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Portland Police Accused of Siding with Antifa Terrorists, Now Under DOJ Investigation
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Portland Police Accused of Siding with Antifa Terrorists, Now Under DOJ Investigation

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The U.S. Justice Department has opened an investigation into the Portland Police Bureau’s handling of recent protest activity and clashes outside federal facilities, citing concerns about police practices during weeks of sustained incidents targeting federal buildings and personnel in Portland, Oregon.

The announcement came hours after Portland Police arrested conservative journalist Nick Sortor on disorderly conduct charges following a confrontation in which he was surrounded by a crowd of far-left demonstrators.

According to accounts from the scene, some in the crowd damaged Sortor’s equipment and assaulted him before officers took him into custody.

One day earlier, reporter Katie Daviscourt, who has documented far-left and Antifa activity in Portland, Seattle, and other cities, was struck with a metal pole while covering protests in Portland.

The incident was recorded on video.

The individual involved was not arrested at the scene.

The Portland Police Bureau said a sworn “dialogue liaison officer” assigned to maintain communication with demonstrators followed the woman seen in the video and attempted to speak with her to “hear her side of the story,” according to a department news release.

Police described the person as a white female with a large septum nose piercing, wearing a black mask and carrying a backpack.

The bureau said the liaison officer lost track of the suspect during the encounter.

Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for civil rights, announced Friday that the inquiry was initiated under the direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi.

“We will not leave the people of Portland at the whims of criminals and woke cops. Govern yourselves accordingly!” Dhillon posted on X.

In a letter dated Friday to Portland City Attorney Robert Taylor and Police Chief Bob Day, Dhillon outlined concerns about recent events, including the arrest of Sortor and reports that local police actions impeded U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel from accessing a federal facility in the city.

The letter said the Justice Department is reviewing whether Portland Police policies and on-the-ground decisions complied with federal civil-rights obligations and did not interfere with federal operations.

Dhillon’s office requested unredacted incident reports related to use-of-force incidents, arrests, and other enforcement actions connected to protests at ICE facilities over the past 30 days, as well as communications reflecting directions given to officers responding at those locations, Fox News reported.

The request set an October 10 deadline for the city to provide responsive documents.

A city official confirmed to Fox News that the notice of investigation arrived while city attorneys were in federal court seeking to block a White House plan to deploy federalized National Guard resources to Portland.

“We are still reviewing this inquiry and do not have a comment at this time on specific requests lodged by the federal government,” the city said.

“What we can say is this: Mayor Wilson has full faith in the Portland Police Bureau’s commitment to protecting public safety, upholding the rights of all individuals to lawfully assemble and impartially enforcing the law.”

Portland has experienced nightly demonstrations outside federal buildings and properties used by ICE.

Authorities have reported multiple violent incidents, including assaults and property damage.

The Justice Department recently sent additional personnel to support federal agents assigned to those facilities.

The White House said Friday that federal funding to Portland is under review in response to the latest events.

“This incident is part of a troubling trend in Portland, where left-wing mobs believe they get to decide who can visit and live in their city. It is not their city; it is the American people’s city, and President Trump is going to restore that,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, referring to Sortor’s arrest.

“I just spoke with the president about this, and he has directed his team here at the White House to begin reviewing aid that can potentially be cut to Portland. We will not fund states that allow anarchy.”

The Justice Department said the civil-rights inquiry will evaluate Portland Police policies, training, and incident-level decisions related to protests affecting federal property and personnel, and will assess whether local actions met federal standards.

The department asked city officials to preserve all relevant records while the review proceeds.

City leaders said they would respond through counsel and continue to coordinate with federal authorities regarding demonstrations near federal sites.

Virginia Dem AG Candidate Confronted After Messages About Shooting GOP Speaker Surface
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Virginia Dem AG Candidate Confronted After Messages About Shooting GOP Speaker Surface

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Democrat candidate for Virginia attorney general Jay Jones was pressed in a televised interview about private messages he sent in 2022 that entertained shooting former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert and allegedly wished death upon Gilbert’s children.

