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Clinton-Appointed Judge Blocks Trump’s Proof of Citizenship Rule for Voters
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Clinton-Appointed Judge Blocks Trump’s Proof of Citizenship Rule for Voters

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U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly has blocked the Trump administration’s effort to require proof of citizenship for federal voter registration forms, ruling that the mandate violated the separation of powers.

The decision marks a significant setback for the administration’s election integrity initiative, which sought to ensure that only U.S. citizens are eligible to vote in federal elections.

The ruling, issued in Washington, D.C., came after several left-leaning advocacy groups challenged the administration’s rule in federal court.

The plaintiffs argued that the requirement to provide documentation of citizenship placed an undue burden on voter registration and exceeded executive authority under existing federal law.

According to the Associated Press, Judge Kollar-Kotelly agreed with those arguments, concluding that the proof-of-citizenship directive could not be imposed without congressional approval.

Her opinion stated that the administration’s action conflicted with the structure of authority established under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).

The decision halts a key component of President Donald Trump’s executive order on election integrity, which aimed to strengthen safeguards around voter eligibility following concerns about noncitizen voting and irregularities in federal elections.

Supporters of the administration’s policy have long argued that proof of citizenship is a basic and necessary measure to prevent illegal voting and restore public trust in the election system.

Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s ruling drew attention because of her prior judicial record and her appointment by President Bill Clinton in 1997.

She currently serves as a senior judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

In addition to her judicial duties, she has served as an adjunct professor in Georgetown University’s joint program on mental health and the law and as chair of the Board of the Art Trust for the D.C. Superior Court.

This latest ruling follows an earlier decision in April in which Kollar-Kotelly partially blocked portions of President Trump’s executive order on election integrity.

That decision prevented federal agencies from adding a proof-of-citizenship requirement to federal voter registration forms pending further legal review.

The administration and several Republican-led states had supported the requirement, arguing that the measure would align with voter ID laws already in place in numerous states and reduce opportunities for fraudulent registration.

The Department of Justice is expected to review the ruling and consider potential avenues for appeal.

Judge Kollar-Kotelly has faced criticism in the past from conservative groups for several high-profile rulings.

In 2024, she presided over the case of Paulette Harlow, a 76-year-old pro-life activist convicted for her role in a 2020 demonstration outside an abortion facility.

According to court records, Harlow was sentenced to two years in prison under federal civil rights statutes related to access to reproductive health services.

The Catholic News Agency reported that Harlow suffers from serious health conditions and that her husband expressed concern she might not survive her sentence.

The case drew national attention among faith-based organizations and lawmakers advocating for leniency for elderly or nonviolent offenders.

The Department of Justice’s prosecution of Harlow was part of a broader federal initiative under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s handling of that case, including comments made during sentencing, drew renewed attention to her courtroom conduct and judicial approach.

With this week’s ruling, the Trump administration’s effort to impose proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration remains on hold.

The Department of Justice has not yet indicated whether it will appeal the decision to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The debate over voter eligibility and election security is expected to continue as both Congress and the courts confront questions about federal and state authority in administering elections.

The administration has emphasized that it will continue pursuing measures to ensure that only citizens are registered and that future elections are conducted with full transparency and legality.

Karine Jean‑Pierre Makes Stunning ‘Cheap Fakes’ Confession During Testimony to Congress
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Karine Jean‑Pierre Makes Stunning ‘Cheap Fakes’ Confession During Testimony to Congress

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White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre faced questioning from the House Oversight Committee last month over her prior claims that videos showing Joe Biden appearing confused at public events were “cheap fakes.”

The committee this week released the full video and transcript of her testimony, revealing repeated denials and selective recollection about the widely circulated footage.

During the closed-door interview, Committee Chief Counsel Jake Greenberg pressed Jean-Pierre about her public statements and whether she had personally viewed the videos of Biden looking disoriented or freezing during appearances with world leaders.

