From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending 5-2-26

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

King Charles III Visits Washington

Tuesday, King Charles III of England addressed a joint session of the United States Congress. It was immediately clear that he has an excellent grasp of our shared language. He thanked the American people for welcoming him “to mark this semi-quincentennial year of the Declaration of Independence.” He expressed respect for the American Congress, referring to it as a “citadel of democracy, created to represent the voice of all American people, to advance sacred rights and freedoms”. He said the founding fathers were bold and imaginative rebels with a cause, prompting cheers across the chamber. During his visit, the King also visited ground zero in New York City and laid a wreath at Arlington National Cemetary.

Full King Charles III Address To Congress

Strait of Hormuz Remains Disrupted

The Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted. On April 19, U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces disabled an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel attempting to enter Bandar Abbas and violate the U.S. blockade. CENTCOM said the USS Spruance issued multiple warnings over six hours before disabling the vessel’s propulsion. U.S. Marines then boarded the ship. CENTCOM said U.S. forces had directed 25 commercial vessels to turn around or return to Iranian ports since the blockade began. On April 22, the United Kingdom said British and French military planners were leading more than 30 nations in planning a mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The UK said the mission is intended to protect merchant vessels, reassure commercial shipping operators, and conduct mine-clearance operations.

On April 24, the UK government said it was monitoring jet fuel stocks and working with airlines, airports, and fuel suppliers “since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.” France has called for the “unconditional, unrestricted and immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz,” and said it is willing to support freedom of navigation as part of the Franco-British initiative. The U.S. Maritime Administration’s active advisory still says Iran continues to threaten and conduct strikes on commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman. MARAD says risks to commercial shipping remain high.

The latest official status is an active U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, allied planning to reopen the Strait, and continued high-risk warnings for commercial vessels.

CENTCOM Statement

UK-France Planning Statement

UK Jet Fuel Statement

UK U.N. Security Council Statement

France Foreign Ministry Statement

MARAD Advisory

Cole Tomas Allen Arraigned After White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was arraigned Monday, April 27, in federal court after the April 25 shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

He is charged with attempted assassination of the President of the United States, interstate transportation of a firearm to commit a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.

Allen traveled by train from California to Washington, D.C., arriving April 24 and checking into the Washington Hilton.

Shortly before 8:40 p.m. the next night, Allen ran through a security checkpoint with a shotgun and fired a round.

A Secret Service officer was struck in the chest, returned fire, and Allen was taken into custody without injury. The officer has since been released from the hospital, and no other injuries were reported.

In a detention memo, prosecutors said Allen’s actions were “premeditated, violent, and calculated to cause death.”

Prosecutors said Allen was carrying a 12-gauge pump shotgun, a .38 caliber pistol, additional ammunition, and multiple knives.

At Monday’s DOJ press conference, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said additional charges may be coming.

DOJ Press Release

Criminal Complaint

DOJ Press Conference

Supreme Court Reverses Ruling Against Texas Congressional Map

On April 27, the Supreme Court reversed a lower court ruling against Texas’s 2025 congressional redistricting map.

The case is Abbott v. League of United Latin American Citizens. The order was short. The Court wrote, “For the reasons set forth in Abbott v. League of United Latin American Citizens, 607 U.S. ___ (2025), we reverse the District Court’s judgment.”

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.

The lower court had blocked Texas from using the new map. The Supreme Court had already paused that ruling in December, allowing the map to be used for the 2026 election cycle.

Texas was direct about the purpose of the map. In its own Supreme Court filing, the state said the Legislature redistricted “to secure five additional Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.”

The Supreme Court did not strike down Texas’s map. It reversed the lower court ruling that blocked it.

Supreme Court Order

Texas Supreme Court Filing

James Comey Indicted Again Over “86 47” Instagram Post

Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted again on Tuesday, April 28, this time in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

The new indictment charges Comey with two federal counts tied to a May 15, 2025 Instagram post.

According to the indictment, Comey posted a photograph on Instagram showing seashells arranged to read “86 47.” Prosecutors allege the post would be interpreted by a reasonable recipient familiar with the circumstances as a serious expression of intent to harm President Donald Trump.

Count One charges Comey with threatening the President under 18 U.S.C. § 871(a). Count Two charges him with transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce under 18 U.S.C. § 875(c).

The Justice Department said Comey faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “Threatening the life of the President of the United States is a grave violation of our nation’s laws.”

FBI Director Kash Patel said Comey “disgracefully encouraged a threat on President Trump’s life and posted it on Instagram for the world to see.”

U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle said, “No one is above the law in the Eastern District of North Carolina.”

This is a separate indictment from the one DOJ announced in September, when Comey was charged with obstruction of a congressional investigation and making a false statement.

The new case remains pending. DOJ states that an indictment is only an accusation and that Comey is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

DOJ Press Release

Indictment

Prior DOJ Comey Indictment Statement

House Passes Farm Bill and DHS Funding Measure

The House passed two major bills Thursday, April 30, following a late-night budget vote the night before.

First, the House passed H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, by a vote of 224 to 200. The bill would continue and reform Department of Agriculture programs through fiscal year 2031.

Later Thursday, the House passed H.R. 7147 by voice vote.

The bill funds parts of the Department of Homeland Security, including TSA, Coast Guard, Secret Service, FEMA, and other agency operations.

But the text sets funding for ICE and CBP border-security operations at zero.

Speaker Mike Johnson said Republicans plan to fund ICE and border enforcement separately through reconciliation when lawmakers return.

That path was opened Wednesday night, when the House passed a budget resolution by a vote of 215 to 211, with one member voting present.

Johnson also said the House renewed FISA. The House passed a Section 702 renewal Wednesday by a vote of 235 to 191, but that bill still has to go to the Senate.

House Clerk Floor Actions

Budget Resolution Vote

H.R. 7147 Text

Supreme Court Strikes Down Louisiana Congressional Map

The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday, April 29, that Louisiana’s congressional map with a second majority-Black district is an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.

The case is Louisiana v. Callais, consolidated with Robinson v. Callais. The Court ruled 6-3, with Justice Samuel Alito writing for the majority.

The case started after Louisiana redrew its congressional districts following the 2020 census. In 2022, a federal judge found that Louisiana’s map likely violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act because it did not include an additional majority-Black district.

Louisiana later enacted SB8, a new congressional map with a second majority-Black district. That map was then challenged as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.

The Supreme Court affirmed the lower court ruling against SB8. The majority held that “Because the Voting Rights Act did not require Louisiana to create an additional majority-minority district, no compelling interest justified the State’s use of race in creating SB8.”

The Court said compliance with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act can still justify race-conscious redistricting in some cases, but only when Section 2 is properly interpreted.

The majority said Section 2 imposes liability only when evidence supports a strong inference that the state intentionally drew districts to give minority voters less opportunity because of race.

The Court said Louisiana’s earlier 2022 map should not have been found to violate Section 2, so the state could not rely on Voting Rights Act compliance to justify the race-based design of SB8.

Justice Elena Kagan dissented, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson. The dissent said the ruling changes Section 2 doctrine and will make vote-dilution claims much harder to prove.

The case now returns to the lower court.

Supreme Court Opinion

Supreme Court Docket

Florida Legislature Approves New Congressional Map

Florida lawmakers approved a new congressional map on Wednesday, April 29, during a special session on redistricting.

The bill is House Bill 1D, titled “Establishing the Congressional Districts of the State.” It redraws Florida’s congressional districts under plan EOGPCRP2026.

The Florida House passed the bill by a vote of 83 to 28. The Senate approved it later the same day, 21 to 17.

The plan redraws Florida into 28 single-member congressional districts.

Governor Ron DeSantis submitted the proposed map to legislative leaders on April 27 and urged lawmakers to adopt it during the special session.

After passage, the bill was ordered enrolled, the final step before it is sent to the governor.

Reuters reported that the new map is expected to flip four Democratic-held seats Republican, shifting Florida’s congressional delegation from 20 Republicans and 8 Democrats to 24 Republicans and 4 Democrats.

Florida House Bill Page

Senate Staff Analysis

Governor Map Submission

Reuters Seat Analysis

Current Events

FWC Report Documents Sloth Deaths and Housing Violations at Orlando Wildlife Facility

Florida Fish and Wildlife documented housing violations and prior sloth deaths during an August 7 inspection at an Orlando wildlife facility.

The unannounced inspection took place at Sanctuary World Imports on International Drive. The report identifies Peter Bandre as the licensee and lists the business as a wildlife broker.

FWC found six two-toed sloths on site. Four were housed in larger enclosures, while two were kept in smaller metal cages that did not meet state caging requirements. The report also says the animals or cages were not properly marked and traceable to written records for temporary housing.

A verbal warning was issued.

The inspection also included an inquiry into 31 sloth deaths between December 2024 and February 2025.

According to the report, Bandre said 21 sloths from Guyana died from what he called “cold stun.” He said the building intended to house them was not ready when they arrived in December, had no power or water, and relied on space heaters that failed during cold weather.

The report says 10 more sloths arrived from Peru on February 19. Two were dead on arrival, and the remaining eight were described as emaciated and in poor health before later dying.

At the time of the August inspection, FWC marked the animals on site as appearing healthy, with food, water, and sanitation listed as acceptable. But the report also states the enclosures did not meet required caging standards.

In April, Central Florida Zoo said it accepted 13 two-toed sloths and placed them in quarantine for at least 30 days. The zoo said the animals were being kept off display and monitored by veterinary, animal care, and nutrition staff.

The next day, the zoo said all 13 had survived their first 24 hours in its care. The zoo said many were dehydrated and underweight, but were eating and drinking.

On April 29, the zoo announced that one of the sloths, Bandit, had died. The zoo said Bandit arrived in critical condition with severe lethargy, dehydration, nutritional and electrolyte imbalances, and gastrointestinal complications. The zoo said he was humanely euthanized after his condition declined.

No charges or fines are listed in the FWC report.

FWC Incident Report

Central Florida Zoo Statement

Central Florida Zoo Update

Bandit Statement

D.C. Circuit Allows Pentagon Escort Rule to Continue During Appeal

On April 27, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit allowed the Pentagon to keep requiring journalists to be escorted inside the Pentagon while an appeal continues.

The case was brought by The New York Times and reporter Julian Barnes over the Pentagon’s press-access rules. A district court had previously ruled against parts of the policy, and later found that the Department’s revised policy did not comply with that order.

The D.C. Circuit stayed the April 9 district court order only “to the extent that it entitles journalists to access the Pentagon unescorted.”

The court said the Department had supported its national-security argument with evidence that journalists had obtained “sensitive or classified” information “often monthly, and sometimes multiple times per month,” including “operational plans” and “intelligence assessments.”

Judge J. Michelle Childs dissented. She wrote, “An injunction is not an invitation to circumvention.”

The appeal continues.

D.C. Circuit Order

Pentagon Statement

DOJ Sues Cloudera Over Alleged U.S. Worker Discrimination

The Justice Department sued Cloudera Inc. on Tuesday, April 28, alleging the company discriminated against U.S. workers while sponsoring foreign workers for permanent roles.

The complaint was filed with the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer under the Immigration and Nationality Act. DOJ alleges Cloudera violated the law through its use of the PERM labor certification process.

PERM, which stands for Program Electronic Review Management, is the system employers must use when sponsoring a foreign worker for a green card. Before moving forward, employers are required to test the U.S. labor market and prove that no qualified, willing, and available U.S. workers can fill the position. That process includes specific recruitment steps, including publicly advertising the job and accepting applications from U.S. candidates in good faith.

According to the complaint, from at least March 31, 2024, to at least January 28, 2025, Cloudera used a separate hiring process for at least seven PERM-related technology jobs. The positions paid about $180,000 to $294,000 per year and included Product Manager, Senior Staff Engineer, and Senior Solutions Consultant roles.

DOJ alleges that while Cloudera normally posted jobs on its public careers website and accepted applications through its standard system, the PERM-related roles were handled differently. Instead of using the normal application process, applicants were instructed to send resumes to a dedicated email address.

The complaint states that the email address did not accept external emails. One U.S. worker who attempted to apply received a bounce-back message stating the group “may not exist” or that the sender may not have permission to post messages to it.

DOJ alleges Cloudera did not track resumes sent to that address, did not correct the issue, and did not hire any U.S. workers for the seven PERM-related positions during the relevant period.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said, “Employers cannot use the PERM sponsorship process as a backdoor for discriminating against U.S. workers.”

The lawsuit seeks a cease-and-desist order, civil penalties, and back pay with interest for affected workers. The case remains pending.

DOJ Press Release

DOJ Complaint

Spirit Airlines Shuts Down Operations

Spirit Airlines shut down operations Saturday, May 2, after more than three decades as an ultra-low-cost carrier.

The company said it began an immediate wind-down and canceled all flights. Spirit told customers not to go to the airport and said there was no remaining customer service available for rebooking.

Spirit said the shutdown followed “extensive and comprehensive efforts” to restructure the business. The company said a recent material increase in oil prices, along with other business pressures, significantly damaged its financial outlook. Spirit said it had no additional funding available.

Spirit CEO Dave Davis said the airline reached an agreement with bondholders in March that was intended to let the company emerge from Chapter 11 as a going-forward business. He said the sudden and sustained rise in fuel prices left Spirit needing hundreds of millions of dollars in additional liquidity that it did not have and could not obtain.

The shutdown followed years of financial pressure. Spirit emerged from a 2024 bankruptcy in March 2025, then filed Chapter 11 again on August 29, 2025. In a September SEC filing, Spirit said there was substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.

In March, Spirit announced a new restructuring support agreement. The plan called for a smaller fleet, a tighter route network, more premium seating, and a reduction of debt and lease obligations from $7.4 billion before filing to about $2 billion after emergence.

That plan did not hold.

The political backdrop includes the failed JetBlue-Spirit merger. In 2024, the Justice Department said JetBlue abandoned its $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit after a federal court blocked the deal on antitrust grounds. DOJ said the merger would have led to higher fares and fewer choices.

After Spirit shut down, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blamed the prior administration’s handling of the merger and said DOT was coordinating with airlines to support stranded passengers and Spirit employees.

DOT said United, Delta, JetBlue, and Southwest were capping ticket prices for Spirit customers who need to rebook. American and Delta were offering reduced fares on high-volume Spirit routes. Allegiant committed to freezing fares on overlapping routes, and Frontier offered discounted base fares.

Spirit said customers who bought flights through Spirit with a credit or debit card will receive automatic refunds. Customers who used travel agents must contact the agent. Compensation for vouchers, credits, or Free Spirit points will be handled later through the bankruptcy process.

Spirit Statement

Spirit SEC Filing

Spirit Restructuring Agreement

DOT Statement

DOJ JetBlue-Spirit Statement

Delta Statement

Finance

Markets

Markets remained fairly flat this week. The Dow Jones gained 269 points, closing at 49,499, a half point gain.

The NASDAQ closed at 25,114, a 1% gain represented by 278 points.

The S&P 500 gained 65 points, almost a 1% gain with a closing value of 7230.

Gold lost more ground this week, with futures trading closing at $4644, a 2% loss.

Fed Meeting

Wednesday, April 29 Fed Chair Jerome Powell announced that interest rates will remain stationary for the third straight period. After consistently moving to lower rates through late 2025, the Fed has now kept rates static since January. Powell is no longer under criminal investigation for a $1B overrun to the fed office renovation project, but his relationship with the White House remains contentious. He maintains that he will not leave the board until the investigation is well and truly over.

Sports

London Marathon

Sunday, April 26, the London Marathon turned into a record book bonfire. Here’s the rundown (make a face)

Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe won the men’s race in 1:59:30, becoming the first runner to break two hours in a record-eligible marathon. Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha finished second in 1:59:41, also under two hours, and Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo took third in 2:00:28. All three were under the previous world record of 2:00:35. Sawe and Kejelcha broke away late, with Sawe making the move inside the final two kilometers and closing with a 59:01 second half, meaning he sped up in the second 13 miles of the race.

In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa won in 2:15:41, the fastest women’s marathon time ever. Hellen Obiri finished second in 2:15:53, and Joyciline Jepkosgei was third in 2:15:55. It was the first time three women finished under 2:16 in the same race.

Another Sabastian, Former Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel also ran the race, finishing in 2:59:08 in his first ever marathon. London got two sub-two-hour marathon, three men under the old world record, and a women’s race that reset the top end…all in the same morning.

Talladega NASCAR

Sunday, April 26, Carson Hocevar won the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega for his first career NASCAR Cup Series win. The race turned on Lap 115, when Ross Chastain pushed Bubba Wallace at the front of the field. Wallace got sideways into the outside wall, Cole Custer moved to avoid him, and the three-wide pack folded into Turn 3. 26 of the 40 cars were collected. The race was red-flagged at Lap 116, and all drivers who could not continue were checked and released from the infield care center. Talladega did Talladega things: 26 cars wrecked, eight cars done for the day, and a first-time winner standing in victory lane. Wallace finished 36th.

NBA Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg

Cooper Flagg took NBA rookie of the year after a tight race between himself and his college roommate Kon Knueppel. He received 56 of the 100 first place votes after being the number 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, averaging 21 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. He joins Jordan as being the only other rookie in history to lead his team in all three categories. He is also the second youngest player to ever win the award, behind Lebron James.

NBA Playoffs

Speaking of NBA, three of the conference semifinal matchups have been decided. The Suns, Rockets, Nuggets and Trail Blazers were eliminated from the Western conference. The Thunder will now face the Lakers and the Timberwolves see the Spurs. In the east, the Knicks eliminated the Hawks and the 76-ers sent the Celtics home. The Cavs and Raptors will play game 7 of their first round series tonight, with the Magic and Pistons game 7 this afternoon.