Jones faced questions from ABC 8News reporter Tyler Englander, who asked how Virginia could “trust a man who said something so horrific.”

Englander’s interview followed a National Review report that published details from “text messages” Jones sent to Virginia House Delegate Carrie Coyner (R).

According to the outlet, Jones complained to Coyner that colleagues were “eulogizing” a recently deceased Democrat lawmaker and discussed a hypothetical involving Gilbert.

National Review reported that the messages showed Jones saying that, if faced “with a hypothetical situation in which he had only two bullets” and had to choose between shooting Gilbert or “two dictators,” he would pick Gilbert.

The outlet also quoted additional messages from Jones about deceased colleagues: “If those guys die before me,” Jones wrote, referencing the Republican colleagues who were publicly honoring the deceased Johnson’s memory, “I will go to their funerals to piss on their graves” to “send them out awash in something.” Jones added that, in the firearm hypothetical, he would choose Gilbert “every time.”

Englander asked Jones directly about trust and the reported messages.

“A lot of politics is about trust,” Englander said.

“I can think of nothing more horrific than a mother having to hold her dying child. How can Virginians trust a man who said something so horrific, so callously?” Jones responded with an apology.

“Well again, I am so deeply, deeply, sorry, for what I said, and I wish that it hadn’t happened and I would take it back if I could,” he said.

When asked what he had been thinking when he sent the messages about Gilbert, Jones said he “sincerely, and from the bottom” of his heart wanted to express his “remorse and regret” over his words.

Coyner confirmed to the Washington Post that she had a text exchange with Jones in which he made comments about Republicans on the House floor eulogizing Joseph Johnson Jr., a longtime Democratic state lawmaker from southwest Virginia who often voted with the GOP and had died three days earlier.

Coyner condemned the texts in a statement reported by the Post.

“What he said was not just disturbing but disqualifying for another who wants to seek public office,” her statement said.

Mike Young, a spokesman for Coyner’s reelection, told the Post that Jones called Coyner to explain his reasoning after the initial exchange, and that the texts continued after the call.

Young said Coyner’s further texts suggested that Jones had also talked about Gilbert’s children dying in the arms of their mother, Jennifer.

The Post reported that detail as Coyner’s description of the exchange; the private messages themselves were not published in full.

Jones issued a separate statement addressing the National Review report and the text messages.

“I take full responsibility for my actions, and I want to issue my deepest apology to Speaker Gilbert and his family,” Jones said, in a statement shared by Nick Minock, a reporter for ABC 7 WJLA-TV.

“Reading back those words made me sick to my stomach. I am embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry.”

The fallout drew responses from Virginia leaders. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) called the reported rhetoric unacceptable.

“This violent, disgusting rhetoric targeted at an elected official and his children is beyond disqualifying,” Youngkin wrote in a post on X.

“Jay Jones said ‘Gilbert gets two bullets to the head’ and then hoped his children would die. Read those words again. There is no ‘gosh, I’m sorry’ here. Jones doesn’t have the morality or character to drop out of this race, and his running mates Abigail Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi, and every elected Democrat in Virginia doesn’t have the courage to call on him to step away from this campaign in disgrace.”

Lt. Gov. and Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears also criticized Democratic leaders.

“Jay Jones literally fantasized about killing a man and two children and Abigail Spanberger still doesn’t have the guts to tell him to drop out,” Earle-Sears wrote in a post on X.

Jones remained on the campaign trail while addressing questions about the messages and issuing repeated apologies.

In his ABC 8News interview, he declined to dispute the authenticity of the reported texts, instead returning to his apology and statements about remorse.

The ongoing questions to Jones have focused on the nature of the words attributed to him and on the standard of conduct for an attorney general candidate in Virginia.

DHS Releases Long, Violent Criminal Record of Illegal Alien Iowa School Chief
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DHS Releases Long, Violent Criminal Record of Illegal Alien Iowa School Chief

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The Department of Homeland Security on Friday released a summary of criminal charges, convictions, and immigration records for Ian Andre Roberts, an illegal alien who served as superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools until his recent arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Roberts is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at the Polk County Jail, DHS said in a statement that described his “rap sheet and immigration history” as revealing “a long record of criminal conduct in the United States,” adding that “he should never have been serving in a role overseeing children in Iowa’s largest school district.”