Greenberg asked directly, “Were all clips circulated on social media or elsewhere showing President Biden being confused or freezing at times, were those all fakes?”

Jean-Pierre replied, “I can’t speak to everything that was on social media.”

Greenberg followed up, asking, “But there were instances where videos showed President Biden appearing confused or freezing for a moment—those were real, correct?”

“Not that I recall,” Jean-Pierre responded.

When pressed further on whether she had seen any of the videos in question, Jean-Pierre again said, “Not that I recall.”

The repeated use of that phrasing drew attention from lawmakers and observers, as the videos have been viewed millions of times online and covered extensively by media outlets across the political spectrum.

The Oversight Committee’s transcript shows Jean-Pierre attempting to distance herself from the controversy by characterizing the viral footage as misleading.

She claimed the clips “were not actually reflective of what was happening” at those moments, suggesting they had been taken out of context.

The videos in question include multiple instances from 2024 events where Biden appeared to freeze, wander away from groups of world leaders, or stand silently as others interacted around him.

According to the transcript, Jean-Pierre maintained that her previous comments about “cheap fakes” referred broadly to selective editing on social media rather than specific videos.

Lawmakers, however, pointed out that her statements had targeted major news outlets and conservative reporters who had aired the unedited footage.

The exchange between Jean-Pierre and Greenberg highlighted a recurring point of contention between the White House and congressional investigators over the administration’s public messaging.

Members of the Oversight Committee have argued that labeling the videos as manipulated was an attempt to dismiss legitimate public concerns about Biden’s health and performance during official duties.

The New York Post, which reviewed the released transcript, noted that Jean-Pierre’s testimony showed a consistent pattern of avoiding direct answers.

Despite the prominence of the videos online and in broadcast media, she said she could not recall viewing any of them personally.

The footage, captured at events including international summits and domestic campaign stops, has been a frequent topic of political debate.

Jean-Pierre also faced questions about the June 2024 presidential debate between Biden and President Donald Trump. When asked if Biden appeared “confused” during that event, she replied, “[H]e seemingly, to me, looked like he had a cold.”

Her response added to the ongoing scrutiny over how administration officials handled public concerns about Biden’s cognitive and physical fitness during his final months in office.

Eric Swalwell’s Campaign Filings Under FEC Review for ‘Bizarre Inconsistencies’
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Eric Swalwell’s Campaign Filings Under FEC Review for ‘Bizarre Inconsistencies’

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Rep. Eric Swalwell of California is under renewed scrutiny after Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings revealed more than $360,000 in campaign payments to a staffer for a range of purposes that have shifted in description over time.

The Democratic congressman, who has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, has not clarified the details of the transactions.

According to FEC records reviewed by Fox News Digital, Swalwell’s campaign committee, Swalwell for Congress, and his political action committee, Remedy PAC, made over 75 payments to an individual identified as Darly Meyer beginning in 2021.

The payments, which vary in amount from just over $50 to more than $12,000, were labeled under several different categories, including “travel expenses,” “car service,” “security services,” and “salary.”

The total payments to Meyer exceed $360,000, including more than $120,000 in 2024 alone.

Based on filings through mid-2025, Meyer appears on track to receive more this year than in previous years combined.

The FEC filings also list several payments described as reimbursements for “personal travel expense,” “event flowers reimbursement,” and “postage.”

Meyer is listed as the owner of CYD Global Car Service, a limousine and transportation business based in North Hollywood, California.

The company advertises luxury transport and corporate shuttle services throughout Southern California.

In addition to his business, Meyer helps administer a Facebook group called “CaliHaitians – Haitians in Az, Ca, Nv, Hi, Or, Wa.”

The group describes itself as a “progressive community” for Haitian Americans across several western states and says it selectively admits members who can provide “professional services to strengthen the community.”

One of the group’s administrators, Guerline Jozef, is the head of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, an organization known for opposing Trump-era border enforcement policies and providing assistance to migrants at the southern border.