Stanley Cup Playoffs

In the NHL, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are moving to round 2. In the West, the Kings, Stars, Mammoth and Oilers are all out. The Avalanche will face the Wild and Golden Knights will play the Ducks. In the East, the Hurricanes ousted the Senators and [game 1 against the Flyers] who sent the Penguins home in round 1. The Sabres who cancelled Boston’s postseason await game 7 between the Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightening on Sunday May 3. Not a good year for basketball or hockey in Boston. The Hurricanes took Game 1 of round 2 against the Flyers, 3-0

MLB

You might notice I’m piling on Boston a little. Well in MLB the Red Sox sit at the bottom of the AL East with a record of 13-20, 9 games back from the division leading Yankees who are 22-11. Atlanta holds the best record in baseball. The Braves are 24-10 and sit 7.5 games ahead of the Marlins in the NL East.

Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix

After more than a month off, F1 returns with a sprint weekend in Miami. Friday, Lando Norris put his McLaren on pole with championship leading Kimi Antonelli qualifying second, ahead of Oscar Piastri. In the sprint, Piastri got around Antonelli who ultimately finished 6th. Norris won ahead of Piastri, Leclerc, Russel and Verstappen. In qualifying for the main race, Kimi Antonelli took pole with Max Verstappen in second, followed by the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. Due to weather concerns, the start time has been moved up to 1:00 eastern, meaning by the time this video is live the race will be over. Not to worry though, you can’t watch it unless you have an apple TV subscription and have updated your iOS and the app to the latest version.

Kentucky Derby

Saturday, May 2, Golden Tempo won the 152nd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The horse was ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Cherie DeVaux, who became the first woman trainer to win the Kentucky Derby. Golden Tempo rallied from the back of the field and finished the mile-and-a-quarter race in 2:02.27. The finish also put two brothers at the center of the race. Jose Ortiz won after passing Renegade, ridden by his brother Irad Ortiz Jr., who finished second.

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending 4-25-26

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Top Story

Eight Children Killed in Shreveport Domestic Violence Shooting

On Sunday, April 19, eight children were killed in a domestic violence shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The children ranged in age from 3 to 11. Seven were fathered by the shooter, Shamar Elkins.

The violence began after a domestic dispute inside a home on West 79th Street. He is believed to have shot his wife before killing seven children inside the house.

During the attack, a woman and two children escaped to the roof. One child was killed as the shooter pursued them. The others survived.

A second shooting followed at another home, where a woman was injured.

The shooter then carjacked a vehicle and fled into Bossier City. Police located him a short time later, and he died during a shootout with officers.

The incident is being treated as a domestic violence case, with multiple scenes and surviving victims still under investigation.

Full press briefing

Shreveport Police timeline and victim identifications

Caddo Parish District Attorney statement

DOJ firearm charge

DOJ Bossier Parish firearms charge

Current Events

D4vd Charged With Capital Murder in Death of 14-Year-Old Celeste Rivas Hernandez

On April 20, Los Angeles County prosecutors charged musician David Anthony Burke, known as D4vd, with capital murder in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

This was not a guilty plea or sentencing. Burke appeared in court later that day, and a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf. He was ordered held without bail.

Celeste disappeared after going to Burke’s Hollywood Hills home on April 23, 2025.

Her remains were found on September 8 in the front trunk of a car registered to Burke. The car had been impounded after it was reported abandoned.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney charged Burke with murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains.

The murder charge includes special-circumstance allegations. Prosecutors allege the murder involved lying in wait, financial gain, and killing a witness.

The DA says Burke killed Celeste after she threatened to expose criminal conduct that could damage his music career.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled Celeste’s death a homicide caused by multiple penetrating injuries.

LAPD says the case took months because Celeste’s remains were badly decomposed, evidence had degraded, and investigators were working through digital and forensic evidence.

Burke is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. If convicted as charged, he faces life in prison without parole or the death penalty. Prosecutors have not yet said whether they will seek death.

Full press conference and arraignment video

Los Angeles County District Attorney statement

Criminal complaint

Los Angeles County Medical Examiner statement

Four Arrested in Florida Immigration Fraud Case

On Tuesday, April 22, four people were arrested in Orange County, Florida after investigators say they ran a fraudulent immigration services business that collected more than $20 million from victims.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says Legacy Imigra promoted itself as a full-service immigration agency with attorneys handling immigration and asylum claims.

Investigators say that was false.

The Sheriff’s Office says the business targeted mostly Brazilian nationals, charged major fees, improperly filed applications, created email accounts in victims’ names, and withheld immigration documents unless victims paid more money.

The arrested suspects are Vagner Soares De Almeida, Juliana Colucci, Ronaldo Decampos, and Lucas Felipe Trindade Silva.

The case involved the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Attorney General’s Office.

The charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Orange County Sheriff’s Office statement

Orange County Sheriff’s Office press conference

EF4 Tornado Hits Enid, Oklahoma

On Thursday, April 23, an EF4 tornado hit Enid, Oklahoma.

The National Weather Service says the tornado was on the ground from 8:11 to 8:48 p.m. local time and traveled 9.5 miles through Garfield County.

The City of Enid says the tornado damaged parts of Vance Air Force Base and the Gray Ridge neighborhood.

NWS lists 10 injuries and no deaths.

The City of Enid says it was the first tornado of that strength in Garfield County since April 1991.

Governor Kevin Stitt declared a state of emergency for Garfield and Kay counties after severe weather, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding began Thursday.

Recovery efforts are underway, and officials are asking residents to stay out of damaged areas while crews restore power, clear debris, and assess damage.

NWS Norman tornado database

NWS Norman EF4 damage post

City of Enid tornado relief resources

City of Enid response release

Oklahoma Emergency Management update

Vance Air Force Base post

Teen Killed In Mall Of Louisiana Shooting

A 17-year-old girl was killed Thursday, April 23, in a shooting at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge.

Baton Rouge Police said shots were fired at 1:22 p.m. from the food court area of the mall. Chief TJ Morse said a BRPD officer assigned to the mall and an East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s deputy were nearby and ran toward the gunfire.

The victim killed was Martha Elizabeth Odom, 17, of Lafayette. Police also identified Donnie Gillery, 43, as critically injured and undergoing surgery.

On Friday, BRPD announced the arrest of 17-year-old Markel Lee. Police said Lee turned himself in and was arrested for first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, and illegal use of a weapon.

Police are still asking for help identifying another suspect wanted in connection with the shooting. Other people detained after the shooting were released for now, pending further investigation.

BRPD said the shooting was not random. The chief said two groups met at the mall, exchanged words, pulled guns, and innocent people were hit.

Officials discussed gang violence broadly during the press conference, but BRPD said it was too early to say whether this specific shooting was gang-related.

Full press conference

Additional press conference video

Missing USF Students Case Leads To Murder Charges

Two University of South Florida students, Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, have been missing since April 23.

Hillsborough County deputies said both, age 27, were listed as missing and endangered. On Friday, April 24, Limon’s body was found near the Howard Frankland Bridge, and the search for Bristy continues.

Hillsborough County deputies say Limon’s roommate, 26-year-old Hisham Abugharbieh, was taken into custody Friday after barricading himself inside a residence during a domestic violence call.

He was initially charged with offenses including unlawfully moving a dead body, failure to report a death, tampering with evidence, false imprisonment, and battery.

On Saturday, April 25, deputies said he is now facing two counts of first-degree murder with a weapon in the deaths of Limon and Bristy.

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office update

HCSO missing and endangered notice

USF statement

Politics

Trump Signs Executive Order to Accelerate Psychedelic Drug Research

On April 18, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to accelerate research, review, and possible approval of psychedelic drugs for serious mental illness.

The order, titled “Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness,” directs the FDA to provide National Priority Vouchers for qualifying psychedelic drugs that have received Breakthrough Therapy designation. It also directs FDA and DEA to establish a Right to Try pathway for eligible patients to access investigational psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine compounds.

The order directs HHS to allocate $50 million through ARPA-H to match state investments in psychedelic research. It also directs HHS and FDA to work with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the private sector to expand clinical trial participation and evidence generation.

The White House framed the order around serious mental illness and veteran suicide. The White House fact sheet says more than 14 million American adults have a serious mental illness, and that for more than 20 years, there have been more than 6,000 veteran suicides per year.

At the White House event, Joe Rogan said he sent Trump information about ibogaine and that Trump responded, “Sounds great. Do you want FDA approval? Let’s do it.”

On April 24, FDA announced follow-up action. The agency said it is issuing priority vouchers for companies studying psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression, psilocybin for major depressive disorder, and methylone for PTSD. FDA also said it is allowing an early phase clinical study of noribogaine hydrochloride for alcohol use disorder.

FDA said the noribogaine decision allows the study to proceed, but does not mean the drug has been approved or found safe or effective.

Full White House Event

Executive Order

White House Fact Sheet

FDA Press Release

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Resigns After Federal Indictment and House Ethics Findings

Former Florida Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned from Congress after the House Ethics Committee found 25 counts proven and scheduled a sanctions hearing that could have led to a recommendation for discipline or expulsion.

Cherfilus-McCormick announced the resignation in a statement posted Tuesday, calling the process a “witch hunt” and saying she was stepping away to focus on fighting the criminal case.

The criminal case began in November, when a federal grand jury in Miami indicted Cherfilus-McCormick, her brother Edwin Cherfilus, Nadege Leblanc, and David Kofi Spencer.

According to the Justice Department, Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother worked through Trinity Healthcare Services on a FEMA-funded COVID vaccination staffing contract in 2021. Prosecutors allege the company received a $5 million overpayment in July 2021 and that the defendants conspired to steal the money.

The indictment alleges the funds were routed through multiple accounts to hide their source. Prosecutors say a substantial portion was used to support Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign and for the personal benefit of the defendants.

The indictment also alleges Cherfilus-McCormick and Leblanc arranged straw-donor contributions by sending money to friends and relatives, who then donated to the campaign as if the money were their own.

Cherfilus-McCormick and Spencer are also accused of conspiring to file a false federal tax return. DOJ says the indictment alleges political spending and personal expenses were falsely claimed as business deductions, and charitable contributions were inflated to reduce tax obligations.

The indictment seeks forfeiture of a $5,007,271.50 money judgment and a roughly 3.14-carat yellow diamond ring.

The House Ethics Committee separately released a Statement of Alleged Violations. That document said Cherfilus-McCormick’s campaign reported more than $6.2 million in loans from her during the 2021–2022 cycle, but investigators alleged the campaign misreported loans, failed to report contributions, and received improper corporate contributions.

On April 10, the Ethics Committee said its adjudicatory subcommittee found Counts 1 through 15 and 17 through 26 proven by clear and convincing evidence. The full committee scheduled an April 21 hearing to determine what sanction to recommend to the House.

Cherfilus-McCormick resigned before that hearing.

DOJ indictment announcement

Federal indictment

House Ethics Statement of Alleged Violations

House Ethics April 10 statement

Cherfilus-McCormick resignation statement

Southern Poverty Law Center Indicted Over Alleged Payments to Extremist Sources

The Southern Poverty Law Center was indicted Tuesday, April 21. Federal prosecutors allege the nonprofit used donor money to secretly pay sources inside extremist groups.

The Justice Department says a grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama, charged SPLC with 11 counts, including wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering.

DOJ says the FBI investigated the case with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation.

The indictment alleges SPLC secretly funneled more than $3 million in donated funds between 2014 and 2023 to people associated with extremist groups, including the Ku Klux Klan, United Klans of America, Unite the Right, National Alliance, National Socialist Movement, Aryan Nations-affiliated Sadistic Souls Motorcycle Club, National Socialist Party of America, and American Front.

FBI Director Kash Patel said SPLC allegedly “lied to their donors” by vowing to dismantle violent extremist groups while paying leaders of those same groups. He said the investigation is ongoing “against all individuals involved.”

The Justice Department says the alleged scheme involved bank accounts connected to fictitious entities that concealed the true nature, source, ownership, and control of the money.

The government’s case is based on donor fraud. Prosecutors allege SPLC raised money by telling donors it was fighting extremist groups, while failing to disclose that some donor money was being used to pay people inside those groups.

SPLC responded in a video statement, saying the investigation appears to focus on its prior use of paid confidential informants.

The organization says those informants were used to gather intelligence on violent extremist groups and that it “frequently shared” information with local and federal law enforcement, including the FBI.

SPLC says it did not broadly disclose the use of informants in order to protect the identity and safety of the informants and their families, and says it no longer works with paid informants.

SPLC’s own financial page says the organization is supported primarily through donor contributions and receives no government funds for its efforts. SPLC reports it spent 73.9% of total expenses on program services in its last fiscal year and had a $731.9 million endowment at fiscal year end.

SPLC’s 2023 audited financial statement describes its mission as working to “dismantle white supremacy.”

The Charlottesville connection is central to the allegations because DOJ lists Unite the Right among the groups tied to the alleged payments.

DOJ says James Alex Fields Jr. killed 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injured more than 30 people at the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville.

Fields was later sentenced to life in prison for federal hate crimes.

SPLC has not been convicted. The charges remain allegations.

DOJ indictment announcement

Federal indictment

SPLC financial information

SPLC 2023 audited financial statement

DOJ Charlottesville hate-crimes release

SPLC Website

Virginia Redistricting Amendment Voided by Court One Day After Passing

Virginia voters approved a redistricting amendment on Tuesday, April 21, but a judge voided the result the next day.

The amendment would have allowed the General Assembly to temporarily redraw congressional districts before the 2030 census under limited conditions.

On April 22, the Tazewell County Circuit Court entered final judgment in Republican National Committee v. Koski.

Judge Jack Hurley declared House Joint Resolution 6007 “void ab initio,” meaning the amendment is treated as invalid from the start. The order also declared all votes cast in the April 21 referendum “ineffective.”

The court permanently blocked the Commonwealth from certifying the election results or implementing the amendment. The order also bars the state from drawing new congressional districts, modifying precincts or pollbooks, or conducting elections under any map derived from the amendment.

The court denied the state’s request to pause the ruling while it appeals.

The Office of the Attorney General of Virginia said it will immediately appeal the decision.

Virginia’s current system keeps congressional redistricting on the standard post-census schedule using the state’s commission process unless a higher court reverses the injunction.

Tazewell Circuit Court final order

Virginia Department of Elections amendment explanation

DeSantis and Jeffries Trade Barbs Ahead of Florida Redistricting Session

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries traded barbs at press conferences this week as Florida prepares for a special session on congressional redistricting.

Jeffries was asked about possible Florida redistricting after Virginia voters approved a redistricting amendment and a judge blocked the result the next day.

“Our message to Florida Republicans is f around and find out,” Jeffries said.

He also said Democrats are “all in in Florida” and argued that Florida Republicans could put their own seats at risk if they move forward with what he called a “DeSantis dummymander.”

DeSantis responded later at a Florida press conference.

“Please be my guest,” DeSantis said. “I will pay for you to come down to Florida and campaign. I’ll put you up in the Florida governor’s mansion. We’ll take you fishing.”

DeSantis said Jeffries campaigning in Florida would help Republicans.

The exchange comes ahead of Florida’s special legislative session, scheduled for April 28 through May 1.

A Florida Senate memo says the Senate is not drafting its own congressional map and expects a proposal from the Governor’s Office.

No Florida redistricting map has been filed yet.

Virginia Department of Elections amendment explanation

Virginia Attorney General statement

Florida Senate special session memo

Jeffries Press Conference

Desantis Press Conference

Finance

Apple Announces New CEO

Monday, April 20, Apple announced that Tim Cook will become executive chairman of the board and John Ternus will become Apple’s next CEO effective September 1, 2026. Cook will stay on as CEO through the summer to help with the transition, and Apple said the move followed a long-term succession plan approved unanimously by the board. Apple also said Arthur Levinson will move from non-executive chairman to lead independent director on September 1, and Ternus will join the board the same day. Apple stock dropped Tuesday afternoon but rebounded Thursday before ending the week in a slump and closing down just $1.50 from last Friday’s close.

Apple Press Release

Markets

This week was fairly flat. The Dow Jones lost 217 points, closing at 49,230, less than half a percentage down.

NASDAQ picked up 368 points, setting a new record high and closing at 24,836 after a 1.5% gain.

The S&P500 added 39 points, closing at 7165. That represents a half percentage gain.

Gold lost $139 and futures closed trading at $4,740 Friday afternoon.

Sports

Boston Marathon

Monday, April 20 was the 130th running of the Boston Marathon. John Korir won the men’s race in 2:01:52, breaking Geoffrey Mutai’s 2011 course record and becoming a repeat champion. Sharon Lokedi repeated as women’s champion in 2:18:51, the second-fastest winning time in race history behind her own 2025 mark. Chelsea Clinton also finished the race in 3:40:52, which AP reported was a personal best.

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending 4-18-26

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Charlie Kirk Trial

Friday, April 17, the accused murderer of Charlie Kirk was back in court. The Judge again addressed the camera operators regarding the February 24 order limiting still or video images of the defendant. The defense argued for extra time before the preliminary hearing currently scheduled for May 18. The prosecution argued that the defense is stalling and punishing the state and the victim by delaying proceedings.

One portion of the hearing revolved around the testimony of a consultant who argued, with a straight face, that cameras should not be allowed at trial. His position was that reporters will give an accurate account of what happens and that a live stream allows people on the internet to offer commentary, conspiracy theories and prejudicial statements. Ladies and Gentlemen, if there were EVER an argument to HAVE cameras record and broadcast what happens exactly as it happens, it SPECIFICALLY is that “the media” have proven themselves wholly unable to deliver facts without injecting their own opinions or priorities. I watched the OJ trial nearly in its entirety. I watched more than 90% of the Casey Anthony case. I watch press conferences, congressional hearings, court cases, and anything unedited that I can get my hands on. I spend hours vetting written sources and replaying videos so that I can bring you the most unbiased version of WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED that I am humanly capable of. I have biases. I have opinions. And this story is a great example of my opinion spilling out. That’s because this is really important to me. Sensationalism gets clicks. But the facts just might help us all take a small step towards the middle and start a conversation about something that matters. Judge Tony Graf will rule on cameras in court on May 8.

*Note: I fully understand how far away from ‘no opinions, just facts’ this rant was. But it is specifically why I started this project. MSM, Legacy Media and most ‘news’ you can consume on X, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn is opinionated drivel written to either rage bait you or indoctrinate you. So I went on a little bit of a tare to just highlight that while the media is actively advocating for cameras in the court room, they will be allowed in either way and the defense wants them to tell the only story you get about this trial. That offends me to my core.

