discharged, striking him. Attempts at life-saving measures were not successful.

Ramirez, a father of three, was identified in a GoFundMe campaign organized by one of his daughters. “My father, Jose Ramirez, passed away unexpectedly, and our family is heartbroken. My dad meant the world to me,” the GoFundMe reads.

His daughter described him as “the pillar of our home, the provider for our family, and the one who always made sure we were taken care of.”

She said the “light of his life” was his infant granddaughter. “He taught me the most important lessons in life — to never give up, to work hard for what you want, and to always do what makes you happy, no matter how small it may seem,” she wrote.

“He believed that true success comes from loving what you do and living with a happy heart.”

Community tributes also noted Ramirez’s longstanding ties to Grapevine. The Facebook page “Grapevine Edit” wrote that he grew up in the city and worked at numerous local restaurants over the years.

“Most recently, he worked at Son of a Butcher, Silver Lake Marina’s Rockin’ S Express Bar & Grill, and spent over a decade at Kirby’s Steakhouse,” the post said.

“His family wants the community to know of his passing because they know how many coworkers, customers, and locals cared about him and would want to know.”

TPWD said game wardens are trained to investigate hunting-related incidents but “always wish a tragedy like this could have been avoided.” The agency encouraged hunters to remain vigilant with firearm safety and published reminders on Facebook.

“Always handle all firearms as if they are loaded, keep muzzles pointed in a safe direction, and take time to unload your firearm before placing or removing it from a vehicle,” TPWD wrote while extending condolences to Ramirez’s family.

Texas’ general rifle season for white-tail deer began on Nov. 1 and runs through various dates in January depending on the region.

FBI Probes Mysterious Death of Cheerleader Found Under Cruise Ship Bed
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FBI Probes Mysterious Death of Cheerleader Found Under Cruise Ship Bed

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New details have emerged regarding the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, the Florida high school cheerleader who died earlier this month while on a six-day Caribbean cruise aboard the Carnival Horizon, as reported by the New York Post.

Kepner, from Titusville, was found dead in her cabin on Nov. 7, but few official details have been released by authorities or the cruise line.

According to information shared with the Daily Mail by two unidentified sources, Kepner was reportedly discovered wrapped in a blanket, covered with life jackets and placed under a bed inside her cabin.

A maid found her body around 11 a.m. while entering the room for cleaning.

Kepner had been traveling with her family, who last saw her the previous evening during dinner. According to the sources, she told relatives she was not feeling well and returned to her room.

When she did not appear at breakfast the next morning, her family began searching the ship, which carries nearly 4,000 passengers. The search ended when the maid discovered her body.

Following the discovery, the Carnival Horizon changed course and returned to the Port of Miami. The Miami-Dade County medical examiner recorded Kepner’s time of death as 11:17 a.m. on Nov. 7 but did not list a cause of death.

The FBI is investigating because the incident occurred in international waters. Kepner’s father, Christopher Kepner, said last week that the family has received no explanation regarding what happened.

“I have no idea what is going on right now. We are just trying to sit still and wait for answers,” he told the Daily Mail.

Kepner was a senior at Temple Christian School in Titusville and was expected to graduate in May. Family members described her as “Anna Banana” and noted that she had recently completed her test to join the military.

She was active in gymnastics and cheerleading.

Court records reported in other recent coverage indicate that a step-sibling was questioned by federal authorities, though no agency has confirmed any investigative details.

Multiple previous reports have documented public tributes from family and classmates as the investigation continues.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the FBI and Carnival Cruise Line for additional information.

Comer Puts Bill and Hillary on Notice: Arrests on the Table Over Epstein Testimony
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Comer Puts Bill and Hillary on Notice: Arrests on the Table Over Epstein Testimony

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House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer said the panel still expects testimony from Bill and Hillary Clinton after their previously scheduled depositions in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation were postponed in October.

The remarks came during an interview on the “Just The News, No Noise” television program, where Comer outlined the status of outstanding subpoenas and ongoing efforts to secure testimony.

The committee announced in August that it would subpoena multiple individuals connected to the Epstein matter.

Hillary Clinton was initially scheduled to appear on October 9, followed by Bill Clinton on October 14.

Both dates passed without testimony, with the committee stating at the time that it was working to coordinate schedules. No new dates have been announced.