Roberts is facing illegal weapons possession charges tied to firearms found during a federal search.

According to the Department of Justice, agents executing a search warrant at his residence located three guns: a loaded and chambered 9mm pistol tucked under a living-room seat cushion, a loaded rifle in a master-bedroom closet, and a shotgun behind the master-bedroom headboard.

DHS listed prior offenses and convictions in multiple states. In Maryland, Roberts was convicted in 2012 of reckless driving, unsafe operation, and speeding.

In Pennsylvania, he was convicted in 2022 of unlawful possession of a loaded firearm. New York charges include criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell, criminal possession of narcotics, criminal possession of a forgery instrument, and possession of a forged instrument dating to 1996, as well as second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and fourth-degree weapon charges in 2020.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said its civil division served Roberts with a sealed restraining order from Jackson County, Missouri, in August 2023.

The order’s basis was not disclosed because the document is sealed.

DHS said Roberts was also discovered to be illegally registered to vote as a Democrat in Maryland, raising questions about voter registration safeguards.

The agency’s chronology said Roberts nevertheless advanced through leadership roles in public education across Baltimore, Washington, D.C., St. Louis, California, Pennsylvania, and Iowa.

Des Moines Public Schools first placed Roberts on paid administrative leave following his arrest, then switched him to unpaid leave, and later accepted his resignation.

He had served as superintendent since 2023.

Questions were also raised about academic credentials listed on Roberts’ LinkedIn profile.

Morgan State University confirmed his attendance from 2003 to 2007 but said he “did not receive a degree.”

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology stated, “has no record of enrollment for a person with the name Ian Andre Roberts, and similarly, there is no record of enrollment in the MIT Executive MBA program at the MIT Sloan School of Management,” according to the MIT Registrar’s Office.

According to DHS, Roberts is a native of Guyana who first entered the United States in 1994 “classified as a visitor for pleasure.”

DHS said he departed at an unknown date and reentered before his 1996 New York drug charges.

He reentered again on a student visa in 1999.

He received employment authorization documents three times—in 2000, 2018, and 2019—each valid for one year, which means the last authorization expired in 2020.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a notice to appear in immigration court in 2020.

On May 22, 2024, an immigration judge in Dallas, Texas, ordered Roberts removed in absentia, DHS said.

ICE, assisted by the Iowa State Patrol, arrested Roberts on Sept. 26. ICE said Roberts attempted to flee and was found hiding in brush.

Agents said they recovered $3,000 in cash, a fixed-blade knife, and a loaded Glock 9mm pistol from the vehicle he had been driving.

Those findings led to additional criminal counts alleging an illegal alien in possession of firearms.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the agency’s public safety concerns extend to school environments.

“Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien with multiple weapons charges and a drug trafficking charge, should have never been able to work around children,” McLaughlin said.

She added, “Under Secretary Noem, ICE will continue to arrest the worst of the worst and put the safety of America’s children FIRST.”

Chicago Chaos: Armed Suspect Shot By Agents As Mob Surrounds Border Patrol
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Chicago Chaos: Armed Suspect Shot By Agents As Mob Surrounds Border Patrol

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U.S. Border Patrol agents shot an armed woman in Chicago on Saturday after multiple vehicles surrounded a team of officers during a patrol, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The incident occurred near 39th Place and South Kedzie Avenue on the city’s South Side.

DHS said a group of agents was conducting a routine patrol “when they were attacked and rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars.”

The department added that “The officers exited their trapped vehicle, when a suspect tried to run them over, forcing the officers to fire defensively.”

DHS described it as “an evolving situation” and said FBI agents were on the scene.

The suspect is a U.S. citizen and was armed with a semi-automatic weapon, DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said.

She said the woman was already known to federal authorities.

“The armed woman was named in a CBP intelligence bulletin last week for doxing agents and posting online ‘Hey to all my gang let’s f**k those mother f**kers up, don’t let them take anyone,’” McLaughlin wrote on X.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said additional federal resources were being directed to the area.