World

Hormuz Reopens…maybe?

On Tuesday, April 8, the White House said Iran agreed to a ceasefire and to reopening the Strait of Hormuz while the administration negotiated a broader peace agreement.

On Friday, April 11, CENTCOM said U.S. forces began clearing Iranian sea mines from the strait. On Saturday, April 12, CENTCOM announced a blockade on ships entering and leaving Iranian ports, but said it would not block ships transiting Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports. The official U.S. position was a blockade on Iranian port traffic, not a closure of all shipping through the strait.

On Thursday, April 16, the State Department announced a ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. On Friday, April 17, the White House said the Strait of Hormuz was completely open again and ready for business.

Iran’s official statements described the same week as an unfinished negotiation. President Masoud Pezeshkian said Pakistan brokered the ceasefire proposal and is facilitating talks in Islamabad between Iran and the United States. He said those talks produced several technical understandings, but did not reach a final conclusion.

Iran also said Lebanon was part of the diplomacy. Pezeshkian said a ceasefire in Lebanon was one condition in Iran’s 10-point plan, and he said Emmanuel Macron pushed to include Lebanon in the initial ceasefire framework. Separately, the State Department confirmed that a ten-day Israel-Lebanon cessation of hostilities took effect on April 16.

The nuclear piece still does not appear finalized in any public document. The White House continues to say Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon. Trump also wrote on Truth Social that most points were agreed to, but nuclear was not. No public official agreement has been released showing Iran formally accepted an end to its nuclear program.

White House Release
CENTCOM Mine Clearance and Blockade
State Department Lebanon Ceasefire
White House Hormuz Post
Iran Presidential Statement
White House Nuclear Statement

U.S. Politics

Eric Swalwell Resigns From Congress

On Sunday, April 12, Congressman Eric Swalwell suspended his campaign for Governor of California and wrote that he was “deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment” that he had made in his past.

On Monday, April 13, the House Ethics Committee announced that it had opened an investigation into Swalwell. The Committee said it was examining whether he violated the Code of Official Conduct or other applicable standards, including allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct, including toward an employee working under his supervision.

On Tuesday, April 14, Swalwell resigned from Congress. The Clerk of the House says California’s 14th Congressional District is now operating as a vacant office under Clerk supervision until a successor is elected.

The public allegations escalated at a press conference held by Lana Drew and her attorney. Drew said she met Swalwell socially in 2018 while living and working in Beverly Hills. She said that during a third encounter, she believed he drugged her, raped her, and choked her until she lost consciousness. Drew said she did not consent, disclosed the assault to people close to her, recorded it in a handwritten calendar, and later discussed it in therapy at a sexual assault center.

At the same press conference, attorney Lisa Bloom said a police report would be filed immediately with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office. Bloom said her firm would provide text messages, journal entries, photographs, and witness information, and would cooperate with any other law enforcement agencies investigating Swalwell.

Other members of Congress had also begun publicly calling for Swalwell to step down. Official House statements from members including Andrea Salinas and Hillary Scholten called for his resignation, while Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández said she had been working with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna on an expulsion resolution.

As of the official sources reviewed for this story, the confirmed facts are that Swalwell suspended his gubernatorial campaign, the House Ethics Committee opened an investigation, and he resigned from Congress the next day. No criminal charge, court filing, final ethics finding, or official law enforcement announcement confirming an active case was identified in the sources reviewed.

Swalwell Campaign Statement
House Ethics Committee Statement
House Clerk Vacancy Page
Press Conference Video
Salinas Statement

Tony Gonzales Resigns From Congress

Monday, April 13, Congressman Tony Gonzales said on his official X account that he would file his retirement from office when Congress returned. Tuesday, April 14, the House Clerk recorded that Gonzales had formally resigned, effective at 11:59 p.m. that night.

The resignation followed a House Ethics Committee investigation opened March 4 into whether Gonzales engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee in his congressional office or dispensed special favors or privileges. The Committee later said it had also received an Office of Congressional Conduct referral and that those allegations would be investigated by the subcommittee.

In the days before Gonzales resigned, members of Congress publicly tied his departure to the allegations. Rep. Nancy Mace issued official statements accusing Gonzales of misconduct and calling on him to resign or face expulsion. Rep. Katherine Clark also publicly linked Gonzales’s resignation to accountability for sexual misconduct allegations.

As of the time of his resignation, I did not find a final House Ethics Committee report concluding that Gonzales had committed a violation. The official record shows that a formal investigation was underway, that an OCC referral had been received, and that pressure on Gonzales intensified publicly before he stepped down.

Tony Gonzales Statement

House Clerk Floor Summary

House Ethics Committee March 4 Statement

House Ethics Committee March 12 Statement

Nancy Mace April 6 Statement

Nancy Mace April 13 Statement

Katherine Clark Statement

Virginia Joins National Popular Vote Compact

Virginia has become the 18th state to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.

House Bill 965, approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger on April 13, enters Virginia into an agreement that would award all of the state’s electoral votes to the candidate who wins the national popular vote, not necessarily the candidate who wins Virginia. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

The compact does not abolish the Electoral College. It works around it. The compact only takes effect once states holding at least 270 electoral votes have joined. Until then, Virginia keeps using its current system.

The Constitution says each state appoints electors in the manner its legislature directs, and the Supreme Court has recognized broad state power over electors. The Supreme Court has not directly ruled on this compact itself, but supporters point to the Constitution’s elector clause and prior cases recognizing broad state authority over how electors are appointed.

If the compact ever reaches 270 electoral votes, the practical effect would be that member states would collectively guarantee enough electoral votes for the national popular vote winner to take the presidency. That would allow a candidate to win states like Virginia, lose the national vote, and still receive none of Virginia’s electoral votes.

Virginia HB 965
HB 965 Enrolled Text
National Popular Vote Explanation
U.S. Constitution
Chiafalo v. Washington
Attorney Explanation Video

Dominican Sisters Sue New York

On Monday, April 6, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne and Rosary Hill Home filed a federal lawsuit against New York officials over the state’s LGBTQ long-term-care rules. The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and seeks to block enforcement of the law against the Catholic hospice.

Rosary Hill Home, located in Hawthorne, New York, says it was founded in 1901 and operates as a free home for people suffering from incurable cancer. The facility says it does not accept payment from patients, families, insurance, or government.

The dispute centers on a New York law signed by Governor Kathy Hochul on November 30, 2023. The governor’s office said the measure established a bill of rights for long-term-care residents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or living with HIV, and prohibited facilities and staff from discriminating against them on those grounds.

The text of New York Public Health Law Section 2803-c-2 bars long-term-care facilities from assigning a transgender resident to a room inconsistent with that resident’s gender identity, from restricting restroom access inconsistent with gender identity, and from willfully and repeatedly refusing to use a resident’s preferred name or pronouns after being informed. The law also requires facilities to maintain records that include gender identity, name, and pronouns, and to provide recurring cultural-competency training for direct-care staff.

According to the complaint and attached exhibits, Rosary Hill received three Department of Health communications tied to those requirements: a March 18, 2024 Dear Administrator Letter announcing the law’s requirements, an October 2, 2024 notice regarding LGBTQIA+ training, and a January 16, 2025 letter regarding cultural competency requirements for aide training programs.

The lawsuit argues that enforcing those requirements against Rosary Hill would violate the sisters’ religious beliefs and constitutional protections. It also argues that the law contains an exemption for facilities operated by the Church of Christ, Scientist, but not for Catholic organizations.

As of the sources reviewed here, the case remains pending. No ruling was identified resolving the lawsuit, and no official source reviewed showed that Rosary Hill had been shut down, lost its license, or been penalized. Rosary Hill’s admissions page currently includes a nondiscrimination notice covering sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and HIV status, followed by a statement that the notice should not be interpreted to require conduct contrary to Catholic teaching.

Federal Complaint PDF
Rosary Hill About
Governor Hochul Press Release
New York Public Health Law 2803-c-2
Rosary Hill Admissions Notice

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax Killed Wife, Then Himself, Police Say

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife, Dr. Cerina Wanzer Fairfax, inside their Annandale home just after midnight Thursday, then killed himself, according to Fairfax County Police.

At a press conference later that morning, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said Cerina Fairfax was shot several times in the basement. He said Justin Fairfax then ran upstairs to the primary bedroom and killed himself with the same firearm.

The couple’s two teenage children were inside the home when it happened. Police said the son called 911 shortly after midnight. Davis said both children were later with family members and victim services personnel.

Police said the killings came during an ongoing domestic dispute and divorce. Davis said the couple were separated but still living in the house in separate areas, with divorce proceedings underway and court appearances pending in the near future.

Davis said Justin Fairfax had recently been served paperwork tied to an upcoming court appearance and that investigators were looking at whether that may have been a spark for the violence.

The press conference also revealed a prior police response to the same address in January 2026. Davis said Justin Fairfax called police and alleged that his wife had assaulted him. He said officers reviewed cameras that had been installed inside the house and determined that the assault allegation was untrue. No arrest was made, though a report was written.

Governor Abigail Spanberger later issued an official statement describing the case as the murder of Dr. Cerina Fairfax in an apparent murder-suicide. She called Cerina Fairfax a devoted mother, a beloved dentist in the Fairfax County community, and a supporter of Virginia Commonwealth University.

As of the official sources reviewed for this story, police have publicly identified the shooter and victim, described the sequence of events, and confirmed the presence of the children, the ongoing divorce, and the earlier January police call. Police said firearm details were still under investigation.

Fairfax County Police Press Conference
Governor Spanberger Statement

Grand Central Machete Attack Leaves Three Injured, Suspect Dead After Police Shooting

Friday, April 11, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said officers assigned to transit overtime posts were flagged down at about 9:40 a.m. at Grand Central Terminal by a civilian reporting that a man armed with a knife had just stabbed multiple people on a subway platform. As detectives moved toward the 4/5/6 platform, they encountered one of the victims coming up the stairs and then saw the suspect on the platform below.

Tisch said the man was armed with a large knife described as a machete, was acting erratically, and repeatedly said he was “Lucifer.” According to the briefing, officers gave him at least 20 orders to drop the weapon and also tried to de-escalate the encounter by telling him, “We are going to get you help.” Tisch said the suspect instead advanced toward officers with the knife extended, and one officer fired, striking him twice. Officers then began lifesaving measures, and the man was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

In the same briefing, Tisch identified the suspect as 44-year-old Anthony Griffin and said he had three unsealed prior arrests but no documented EDP history with the department. She said security camera footage showed Griffin entering the subway system at Vernon Boulevard in Queens around 9:30 a.m., boarding a 7 train to Grand Central, slashing one person on the 7 train platform, and then moving upstairs to the 4/5/6 platform, where he slashed two more people.

Tisch said one victim, an 84-year-old man, suffered significant lacerations to the head and face on the 7 train platform. A second victim, a 65-year-old man, suffered similar injuries and an open skull fracture on the 4/5/6 platform. A third victim, later described in questioning as a woman, suffered a shoulder laceration. All three were taken to Bellevue Hospital, and Tisch said their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening at that time.

Tisch also said no officers were injured and that the incident was captured on body-worn camera. She said the attack appeared to be random and pointed to the NYPD’s recent increase in transit staffing, saying the department had added more than 175 additional officers to subway patrol.

Full Press Conference

Omaha Police say officers shot and killed a woman Tuesday, April 14, after she allegedly abducted a 3-year-old boy at knifepoint from a Walmart and cut him during the confrontation outside the store.

According to Omaha Police, officers were dispatched at 9:13 a.m. to the Walmart at 1606 South 72nd Street for a “nature unknown” emergency call. A second 911 caller then reported that a woman armed with a large kitchen knife was with a young child. When officers arrived in the south parking lot, police said they found 31-year-old Noemi Guzman standing near a shopping cart with the 3-year-old boy inside.

Omaha Police said Guzman was armed with the knife, made threats, and refused repeated commands to drop the weapon. Police said she then cut the child, and two officers opened fire, striking her. Officers attempted lifesaving measures at the scene, but Guzman was pronounced dead. The child was taken to Children’s Hospital with injuries police described as not life-threatening.

In its update, Omaha Police said surveillance footage showed Guzman had shoplifted the knife inside the store, approached the child and guardian in an aisle, brandished the knife, and forced them out into the parking lot before officers made contact. The department also said multiple parts of the encounter were captured on body-worn camera and surveillance video, and it released two still images from an officer’s body camera showing Guzman armed with the knife.

Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said, “The responding officers acted with professionalism and direct action to intervene and save a child’s life.” Mayor John Ewing said he was grateful for the department’s professionalism and transparency and said he trusted the investigative process required by law. As of Friday, April 17, Omaha Police had publicly identified the suspect and outlined the sequence police say led to the shooting, but no official motive had been released and the officer-involved shooting investigation remained ongoing.

Omaha Police Press Releases
Omaha Police Release
Body Camera Still Images
Mayor Ewing Statement

Hennepin County Charges ICE Agent in Highway Gun Incident

On Thursday, April 16, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Gregory Donnell Morgan, Jr. had been charged with two counts of second-degree assault for a February 5 incident on eastbound Highway 62 in Minnesota. The county said Morgan brandished and pointed his duty weapon at two individuals while traveling alongside them in a black rental vehicle, and said there is now an active nationwide warrant for his arrest. The case number listed by the county is 27-CR-26-9656.

According to the county’s announcement, Morgan was driving illegally on the shoulder in a rented SUV with no markings or other features to indicate that it was an ICE vehicle. After another vehicle moved back into the legal lane, the county said Morgan sped up, pulled alongside the vehicle, matched its pace, opened his window, and pointed his duty weapon directly at both occupants while continuing to drive on the shoulder. Under Minnesota law, second-degree assault applies when a person assaults another with a dangerous weapon, and Minnesota statutes define a firearm as a dangerous weapon.

The warrant reflects a judicial finding of probable cause, but the underlying evidence has not been publicly released in the materials reviewed. Hennepin County’s own charging process says a criminal complaint must contain a statement of facts showing probable cause, must be signed under oath by the investigating officer, approved by the prosecutor, and then signed by a judge after the judge determines the complaint shows probable cause to support the charge. No public complaint PDF, affidavit, video, or witness statements were located in the official materials reviewed.

Any effort to arrest or prosecute a federal officer in state court would likely face an immediate federal challenge. Federal law allows a state criminal prosecution against a federal officer to be removed to federal court when it is brought for or relating to an act under color of federal office. DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel has also taken the position that a federal law-enforcement officer who must violate state criminal law in the course of performing official duty is immune from criminal prosecution, and that the Supremacy Clause bars state officials from penalizing federal employees for performing their federal functions.

That does not make the Minnesota warrant automatically void. The core federal defense would be that Morgan was acting under federal authority and did no more than was necessary and proper to carry out that duty. The public record now establishes that Hennepin County filed charges and obtained a warrant, but it does not yet include the full complaint or any official federal filing laying out Morgan’s defense. Based on the governing federal statutes and DOJ’s published legal positions, any actual arrest or continued prosecution would likely be difficult, heavily contested, and subject to attempted federal override through removal and immunity arguments.

Hennepin County Charging Release
Hennepin County Charging Process
Minnesota Assault Statute
Federal Officer Removal Statute
DOJ Supremacy Clause Memo
Full Press Conference

USDOT Withholds $73 Million From New York Over Commercial License Violations

On Thursday, April 16, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was withholding more than $73 million in federal highway funds from New York. USDOT said the state had failed to revoke illegally issued non-domiciled commercial learner’s permits and commercial driver’s licenses after a federal audit found widespread violations in the state’s licensing process. The department said the amount being withheld was $73,502,543, equal to 4% of New York’s National Highway Performance Program and Surface Transportation Program Block Grant funds.

The dispute goes back to a federal audit announced on December 12, 2025. At that time, USDOT said an FMCSA review of New York’s non-domiciled CDL program found that 107 of 200 sampled records were issued in violation of federal law, a failure rate of over 53%. USDOT also said New York’s systems defaulted to issuing 8-year licenses to some foreign drivers applying for non-REAL ID licenses regardless of when their lawful status expired, and said the state had issued commercial licenses without evidence that current lawful presence had been verified.

USDOT said New York was ordered to take corrective action, including pausing the issuance of new, renewed, transferred, or upgraded non-domiciled licenses; conducting a comprehensive internal audit; and immediately revoking all unexpired, noncompliant licenses. The department said on April 16 that New York had still not completed the required corrective actions, including the immediate rescission of noncompliant CLPs and CDLs, and that the final determination of substantial noncompliance had now been issued.

The federal government’s position rests on FMCSA’s CDL rules. Federal regulations say a state may issue a non-domiciled CLP or CDL only to a person who meets the regulatory criteria, and for certain foreign-domiciled applicants the state must ensure the license period does not exceed the applicant’s immigration validity period or one year, whichever is sooner. The regulations also state that applicants who do not provide evidence of lawful immigration status are not eligible for a non-domiciled CLP or CDL.

This action is part of a broader federal review that began last year. On June 27, 2025, USDOT announced a nationwide audit of how states issue non-domiciled CDLs, saying the review was intended to identify abuse and ensure federal licensing standards were being followed. New York publicly rejected the federal allegations when the original audit findings were announced. In a December 12 statement, a New York DMV spokesperson said the state was complying with federal rules and that every CDL it issues is subject to lawful-status verification through federally issued documents.

At this stage, the official record shows that USDOT has issued a final determination and announced a federal funding withholding, while New York has publicly denied the core allegations. No public lawsuit, appeal filing, or post-determination New York response was located in the materials reviewed.

USDOT Withholding Announcement
USDOT Audit Findings
USDOT Nationwide Audit Announcement
Federal CDL Rule
New York DMV Statement
Secretary Duffy Post

Finance

Markets

Markets continued their climb this week. The Dow picked up 1531 points and closed at 49,447, a 3.2% gain.

NASDAQ did even better, picking up nearly 7%, closing at 24,468 after gaining 1566 points. For those of you keeping score at home, that’s the highest close on record for that index.