When asked by Fox News Digital about Meyer’s role and the varying payment descriptions, Swalwell’s campaign did not provide clarification.

Swalwell responded on X, writing that “Darly protects me and my family.” In a follow-up post, he added, “Maybe I should send [the reporter] the bill?”

A review of the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services database by Fox News Digital found no record of Meyer holding a state security license, despite several campaign filings listing “security services” as the reason for payment.

Meyer declined to comment when contacted by reporters.

Hans von Spakovsky, a former FEC commissioner and senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said the nature of the payments warrants review by election authorities.

“This is the type of bizarre inconsistency that should catch the attention of the FEC,” von Spakovsky said.

“The agency’s auditors should determine whether the spending reflects legitimate payments to a legitimate contractor.”

Swalwell, who sits on the House Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees, has been a frequent presence in national media and has positioned himself as a critic of President Trump and his administration.

He has often invoked issues of ethics, transparency, and national security in his public statements.

However, the lack of documentation surrounding the payments to Meyer has prompted questions about compliance with federal campaign finance rules.

The FEC requires candidates and political committees to report the purpose of each disbursement accurately and to ensure that all expenses are for bona fide campaign or office-related purposes.

The controversy adds to a growing list of questions surrounding Swalwell’s financial and ethical record, including prior scrutiny over his campaign expenditures and personal security arrangements.

Meyer’s payments, which span more than three years and encompass multiple categories of expenses, remain under review by outside watchdog groups monitoring campaign finance compliance.

Off-Duty Deputy Shoots Suspect Trying to Enter Car With His Baby Inside
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Off-Duty Deputy Shoots Suspect Trying to Enter Car With His Baby Inside

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A fatal shooting occurred Friday afternoon in Atascocita, Texas, after an off-duty Harris County sheriff’s deputy opened fire on a man who allegedly tried to enter his vehicle while his young child sat inside, officials said.

According to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the incident took place around 2:45 p.m. northeast of downtown Houston.

The deputy had contacted 911 to report that he had a suspect at gunpoint before the shooting occurred.

Maj. Ben Katrib told reporters that the deputy had just placed his child in a car seat when an unknown man, later identified as 27-year-old Darrius Williams, allegedly attempted to open the vehicle’s door.

The deputy reportedly issued multiple verbal commands, which Williams ignored before opening the passenger-side door.

Katrib said the deputy fired several shots, striking Williams multiple times.

Emergency responders provided medical aid at the scene, but Williams was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, according to FOX 26 Houston.

Authorities said the deputy and his child were unharmed.

The deputy’s name has not been released.

It remains unclear how many shots were fired or whether Williams had a weapon at the time.

Williams’ mother, Tieneeshia Williams, told FOX 26 that her son had been released from jail just one day earlier and had been struggling with mental health issues.

She said her son was taken into custody Thursday night after being stopped for walking into oncoming traffic.

“Last night they picked him up for walking into oncoming traffic and ran his name. So he had a warrant for failure to appear from the last episode,” she told FOX 26.

“The officer called me when she was there with him on the scene and asked me a lot of questions, and I said, ‘Ma’am, why don’t you just take him to the psychiatric ward. He’s walking into traffic.’ She said, ‘Oh no, we’re going to deal with this warrant, he’s going to jail.’”

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that both the department and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office have launched separate investigations into the shooting.

Maj. Katrib said the deputy immediately notified dispatch and remained on scene until responding officers arrived.

Sources told FOX 26 that a Ring doorbell camera in the area may have recorded the confrontation, and investigators are reviewing the footage as part of their inquiry.

Authorities said the evidence gathered will be forwarded to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for presentation to a grand jury, which will determine whether criminal charges are warranted.

Sheriff Gonzalez said that the deputy involved is a current employee of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and that his actions are being reviewed in accordance with standard procedure for officer-involved shootings.