“Today in Chicago, members of our brave law enforcement were attacked—rammed and boxed in by ten vehicles, including an attacker with a semi-automatic weapon. I am deploying more special operations to control the scene. Reinforcements are on their way,” she wrote on X.

“If you see a law enforcement officer today, thank them,” Noem added.

After the shooting, the woman drove herself to seek treatment “to get care for her wounds,” McLaughlin said.

A Chicago Fire Department spokesperson told the Chicago Sun-Times the woman was later found and transported to a local hospital in stable condition. Authorities did not immediately release the precise time of the shooting.

“Thankfully, no law enforcement officers were seriously injured in the attack,” McLaughlin wrote.

She also criticized state and local authorities, saying, “Unfortunately, [Gov.] JB Pritzker’s Chicago Police Department is leaving the shooting scene and refuses to assist us in securing the area. There is a crowd growing and we are deploying special operations to control [it].”

The Sun-Times reported that a crowd gathered near the scene and that federal agents used tear gas.

The confrontation followed increased tensions around federal immigration enforcement activities in the Chicago area.

Last month, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced “Operation Midway Blitz,” an effort the agency said was designed to “target the criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois because they knew Governor Pritzker and his sanctuary policies would protect them and allow them to roam free on American streets,” according to an ICE post on X.

Since the announcement, crowds have repeatedly gathered outside an ICE processing center near where Saturday’s shooting occurred.

Fox News reported that more than a dozen demonstrators were arrested in the streets near the facility on Friday.

DHS said federal officers have faced vehicle attacks around Chicago in recent days.

On Wednesday, the department reported that “criminal illegal aliens weaponized their vehicles in deliberate attempts to ram and injure officers carrying out their sworn duty to uphold our nation’s immigration laws” during incidents in Bensenville, Ill., and Norridge, Ill.

DHS said no members of law enforcement were killed in those attacks.

McLaughlin blamed elected leaders who oppose federal immigration enforcement for fueling hostilities toward officers.

“This is exactly what happens when Governor Pritzker, [Chicago] Mayor [Brandon] Johnson, and other sanctuary politicians demonize ICE and encourage illegal aliens to resist law enforcement,” she said.

She added that federal agencies would respond firmly to threats against personnel. “Comparing ICE day-in and day-out to the Nazi Gestapo, the Secret Police, and slave patrols has consequences,” she said.

“The men and women of ICE and CBP are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters. They get up every morning to try and make our communities safer. Like everyone else, they just want to go home to their families at night. The violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law must stop. We are praying for our law enforcement and their families,” McLaughlin said.

FBI Agent Suspended After Refusing to ‘Perp Walk’ James Comey
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FBI Agent Suspended After Refusing to ‘Perp Walk’ James Comey

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An FBI agent has been relieved of duty after refusing to participate in a proposed “perp walk” for former FBI Director James Comey, who was indicted last month on federal charges of lying to Congress and obstruction of justice.

Comey was formally charged on September 25 with making false statements and obstructing a congressional investigation.

The indictment stems from his September 30, 2020, testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where prosecutors allege he made false statements regarding the FBI’s handling of classified information and obstructed inquiries related to the agency’s “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation.

That probe, launched in 2016, examined alleged Russian interference in the election and led to the now-discredited “Russia collusion” claims involving President Donald Trump.

Following the indictment, Comey was issued a summons to appear before a federal court in Northern Virginia for arraignment on October 9.

His attorneys notified prosecutors that he intends to appear voluntarily.

According to a report from CBS News, senior officials within the FBI discussed whether to stage an arrest rather than permit Comey to self-surrender.

The network, citing multiple sources familiar with internal deliberations, reported that some officials considered having agents execute the arrest “in full kit,” equipped with Kevlar vests and jackets clearly marked “FBI.”

The plan mirrored tactics used in several high-profile arrests during recent years, including pre-dawn raids on individuals connected to the events of January 6, 2021, and on former Trump administration officials such as Peter Navarro and Roger Stone.