The S&P500 closed at 7126, a gain of 310 points representing a 4.5% gain.

Gold rose another $92, closing at $4879 / ounce while Oil futures dropped.

Sports

The Masters

Sunday, April 12, Rory McIlroy won the Masters for the second straight year, finishing 12-under and beating Scottie Scheffler by one stroke at Augusta.

Scheffler did not win, but he did do something no one at the Masters has done since 1942: a bogey-free weekend. Over the final two rounds, he posted nine birdies, one eagle, and zero bogeys.

MLB

In MLB, the Dodgers set a weird record on Friday April 17. While visiting the Rockies, the 35 degree temperature was the coldest first pitch in club history. Snow blanketed the field just hours before the game but the dodger bats warmed things up, taking a 7-1 win. Yankees Ace Garrett Cole threw 44 pitches in his first rehab start since Tommy John surgery in 2025. The yankees are 3-7 over their last 10, sliding a half game behind the Rays who swept them earlier in the week. It could be worse though, their crosstown rival Mets have lost 9 in a row and sit at the bottom of the NL East.

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending 4-11-26

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Top Story

Trump administration details rescue of downed F-15E crew as Iran ceasefire takes hold and Pakistan offers to facilitate talks

On Monday, April 6, President Donald Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Gen. Dan Caine, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe publicly described the rescue of two American airmen after a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle went down inside Iran during Operation Epic Fury. The Pentagon said both crew members were recovered alive in separate rescue missions.

The Pentagon said the first rescue package included 21 aircraft, including A-10 attack aircraft, KC-130 search-and-rescue support aircraft, HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters, and Air Force special warfare rescue personnel. Trump said the first wave successfully extracted the pilot under fire.

At the April 6 event, Trump said the second rescue mission involved 155 aircraft, including four bombers, 64 fighters, 48 refueling tankers, and 13 rescue aircraft, along with deception activity meant to mislead Iranian forces about the second airman’s location. Ratcliffe said the CIA deployed both human assets and technical capabilities and ran a deception campaign to confuse Iranian forces while locating the missing airman.

Gen. Caine said the first rescue package included A-10s in the Sandy role, drones, and other tactical aircraft suppressing enemy forces in a close fight to protect the pickup force. He also said one Sandy A-10 was hit by enemy fire, continued the mission, exited to another country, was judged not landable, and its pilot later ejected over friendly territory and was safely recovered. Caine said one of the Jolly Green rescue helicopters also took several hits and that its crew sustained minor injuries.

The second crew member, the weapons systems officer, was described by Trump and Caine as injured and evading capture in mountain terrain until American forces could pinpoint his location and launch a larger second rescue force. Ratcliffe said the CIA confirmed on Saturday morning that the airman was alive and concealed in a mountain crevice. Caine said the second rescue launched Saturday night into Easter Sunday and ended with both airmen and all other Americans safely returned.

The rescue unfolded during a week of rapid change in the broader Iran conflict. On Wednesday, April 8, Hegseth and Caine said Operation Epic Fury had entered a ceasefire phase after 38 days of combat, while stressing that the ceasefire was a pause and that U.S. forces remained ready if Iran resumed hostilities. Caine said the joint force had flown more than 10,000 missions, including 62 bomber missions, and struck more than 13,000 targets during the operation.

The White House separately said Iran had agreed to a ceasefire and to reopening the Strait of Hormuz. At the same April 8 Pentagon briefing, Hegseth said the strait was open and that commerce would flow.

Alongside that military shift, Pakistan said it was prepared to help broker the next phase. On April 2, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said both Iran and the United States had expressed confidence in Pakistan to facilitate talks, and that Islamabad would be honored to host and facilitate meaningful negotiations in the coming days for a comprehensive and lasting settlement.

The official record from that week shows three tracks moving at once: a large U.S. rescue mission inside Iran that brought both downed airmen home alive, a ceasefire phase that U.S. officials said remained conditional, and a diplomatic channel that Pakistan said it was prepared to facilitate.

Pentagon Rescue Summary
CENTCOM Rescue Release
Pentagon Briefing Transcript
White House Release
Pakistan Foreign Ministry Briefing

Politics

DIGNIDAD Act Returns To The Spotlight As Supporters Launch National Coalition

The DIGNIDAD Act is back in the spotlight not because it is a new bill, but because its supporters just gave it a new public push. The bill, H.R. 4393, was introduced on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, and on Tuesday, March 25, 2026, Rep. María Elvira Salazar, Rep. Veronica Escobar, and allied groups launched the National Dignity Coalition and a nationwide “Dignity Tour” to build support behind it. Salazar’s office said the coalition was created to back the DIGNITY Act and help push it toward passage.

The bill itself is a sweeping immigration package, not a narrow border bill and not just a legalization bill. It combines border-security provisions, an asylum-system rewrite, mandatory E-Verify, a legal-status program for many undocumented immigrants already in the country, a separate Dream Act title, and other legal-immigration changes.

One of the clearest enforcement provisions is mandatory E-Verify. The sponsor’s section-by-section says the bill would create a nationwide mandatory employment-verification system requiring U.S. employers to check the work eligibility of all future hires through E-Verify, with the system intended to be fully operational within 30 months.

The bill also creates a Dignity Program for many undocumented immigrants already in the United States. According to the sponsor’s section-by-section, people who have been physically present in the country since December 31, 2020 could enroll if they pass a criminal background check and make an initial $1,000 contribution.

That program lasts 7 years. During that time, participants would have to remain in good standing, check in with DHS every two years, and continue paying until they have paid $7,000 in restitution. The sponsor summary says they would also have to comply with federal and state law, pay taxes, support dependents, carry health coverage, and remain ineligible for federal means-tested benefits or entitlement programs.

After completing the program, participants could apply for Dignity Status. The sponsor’s section-by-section says that status is renewable every 7 years and can be renewed as many times as the person remains in good standing. That means the bill does not give most Dignity participants a direct path to citizenship, but it does give qualifying people a lawful, renewable status that allows them to stay and work in the United States.

The bill treats Dreamers differently. Its Dream Act title would allow certain long-term residents who entered the country as children to obtain conditional permanent resident status, and then later have that condition removed, becoming lawful permanent residents and eventually eligible for citizenship. So the “no path to citizenship” line fits the main Dignity Program better than it fits the bill as a whole.

The asylum and processing side of the bill is also substantial. In addition to humanitarian campuses near the southern border, the sponsor’s section-by-section says the bill would authorize up to three optional processing centers in Latin America and the Caribbean. Those centers could offer asylum pre-screening, family reunification services for children, and employment consultation services. That means the bill would create immigration-processing infrastructure outside the United States, not just at or inside the border.

Another politically important provision is the attorney benefit built into the new system. The sponsor’s section-by-section says the bill would create a loan-forgiveness program for people with a Juris Doctor degree who provide legal services to immigrants at humanitarian campuses. Under that summary, participants could receive forgiveness of 75 percent of their outstanding student loans after four years of service.

So the cleanest neutral summary is this: the DIGNIDAD Act is a large immigration-system rewrite. It would tighten workplace enforcement through mandatory E-Verify, expand border and asylum infrastructure, create up to three processing centers outside the United States, establish a long-term Dignity Program with renewable legal status for many undocumented immigrants already here, and offer a separate permanent-residence path for qualifying Dreamers. The fight over the bill is not about whether it contains enforcement. It does. The fight is over whether the legalization and processing provisions are a workable compromise or a major expansion of immigration support under another name.

Dignity Coalition Launch
Dignity Act Overview
Section-by-Section
Bill Text PDF
Salazar X Post 1
Salazar X Post 2

Iranian General’s Niece and Daughter Taken Into ICE Custody

On Saturday, April 4, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he had terminated the legal status of Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter and that both were in ICE custody pending removal from the United States. Rubio wrote on X that Afshar had been living in the country as a green card holder and identified her as the niece of former Iranian general Qasem Soleimani.

An official State Department media note the same day matched the core claim. The department titled the release “Secretary Rubio Revokes Green Cards of Foreign Nationals with Ties to Iranian Terror Regime” and said Afshar and her daughter were in ICE custody after Rubio terminated their lawful status. The indexed State Department text also said Afshar had promoted Iranian regime propaganda, celebrated attacks on American troops and military facilities, praised Iran’s supreme leader, denounced America as the “Great Satan,” and supported the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The same official material said Afshar’s husband was barred from entering the United States. It also said Rubio had earlier terminated the legal status of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani and her husband Seyed Kalantar Motamedi, and that both were outside the country and barred from returning.

What is still missing from the public record, based on the primary sources I could verify, is the underlying immigration paperwork. I did not find an ICE statement, court filing, or immigration record showing where the two women were being held, what statutory process was used, or whether formal removal proceedings had already been filed. That leaves enough for a narrow story about an announced State Department action, but not enough yet for a fully documented immigration-case reconstruction.

Rubio X Post
State Department Media Note
State Department Iran Page

Mamdani releases preliminary racial equity plan and city’s first true cost of living measure

On Monday, April 6, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced two citywide documents meant to work together: the Preliminary Citywide Racial Equity Plan and the inaugural New York City True Cost of Living Measure. In the official rollout, Mamdani said the reports establish a framework for how the city will measure affordability and plan for the future.

The first point that matters is that these are not simply ad hoc policy papers. Both are tied to charter changes approved by New York City voters in 2022. The charter now requires a city true cost of living measure to be produced annually and requires a recurring citywide racial equity planning process with a preliminary plan, a final plan, and progress reports. The charter also says the true cost of living measure is reported in addition to existing poverty standards and does not itself create a right of action.

The racial equity plan is essentially a city-government operating framework. The document says it was developed with 45 city agencies and more than 200 staff, and that those agencies produced over 200 goals and outcomes, over 800 strategies, and over 600 indicators. It is organized across seven broad policy areas: families and youth, economy, housing, infrastructure and environment, health, community safety, and governance.

The True Cost of Living Measure is the affordability side of the same effort. The report defines the threshold as the total annual cost a specific family must cover to be economically secure, based on its location and exact composition, and says there is no single threshold because it varies by family type. The report says it was developed by city agencies with the Urban Institute using the ATTIS model.

The inaugural report uses projected 2022 data, not a live 2026 snapshot. It says all estimates were derived from the Urban Institute’s ATTIS model, applied to 2018 American Community Survey data and projected to 2022, and describes the report as a first-year baseline for future tracking.

That matters because the city’s affordability threshold is not one number. The report gives examples: $70,334 for one adult with no children, $97,527 for one adult with one child, $131,993 for two adults with no children, and $166,279 for two adults with two children. It also says the median threshold for families with children and adults under 65 was $159,197.

The report’s main finding is that 62 percent of New York City residents, about 5.04 million people, did not meet their household’s true cost of living threshold in 2022. It also says about 44 percent of New Yorkers struggling to meet the cost of living are not captured by traditional poverty measures.

The report then breaks that burden down by race, borough, and household type. It says Hispanic residents had the highest rate at 77.6 percent, followed by Black residents at 65.6 percent and Asian and Pacific Islander residents at 63.3 percent, while white residents were at 44 percent. It says the Bronx had the highest borough-level rate at 75.1 percent, and that 73 percent of children in the city lived in families with a true-cost-of-living resource gap.

Taken together, the two documents show what Mamdani is trying to do. The true cost of living report expands how the city measures economic insecurity, while the racial equity plan tells agencies how the city wants them to respond to disparities it says are structural and persistent.

As for the criticism that the racial equity plan is racist or illegal, the official record is narrower than the political argument. I did not find an official court ruling blocking these documents. The plan itself says the city is pursuing racial equity through policies and programs that must comply with federal and state constitutions and all applicable laws, and it also says hiring, promotion decisions, and assignments are not to be made on the basis of race or national origin except where the law allows it.

So the clean factual takeaway is this: Mamdani released two charter-driven tools, one to redefine how the city measures whether New Yorkers can actually afford life in the city, and one to direct city agencies to plan around disparities the administration says are longstanding and structural. But the affordability numbers in this inaugural report are a modeled 2022 baseline, not a current-year measure of what New Yorkers are facing in April 2026.

Mayor’s Release
Announcement Transcript
Preliminary Citywide Racial Equity Plan PDF
True Cost of Living Report PDF
NYC Charter True Cost of Living Provision
NYC Human Rights Law

Supreme Court Sends Steve Bannon Case Back After DOJ Moves To Dismiss Indictment

On Monday, April 6, the Supreme Court cleared the way for Steve Bannon’s contempt-of-Congress case to be reconsidered after the Justice Department moved to dismiss it. In Bannon v. United States, the Court granted Bannon’s petition, vacated the D.C. Circuit’s judgment, and sent the case back for further consideration in light of the government’s pending motion to dismiss the indictment.

The government had already told the Court that this was the result it wanted. In a February filing signed by Solicitor General D. John Sauer, the United States asked the justices to grant the petition, vacate the judgment below, and remand the case so the district court could consider the government’s Rule 48(a) motion to dismiss the indictment.

The case grew out of Bannon’s refusal to comply with a subpoena issued by the House committee investigating January 6. The lower-court record reproduced in the Supreme Court filings says a grand jury charged Bannon on November 12, 2021 with two counts of contempt of Congress under 2 U.S.C. § 192: one for refusing to appear for a deposition and one for refusing to produce documents and communications. A jury found him guilty on both counts on July 22, 2022, and the district court later sentenced him to four months in prison on each count, to run concurrently, along with a $6,500 fine.

Bannon’s Supreme Court petition asked the justices to review whether the contempt statute required proof that he knew his conduct was unlawful and whether the January 6 committee’s composition affected its authority to issue the subpoena. But the Court did not issue a signed merits opinion resolving those questions this week. Instead, it vacated the appellate judgment and returned the case to the lower courts after the government said it wants the indictment dismissed.

Supreme Court Order List
U.S. Response and Motion
Supreme Court Docket
Bannon Cert Petition

DeSantis Signs Florida Bill Restricting Foreign and Religious Law and Creating Terror Designation Process

On Monday, April 6, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 1471, a bill titled “Systems of Law and Terrorist Organizations.” In a press release announcing the signing, DeSantis said Florida “must operate under one legal system” and said the Constitution “must remain the law of the land.” The Governor’s Office described the law as strengthening protections against the application of foreign and religious laws, including Sharia law, when they would violate constitutional rights, while also creating new state-level tools aimed at terrorist organizations.

The enrolled bill and House staff analysis show the law does two main things. First, it creates a new section of Florida law restricting courts and other adjudicatory bodies from enforcing certain provisions of foreign law or religious law when doing so would violate a person’s rights under the U.S. or Florida Constitution. The House analysis says the bill’s definition of “religious law” specifically includes Sharia law.

Second, the law creates a process for the Chief of Domestic Security within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to designate certain organizations as domestic terrorist organizations or foreign terrorist organizations. The House analysis says a foreign organization must already be designated by the U.S. Secretary of State under federal law, while the House bill page says the designation then goes to the Governor and Cabinet, who may approve or reject it by majority vote. Approved designations are to be published in the Florida Administrative Register.

The bill also reaches into Florida’s education system. House staff analysis says it adds provisions affecting public institutions and students, including possible funding consequences for institutions and disciplinary or expulsion consequences for certain students found to have promoted terrorist organizations. At this stage, the primary-source record shows the law has been signed and enrolled, but I did not find a current FDLE designation list or a live implementation record showing that Florida has already used the new designation power in a specific case.

Governor’s Press Release
Enrolled Bill Text
House Staff Analysis
House Bill Page

Mullin Threatens To Use Airport Customs Processing As Leverage Against Sanctuary Cities

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is publicly threatening to use airport customs processing as leverage against sanctuary cities. In the interview transcript provided for this story, Mullin said sanctuary cities are “not lawful” and said DHS is going to “take a hard look” at them. He then pointed to cities with international airports and asked, “If they are a sanctuary city, should they really be processing customs into their city?”

He explained the threat in practical terms. Mullin said that if a sanctuary city is receiving international flights and DHS is asking it to partner with the federal government at the airport, but once travelers leave the airport the city is “not going to enforce immigration policy,” then maybe DHS needs to “have a really hard look at that” because it needs to focus on “cities that want to work with us.” That is the clearest statement of both the rationale and the pressure tactic: DHS would continue prioritizing cooperation where local officials work with federal immigration enforcement, and could reconsider customs-processing support where they do not.

Bret Baier then pressed the point directly, asking whether big sanctuary cities with big airports might lose their customs processing. Mullin answered that DHS is going to have to start “prioritizing things,” said Democrats are trying to defund Customs and Border Protection, asked “who processes those individuals when they walk off the plane,” and said he may be forced to make hard decisions about who is willing to work with the department. He closed that portion of the exchange with a simple condition: “We are saying you have got to partner with us.”

That threat would have real consequences at airports that handle direct international arrivals. The Port of Seattle says passengers arriving internationally at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport must go through U.S. Customs and Border Protection at their first point of entry into the United States and that SEA uses its International Arrivals Facility for that process. The Port also describes passport control as a required part of international arrivals and says passengers proceed only after being interviewed and approved by CBP. In other words, if CBP processing were withheld, direct international-arrival operations at an airport like Sea-Tac would not function normally.

The limit of the story, at least for now, is that there is still no official DHS or CBP order showing that customs processing has actually been withdrawn from any airport. So the clean version is this: Mullin is threatening to use customs processing as leverage against sanctuary jurisdictions, says he is doing it because those cities refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement outside the airport, and says they can avoid that pressure by partnering with DHS.

Full Mullin Interview Video
Port of Seattle International Arrivals Guidance

Current Events

Rex Heuermann Pleads Guilty In Gilgo Beach Serial Killings Case

The Gilgo Beach case reached its biggest courtroom turning point yet on Wednesday, April 8, when Suffolk County prosecutors said Rex Heuermann pleaded guilty to the murders of seven women and also admitted killing an eighth. Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said Heuermann pleaded guilty to three first-degree murder counts and four second-degree murder counts, and in the same allocution admitted killing Karen Vergata, whose death was folded into the plea arrangement rather than separately charged. Prosecutors said he is expected to be sentenced on June 17, 2026 to three consecutive life-without-parole terms for the killings of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello, plus a consecutive 100-years-to-life sentence for Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla, and Valerie Mack.