The Deep State Stalls on Trump Ban of Dangerous ‘Gain-Of-Function’ Research
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The Deep State Stalls on Trump Ban of Dangerous ‘Gain-Of-Function’ Research

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The Trump administration has missed its September 2 deadline to finalize new federal rules restricting gain-of-function (GOF) research, more than eight weeks past the due date established by executive order.

The delay has prompted concern among biosafety experts and reopened debate within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over the handling of high-risk biological research.

The May 2025 executive order required a multi-agency task force to develop updated policies governing the creation and manipulation of pandemic-level pathogens.

The initiative was intended to prevent research similar to pre-COVID experiments funded by NIH at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

“The atom has been split in biology with COVID, but nobody seems to be talking about it with urgency,” said Sean Kaufman, CEO and founding partner of Safer Behaviors, a biosafety consulting firm.

The policy dispute has placed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic of NIH funding for Wuhan research, at odds with NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya.

Bhattacharya has faced criticism from both inside and outside the agency for mixed public statements on the GOF issue and for retaining officials linked to Anthony Fauci’s former research oversight network.

Although the 120-day deadline passed several weeks ago, a government shutdown over budget disputes delayed work on the final policy by roughly a month.

The administration has not provided a revised completion timeline.

Bhattacharya, speaking at the White House signing ceremony for the executive order in May, said the policy would “make it go away forever.”

However, in an August podcast he appeared to temper that stance, saying the new regulations would involve “a calculation” because GOF work is “sometimes really important.”

Emails described to the Daily Caller News Foundation by two former federal officials show that two NIH staffers who helped draft the 2017 pre-pandemic GOF policy—under which federal funds flowed to Wuhan—are also involved in writing the Trump-era version.

Those earlier rules, which critics said were overly permissive, limited oversight to a small number of projects and allowed internal review panels to operate in secret.

Some policy analysts have also raised questions about the scope of the May order, noting that it delegates significant authority to agency heads and allows for only a five-year research funding ban for violations—half the maximum debarment period typically applied by HHS.

A spokesperson for HHS referred all questions to the White House.

The delay also coincides with several high-level staffing changes. Gerald Parker, who led the executive order’s drafting as head of the White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, stepped down over the summer for personal reasons.

The OSTP has since brought in Anna Puglisi, a former U.S. counterintelligence official with expertise on Chinese technology and biosecurity issues.

Puglisi’s views on GOF remain unclear; in a 2023 interview with Nature, she said regulators must weigh “the true risk for both not regulating it and over-regulating.”

Puglisi did not respond to requests for comment.

Following an August DCNF report alleging that one of Bhattacharya’s advisors had supported GOF research and opposed President Trump, the NIH dismissed two advisors.

The status of the advisor who backed GOF work remains unclear.

Lyric Jorgenson, the NIH associate director for science policy and the agency’s lead on drafting the GOF framework, previously oversaw the Biden-Harris administration’s GOF policy—criticized by Bhattacharya last year as inadequate.

Meanwhile, HHS recently dissolved a biosecurity office within the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, consolidating more authority under NIH’s science policy division.

Bhattacharya has continued to defend his appointment of virologist Jeffrey Taubenberger to lead the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Taubenberger, a longtime advocate for GOF research, is advising on the current policy and is expected to play a key role in its implementation.

The debate over GOF oversight dates back to 2016, when the Obama administration attempted to impose stricter external review standards on federally funded pathogen research.

According to a former NIH official, the agency resisted that plan and advanced its own framework, which preserved decision-making power within HHS.

Emails released in 2025 through Freedom of Information Act requests show that NIH officials were aware as early as 2016 that coronavirus-related GOF research would take place in Wuhan but conducted no national security review beyond a “letter of support” from University of North Carolina researcher Ralph Baric.

As a result, NIH approved experiments that later became central to global scrutiny following the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been linked to more than 7 million deaths worldwide.