“We expect to hear from Bill and Hillary Clinton,” Comer said during the interview. He noted that President Donald Trump has answered questions publicly for years regarding Epstein and said the committee has examined figures from both parties.

“We’ve subpoenaed Republicans and Democrats,” he said.

Comer said the Clintons remain the only individuals in the inquiry who have not responded to questions outside of friendly media environments.

“They’re the one group in this investigation that’s never had to answer questions in front of a credible reporter, and they’ve never certainly answered questions from attorneys or members of Congress,” he said.

Comer added that failure to comply with subpoenas could result in consequences similar to those faced by Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro, who were prosecuted after declining to appear before Congress when Democrats controlled the House.

“So we expect the Clintons to come in, or I expect the Clintons to be met with the same fate that Bannon and Navarro were met with when the Democrats were in control,” he said.

The potential questioning would cover a range of issues raised in public reporting about the former president’s and former secretary of state’s interactions with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Public allegations regarding Bill Clinton have included references to flights on Epstein’s plane, Epstein’s entries in personal records, visits to locations associated with Epstein, and contact with Maxwell.

The committee has also noted questions surrounding Epstein’s visits to the White House and social interactions involving the Clintons and Maxwell.

The inquiry has not made determinations on these matters but has identified them as areas for testimony.

Comer also said the committee will subpoena J.P. Morgan and Deutsche Bank for Epstein’s financial records.

Both institutions previously appeared in legal filings related to Epstein’s accounts and transactions.

The committee is seeking additional documentation to examine the financial networks surrounding Epstein.

In addition, Comer said the committee will request records from U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Gordon Rhea.

Epstein maintained property in the Virgin Islands, and prior investigations have focused on the territory’s handling of Epstein-related matters.

The committee has indicated that this portion of the inquiry may produce substantial new material related to Epstein’s operations and contacts.

Comer stated that the committee intends to continue pursuing all outstanding records and testimony.

New Documents Reveal CIA Met with Top COVID Dr for Years Before the Pandemic
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New Documents Reveal CIA Met with Top COVID Dr for Years Before the Pandemic

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Newly released emails show that the United States Intelligence Community, including the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, held regular meetings with Dr. Ralph Baric beginning in 2015.

Senator Rand Paul’s office spent years seeking the documents, which detail ongoing contact between federal intelligence agencies and one of the nation’s leading coronavirus researchers.

Baric, a researcher at the University of North Carolina, has faced accusations that he engineered the Covid-19 virus through work involving the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

He has not testified publicly about his role in coronavirus research or his collaboration with the lab in China.

The emails indicate that the CIA sought to discuss “Coronavirus evolution and possible natural human adaptation with Baric,” and that Baric participated in quarterly meetings with Intelligence Community personnel.

The message release adds to a chain of records and allegations examined in The Covid Response at Five Years involving federal intelligence agencies and the origins of the pandemic.

A condensed timeline based on the documents and other sources outlines a series of events cited by investigators, whistleblowers, and congressional committees:

2015: Intelligence officials met quarterly with Baric to discuss topics that included “possible human adaptation” linked to coronavirus evolution.

2019–2020: Journalist Seymour Hersh reported that the CIA maintained an asset inside the Wuhan Institute of Virology involved in “both offensive and defensive work” with pathogens.

According to Hersh, the asset informed the agency in early 2020 that a laboratory accident had infected a researcher.

March 18, 2020: The Department of Homeland Security replaced the Department of Health and Human Services as the lead federal agency responding to the Covid-19 outbreak, a shift examined in Debbie Lerman’s The Deep State Goes Viral.

Spring 2020: A whistleblower alleged that the CIA offered financial incentives to scientists to change their position on the origins of Covid-19.

According to the House Oversight Committee, “six of the seven members of the Team believed the intelligence and science were sufficient to make a low confidence assessment that COVID-19 originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China.”

The Committee stated that those six members “were given a significant monetary incentive to change their position.”

2020: Another whistleblower alleged that Dr. Anthony Fauci held secret meetings at CIA headquarters “without a record of entry” to influence the agency’s Covid-19 origins inquiry.

The whistleblower told Congress, “He knew what was going on…He was covering his ass and he was trying to do it with the Intel community.”

2021: Defense Department scientists assembled evidence supporting the theory that Covid originated through a lab leak, but President Biden’s Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, barred them from presenting their findings or joining discussions on the virus’s origins.