Those operations drew widespread criticism for the use of heavily armed tactical teams to apprehend defendants charged with non-violent or procedural offenses.

The CBS News report stated that FBI Supervisory Special Agent Chris Ray, assigned to the violent crimes division of the bureau’s Washington Field Office, was instructed to organize the Comey operation.

However, Ray declined to comply with the directive, reportedly believing the proposed show of force was “inappropriate and highly unusual for a white-collar defendant like Comey.”

A source familiar with the matter told the network that Ray was subsequently suspended for insubordination after refusing to assemble the tactical arrest team.

The source added that Ray’s suspension followed his internal objections to what he viewed as a politicized use of the FBI’s operational capabilities.

Despite the refusal, senior leadership within the bureau has continued preparations for a potential arrest before Comey’s scheduled court appearance.

According to CBS News, other supervisors have also voiced concerns about the optics and necessity of the plan, but the agency is expected to find personnel willing to carry out the order.

Comey’s indictment marks a rare prosecution of a former FBI director.

His testimony before Congress in 2020 had focused on the origins of the Crossfire Hurricane probe and the handling of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) applications targeting members of President Trump’s campaign.

The Justice Department’s inspector general later identified “significant inaccuracies and omissions” in those filings, though no charges had been brought against Comey until last month.

As of this week, it remains unclear whether the bureau will proceed with a formal arrest or permit Comey to appear voluntarily for his October 9 arraignment.

The Department of Justice has not commented on the internal dispute, and the FBI has not responded publicly to reports of Ray’s suspension.

The case has drawn attention across political circles given Comey’s prominent role in the FBI’s leadership during the 2016 election and his involvement in the investigations that shaped subsequent political controversies.

The outcome of the internal standoff within the FBI—and how the agency handles Comey’s court appearance—remains to be seen as the arraignment date approaches.

Supreme Court Smacks Down Leftist Judge, Clears Path for Trump Deportation Agenda
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Supreme Court Smacks Down Leftist Judge, Clears Path for Trump Deportation Agenda

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The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), allowing the agency to proceed with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelan nationals residing in the United States.

The 6-3 decision clears the path for the removal of 300,000 to 600,000 Venezuelans who had been shielded under TPS designations issued during Joe Biden’s presidency.

In the Court’s opinion, justices affirmed that their earlier ruling on the matter still applied.

“Although the posture of the case has changed, the parties’ legal arguments and relative harms generally have not. The same result that we reached in May is appropriate here,” the decision stated.

The Immigration Act of 1990 authorized the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant TPS to migrants from countries experiencing extraordinary or temporary conditions, such as armed conflicts or natural disasters, that would make their safe return impossible.

The designation allows recipients to remain and work in the United States until the conditions in their home country change.

In March 2021, then-DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas granted TPS protections to Venezuelans who had been residing in the U.S. since March 8, 2021.

That designation was extended in September 2022 through March 10, 2024, and later extended again through September 10, 2025.

In October 2023, Mayorkas further expanded eligibility to Venezuelans who had resided in the U.S. since July 31, 2023, significantly increasing the number of migrants covered under the program.

On January 17, 2025, Mayorkas announced another extension of TPS protections for Venezuelans through October 2, 2026.

The decision to repeatedly expand TPS came under immediate legal scrutiny. Upon taking office, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem rescinded Mayorkas’s extensions and sought to return TPS policy to its original statutory framework.

DHS argued that Mayorkas exceeded his legal authority and undermined the “temporary” nature of the protections.

The legal fight was most contentious in the Northern District of California, where U.S. District Judge Edward Chen, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, repeatedly ruled against DHS.

Even after the Supreme Court issued its initial ruling in May affirming DHS’s authority, Chen again ruled that the agency could not terminate protections, stating that the Supreme Court’s order “did not provide any specific analysis.”

When DHS appealed, the Ninth Circuit sided with Chen, prolonging the dispute.

The Supreme Court’s latest decision directly rebukes those rulings, reaffirming DHS’s authority to end the TPS program for Venezuelans.

The Supreme Court’s decision paves the way for the removal of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans living under TPS.