What makes the plea historically important is that it finally ties one defendant, by his own admissions, to killings spanning nearly two decades. According to the DA’s plea release, Heuermann admitted killing Sandra Costilla in 1993, Karen Vergata in 1996, Valerie Mack in 2000, Jessica Taylor in 2003, Maureen Brainard-Barnes in 2007, Melissa Barthelemy in 2009, and Megan Waterman and Amber Costello in 2010. The DA says several victims were strangled, several were dismembered, and multiple remains were transported to more than one dump site before later discoveries along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach and elsewhere on Long Island.

The arc of the case explains why the plea matters so much. For years, the Gilgo murders were one of the most notorious unsolved serial-killer investigations in the country. The official record shows the case gained new momentum in 2022. Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said in March 2022 that the department had brought a “renewed sense of urgency and transparency” to the Gilgo Beach homicide investigation. Suffolk DA materials also say District Attorney Tierney formed the Gilgo Beach Homicide Task Force in February 2022 with local, state, and federal partners. That task force is the structure prosecutors now credit with pushing the case from cold-case frustration to arrest, indictment, and plea.

The prosecution itself did not arrive all at once. Heuermann was arrested on July 13, 2023, and the case then expanded in stages. Suffolk DA materials show the original case grew across 2024, first with a fourth murder charge, then two more, and then, by December 2024, a seventh charged homicide. By the time of the April 2026 plea, prosecutors had built the case into a seven-count murder prosecution before obtaining Heuermann’s admission to the uncharged killing of Vergata as part of the final agreement.

The evidence fight appears to have played a major role in forcing the case toward resolution. Suffolk DA records show a Frye ruling in September 2025 concerning the admissibility of the forensic DNA evidence. Public reporting on the ruling said the defense had fought to exclude the DNA evidence, which investigators tied in part to a discarded pizza crust and hair evidence recovered in the case, but lost that challenge. The guilty plea then came ahead of a planned September trial, strongly suggesting the defense concluded the forensic case would be too difficult to beat in front of a jury.

The plea does not erase the wider history of the case, and it does not necessarily answer every question raised by the broader Gilgo investigation. Suffolk DA materials still reference ongoing work by the Gilgo task force, and public outreach has continued on other victims and remains not folded into this plea. But what changed this week is that the central murder case against Heuermann is no longer a theory built on forensics and phone records alone. The prosecution now has guilty pleas to the seven charged murders and a public admission to an eighth killing from the man it says carried them out.

Suffolk DA Plea Release
Suffolk DA Gilgo Case Page
Suffolk County 2022 Investigation Statement
Gilgo Frye Hearing Decision
Plea Coverage and Transcript Context

Riverside County pursuit ends in crash and self-inflicted gunshot death after failed grappler deployment

On Wednesday, April 8, deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office located a suspect wanted for grand theft in Jurupa Valley and attempted to stop the vehicle after relocating it near Limonite Avenue and Van Buren Boulevard. The driver failed to yield, and deputies initiated a pursuit. The Sheriff’s Office later said deputies received information during the pursuit that the suspect was armed with a handgun.

The pursuit moved through Jurupa Valley until the Riverside Sheriff’s K9 Unit attempted to deploy a grappler pursuit intervention device near Bellegrave Avenue and Etiwanda Avenue. According to the sheriff’s official release, the deployment was unsuccessful. The vehicle then collided with a wall in the 11000 block of Antigua Drive.

After the crash, deputies from the Special Enforcement Bureau approached the vehicle and found the suspect suffering from injuries consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Sheriff’s Office said deputies removed the suspect from the car and paramedics rendered medical aid, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The case is being investigated under file number JV260980120. The Sheriff’s Office said the Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s Station Traffic Collision Reconstruction Team assumed the collision investigation, and the agency added that it was still unknown whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash.

The official record currently supports these points: the man was being sought on a grand theft case, the pursuit began after he failed to yield, deputies said he was believed to be armed, a grappler device was deployed unsuccessfully, the vehicle crashed into a wall, and the suspect was found with injuries consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. I did not find an official public release identifying the suspect, explaining the failed grappler deployment in technical detail, or naming the vehicle as a white Cadillac CTS.

Riverside Sheriff Release
Riverside Sheriff Alerts Page
Video of Chase, Crash, Standoff

Florida Announces Results Of Operation Highway Shield

On Wednesday, April 9, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the results of Operation Highway Shield, a four-day statewide commercial-truck enforcement operation in Florida.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the operation ran from March 23 through March 26 and targeted commercial vehicle safety violations, criminal activity, and threats to Florida’s transportation network.

FDLE says agencies inspected more than 3,300 commercial vehicles, took 176 drivers out of service, arrested 35 people on criminal-related charges, and took 42 people into custody for federal immigration violations.

One of the most notable figures was 54 drivers taken out of service for language deficiencies. Federal commercial-driver rules require drivers to read and speak English well enough to understand road signs, answer official questions, and complete reports.

The operation was a joint effort involving state and federal agencies, including FDLE, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement, ICE, DHS, and CBP.

DeSantis framed the operation as part of a crackdown on unsafe and unlawfully operating commercial drivers, including concerns about bogus commercial licenses. Florida also recently tightened its commercial-driver licensing laws through SB 290, which created penalties for applicants who receive unauthorized help on portions of the commercial driver license exam and for people who knowingly provide that help.

The official record clearly shows the scale of the operation. What it does not yet show is a detailed public breakdown of how many individual cases involved fake commercial licenses versus other violations or crimes.

FDLE Operation Results
FDLE Media Advisory
SB 290 Enrolled Text
Commercial Driver Qualification Analysis
DeSantis X Post

Minneapolis man sentenced in Feeding Our Future fraud case as prosecutors put scheme-wide conviction count at 65

On Thursday, April 9, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota announced that Abdullahe Nur Jesow of Minneapolis had been sentenced to 43 months in prison for his role in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. DOJ said Jesow will also serve two years of supervised release and must pay $866,458 in restitution. Federal prosecutors tied the case to the broader $250 million scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to DOJ, Jesow purported to operate a Federal Child Nutrition Program meal site at Benadir Hall on Lake Street in Minneapolis from December 2020 through September 2021. Prosecutors said the site operated under Academy for Youth Excellence, where Jesow served as secretary. DOJ said the organization claimed to have served more than 1.7 million meals, but the site actually provided only a fraction of them. Even so, Academy for Youth Excellence and its alleged vendor, S&S Catering, received $4,286,088 in federal child nutrition funds based on those claims.

DOJ said Jesow misappropriated some of the money for his own personal benefit, including the purchase of a home in Columbia Heights. He was one of eight defendants charged in a 23-count indictment in September 2022, and he later pleaded guilty on September 18, 2025, to one count of money laundering.

U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel imposed the sentence. DOJ quoted Brasel as saying Jesow’s conduct “severely undermined public trust in government programs and in the government itself.” Federal officials said the case was investigated by the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

This sentencing is part of a much larger prosecution. In a separate April 9 release, DOJ said the number of defendants convicted scheme-wide in the Feeding Our Future case had reached 65. That means prosecutors had added 19 more convictions since June 12, 2025, when DOJ described another plea as the 46th conviction in the scheme.

So the official record now supports saying this is part of what federal prosecutors describe as a 65-conviction Feeding Our Future fraud scheme in Minnesota as of April 9, 2026. That count is specific to the Feeding Our Future case, not to benefit fraud in Minnesota more broadly.

DOJ Sentencing Release
DOJ 65 Convictions Release
DOJ Guilty Plea Release
DOJ 46th Conviction Release
DOJ 2022 Case Announcement
DOJ X Post

Leak Case Against Former Army Employee Lands After High-Risk Iran Rescue Mission

On Friday, April 3, a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran during a combat mission in support of Operation Epic Fury. U.S. Central Command later said both crew members were recovered in separate rescue missions, with the second recovery requiring a far larger and more dangerous effort. In a later Pentagon account of the operation, President Donald Trump said the second rescue mission involved 155 aircraft and decoy efforts meant to mislead Iranian forces while they searched for the second airman.

The White House publicly staged a media appearance on April 6 focused on the rescue of the missing U.S. airmen in Iran. In that appearance, Trump said the administration had delayed publicly discussing the first rescue and said a leak revealed that a second crew member was still missing, exposing the fact that the operation was still underway. That matters because the rescue was taking place in hostile territory while U.S. forces were still trying to recover the second service member.

Two days later, the Justice Department announced that former Army employee Courtney Williams had been arrested and indicted for allegedly transmitting classified national defense information to a journalist. DOJ said Williams had worked for a Special Military Unit from 2010 to 2016, held a Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance, and had signed a nondisclosure agreement acknowledging that unauthorized disclosure of classified information could be criminal.

The underlying criminal complaint says Williams allegedly communicated SECRET//NOFORN information to “Reporter 1” between January 2022 and August 12, 2025. According to the complaint, the material involved tactics, techniques, and procedures used by the special military unit at Fort Bragg to execute covert missions without being detected. The affidavit says those disclosures later appeared in a published article and book, and that an Original Classification Authority determined the published material contained information properly classified as SECRET with a NOFORN dissemination control.

Investigators say they found extensive contact between Williams and the journalist, including more than 10 hours of phone calls, roughly 180 messages, a reference to returning a thumb drive, and multiple document groupings labeled for the reporter. DOJ also says Williams later acknowledged concern about the amount of classified information that had been disclosed and discussed the risk of arrest for disclosing classified material.

The public charging record does not yet show that Williams leaked the April 2026 rescue mission itself in real time. The complaint instead ties her alleged disclosures to an August 2025 article and book about the unit. But prosecutors say the information she is accused of leaking involved classified operational tactics and procedures, the kind of information that can increase the risk of mission failure, bodily harm, or death if exposed. The statute cited by DOJ, 18 U.S.C. § 793(d), carries a possible penalty of a fine, up to 10 years in prison, or both.

CENTCOM Rescue Release
Pentagon Rescue Account
White House Event Page
DOJ Leak Case Release
Criminal Complaint PDF
18 U.S.C. 793

Haitian Migrant Kills Woman With Hammer

Friday afternoon, April 10, ICE held a press conference about the murder of a woman in Ft. Myers, FL. On April 3 Robert Joachin (wakeen) was seen on surveillance footage beating a car with a hammer outside of a gas station. When the gas station clerk came outside, Juachin approached her, and repeatedly hit her in the head with the hammer until she was no longer alive. Juachin is an illegal alien from Haiti who entered the United States on August 9, 2022 near Key West, FL. He was arrested by Border Patrol and turned over to ICE. An immigration judge issued a final order of removal on September 9, 2022 but he was never removed. The Biden administration issued him Temporary Protected Status in and allowed him to stay in the United States. TPS has been revoked for Haiti, but a DC district court judge has blocked that revocation. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on April 29, and we will bring you updates when they are available.

Full Press Conference
Supreme Court Order
Supreme Court Docket

Ontario warehouse arson case brings state and federal charges after Kimberly-Clark facility fire

On Friday, April 10, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office announced state charges against 29-year-old Chamel Abdulkarim of Highland in connection with the fire at the Kimberly-Clark Distribution Center in Ontario, California. The DA’s office described the site as a 1.2-million-square-foot facility and said it filed one count of aggravated arson and six counts of arson of a structure. Abdulkarim was being held without bail.

The state complaint, filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court, alleges aggravated arson under Penal Code section 451.5(a) and six additional counts under Penal Code section 451(c). It also alleges as an aggravating factor that the fire caused property damage and other losses exceeding $10.1 million. The complaint lists seven total counts.

California law makes aggravated arson especially severe when the statutory conditions are met. The law provides that a person convicted under Penal Code 451.5 can be punished by imprisonment in state prison for 10 years to life.

Federal prosecutors also moved on April 10. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced that Abdulkarim had been charged in a federal criminal complaint with arson of a building used in interstate and foreign commerce and in activities affecting interstate and foreign commerce. DOJ said the complaint was filed late Thursday.

According to DOJ, the federal affidavit alleges that Abdulkarim filmed himself in the early morning of April 7 setting fire to multiple pallets of paper goods inside the Ontario warehouse. DOJ quoted him as saying, “If you’re not going to pay us enough to [expletive] live or afford to live, at least pay us enough not to do this [expletive].” Federal prosecutors also said he later made statements by phone and text about the fire, including, “I just cost these [expletive] billions,” and, “All you had to do was pay us enough to live.”

DOJ said the fires quickly consumed the building, destroyed it, and caused approximately $500 million in damage. If convicted on the federal charge, Abdulkarim would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years.

Ontario Police separately said investigators are aware of a video circulating on social media that may depict elements of the incident and are working to authenticate it. Police also said a search warrant was served at Abdulkarim’s residence in Highland and that evidence collected there may contribute to the progression of the case.

Kimberly-Clark said on April 8 that the building was leased by Kimberly-Clark and operated by NFI Industries. The company said there were no reported injuries, no Kimberly-Clark manufacturing assets were impacted, and the person apprehended by authorities was not a Kimberly-Clark employee.

The official record currently supports the charges, the allegation that Abdulkarim set multiple fires inside the warehouse, the no-bail status, the federal interstate-commerce charge, and DOJ’s statement that the fire caused approximately $500 million in damage. I was not able to independently verify from accessible official documents the more specific valuation breakdown discussed at the press conference, including separate building and contents figures, because I did not find a full official transcript or video of the event.

San Bernardino County DA Release
State Complaint PDF
DA Press Conference Release PDF
DOJ Release
Ontario Police Update
Kimberly-Clark Statement
California Penal Code 451.5

Fifth Circuit says federal home distilling ban is unconstitutional

On Friday, April 10, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that the federal ban on home distilling violates the Constitution’s Taxation Clause and Necessary and Proper Clause. In McNutt v. U.S. Department of Justice, the court said the statutory provisions barring distilled spirits plants from being located in a dwelling house or connected yard, shed, or enclosure cannot be sustained as a proper exercise of Congress’s taxing power.

The case was brought by members of the Hobby Distillers Association and related plaintiffs who said they wanted to distill spirits at home for personal use and experimentation. The opinion identifies the plaintiffs as Rick Morris, Scott McNutt, Thomas O. Cowdrey III, John Prince III, and the Hobby Distillers Association, which the court said had more than 1,300 members as of 2023.

The Fifth Circuit said the prohibition traces back to an 1868 law enacted alongside federal excise taxes on distilled spirits and tobacco. Under the recodified federal statutes at issue, a distilled spirits plant cannot be located in a dwelling house or connected yard or shed, and violating that rule can bring criminal penalties of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.

The panel also described direct federal enforcement posture against home distilling. It said TTB warned Scott McNutt in 2014 through a notice of potential civil and criminal liability, and that in November 2023 a TTB employee told the plaintiffs’ lawyer the agency would not consider permits for home distillation in a residence because it was “against the law” and “illegal to distill spirits at a residence.”

The appeals court agreed with the district court on the constitutional issue, but modified the judgment after concluding all plaintiffs had standing to sue. The opinion ends by affirming as modified the district court’s judgment and injunction against enforcement of the challenged provisions.

As of now, federal public guidance has not caught up. TTB’s current website still says federal law “strictly prohibits” producing distilled spirits at home, and the current regulation at 27 C.F.R. § 19.51 still says a person may not produce distilled spirits at home for personal use.

That means the official record now shows a live conflict between the Fifth Circuit’s April 10 ruling and still-posted federal guidance and regulations. I did not find an official DOJ or TTB response yet, and I did not find a Supreme Court filing or stay tied to this opinion.

Fifth Circuit Opinion PDF
TTB Guidance
27 C.F.R. § 19.51
26 U.S.C. § 5171
26 U.S.C. § 5001

NASA’s Artemis II Crew Returns to Earth After 10-Day Mission Around the Moon

On Friday, April 10, NASA’s Artemis II crew returned to Earth, completing the first crewed mission around the Moon in more than 50 years. NASA said the Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 8:07 p.m. Eastern, ending a 10-day test flight that began April 1 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The crew consisted of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. NASA said Artemis II launched aboard the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft at 6:35 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, April 1, on a planned flight around the Moon and back.

After launch, Orion departed Earth orbit and began its outbound trip toward the Moon. On Monday, April 6, NASA said the crew completed its lunar flyby, the first human return to the Moon’s vicinity since Apollo 17 in 1972.

NASA also said Artemis II set a new record for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth. During the flyby, the crew reached a maximum distance of about 252,756 miles from Earth, surpassing the previous record set by Apollo 13 in 1970.

NASA released official imagery from the mission showing Earthset beyond the lunar horizon and a total solar eclipse seen from Orion during the flyby. The agency said the eclipse produced nearly 54 minutes of totality from the crew’s vantage point.

For the return to Earth, NASA said Orion’s service module separated before re-entry and burned up over the Pacific. The crew module then entered Earth’s atmosphere at high speed, deployed its parachutes, and splashed down safely off the California coast.

NASA said recovery teams extracted the crew from Orion and transported them by helicopter to the USS John P. Murtha for medical evaluations before their return to Houston. As of NASA’s initial post-flight releases, the agency had not reported any major anomaly during the mission or recovery.

NASA Launch Release
NASA Lunar Flyby Update
NASA Distance Record Release
NASA Moon Flyby Photos
NASA Re-Entry and Splashdown Updates
NASA Return Release

Finance

Markets

Markets rebounded this week. The Dow had its highest close since late February, gaining 2412 points to close up 5.3% at 47,916.

The NASDAQ saw similar gains, picking up 1023 points and closing at 22,902, nearly a 4.7% gain.

The S&P500 closed at 6,816, gaining 234 points that represent a 3.5% gain.

Gold was more modest with a 1.8% gain closing at $4,787, a pickup of $85.