2021: The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, part of the Department of Homeland Security, launched a program known as “switchboarding,” directing social media companies on what content to restrict or allow.

2022: The Department of Homeland Security announced the creation of a “Disinformation Governance Board.”

The initiative was discontinued after public criticism of its proposed leader, Nina Jankowicz.

The records and allegations outlined above have been cited by critics who argue that intelligence agencies exercised broad authority over public health policy, pandemic messaging, and research surrounding the origins of Covid-19.

The timeline also references concerns that intelligence officials worked closely with academic institutions and private organizations on pandemic-related planning exercises, including Event 201 and Crimson Contagion, years before the outbreak.

The documents raise questions about the Intelligence Community’s role in coronavirus research, pandemic response, and early assessments of a possible lab leak.

They also reference calls for testimony from Baric and intelligence officials about gain-of-function research, work conducted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and actions taken in 2020 concerning the origin of the virus.

Supporters of further inquiry argue that congressional hearings, investigations, and sworn testimony are necessary to establish a full account of the involvement of federal agencies and research institutions in the events leading up to and following the Covid-19 outbreak.

Lawmakers Say GOP Leadership Cut Deal That Let Epstein-Linked Democrat Off the Hook
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Lawmakers Say GOP Leadership Cut Deal That Let Epstein-Linked Democrat Off the Hook

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Members of Congress are alleging that Republican leadership negotiated a deal that resulted in the failed censure vote against Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-VI), who appeared in recently released Jeffrey Epstein documents.

The claims were made by Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), both of whom say the agreement was designed to shield Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) during a separate ethics matter.

The censure resolution targeted Plaskett after documents showed Epstein fed her questions during a congressional hearing.

Several Republicans initially expected the measure to pass, given the GOP’s numerical advantage.

Instead, three Republicans voted against the resolution, three voted “present,” and others did not vote, causing the effort to fail.

Burchett released a video addressing the outcome.

He said, “Late vote series to censure Delegate Stacey Plaskett. She’s the one that received a sizable contribution from Epstein, which apparently is legal. I’m not sure. But she is also the one who was texting with him during a committee hearing, getting instructions on how to better attack Trump, from Epstein sending her the texts.”

Burchett continued, “So she’s on some pretty powerful committees, and that just tells you how corrupt this place is. But the disgusting thing about it was, four Republicans chose not to vote. Three Republicans voted president — present, excuse me, and three Republicans voted no. So it failed. And what they did was, they cut a deal. They cut a deal on another ethics vote on a Republican, and that’s just wrong.”

Burchett said lawmakers should vote independently rather than engage in negotiations linked to unrelated cases.

“Everybody should just stand on their own. If it were truly, we don’t care whose party these sex offenders and all this other stuff are in, we’re going after them, then we start cutting deals. To me, it’s really disgusting. I get disgusted about some things, but this is one that’s really, really bad. You’ve got some people on there who are chairmen of committees and things like that, and that’s the kind of people we put in leadership. It’s bogus, and it stinks, and the first opportunity I get to speak to leadership I will give them a piece of my mind, and I doubt it will go anywhere, but they’re the most sewer-dwelling people, some of these folks, not all of them, but some of them are. It’s just disgusting. It really is.”

According to Burchett and Luna, this is the second time Mills has benefitted from an internal deal.

The first involved a vote to censure Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), which Mills opposed.

Omar made headlines in September after suggesting that the assassination of Charlie Kirk was justified.

Mills voted against censuring her.

Around that same period, reports surfaced regarding Mills’ marriage.

His wedding was officiated by Mohammed Al Hanooti, whom Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) described as an “Al-Qaeda mosque” leader.

Al Hanooti was an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

The revelation triggered questions among Republicans about Mills’ decision to protect Omar during the censure vote.

Mills’ personal conduct has also drawn scrutiny.

In October, an ex-girlfriend filed a restraining order against him, alleging blackmail and threats of violence.

The most recent deal, according to Burchett and Luna, helped Mills avoid a separate ethics action, while allowing Plaskett — who was named in the Epstein documents — to avoid censure and committee removal.

Republican members critical of the decision say party leadership must explain why Mills’ protection took precedence, resulting in both Omar and Plaskett avoiding consequences.

Burchett said the party cannot claim to prioritize accountability while cutting agreements that prevent ethics actions from moving forward.


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