Biosafety experts including Alina Chan, coauthor of Viral: The Search for the Origin of COVID-19, and MIT biologist Kevin Esvelt have urged the administration to ensure independent oversight rather than allowing NIH to self-regulate.

“The new policy must implement some form of independent oversight so that catastrophic research is not self-regulated,” Chan told the DCNF.

The White House has not said when the delayed GOF policy will be finalized. Until it is, federal agencies remain under the 2017 framework that critics say failed to prevent risky pandemic-related research abroad.

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Passenger Hailed as Hero After Blocking Knife Attack on UK Train with His Head

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An older passenger was seriously injured after shielding a young girl from a knife-wielding attacker during a violent stabbing on a packed train in the United Kingdom on Saturday, according to multiple reports.

The incident took place aboard the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) service traveling from Peterborough to London, where passengers described a chaotic and bloody scene as two suspects allegedly went on a stabbing spree before being subdued by police.

Witnesses said the older man intervened when one of the attackers lunged at a young girl.

The man reportedly used his own body to shield her from the knife, sustaining deep wounds to his head and neck in the process.

“By the time I got to the end of the carriage, I was actually at the back of it and there was about six of us,” passenger Olly Foster told the BBC.

“There was a girl, bless her, who was really really in a bit of state because the guy actually tried to stab her. And one of the older guys, who’s an absolute hero, blocked it with his head. We’re giving him jackets to keep the pressure on the blood.”

Foster said the group of passengers, some of whom had been trapped in the same train car, tried to use whatever they could find to protect themselves.

“We had a Jack Daniels bottle between us and that was it,” he said.

“So we’re sitting there with one Jack Daniels bottle looking down this carriage, praying someone doesn’t walk down with a knife or a gun.”

The witness recalled that the attack appeared to begin without warning. “Run, run, there’s a guy stabbing literally everyone and everything,” passengers shouted as they fled down the carriage, according to Foster.

At first, he thought the panic might have been a Halloween prank before realizing the situation was real.

Foster described seeing “blood all over the chairs” as injured passengers rushed to escape the attackers.

He estimated the ordeal lasted between 10 and 15 minutes, though it “felt like forever.”

British police confirmed that they used “Operation Plato,” a code reserved for incidents considered potential “marauding terrorist attacks,” as they responded to the stabbing.

Armed officers intercepted the train after it stopped at LNER station and used tasers to subdue and arrest two suspects dressed in black.

A total of ten people were taken from Huntingdon station for medical treatment, nine of whom sustained life-threatening injuries, officials said.

The victims ranged from young adults to older passengers who had attempted to help others during the attack.

Another witness, identified as Gavin, told Sky News that the attacker was armed with “quite a large knife” and was “running rampant” through the train cars.

“They were making their way through the carriage to get away from the suspects. They were extremely bloodied,” he said.

Authorities have not publicly identified the suspects or announced a motive.

British counterterrorism police are leading the investigation, and officials said they are reviewing security footage and eyewitness accounts from passengers aboard the train.

Police and emergency crews worked for hours at the scene, with forensic teams later documenting the train car where the violence occurred.

The injured passengers were transported to nearby hospitals in critical condition.

LNER confirmed the attack in a statement, expressing support for those injured and their families.

The company said services between Peterborough and London were temporarily suspended while investigators conducted their examination.

Officials have not indicated whether the suspects were known to authorities or if the incident has any connection to organized terror activity.

Investigators said further details will be released once the inquiry is complete.

GOP Takes Back California’s ‘Surf City USA’ in Strong Rebuke of ‘Newsom and His Policies’
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GOP Takes Back California’s ‘Surf City USA’ in Strong Rebuke of ‘Newsom and His Policies’

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Huntington Beach, a coastal city long known for its surfing culture and proximity to Los Angeles, has undergone a sharp political shift over the past two years—re-emerging as a Republican stronghold after a brief period of Democratic control.