Sports

The Masters

[Get Masters Coverage]

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending 4-4-26

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Top Story

Supreme Court Hears Birthright Citizenship Case

President Trump’s effort to narrow birthright citizenship began on January 20, 2025, when he signed Executive Order 14160, titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship.” The order directs federal agencies not to issue or accept citizenship documents for certain children born in the United States when the mother was either unlawfully present or lawfully but temporarily present, if the father was neither a U.S. citizen nor a lawful permanent resident. The order says it applies prospectively to births occurring more than 30 days after it was signed.

That order immediately triggered multiple lawsuits. In Trump v. CASA, Inc., the Supreme Court addressed the scope of lower-court relief on June 27, 2025. The Court held that the government was likely to succeed on its claim that federal courts lacked authority to issue sweeping universal injunctions of the kind entered below. But that decision did not resolve whether Trump’s order is constitutional. It dealt with the reach of the injunctions, not the underlying merits of birthright citizenship itself.

The merits question is now before the Court in Trump v. Barbara. The government’s own petition frames the case as asking whether the Executive Order complies on its face with the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and 8 U.S.C. § 1401(a). The Supreme Court granted certiorari before judgment on December 5, 2025, set the case for argument, and heard it on April 1, 2026. The official transcript is now posted by the Court.

The government’s position at argument was straightforward and aggressive. Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the Court that the Citizenship Clause was adopted to secure citizenship for the newly freed slaves and their children, not for the children of temporary visitors or illegal aliens. He argued that “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” turns on allegiance and lawful domicile, and he expressly tied the phrase to “direct and immediate allegiance.”

The challengers answered that the government’s theory is foreclosed by both text and precedent, especially United States v. Wong Kim Ark. In their merits brief, the respondents argue that Wong Kim Ark rejected a parental-domicile requirement and treated U.S.-born children of foreign nationals as subject to U.S. jurisdiction except in historically recognized situations like foreign diplomats, occupying armies, and comparable carveouts.

The transcript shows the justices pressing both sides on first principles. Justice Kagan challenged the source of the government’s allegiance-and-domicile framework and contrasted it with the more ordinary understanding of jurisdiction as being subject to governmental authority. Justice Jackson pushed the government with a World War II example, asking how its theory fits with the historical recognition of citizenship for babies born here even when their parents were treated as enemies. Justice Barrett, in turn, pressed the respondents on why the traditional exceptions should be treated as fixed rather than open to analogy.

The current posture matters. The lower court in New Hampshire granted preliminary relief and provisionally certified a class limited to people whom the Executive Order would deny citizenship. That class-based relief became part of the path that brought the merits to the Supreme Court after the Court’s earlier injunction ruling in CASA.

So the cleanest way to say what is happening now is this: Trump signed an order aimed at ending automatic citizenship for some U.S.-born children of noncitizens; lower courts blocked it; the Supreme Court first cut back on broad nationwide injunctions without deciding the merits; and this week the Court heard the actual constitutional and statutory fight over whether the order can stand. There is no merits decision yet on the docket.

Executive Order 14160

Trump v. CASA Opinion

Trump v. Barbara Docket

Oral Argument Transcript

Government Petition

Respondents’ Brief

Current Events

MacDill Bombers Are Birthright Citizens

A federal case out of Tampa now includes at least three separate criminal matters tied to a device placed outside the visitor area at MacDill Air Force Base.

On Thursday, March 26, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced that 20-year-old Alen Zheng had been charged by indictment with attempted damage of government property by fire or explosion, unlawful making of a destructive device, and possession of an unregistered destructive device. DOJ said the allegation is that, on the evening of March 10, Zheng “unsuccessfully attempted to detonate an improvised explosive device at the MacDill Air Force Base Visitor’s Center in Tampa.” DOJ said he faces a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in federal prison if convicted.

The indictment itself is narrow but direct. It says Zheng attempted to damage and destroy the visitor center by means of fire and an explosive, and that he knowingly made and possessed an improvised explosive device without complying with federal registration requirements.

The same day, DOJ announced a second indictment against Ann Mary Zheng. She was charged with assisting after the fact and evidence tampering. DOJ said she is accused of helping her brother after the attempted device attack and of tampering with evidence connected to the federal case. DOJ said she faces up to 30 years in federal prison if convicted on all counts.

A third federal case followed. DOJ announced that Jonathan James Elder was charged by criminal complaint after allegedly calling MacDill on March 18. According to DOJ, Elder told a MacDill operator, “How did you like the surprise at the MacDill Visitor Center?” and then yelled, “tick tick boom, it’s gonna be between your eyes.” DOJ said that threat caused MacDill’s gates to close and required personnel on base to shelter in place for about four hours.

Friday, April 3, DHS added a new immigration angle to the case. DHS said the Zheng siblings are the children of Qiu Qin Zou and Jia Zhang Zheng. The department said ICE apprehended both parents and that they remain in custody. DHS further said the parents applied for asylum in 1993, were ordered removed in 1998, and remained in the United States despite those orders.

What the official record establishes right now is narrower than some of the online commentary around it. Federal prosecutors have charged Alen Zheng over the alleged attempted explosive-device attack, Ann Mary Zheng with helping afterward and tampering with evidence, and Jonathan James Elder over a later threat call tied to the same incident. DHS has now publicly identified the parents and described their immigration history.

DOJ Release: Alen Zheng Charges

DOJ Release: Ann Mary Zheng Charges

DOJ Release: Jonathan James Elder Threat Case

DHS Release: Parents Identified and in ICE Custody

Temple Israel Attack Updates

Monday, March 30, the FBI held a press conference about the March 12 terror attack at Temple Israel in Michigan. They said they had processed hundreds of pieces of evidence and conducted over 100 interviews. Their investigation found the attack to be a Hezbollah inspired terror attack, targeting the Jewish community. A review of the attacker’s online search history dating back to January of this year, revealed reoccurring searches about Hezbollah, Iran, including an Iranian Fatwah for total Jihad against America. He attempted to purchase firearms from two individuals who refused before he bought an AR-15 at a gun store, 10 magazines and 300 rounds of .223 ammunition. He then bought 40 5.3 gallon collapsible water storage containers. He then researched gatherings of Jewish and Israeli people before purchasing $2200 worth of fireworks from a local vender. He made 4 trips to get gas to fill the 40 containers. On March 12, he rammed his truck into Temple Israel, backing up and breaching the hallway on his second attempt, traveling 200′ into the hall where he was engaged by security who shot him, but not before he lit his truck on fire.

FBI Full Press Conference

SECWAR Removes Gun Free Zones On Base

Thursday, April 2, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth spoke about military installations disallowing service members from carrying their personal firearms while on base. He said that “Our war fighters defend the right of others to carry, they should be able to carry themselves.” He cited events at Ft. Steward and Pensacola Naval air station saying that current military rules make bases effectively gun free zones. The video, posted to X announced that secwar signed a memo, directing installation commanders to allow requests for personal protection, to carry a privately owned firearm. Denials must be in writing and include details as to why.

Pete Hegseth Statement

U.S. Politics

Florida Election Worker Arrested

On Tuesday, March 24, Palm Beach County held a special general election for Florida House District 87. Official county results show Democrat Emily Gregory ahead of Republican Jon Maples by approximately 800 votes, with results listed as unofficial pending the UOCAVA deadline.

Days after the election, a criminal investigation led to the arrest of an election worker connected to pre-election training. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that detectives responded on March 27 to the Supervisor of Elections Office regarding a reported theft involving election training equipment, and that the case resulted in an arrest.

The Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections said in a March 30 statement that an encrypted thumb drive used during a March 19 training session had been reported missing. The office said the device was used exclusively for training, contained only sample data, and was not connected to live election systems.

According to the elections office, internal safeguards identified the individual involved, the person was barred from further election-related access, and the matter was referred to law enforcement. The office stated the incident was isolated to routine training and had “zero impact on the March 24th elections.” It also stated that vote tabulation occurs on a stand-alone server that is never connected to the internet.

Florida law provides a mechanism for investigating election irregularities and referring cases for prosecution. As of the primary sources reviewed here, I did not find an official determination that fraudulent ballots were cast, that vote totals were changed, or that the election result was invalid.

Florida Special Elections Page
Palm Beach County Results
Supervisor of Elections Statement
Supervisor of Elections Site
Sheriff’s Office Statement
Florida Election Fraud Process

Washington State Millionaire Tax

On Monday, March 31, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson signed legislation creating a new tax on high earners, commonly referred to as a “millionaires tax.” The law applies a 2.9 percent tax to annual income above $1 million.

The bill text specifies where the money goes. Revenue from the tax is deposited into the Education Legacy Trust Account and the Common School Construction Account, two funds defined in Washington law. Under statute, the Education Legacy Trust Account supports K–12 education, early learning and childcare programs, and higher education, while the Common School Construction Account funds K–12 public school construction projects. The law does not direct revenue into the general fund.

In announcing the signing, Ferguson said the measure is intended to shift the state’s tax structure. He said, “This ensures that the wealthiest Washingtonians contribute more to support our schools and communities.”

The law passed with opposition from Republican lawmakers. The Washington State Senate Republican Caucus described the measure as “an income tax on Washingtonians” and warned it could be unconstitutional and drive economic activity out of the state. The Washington State House Republican Caucus said the policy “makes Washington less competitive” and argued it increases reliance on a volatile and legally questionable revenue source.

Additional concerns raised in legislative testimony included the potential for legal challenges, the risk of outmigration among high earners, and questions about long-term revenue stability.

Bill Signing Full Press Conference

Washington Bill Summary

Enacted Bill Text

Ferguson Press Release

Senate Republican Statement

House Republican Statement

Education Legacy Trust Account Statute

Common School Construction Account Statute

Supreme Court Rules Against Colorado in Conversion-Therapy Case, With Jackson as Lone Dissenter

On Tuesday, March 31, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in Chiles v. Salazar that Colorado’s conversion-therapy law, as applied to counselor Kaley Chiles’s talk therapy, violates the First Amendment. Writing for the Court, Justice Neil Gorsuch said the law regulates speech based on viewpoint because it allows counseling that affirms a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity while prohibiting counseling that seeks change in the other direction. The Court reversed the Tenth Circuit and sent the case back.

The Court emphasized the nature of Chiles’s practice. According to the opinion, she provides only talk therapy and “does not prescribe any medicines, perform any physical treatments, or engage in any coercive or aversive practices.” That mattered to the majority because Colorado argued the law regulated professional conduct, while the Court concluded that, in this case, the state was regulating what a counselor may say to a client.

Colorado’s underlying statute came from HB19-1129, enacted in 2019. The official state bill summary says it prohibits certain licensed mental health providers from engaging in conversion therapy with patients under 18 and makes violations grounds for professional discipline. The Supreme Court’s ruling did not erase every possible application of Colorado’s law in every setting. It held that, as applied to Chiles’s speech-only counseling, the law violates the First Amendment.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the lone dissenter. Her view was that Colorado was regulating professional medical treatment, not censoring speech in the ordinary sense. She wrote that the case involved Colorado’s decision “to prohibit licensed medical professionals from offering or providing conversion therapy to minors in that State,” and she argued that states have long regulated professional conduct related to the provision of medical care, even when that regulation incidentally restricts speech.

The comparison to last year is real. In United States v. Skrmetti, decided June 18, 2025, the Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s law banning certain medical treatments for transgender minors. The majority said the Equal Protection Clause did not invalidate Tennessee’s policy choice and that those questions were left to the democratic process. Justice Jackson joined the dissent against that result.

That means Jackson took opposite positions on state authority in two child-treatment cases. In Chiles, she supported Colorado’s authority to restrict a licensed counselor’s speech as part of regulating treatment for minors. In Skrmetti, she joined a dissent opposing Tennessee’s authority to ban certain medical treatments for minors. The contrast is fair to report. The narrower and more precise way to say it is that Jackson took different positions in two different constitutional settings: a First Amendment speech case in Chiles and an Equal Protection case in Skrmetti.

Chiles Opinion
Colorado Bill Page
Skrmetti Opinion

Florida Passes Missy’s Law

On Tuesday, March 31, Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 445, known as Missy’s Law, after it was passed by the Florida Legislature during the 2026 session. The law requires courts to immediately remand certain defendants to custody and hold them without bond while awaiting sentencing once they plead guilty, plead nolo contendere, or are found guilty of specified dangerous crimes. It takes effect July 1, 2026.

The law is tied to the murder of 5-year-old Missy Mogle. In an official release, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said the legislation was proposed after Daniel Spencer, who had been adjudicated guilty of traveling to meet a minor, was allowed to remain out on bond. According to the release, Judge Tiffany Baker-Carper denied a request to revoke Spencer’s bond, and Spencer later murdered Missy. Uthmeier stated, “Missy died because Judge Baker didn’t put Spencer behind bars where he belonged.”

The Governor’s office repeated that connection when announcing the signing of the bill, stating that the offender in the case was “allowed to remain out on bond by Judge Tiffany Baker.” The legislation expands the list of dangerous crimes and mandates detention without bond after conviction or plea, addressing the gap identified in that case.

In remarks tied to the bill signing, DeSantis said that judges who fail to apply the law in cases involving dangerous offenders can be held accountable by the Legislature, referring to the constitutional impeachment process.

Florida’s Constitution provides that circuit judges are subject to impeachment by the House of Representatives, with a two-thirds vote required, and trial by the Senate, also requiring a two-thirds vote for conviction.

On the same day the law was signed, Attorney General Uthmeier said he sent a letter to House Speaker Daniel Perez calling for impeachment proceedings against Judge Tiffany Baker-Carper.

As of Tuesday, March 31, the law has been enacted and a formal call for impeachment has been made by the Attorney General. I did not find a filed impeachment resolution or formal House action initiating proceedings.

DeSantis Press Release
HB 445 Bill Page
SB 928 Bill Page
HB 445 Bill Text
AG Missy’s Law Release
Florida Constitution
Uthmeier X Post

Trump EO On Mail Citizenship For Voting

On Tuesday, March 31, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections.” The order was published in the Federal Register on Friday, April 3. Its stated focus is federal-election citizenship verification and tighter controls on mail-in and absentee ballots handled through the United States Postal Service.

The order does not simply announce a general policy. It directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, working with the Social Security Administration, to compile and send each state a State Citizenship List of confirmed U.S. citizens who will be 18 or older by the next federal election. The order also tells the Attorney General to prioritize investigations and possible prosecutions involving federal ballots issued to people the order defines as not eligible to vote in a federal election.

The mail-voting section is more specific than the public shorthand around it. The order does not itself immediately end mail voting or publish a final postal rule. Instead, it directs the Postmaster General to begin proposed rulemaking within 60 days and says any final rule should be issued within 120 days. The proposal must include requirements that outbound ballot mail be sent in Official Election Mail envelopes with a unique Intelligent Mail barcode and that USPS transmit mail-in or absentee ballots only for individuals enrolled on a state-specific Mail-In and Absentee Participation List.

The White House framed the order as an election-integrity measure. Its fact sheet says the order is intended to require citizenship verification for federal elections and to “modernize and secure” mail-in and absentee ballot procedures through USPS. It also says the order would have USPS transmit ballots only to verified, listed absentee or mail voters.

Official reaction from other public officials, in the primary sources I reviewed, has been mostly opposition. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said, “The Constitution is clear: states run elections, not the federal government.” Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes called the order “a disgusting overreach from the federal government.” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said, “States run their elections, not the President of the United States.” Senator Alex Padilla called it a “blatant, unconstitutional abuse of power.” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called it an “unlawful power grab.” Rep. Joe Morelle said it is “illegal, dangerous and subversive,” and Rep. Nikema Williams said it “won’t stand in court.”

Executive Order Text

Federal Register Text

White House Fact Sheet

State and Federal Opposition Statements

Florida SAVE Act

On Wednesday, April 1, Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 991, referred to by the Governor’s office as the Florida SAVE Act, into law. The measure, which became Chapter 2026-26 on April 2, focuses on citizenship verification in voter registration and expanded oversight of Florida’s voter rolls.

The law establishes a defined category of documents acceptable as evidence of United States citizenship, including birth certificates, U.S. passports, naturalization certificates, and certain qualifying government-issued identifications. If citizenship cannot be verified through existing state systems during registration, the application must be reviewed by the local supervisor of elections. In such cases, a voter may cast a provisional ballot, which is counted only if citizenship is verified by the end of canvassing or if sufficient documentation is provided by 5 p.m. on the second day after the election.

The measure expands the state’s authority to review voter rolls by requiring the use of state and federal data sources to identify potentially ineligible voters. The law also permits the use of information from federal jury coordinators to flag individuals who may be ineligible due to noncitizenship, felony status, death, or nonresidency, subject to existing statutory removal procedures.

Beyond voter registration, the law includes several additional provisions. It requires a citizenship-status designation on Florida driver licenses and identification cards for qualifying applicants by July 1, 2027. It modifies candidate qualification requirements, including a 365-day consecutive party registration requirement, disclosure of dual citizenship, and disclosure of certain stock-trading practices by federal candidates. The law also establishes a five-year statute of limitations for felony election violations, prohibits foreign-national contributions in Florida elections, and expands certain election-related offenses under the state’s racketeering statute.

The law does not eliminate vote-by-mail and does not remove secure ballot intake stations, which remain in place under existing regulations. It also does not restrict polling-place identification exclusively to government-issued IDs, as the statute continues to recognize several non-government forms of identification.

Governor DeSantis said the measure “strengthens the security, transparency, and reliability of Florida’s election system.” Secretary of State Cord Byrd said the law ensures that only eligible citizens participate in Florida elections. The legislation passed with opposition in the Legislature, with final votes of 77 to 28 in the House and 27 to 12 in the Senate.

Full Bill Text

Bill Page

House Bill Record

DeSantis Press Release

Ron Desantis Full Press Conference

Trump Removes Pam Bondi as Attorney General

On Wednesday, April 2, President Donald Trump announced the removal of Attorney General Pam Bondi in a public post on Truth Social, stating that she would be leaving the role and that Todd Blanche would serve as Acting Attorney General.

Bondi confirmed the transition in a statement on her official X account, saying she would spend approximately one month transitioning the office to Blanche before moving to a role in the private sector. Blanche also issued a statement on his official X account acknowledging the transition and confirming he would step into the role of Acting Attorney General.