The ruling comes as the Trump administration continues to focus resources on border security and broader immigration enforcement.

The return of large numbers of Venezuelan nationals could have repercussions in South America, particularly for the government of Nicolás Maduro.

The Trump administration has previously signaled its opposition to Maduro’s regime and taken steps to increase pressure on Caracas.

With this decision, DHS is expected to move forward with plans to terminate the program and begin removals in coordination with U.S. immigration enforcement.

The ruling represents a significant turning point in ongoing legal and policy battles over the use of TPS designations and the federal government’s broader immigration authority.

Trump Could Be Featured on New Coin for America’s 250th Anniversary
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Trump Could Be Featured on New $1 Coin for America’s 250th Anniversary

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The Treasury Department is reviewing a proposal to mint new $1 coins featuring President Donald Trump’s image as part of the upcoming commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, FOX Business reported Friday.

In a statement provided to FOX Business, a Treasury spokesperson tied the proposed coin to the broader effort to honor the nation’s founding.

“Despite the radical left’s forced shutdown of our government, the facts are clear: Under the historic leadership of President Donald J. Trump, our nation is entering its 250th anniversary stronger, more prosperous, and better than ever,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that a design has not yet been finalized.

“While a final $1 dollar coin design has not yet been selected to commemorate the United States’ semiquincentennial, this first draft reflects well the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, even in the face of immense obstacles. We look forward to sharing more soon,” the statement continued.

The draft image reviewed depicts President Trump in front of an American flag with his fist raised.

The design bears a resemblance to a photograph widely circulated after the assassination attempt against him in Pennsylvania last year, where Trump was seen reacting after being wounded in the ear and escorted off stage by Secret Service agents.

The Treasury Department has the statutory authority to authorize $1 collectible coins, including those minted to mark special anniversaries such as the United States’ semiquincentennial in 2026.

Collectible coin programs have been issued in previous years to commemorate historical figures and milestones.

The U.S. Mint most recently released commemorative coins in 2024 honoring Harriet Tubman and the Greatest Generation.

According to Mint data, the Tubman coin sold 56,894 units, while the Greatest Generation coin sold 79,980.

These figures reflect the relatively limited demand for recent commemorative coins compared with earlier programs.

Historically, several commemorative issues have seen significantly higher sales.

The Mint’s most successful commemorative coin to date remains the Statue of Liberty coin issued in 1986, which sold nearly 15.5 million coins.

Programs in the mid-1990s also saw widespread interest, particularly those linked to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Between 1995 and 1996, over 2.4 million commemorative coins were sold to mark the Olympic centennial.

Other high-demand issues included the 1982 George Washington 250th anniversary half dollar, which sold more than 7.1 million units, and the 1983–1984 Olympic coins for the Los Angeles Summer Games, which sold over 5 million.

The bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution, marked by commemorative coins issued in 1987, resulted in sales topping 4 million.

Whether the proposed Trump $1 coin will be approved and how widely it will be issued has not yet been determined.

The Treasury Department is expected to release additional information as the nation moves closer to the 2026 semiquincentennial.

CNN’s Van Jones Calls Out Democrats for Bungling Their Shutdown Strategy
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CNN’s Van Jones Calls Out Democrats for Bungling Their Shutdown Strategy

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CNN political commentator Van Jones criticized Democrats during an appearance on HBO’s Real Time Friday, saying the decision to allow a government shutdown was poorly timed and could damage the party politically.

Jones described the move as Democrats doing “the wrong thing at the wrong time for the right reason,” arguing that shutting down the federal government would have immediate negative consequences for federal workers and government services.

“I am going to maybe piss off some of my Democratic friends, but I think you can always trust our party to do the wrong thing at the wrong time for the right reason, okay,” Jones said.

“So, here’s the problem: Right now, if the Democrats don’t do anything and they pass this clean resolution, which they don’t want to do, if they did it, guess what would happen this month? Premiums would start going through the roof this month. By the time you get to the end of November, you would have Americans marching in the streets saying, I can’t pay 150% more for my insurance premiums, what the heck is going on?”