Once seen as a bellwether for California’s leftward political trend, the city has now moved firmly in the opposite direction, with its conservative-led council pursuing policies that diverge sharply from those in Sacramento.

The city, nicknamed “Surf City USA,” had been controlled by Democrats after the 2020 elections, a change many observers viewed as a reflection of California’s broader political realignment.

That changed in 2022 when three conservative candidates defeated their liberal rivals, flipping the city council and returning Republicans to power.

State Senator Tony Strickland, who previously served as the city’s 85th mayor, said the resurgence of conservative leadership in Huntington Beach was a deliberate rejection of progressive policies.

“If you want to be successful, do the opposite,” Strickland told the Daily Mail, referring to the city’s approach compared to state-level governance.

Strickland said the city has focused on homelessness and public safety but has done so in ways distinct from statewide initiatives.

“We enforce our homelessness, our encampment laws. We don’t think it’s compassionate to leave someone on the ground or having urine and feces on the street,” he said.

“We give the law enforcement the tools they need, to enforce our homelessness.”

According to Strickland, homelessness in Huntington Beach has declined by 24 percent, even as other cities across California report increases.

He also said the city’s crime rate has fallen since conservatives regained control of the council.

“We prosecute small crimes,” he said.

“We don’t let that go.”

Strickland, who has been vocal in his opposition to Governor Gavin Newsom’s policies, said the city is prepared to continue challenging Sacramento on key issues.

“I think we’re one leader away from prosperity in California,” he said.

“But the only one that’s messing it up is Gavin Newsom and his policies.”

The latest flashpoint between Huntington Beach and the state government is a dispute over housing mandates.

City officials have filed multiple lawsuits challenging the state’s requirement that local governments approve more high-density housing projects.

Strickland said the state’s plan would fundamentally change the city’s suburban character.

“What they want to do in Sacramento is force urban living,” he said.

“People who live in Huntington Beach like the suburban, coastal community. What the housing mandate that came from the state of California was—they want to urbanize pretty much all of suburban California.”

According to city officials, the state’s plan includes a proposal to construct 50 high-rise apartment complexes across Huntington Beach, which Strickland said the community overwhelmingly opposes.

“That’s not what our citizens want, and we’re pushing back and we’re going to court,” he said.

Councilmember Butch Twining, who was elected during the 2022 political shift, echoed those concerns.

A lifelong resident of Huntington Beach, Twining said the cost of land and development makes the state’s housing targets unrealistic.

“It’s extremely difficult to build affordable units in Huntington Beach,” he told the Daily Mail.

“We’re going to have to either displace residents or businesses to meet the intent of what Sacramento is trying to do.”

Twining cited voter registration data showing roughly 57,000 Republicans in the city, compared to about 41,000 Democrats and 6,600 independents, as evidence that the community continues to lean strongly conservative.

“Republicans outnumber the Democrats significantly in this town,” he said.

Before the current council majority was dubbed the “MAGA-nificent 7,” the earlier conservative bloc—known locally as the “Fab 4”—included Strickland, Casey McKeon, Gracey Larrea-Van Der Mark, and Pat Burns, who now serves as mayor.

When four council seats opened due to term limits, the group mobilized quickly to recruit new candidates.

“They won significantly—it was a massacre,” Twining said.

“It wasn’t that anybody hated the four people that were termed out, they were just Democrats and they did what Democrats did. It was all about social issues, and people in Huntington Beach got tired of it.”

Twining and fellow councilmembers Chad Williams and Don Kennedy filled the open seats, solidifying Republican control.

“Huntington Beach proves that conservative leadership works,” Strickland said.

“And yes, we do the opposite of what they do in Sacramento because they’re doing it wrong in Sacramento.”

Ex-CIA Chief Brennan Snaps When Confronted About Hunter Biden Laptop Memo
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Ex-CIA Chief Brennan Snaps When Confronted About Hunter Biden Laptop Memo

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Former CIA Director John Brennan engaged in a heated verbal exchange with counterintelligence expert Thomas Speciale during a Thursday event at George Mason University.