Blanche previously served as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York before moving into private practice, where he became a partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. He most recently served as personal defense counsel to President Trump in multiple criminal cases, representing him in both federal and state proceedings. His appointment places a former personal defense attorney for the President into the role of Acting Attorney General, overseeing the Department of Justice.

Members of Congress responded in official statements. Representative James Walkinshaw said the move “raises serious concerns about the independence of the Department of Justice.” Representative Rosa DeLauro called it “a dangerous step that undermines the rule of law.” Representative Joe Neguse said the decision “demands immediate oversight and accountability from Congress.”

Trump Announcement

Bondi Statement

Hakeem Jeffries Statement

Walkinshaw Statement

DeLauro Statement

Neguse Statement

Ongoing Partial Government Shutdown Updates

The partial government shutdown remained unresolved this week as the House and Senate failed to agree on the same Department of Homeland Security funding bill, even as the White House moved to provide pay relief across DHS.

At 2:19 a.m. on Friday, March 27, the Senate passed H.R. 7147, as amended. The Senate amendment identifies the measure as the Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026, and states that it takes effect as if enacted on February 13, 2026.

Later that night, at 11:25 p.m., the House passed H. Res. 1142 by a 213–203 vote. The rule governed House consideration of the Senate amendment to H.R. 7147 and set up the House’s further response to the Senate-passed version.

The dispute remained unresolved on April 2, when the House Clerk recorded that the House had received a Senate message stating that the Senate had disagreed to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 7147. The Senate later recorded that it had tabled the House message by voice vote.

That left no immediate legislative resolution in sight. The official schedules for both chambers show mostly pro forma sessions in the coming week rather than normal business days. The Senate is scheduled for pro forma sessions on April 6 and April 9, with its next business day on April 13. The House schedule likewise shows pro forma sessions on April 6 and April 9, with no regular session on April 7, 8, or 10.

While Congress remained at an impasse, President Donald Trump took executive action affecting DHS employee pay. On March 27, the White House issued a memorandum directing the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of Management and Budget to use available funds tied to TSA operations to provide Transportation Security Administration employees the compensation and benefits they would have accrued absent the shutdown.

On April 3, the White House expanded that approach across the department. In a memorandum titled “Liberating the Department of Homeland Security From the Democrat-Caused Shutdown,” the President directed DHS and OMB to use available funds with a “reasonable and logical nexus” to DHS functions to provide “each and every employee of DHS” the compensation and benefits they would have accrued absent the shutdown, subject to applicable law and available appropriations.

A March 31 statement from House Democratic appropriators described the Senate-passed bill as funding TSA, FEMA, CISA, the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service, while leaving ICE and Border Patrol to separate negotiations. That statement also accused House Republican leadership of blocking a vote on the bipartisan Senate-passed measure, underscoring the continuing partisan divide over how to end the shutdown.

As of Saturday, April 4, the partial government shutdown had reached day 50. Congress had moved legislation during the week, but the House and Senate had not reconciled their positions, and the most significant new action came from the White House’s effort to extend pay relief from TSA employees to the entirety of DHS while the legislative stalemate continued.

Senate Daily Press

Congressional Record PDF

House Vote on H. Res. 1142

House Clerk Floor Summary

Senate Schedule

House Republican Cloakroom Schedule

White House TSA Pay Memorandum

White House DHS Pay Memorandum

House Democratic Appropriations Statement

House Calendar PDF

Finance

Jobs Report

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly Employment Situation report on Friday, showing that total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 303,000 in March while the unemployment rate remained at 3.8 percent.

According to the Employment Situation News Release, job gains were concentrated in health care, government, construction, and leisure and hospitality. Other major industries, including manufacturing and retail trade, showed little change over the month.

The report states, “Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 303,000 in March,” and “the unemployment rate changed little at 3.8 percent,” indicating continued stability in overall joblessness.

Wages also increased. The BLS reported that “average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 0.3 percent,” and are up 4.1 percent over the past 12 months.

Labor force participation was 62.7 percent, reflecting little movement compared to the prior month.

The release includes revisions to previous months’ data, with January and February payrolls revised up by a combined 22,000 jobs.

The BLS report does not provide interpretation or causation, and contains no policy guidance. It is a statistical summary of employment conditions based on surveys of households and employers.

Jobs Report

Markets

Markets rebounded this week. The Dow added .75%, finishing the week at 45,504, a gain of 338 points. Nasdaq closed at 21,879 after climbing 931 points this week. That’s a 4.44% gain and erases more than a week’s losses. The S&P 500 had similar gains. 224 points represents a 3.36% gain with closing value of 6,582. Gold added $178 and closed at $4702. I don’t usually report oil, but crude futures closed trading Friday at $112. That’s the highest we’ve seen since the 2022 high of $118. For context, the all time high was May 1 2028 when the price hit $127.

Sports

Jaguars Temporary Move to Orlando for 2027 Season

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced that the team will play its full 2027 NFL season at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, citing planned renovations to EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville.

In an official release, the organization confirmed that construction timelines for the Jacksonville stadium will make it unavailable during the 2027 season, requiring a temporary relocation. The team selected Orlando as its host city, citing existing infrastructure and experience hosting major sporting events.

Camping World Stadium has a seating capacity of approximately 60,200, compared to roughly 67,800 at EverBank Stadium, representing a reduction of about 7,500 seats for the 2027 season. The stadium is located approximately 140 miles from Jacksonville.

The move was also confirmed via the team’s official X account, stating that the 2027 season will be played in Orlando while construction is completed.

Officials in Orlando welcomed the decision as an opportunity to bring NFL games to the region and generate economic activity tied to tourism and large-scale events.

As of now, no formal opposition from Jacksonville or Florida officials has been released. Public reaction following the announcement has focused on travel logistics for Jacksonville-based fans, reduced seating capacity, and the potential impact on home-field advantage during the relocation year.

No additional details regarding ticketing adjustments or scheduling logistics have been formally released.

Jaguars Official Release
Jaguars X Post

Jaguars Official Announcement

MLB

In the MLB, the Yankees home opener was Friday against the Marlin’s. Team Captain Aaron judge started things off with a 2 run shot over the left field wall and the Yankees took an 8-2 win. In DC, Ohtani, Tucker, Betts and Freeman all went deep in a 13-6 win over the nationals. The group make up the first 4 of the Dodgers batting lineup and have combined for 23 hits, 13 RBI’s, and 6 home runs through the first 7 games of the season.

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending 3-28-26

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Tiger Woods

On Friday, March 27, just before 2 p.m., Tiger Woods was involved in a rollover crash in Jupiter, Florida. Police said Woods was driving a black Land Rover at high speed when he overtook and struck a trailer heading in the same direction. This caused his vehicle to roll on its side. He exited through the passenger door, and when police arrived, showed signs of impairment. Woods was taken to jail where he passed a breathalyzer but refused a urinalysis and was arrested for DUI. Police said he was cooperative and no injuries were reported. President Donald Trump said, “I feel so badly, he’s got some difficulty. There was an accident and that’s all I know. Very close friend of mine, he’s an amazing person, an amazing man, but some difficulty.” On May 29, 2017, Woods was arrested by Jupiter Police when he was found asleep in his car a few miles from his home.

Jupiter Police Press Conference

Prior Incident Police Report

Current Events

Florida Man Crashes Car, Attempts To Board Plane

On March 25, Florida Man went hard. 58 year old Brian J Parker told deputies “I don’t remember anything. I was at my house and went to an AA meeting. And you know. Doing cocaine, drinking and smoking pot.” Parker drove through a locked gate at Daytona International Airport and onto a taxiway. Once there, he attempted to board an occupied plane operated by Embry Riddle. Deputies took him into custody at the scene. Authorities said no injuries were reported and airport operations continued, despite what appears to be a brief test of the unofficial “drive-up boarding” system. Parker faces charges including attempted aircraft piracy, felony trespass, and DUI with property damage.

Police Statement / Body Cam Footage

Operation Gold Rush / DOJ Health Care Fraud Case

On Monday, June 30, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the results of its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, stating that 324 defendants were charged in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices in schemes involving more than $14.6 billion in intended loss. DOJ said the action was the largest health care fraud takedown in Department history.

Within that broader action, DOJ identified Operation Gold Rush as a nationwide investigation that produced what the department called the largest loss amount ever charged in a health care fraud case brought by the Department. DOJ said charges tied to that investigation were announced in the Eastern District of New York, Northern District of Illinois, Central District of California, Middle District of Florida, and District of New Jersey against 19 defendants. 

According to DOJ, the alleged organization used a network of foreign straw owners to buy dozens of medical supply companies in the United States, then submitted $10.6 billion in fraudulent Medicare claims for urinary catheters and other durable medical equipment. DOJ said the claims were submitted using the stolen identities and confidential medical information of more than one million Americans spanning all 50 states. 

The Eastern District of New York said 11 defendants were indicted there in the Operation Gold Rush matter and alleged that they were members of a transnational criminal organization based in Russia and elsewhere. That release said the organization used nominee owners and fictitious corporate records to conceal control of durable medical equipment companies, then rapidly submitted billions of dollars in false claims to Medicare and Medicare supplemental insurers.

DOJ said 12 defendants were arrested, including four defendants apprehended in Estonia and seven arrested at U.S. airports and the U.S. border with Mexico. DOJ also said the organization allegedly laundered proceeds through the U.S. financial system, cryptocurrency, and shell companies located abroad. 

On the payment side, DOJ said HHS-OIG and CMS prevented the organization from receiving all but about $41 million of approximately $4.45 billion that was scheduled to be paid by Medicare. DOJ also said the scheme nonetheless resulted in about $900 million in payments from Medicare supplemental insurers, and that law enforcement had seized about $27.7 million in fraud proceeds tied to Operation Gold Rush.

DOJ press release

Eastern District of New York press release

LaGuardia Plane / Firetruck Collision

On Sunday night, March 22, Air Canada flight 8646 collided with a port authority firefighting vehicle at 11:49 pm. The aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and 4 crew, with 2 crew aboard the firetruck. Officials said around 40 people were hospitalized and that both pilots were killed in the crash. The firetruck was en route to a United flight that had aborted takeoff stating that there was an odor in the cabin they wanted investigated. The NTSB has 25 hours of audio and 80 hours of data from the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder.

Timeline of Events:

• 3:07 — Approach instructs aircraft to contact LaGuardia Airport tower
• 2:45 — Landing gear lowered
• 2:22 — Flight checks in with tower
• 2:17 — Tower clears aircraft to land on Runway 4; advises number 2 for landing
• 1:52 — Flaps set to 30°
• 1:33 — Flaps set to 45°
• 1:26 — EGPWS “1000” callout (1,000 feet AGL)
• 1:12 — Landing checklist confirmed complete
• 1:03 — Airport vehicle transmission to tower (partially blocked/stepped on)
• 0:54 — Crew calls “500,” confirms stable approach
• 0:40 — Tower asks which vehicle needs to cross a runway
• 0:28 — “Truck 1” transmits to tower
• 0:26 — Tower acknowledges
• 0:25 — Truck 1 requests to cross Runway 4 at Taxiway D
• 0:20 — Tower clears Truck 1 to cross Runway 4
• 0:19 — EGPWS “100” callout
• 0:17 — Truck 1 reads back runway crossing clearance
• 0:14 — EGPWS “50” callout
• 0:12 — EGPWS “30” callout; tower instructs a Frontier flight to hold
• 0:11 — EGPWS “20” callout
• 0:10 — EGPWS “10” callout
• 0:09 — Tower instructs Truck 1 to stop
• 0:08 — Sound consistent with landing gear touchdown
• 0:06 — Transfer of controls between pilots
• 0:04 — Tower again instructs Truck 1 to stop
• 0:00 — Recording ends

Secretary Duffy Initial Statement

NTSB Initial Statement

Initial Daylight Images

Initial FAA Statement

LaGuardia Statement

Air Canada Statement

Statement from Passenger on Landing

ATC Statement / Details (third party)

Video of Crash

NTSB Press Conference (most recent)

Meta / Alphabet Lawsuit Losses

The New Mexico Department of Justice announced on Monday, March 24, that a jury found Meta liable in the state’s case over child safety and deceptive platform practices, and ordered the company to pay $375 million in civil penalties. According to the DOJ, the jury found Meta liable for both claims brought under New Mexico’s Unfair Practices Act and imposed the maximum statutory penalty of $5,000 per violation.

That means the story tied to the New Mexico DOJ link is not the separate California verdict involving Meta and Google’s YouTube. The New Mexico case is a state enforcement action brought by Attorney General Raúl Torrez. The California case involved a private plaintiff and two companies, with damages later described by plaintiff’s counsel as $3 million in compensatory damages and another $3 million in punitive damages, split 70% to Meta and 30% to YouTube.

New Mexico’s case began in December 2023, when Torrez announced a lawsuit against Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, and related entities, alleging the company’s platforms exposed children to sexual abuse, online solicitation, and trafficking-related risks. In May 2024, the DOJ announced that the judge denied Meta’s motion to dismiss, allowing the litigation to proceed toward trial.

In the March 24 verdict release, the DOJ said trial evidence included internal Meta documents and testimony from former Meta employees, law enforcement officials, and New Mexico educators. The office said the evidence showed Meta’s design features enabled predators to exploit children and exposed young users to dangerous content, including material related to eating disorders and self-harm.

Attorney General Torrez called the verdict “a historic victory for every child and family who has paid the price for Meta’s choice to put profits over kids’ safety.” He also said New Mexico would move into the next phase of the case and seek additional penalties and court-ordered changes to the platform. According to the DOJ, a bench trial on the remaining public nuisance claim is scheduled to begin May 4, where the state will seek injunctive relief, additional damages, age-verification measures, and other changes.

New Mexico DOJ Statement

New Mexico DOJ Filing

DOJ On Motion To Dismiss

New Mexico DOJ Response to Ruling

Lanier Law Firm Statement

Lanier Law Firm Additional Statement

Education Fraud

Monday, March 23, The U.S. DOGE Service said more than $1 billion in federal student aid fraud has been stopped since January 2025.

Officials report nearly $90 million was already paid out, including $30 million to deceased individuals and over $40 million to AI-generated “students.” The schemes used automated applications and synthetic identities to access federal funds.

A new identity verification system flagged roughly 150,000 suspicious identities in its first week.

DOE Press Release

World

Iran Conflict

Saturday, March 28 — Operation Epic Fury remains ongoing, according to official statements from the White House and U.S. Central Command.

The White House said President Donald Trump authorized Operation Epic Fury on March 1, describing the operation as targeting Iran’s missile capabilities, naval forces, and ability to develop a nuclear weapon.

U.S. Central Command states that operations are continuing against Iranian military targets, including launch areas and port facilities associated with activity near the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM also issued warnings on March 8 and March 11 advising civilians to avoid areas used for missile launches and Iranian naval operations.

In a March 19 Pentagon briefing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the campaign remains focused on destroying Iranian missiles and launchers, degrading Iran’s navy, and preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He stated that thousands of targets had been struck and that missile and drone attacks had decreased following the operation.

On March 26, Hegseth said Iranian naval capabilities had been “heavily degraded” and confirmed the death of the IRGC navy commander in a strike.

The White House also indicated possible diplomatic movement. Official posts state that a pause on strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure is in effect following what President Trump described as “very good and productive conversations” with Iran.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded on March 28 by blaming the United States and Israel for the conflict and stating that the Strait of Hormuz is closed to U.S.- and Israel-affiliated vessels. Iran said other vessels may transit the strait under coordination with Iranian authorities.

Regional governments, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, issued a joint statement condemning Iranian attacks and describing them as violations of sovereignty and international law. Oman separately called for an immediate ceasefire and a return to diplomatic dialogue.

---

Sources

• White House – Operation Epic Fury Launch (March 1)
• White House – Operation Summary (March 12)
• White House X Post – Pause on Energy Strikes
• Donald Trump Truth Social Post
• CENTCOM – Operation Epic Fury
• CENTCOM – March 8 Warning
• CENTCOM – March 11 Warning
• Pentagon Transcript – March 19 Briefing
• Pentagon – March 26 Update
• Iran Foreign Ministry – March 28 Statement
• UAE Joint Statement – March 25
• Strait of Hormuz Joint Statement – March 21
• Oman Foreign Ministry – March 28 Statement

United States Politics

Election Fraud Cases

On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, during a Georgia House Governmental Affairs Committee session, witness Mark Cook stated that voting systems used in Georgia are vulnerable to manipulation and that votes can be altered after casting. No published technical report, court ruling, or official government finding has been identified validating these claims. Prior state audits and investigations into Georgia’s election process did not document machine-based vote manipulation.

Back in February, the Alabama Secretary of State announced that a Russell County grand jury indicted three individuals on a combined 33 counts related to absentee election law violations. The charges stem from ballot harvesting and related absentee ballot offenses. Secretary of State Wes Allen said “Absentee ballot harvesting is not being tolerated in Alabama. These arrests send a clear message to those contemplating violating Alabama election law.”

Georgia Government Affairs Hearing

Mark Cook Allegations

Alabama Election Integrity Statement

Alabama Election Integrity Case

ICE Assists TSA

On Sunday, March 22, President Trump announced that ICE agents would deploy to airports across the country Monday. Amid the ongoing partial shutdown, they would be used to ease pressure on TSA. Democrats expressed their opposition with Chuck Schumer saying “ICE agents don’t know the first thing about airport security. They weren’t trained to screen travelers.” DHS, ICE and TSA all touted the move as helping to move lines along faster.

Trump Truth Social Announcement

White House Announcement

Democrat Criticism

Homeland Security Statement

Supreme Court Hears Mail In Ballot Case

On Monday, March 23, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Watson v. RNC over whether ballots must be received by Election Day. Mississippi argued voters complete their choice by Election Day even if ballots arrive later. Challengers argued federal law requires ballots to be both cast and received by that day. Justices focused on defining when a vote becomes final and whether Election Day is a hard cutoff or a deadline for voter action. Hit subscribe and we’ll notify you when the court issues a ruling.