He continued, “Instead, we decided to not let that happen and shut the entire government down. So, now, people are going to be mad about the Post Office and a hundred other things that Republicans can then blame on us. So, I’m like, I get it, the base is upset, the base wants us to do something, please do something, do anything, but the something probably shouldn’t be throwing a bunch of people out of work in the federal government and crushing America’s government’s ability to function right before the pain was about to start. So, that’s my concern.”

Jones emphasized that he supported Democrats having leverage but believed the shutdown was not executed at the right time.

“I like the fact that we have this leverage, and I just want to use it at the right time,” he said.

The CNN commentator also recounted a recent conversation with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), pointing to what he viewed as inconsistency in the Democratic leadership’s stance on shutdowns.

“The weird thing is, I talked to Chuck Schumer about this like three months ago, and he was kicking me in the butt, because I had been tough on him for not allowing the government to shut down, and he convinced me that shutting the government down is stupid. Then I come on TV and he says, we’re now shutting the government down. I said, hold on a second, guys.”

Jones argued that Republicans were vulnerable over rising health care costs and that Democrats could have timed their strategy differently.

“So, look, my view is, the Republicans were about to let a bunch of Americans, 15 million Americans, step on a rake called their insurance premiums going through the roof. That’s when you shut the government down, but you do it before, and, now, it’s just going to be one more piece of garbage coming at the American people. I just think the timing’s not that great, but, look, maybe it’ll work.”

Jones’ remarks highlight divisions within the Democratic Party over how to approach the standoff and the broader political risks of a prolonged shutdown.

Maine Resident Receives 250 Ballots in Amazon Box Before Voter ID Vote
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Maine Resident Receives 250 Ballots in Amazon Box Before Voter ID Vote

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A Maine resident’s unexpected discovery of 250 official state ballots inside an Amazon package has fueled new concerns over election security as the state prepares for a November referendum on requiring photo identification to vote.

The incident, first reported by Maine Wire, has prompted calls for federal authorities to investigate.

The ballots, shrink-wrapped in tamper-evident packs of 50, were reportedly found earlier this week in a shipment delivered to a resident of Newburgh, Maine.

The order, which contained household items including paper plates, a bag of rice, and a toy lightsaber, appeared to have been tampered with before arriving at the woman’s home.

“When I opened it, there were 250 official State of Maine referendum ballots inside my box. Thank goodness I am an honest citizen and immediately reached out to my town clerk and took the ballots to the town for safekeeping,” the resident said.

She added, “I am greatly concerned for our state and its voting requirements.”

Election officials who reviewed photographs confirmed the ballots appeared to be authentic 2025 referendum ballots.

They were turned over to the local town office for review.

The November 4 ballot measure will decide whether Maine becomes the 37th state to require photo identification at the polls.

The proposal has drawn partisan responses, with Democrats warning it could reduce voter turnout and Republicans arguing it is necessary to restore election integrity.

Maine Democratic Party Chairman Charlie Dingman has acknowledged concerns that a voter ID law could cost his party support.

In a May 30 text message to voters, he said, “If Maine adopted Voter ID requirements similar to those of 36 other states, it could result in a loss of 13,000 Democratic votes being counted in subsequent elections.”

Republicans said the ballot discovery raises serious questions. Maine Republican Party Chairman Jim Deyermond, a retired Massachusetts State Trooper, called the incident “beyond the realm of accidental.”

He added, “This incident should be treated as a potential crime and a crime scene,” and urged the Department of Justice to “assume jurisdiction over this matter immediately.”

The Department of Justice has already been in conflict with Maine election officials over voter roll accuracy.

Last July, the DOJ requested Maine’s voter registration records, citing potential irregularities.

Deputy Assistant U.S. Attorney General Michael Gates noted that Maine could have as many as 11,000 duplicate registrations.

“Please provide a description of the steps that Maine has taken, and when those steps were taken, to identify registered voters who are ineligible to vote as well as the procedures it used to remove those ineligible voters from the registration list,” the DOJ wrote in a letter at the time.