The confrontation centered on Brennan’s role in signing a 2020 letter from 51 intelligence officials, which described reporting on Hunter Biden’s laptop as bearing “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”

The incident occurred at an event hosted by the Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, featuring Brennan, former CIA Director Michael Hayden, and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

Speciale, a national security consultant and former senior advisor to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, challenged Brennan twice about his decision to endorse the letter.

A video posted to X on Saturday captured the exchange.

“Why sign that?” Speciale asked Brennan, prompting the former director to move toward him and point at his chest.

“We never said it was disinformation. We said it was Russian influence operations, which is what they do. There’s a big difference,” Brennan responded.

The letter, released to the media weeks before the 2020 election, stated, “The arrival on the US political scene of emails purportedly belonging to Vice President Biden’s son Hunter, much of it related to his serving on the Board of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma, has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”

It continued, “We want to emphasize that we do not know if the emails, provided to the New York Post by President Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, are genuine or not and that we do not have evidence of Russian involvement — just that our experience makes us deeply suspicious that the Russian government played a significant role in this case.”

Speciale described the memo as offensive counterintelligence against Donald Trump and election interference from the intelligence community’s highest levels.

Earlier in the event, Speciale pressed Brennan about the inclusion of the Steele dossier, a Democratic-commissioned opposition research document, in the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) regarding Trump and Russia.

The dossier fueled years of Russiagate media coverage during Trump’s first term.

Speciale also raised questions about documents declassified by Gabbard, which showed Clapper urging then-National Security Adviser Mike Rogers, who doubted the assessment’s accuracy, to compromise “normal modalities” and support the ICA as a “team sport.”

Speciale told the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF), “I wanted answers to basic questions for my own personal interest. These are the people that as career intelligence people we looked up to. Why would you do these things?”

The confrontation highlighted ongoing scrutiny of the intelligence community’s actions during the 2016 and 2020 election cycles.

On October 21, House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan referred Brennan to the Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution, alleging he lied under oath to Congress about the ICA.

Jordan cited declassified evidence from Gabbard showing Brennan, alongside then-FBI Director James Comey, made the final decision to include Steele dossier information in the ICA, overriding objections from senior CIA officers.

The event at George Mason University, held on October 30, 2025, drew attention to the lingering controversies surrounding the intelligence community’s handling of election-related investigations.

The Hayden Center event included discussions on intelligence practices, but the Brennan-Speciale exchange dominated post-event coverage.

The referral to the Department of Justice marks a significant development, with Jordan’s action based on documents released under Gabbard’s tenure as Director of National Intelligence.

The ICA, completed in January 2017, has been a focal point of debate, with critics questioning its reliance on unverified sources. The Justice Department has not yet commented on the referral.

Speciale’s background in counterintelligence and his advisory role under Gabbard add weight to his challenge, reflecting broader concerns within the intelligence community.

Eric Adams Expands NYPD to 40,000 Officers, Largest in Decades
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Eric Adams Expands NYPD to 40,000 Officers, Largest in Decades

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams is set to announce a major investment in the New York Police Department that will add 5,000 new uniformed officers by Fiscal Year 2029 — bringing the department’s total force to 40,000, the highest level in 20 years, according to The New York Post.

The Adams administration said the expansion will be phased in over three years, beginning with 300 officers in July 2026. The number will increase to 2,500 by July 2027 and reach the full 5,000 additional officers by July 2028.

“The vast majority of New Yorkers want more police officers on their streets and in their subways, and that is what we are delivering by adding these 5,000 new officers,” Adams said in a statement to The Post.

“With our administration’s investment, we are, once again, using our strong fiscal management to put investments where our values are.”

Adams added that New York City is “on a path to reach 40,000 police officers in the next three years — the highest number of police officers in 20 years.”