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows rejected the request and responded, “The Gulf of Maine is awfully cold, but maybe that’s what the DOJ needs to cool down. So, here’s my answer to Trump’s DOJ today: go jump in the Gulf of Maine.”

Bellows, a Democrat who is running for governor in 2026, has also acknowledged that non-citizens are registered to vote in Maine.

The ballot incident comes as debates over federal oversight of elections intensify.

During the Reconstruction era, states with histories of discriminatory practices were subject to federal supervision under the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Section 5 of the act required federal approval for election law changes and authorized federal observers to monitor voting in certain jurisdictions.

Some analysts argue that similar oversight could be necessary in modern contexts where states are alleged to be failing to enforce federal election law.

Steve Robinson, reporting for Maine Wire, noted that irregularities involving 13,000 or 11,000 votes could significantly alter control of Congress.

With Maine voters set to decide the photo ID referendum in November, questions remain about how the state will respond to the ballot incident and whether further federal action will be taken.

The case has reignited calls for stronger safeguards to ensure only eligible citizens cast ballots in upcoming elections.

Portland Police Accused of Siding with Antifa Terrorists, Now Under DOJ Investigation
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Portland’s Federal Funding in the Crosshairs Over Antifa Chaos, Journalist Arrest

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President Donald Trump has directed his administration to examine whether federal funds can be withdrawn from Portland, Oregon, following violent protests in the city.

The directive came after the arrest of conservative influencer Nick Sortor on charges of second-degree disorderly conduct during demonstrations near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the president’s order during a Friday press briefing, citing growing concerns over unrest in the city and what she described as tolerance for lawlessness by local officials.

“This incident is part of a troubling trend in Portland, where left-wing mobs believe they get to decide who can visit and live in their city. It is not their city, it is the American people’s city, and President Trump is going to restore that,” Leavitt told reporters.

She added that the president has instructed his staff to begin reviewing federal aid directed to Portland.

“I just spoke with the President about this, and he has directed his team here at the White House to begin reviewing aid that can potentially be cut in Portland. We will not fund states that allow anarchy. There will also be an additional surge of federal resources to Portland immediately, including enhanced CBP and ICE resources. Law and order will prevail, and President Trump will make sure of it,” Leavitt said.

The administration has already deployed 200 Oregon National Guard soldiers to Portland in response to the demonstrations, although a federal judge is currently reviewing the legality of that deployment.

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson pushed back against the White House:

“Let me be clear: Portland is not a military target. We will use every legal and constitutional tool at our disposal to protect our residents, uphold our values, and defend the rights of every Portlander,” Wilson said in a statement.

Wilson’s office also criticized the administration’s threat to withhold funding, claiming no formal notice had been delivered to the city.

“The federal government should be focused on partnering with us to expand housing, create jobs, and bolster social services – not siphon vital funding from our economy during a government shutdown that is already hurting cities like ours across the nation,” Wilson added.

The move against Portland comes as the Trump administration is reviewing funding to several Democratic-led cities and states during the third day of a government shutdown.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought confirmed that $2.1 billion earmarked for Chicago’s Red Line Extension and the Red and Purple Modernization Project had been put on hold.

“It’s because the administration is concerned that the Biden administration was handing out taxpayer dollars to pay for this construction based on DEI,” Leavitt said.

“DOT is reviewing the race-based contracting on unconstitutional grounds, and in the meantime, the Department of Transportation funds for these projects are on hold.”

Earlier in the week, Vought announced that $18 billion in funding for several New York infrastructure projects had also been paused over similar concerns.

An additional $8 billion for environmental initiatives across 16 Democrat-led states was either paused or canceled outright.

On Thursday, President Trump and Vought met to evaluate which federal agencies could face additional layoffs if the shutdown continues.

“Discussions continue between the Office of Management and Budget and Cabinet agencies across the board, and they are actively identifying where these cuts and these layoffs have to be made as this government shutdown hopefully does not continue,” Leavitt told reporters.

The president’s directive on Portland signals an escalation in the administration’s approach to cities experiencing unrest and resistance to federal intervention.

With funding reviews underway and additional deployments announced, the White House has indicated that federal action in Portland will expand in the coming days.


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