According to City Hall, the initiative was secured as part of the November 2025 Financial Plan. The administration will allocate $17.8 million to the NYPD in the upcoming fiscal year to launch the expansion effort, with funding set to increase to $315.8 million by 2029 to support full implementation.

The move marks a major shift in City Hall’s public safety strategy, following years of budget strain and declining police headcount.

The NYPD has been gradually rebuilding its force since Adams took office, with the most recent recruitment drive in August bringing in 2,911 new recruits — the department’s largest class since 2006. Another academy class is scheduled to graduate later this year.

Once the plan is complete, the NYPD will have the largest number of officers since the early 2000s, when the department’s headcount peaked amid citywide security initiatives following the 9/11 attacks.

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Officials say the new investment will help strengthen public safety, reduce response times, and increase police presence across neighborhoods, subways, and public spaces.

City budget analysts expect the new officers to be distributed across all five boroughs, with a focus on high-crime areas, transit safety, and community policing. The recruitment and training process will take place through the NYPD Police Academy in Queens.

The Adams administration’s proposal is expected to be formally introduced on Friday during a City Hall press event outlining next year’s public safety priorities.

Kash Patel Confirms FBI Foiled Michigan Halloween Terror Plot, Arrests Made
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Kash Patel Confirms FBI Foiled Michigan Halloween Terror Plot, Arrests Made

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Federal agents in Michigan arrested at least five suspects early Friday morning in connection with what authorities described as a planned terrorist attack timed for Halloween weekend, according to multiple law enforcement sources who spoke with The New York Post.

“This morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X.

“Thanks to the men and women of the FBI and law enforcement everywhere standing guard 24/7 and crushing our mission to defend the homeland.”

According to federal sources, the arrests took place during coordinated raids at three homes in the Detroit suburbs of Dearborn and Inkster. Weapons were recovered from the scenes, including several legally owned firearms.

Law enforcement vehicles from the FBI and the Michigan State Police were seen near Fordson High School in Dearborn as agents entered one of the targeted homes. Investigators collected evidence, including bags of documents and materials from an FBI evidence truck.

Sources told The Post the group had discussed carrying out what they referred to as a “pumpkin day” assault. The suspects, who were under federal surveillance for months, allegedly trained at a local shooting range and drew inspiration from ISIS propaganda.

Among those detained was a 16-year-old juvenile, according to two people familiar with the case. Officials said the group debated whether to carry out the attack this weekend, with some members arguing they needed more preparation time.

Authorities have not released details about the intended targets, and sources said the plot was still in its early stages. The suspects were described as “home-grown radicals,” though investigators are examining whether they had any foreign connections or online links to extremist networks.

The FBI noted that there is no known threat to New York City, despite some of the suspects having discussed plans to visit Rockefeller Center and the Statue of Liberty as tourists.

Law enforcement officials also emphasized that there is no threat to Friday night’s Village Halloween Parade in Manhattan, though the NYPD assisted federal agents in monitoring the group.

FBI Detroit spokesperson Jordan Hall confirmed there was “no current threat to public safety.”

Patel’s announcement reportedly came before several state officials had been briefed. One senior U.S. official told The Post that Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was not informed of the operation until after Patel’s post.

“When Patel posted, nobody had been briefed,” the official said. “So now everybody’s slowly getting the information.”

Whitmer later issued a statement on X following her briefing. “This morning, I was briefed by Director Patel on the thwarted potential terrorist attack in our state. As details continue to develop, I am grateful for the swift action of the FBI and MSP protecting Michiganders,” she wrote.

The FBI is also reviewing potential links between this case and a previous Michigan investigation involving 19-year-old former Army National Guardsman Ammar Said, who was arrested in May for allegedly plotting an ISIS-inspired attack on the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command in Warren, Michigan.

Officials have not yet released the names of the suspects in the Halloween plot or the specific charges they will face.


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