Full Oral Arguments Transcript

Pentagon Moves Media After Court Ruling

The Pentagon announced it is moving media out of the building.  The first official tightening came in a May 23, 2025 memorandum titled “Updated Physical Control Measures for Press/Media Access Within the Pentagon.” In that memo, the Defense Department said protection of classified and sensitive information “remains an unwavering imperative,” said the Chief of Staff had directed an investigation into unauthorized disclosures, and imposed new access limits on resident and visiting press, including escort requirements for access to many parts of the building. The memo also said an updated in-briefing form and additional security measures were coming.

The March 20 court ruling traces the next phase. Judge Paul Friedman wrote that in September 2025 Sean Parnell issued a memo titled “Implementation of New Media In-brief,” and that on October 6, 2025 the Department issued a final PFAC policy. According to the ruling, that policy said a press credential could be denied, revoked, or not renewed if a journalist was deemed a security or safety risk, and that solicitation of controlled unclassified information could lead to immediate suspension or revocation. The court also found that journalists were told they would lose their credentials if they did not sign by October 15, 2025, and that Times reporters, along with most other PFAC holders at the time, refused and turned in their credentials.

The ruling itself is the key document for March 20. In New York Times Company et al. v. Department of Defense et al., No. 1:25-cv-04218, Document 35, Judge Friedman found the policy’s “true purpose and practical effect” was “to weed out disfavored journalists” and wrote, “That is viewpoint discrimination, full stop.” The opinion also states that the Department had to immediately restore New York Times credentials.

After that ruling, the Pentagon responded in an official March 23 release from Sean Parnell and in his public statement. In the release, Parnell said the court had vacated key security provisions of the October 2025 media policy, said the Department disagreed and was appealing, and announced: “Effective immediately, the Correspondents’ Corridor is closed.” He also said, “A new and improved press workspace will be established in an annex facility outside the Pentagon,” and that all journalist access to the building would require an escort. The revised March 23 Pentagon memo says it supersedes the October 6, 2025 “Implementation of New Media In-Brief” and retains physical access restrictions and security measures not affected by the litigation.

The strongest direct quote from the earlier Pentagon side is from the May 23 memo: the new measures were needed “to reduce the opportunities for in-person inadvertent and unauthorized disclosures.” The strongest direct quote from the court is “That is viewpoint discrimination, full stop.” The strongest direct quote from the March 23 Pentagon response is “Effective immediately, the Correspondents’ Corridor is closed.”

A key limitation: there is no primary-source document stating that the Pentagon “defied” the court. What can be proven is that the court vacated the policy, the Pentagon said it would appeal, and the Department then replaced unescorted in-building access with escorted access and an external annex.
Pentagon Memo (May 23, 2025)

Federal Court Ruling (March 20, 2026)

Pentagon Statement (March 23, 2026)

Sean Parnell X Post

Markwayne Mullin Confirmed as DHS Head

On Monday, March 23, the Senate confirmed Markwayne Mullin as Secretary of Homeland Security by a 54–45 vote. The White House said he was sworn in the following day as the department’s ninth secretary.

Mullin is a business owner, rancher, and former member of Congress. At his confirmation hearing, he said, “If confirmed, I will enforce the law as it is written. I cannot pick and choose which laws to enforce.”

Supporters praised the confirmation, with Sen. James Lankford saying Mullin “knows how to lead and how to get results,” while Sen. Tammy Duckworth opposed it, saying he “lacks the qualifications for the job.”

Mullin Bio

White House Nomination Statement

Mullin Nomination Statement

Tammy Duckworth Opposition Statement

Pete Ricketts Support Statement

James Lankford Support Statement

Government Affairs Announcement

Cox Communications v. Sony Music

I traced this story back to the Supreme Court’s March 25 opinion in Cox Communications, Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment. The case came out of a copyright suit against Cox, an internet service provider, over claims that it continued providing service to subscribers whose accounts were tied to music piracy notices.

According to the Court’s opinion, Sony and other copyright owners used a company called MarkMonitor to track online infringement and send notices to internet providers. During the roughly two-year period at issue, MarkMonitor sent Cox 163,148 notices identifying subscriber IP addresses associated with infringement. The opinion says Cox had a graduated response system that included warnings, suspensions, and possible termination of service after repeated notices.

Sony sued Cox in federal court under two theories of secondary copyright liability: contributory liability and vicarious liability. The jury found for Sony on both theories, found Cox’s infringement willful, and awarded $1 billion in statutory damages. The district court largely let that verdict stand.

The Fourth Circuit then split the result. The Supreme Court’s opinion says the appeals court affirmed contributory liability, reversed vicarious liability, vacated the damages award, and sent the case back for a new damages determination based only on contributory liability.

That brought the case to the Supreme Court. In its March 25 decision, the Court held that a service provider is contributorily liable for a user’s infringement only if it intended the service to be used for infringement. The Court said that intent can be shown only if the provider induced the infringement or if the service was tailored to infringement. The Court concluded that Cox did neither.

The key line from the Court is that “mere knowledge that a service will be used to infringe is insufficient to establish the required intent to infringe.” In other words, the Court rejected the idea that an internet provider can be held contributorily liable simply because it knows some subscribers are using the service to pirate copyrighted works.

The Court’s bottom-line holding was direct: Cox “neither induced its users’ infringement nor provided a service tailored to infringement; accordingly, Cox is not contributorily liable for the infringement of Sony’s copyrights.” The judgment was reversed and the case was remanded.

That is the story. This was not just a procedural ruling. The Supreme Court narrowed the circumstances under which copyright owners can hold an internet provider secondarily liable for user piracy, rejecting a knowledge-alone standard and requiring proof of inducement or a service specifically tailored to infringement.

Supreme Court Opinion

Supreme Court opinions for March 25, 2026 

Supreme Court docket for 24-171

Supreme Court granted and noted list

Denaturalized Citizens

March 26 the Justice Department announced that it had secured the denaturalization of two individuals and filed a complaint against a third person accused of marriage fraud. The release identifies one of the two denaturalized individuals as Vladimir Volgaev and says the actions are part of the Department’s effort to revoke citizenship obtained through concealment, fraud, or willful misrepresentation.

According to the Justice Department, Volgaev is a native of Ukraine who concealed and misrepresented his involvement in a conspiracy to smuggle more than a thousand firearm components out of the United States and ship them to foreign markets. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said, “American citizenship is a sacred privilege — not a cheap status that can be obtained dishonestly.” She added that the cases reflect the Department’s ongoing effort “to strip citizenship from people who conceal crimes or defraud the American people during the immigration process.”

The broader legal authority for these cases is not new. Federal law, at 8 U.S.C. § 1451, authorizes the government to seek revocation of naturalization when citizenship was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation. The statute says U.S. attorneys have a duty to bring such cases upon a sufficient showing, and that revocation is effective as of the original date of naturalization.

The Department of Justice also has an established structure for handling these cases. In 2020, DOJ announced the creation of a dedicated Denaturalization Section within the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation. At the time, the Department said the section would investigate and litigate denaturalization cases involving “terrorists, war criminals, sex offenders, and other fraudsters,” and said the move was driven by a growing number of referrals from law enforcement agencies.

That means the March 26 announcement is not proof of a brand-new legal tool. What it does show is that the Department is actively using existing denaturalization authority in current fraud and criminal-conduct cases. In this instance, DOJ said it secured denaturalization against two people and separately sued to revoke the citizenship of a third person who allegedly obtained naturalization through marriage fraud.

One important limitation remains. The March 26 release does not provide the full court records, case numbers, or complete identities for all three individuals in the visible release text. What can be proven from the primary-source material is the Justice Department’s announcement, the name and allegations involving Vladimir Volgaev, the existence of two completed denaturalization actions and one newly filed complaint, and the statutory basis the government uses to pursue those cases.

---

Sources:

• DOJ press release (March 26, 2026) – Justice Department announcement on the denaturalization of two individuals and the filing of a complaint against a third person accused of marriage fraud.
• 8 U.S.C. § 1451 – Federal statute governing revocation of naturalization for illegal procurement, concealment of material facts, or willful misrepresentation.
• DOJ announcement creating Denaturalization Section (February 26, 2020) – Archived DOJ release announcing a dedicated section within the Civil Division to investigate and litigate denaturalization cases.

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Convicted by Ethics

On Thursday, March 27, the House Ethics Committee found 25 counts proven against Florida Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. The counts include misuse of official resources, undisclosed payments to herself, and improper campaign contributions.

Cherfilus-McCormick is also facing a separate federal criminal case in South Florida. In November, the Justice Department said a federal grand jury indicted her and co-defendants for allegedly stealing $5 million in FEMA funds, laundering the money, and using it to support her 2021 congressional campaign. Attorney General Pam Bondi said, “Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime.”

Cherfilus-McCormick denied the charges, calling the indictment “an unjust, baseless, sham indictment.” In the ethics case, she moved to dismiss and stay the proceedings, but the committee denied those requests before holding the March 26 hearing.

Full Ethics Hearing

Ranking Member Statement

Justice Statement on Criminal Charges

Cherfilus-McCormick Statement

Partial Government Shutdown

Saturday, March 28, 2026, marks day 42 of the partial government shutdown. Official member statements released on March 28 describe Transportation Security Administration, Coast Guard, and FEMA personnel as having gone without pay for the past 42 days.

In the Senate, lawmakers passed an amended version of H.R. 7147, the Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026. According to an official Senate statement released after passage, the Senate package would fund the Transportation Security Administration, the Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and customs officers at border checkpoints, while excluding ICE and the Border Patrol.

In the House, members had already passed H.R. 8029, the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act, on March 26. Then late Friday night, the House passed H. Res. 1142. According to the House floor summary, that action provided that the Senate amendment to H.R. 7147 would be considered agreed to with a further House amendment consisting of Rules Committee Print 119-21.

That means the House and Senate were still not on the same text. No final enacted agreement had been completed as of Saturday, and the shutdown remained in effect.

Both parties were still publicly blaming the other side.

Speaker Mike Johnson said in an official statement, For the Third Time, Democrats Pledge Their Allegiance to Criminal Illegal Aliens Over American Citizens. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Republicans were holding TSA agents and air travelers hostage to their extreme immigration agenda. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso said, For 26 days now, Democrats have left our country undefended.

Sen. Jack Reed, describing the Senate agreement, said, Now we finally have an overdue agreement that was on the table for weeks. Republicans gave up: There’s no money for ICE and nothing for Border Patrol. Rep. April McClain Delaney said House Republicans had again failed to end the shutdown and wrote that federal workers had worked without pay for the past 42 days.

Sources

• GovInfo: H.R. 7147 (Senate-amended text)
• House Clerk: H.R. 8029 passed March 26, 2026
• House Clerk: H. Res. 1142 passed March 27, 2026
• House Clerk Floor Summary: H.R. 7147 amendment action under H. Res. 1142
• House Rules Committee: Senate amendment to H.R. 7147 / Rules Committee Print 119-21
• Speaker Mike Johnson official statement
• Hakeem Jeffries official statement
• John Barrasso official statement
• Jack Reed official statement on Senate deal
• Rep. April McClain Delaney official statement on day 42

Finance

Markets

Markets continued a 5 week slide this week. The Dow closed at 45166, a loss of 391 points or just under 1%. NASDAQ fell 699 points, a 3.23% loss and that index closed at 20,948. The S&P 500 lost 137 points, more than a 2% loss. At close Friday that index sat at 6368. Gold gained $32 and closed at $4524.

You can see that over the last 6 months, market indexes are down between 2 and 7% with current values down between 8 and almost 12% from their record highs in early February. Gold meanwhile has lost 14.6% from its apex but remains up more than 20% over the 6 month period.

• Dow: down 2.3% from 46,247 on September 26, 2025 to 45,166
• Nasdaq: down 6.8% from 22,484 to 20,948
• S&P 500: down 4.1% from 6,643 to 6,368
• Gold: up 20.3% from 3,760 to 4,524

So the broad story is: stocks were lower over the last six months, while gold moved sharply higher.

From peak to now

• Dow: off 9.9% from its peak of 50,115
• Nasdaq: off 11.7% from its peak of 23,724
• S&P 500: off 8.6% from its peak of 6,966
• Gold: off 14.6% from its peak of 5,296

Sports

MLB Opening Day

Major League Baseball kicked off on Wednesday night in San Francisco in a game that saw the Yankees plate 5 in the second inning and win 7-0. When they faced off again Friday, Aaron Judge started things off with a 2 run bomb in the 6th. Stanton followed with his own home run and the Yankees took game 2 3 to nothing. Most teams have only played 2 games so far, but the Dodgers and Yankees are both undefeated with 3 wins a piece. The white sox already have a -17 point differential while Milwaukee leads the majors at +17 after only 2 games.

Formula 1 Suzuka

Formula 1 is in Suzuka Japan this weekend. Drivers continue to complain about lack of speed after regulatory changes have significantly limited the cars. Alonso said It still hurts your soul when you see your speed dropping so much — 56 kph down the straight”. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc said “I honestly cannot stand these rules in qualifying”. 4 time world champion Max Verstappen called his car undrivable. Rookie Kimi Antonelli took pole for Mercedes, overshadowed by the regulatory changes. His teammate joined him on the front row with the Mclaren of Oscar Piastri starting third. Antonelli was able to win the race, taking a 9 point lead over his teammate George Russel and sitting on top of the driver’s standings. With Saudi Arabia and Bahrain cancelled, the next race is Miami on May 3.

NCAA March Madness

Finally, In College Basketball, number 1 seeds Duke and Arizona won their sweet 16 games against St. Johns an Arkansas respectively, advancing to the elite 8. 2 seed Purdue edged 11 seed Texas 79-77 and advanced to face Arizona. Purdue led Arizona by 7 at the half, but the Wildcats outscored the Boiler Makers 48-26 in the second half to advance to the final 4. 2 seed UCONN similarly snuck past Michigan state 67-63 and will face Duke tonight. In the South bracket, Iowa Beat Nebraska and 3 seed Illinois got past 2 seed Houston. Illinois defeated Iowa 71-59. 6 seeded Tennessee beat 2 seed Iowa State 76-62 to be the last SEC team in. The volunteers will face 1 seed Michigan who handled Alabama 90-77. Today’s games will lock in the final 4 matchups for April 4.

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending 3-21-26

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Politics

Partial Government Shutdown

We begin in Washington DC, where, as of March 22, the federal government has been in a partial shutdown for 36 days. TSA, DHS, FEMA and the Coast Guard are unfunded and employees are not being paid. Callouts have caused extended waits for air travelers, with airports asking travelers to arrive as much as 3 hours early. Democrats are refusing to fund DHS without reforms to ICE. Republicans are refusing to pass partial funding that doesn’t include DHS. Democrats say that Republicans refuse to pay TSA because, in the words of Senator Hakeem Jeffries “The extremists support unleashing ICE brutality on the American people.” Republicans say that TSA remains unpaid because Democrats insist on keeping DHS shut down. Neither side has 60 votes to break the filibuster in the senate, and neither side is willing to relinquish what leverage they have, so the standoff continues.

Ted Cruz Statement

Rick Scott Statement

James Lankford Statement

Chuck Schumer Statement

Hakeem Jeffries Statement

John Fetterman Statement

Houston Airport Footage

Austin Airport Statement

VA Firearms Law

On Saturday, March 14, 2026, Virginia lawmakers advanced House Bill 110, creating a new misdemeanor offense for leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle unless it is locked and out of plain view in a secured container. Criticism for the law includes the provision that exempts state legislators from adherence while parked at the state house. This is part of a larger push by Governor Spanberger and house democrats to pass strict firearms laws in the state.

Full Bill Text

Robert Mueller Death

On Saturday, March 21, Robert S. Mueller III passed away. Muller served as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 2001 to 2013 and was appointed Special Counsel by the U.S. Department of Justice in May 2017. He led the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election and submitted his report in March 2019, which did not establish a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia. In July 2025, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released declassified material and a whistleblower account alleging that intelligence underlying the 2017 Russia assessment was manipulated and based in part on discredited information. The release documents internal disputes and challenges to the validity of those intelligence conclusions. Following Mueller’s death, Donald J. Trump posted on his official account, “Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people.” Robert Mueller was 81.

Full Mueller Report

ODNI Statement

Trump Truth Post

World

Iran Conflict

In World News, Israel Defense Forces announced that on Friday, March 20, Iran launched a multi-stage ICBM at joint US/UK base Diego Garcia. This represents a 2500 mile range, meaning that Iran has the technical capability of striking any targe in Europe except for Ireland, Portugal and Iceland. It also gives them strike capability for large parts of Russia and China, all of India, and most of Thailand. This is particularly interesting because Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent resigned this week in a public letter posted to X. He previously spoke publicly, including on the Shawn Ryan show, saying that Iran is already at war with the United States. He laid out details about Iran being an active threat actor. However, in his resignation and immediately after, while speaking to Tucker Carlson, he said that Iran posed no immediate threat. Democrats in congress have also asserted that Iran posed no imminent threat. The president had asserted during his state of the union address that Iran possessed weapons with enough range to target Europe.

Trump State of the Union Statement

Jim Himes Supports Joe Kent Resignation

Jim Himes: No Evidence Iran Is a Threat

IDF Statement on Attack

IDF Chief Statement (Hebrew Only)

Current Events

Mike King Shooting

Moving over to current events, Tuesday, March 17, Dallas police held a press conference to speaking about the shooting death of 39 year old Diamon Maziarre Robinson who also went by Mike King. Robinson was fatally shot by officers on Wednesday, March 11 in a parking garage. He had been using fictitious information and police style uniforms to falsely identify himself as a law enforcement officer. He was wanted on multiple felony warrants as well as a parole violation. He was ALSO part of Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crocket’s security detail for YEARS. On March 11, police say he was located and he refused to exit his vehicle. Officers negotiated with him for more than an hour before he finally exited the vehicle. However, when he did, he pulled a firearm and was then shot.

Body Cam Release Full Press Conference

Jasmine Crocket Statement

Old Dominion Shooting Straw Purchase

In a follow up to one of last week’s stories, on Friday, March 13, 2026, ATF filed a criminal complaint charging Kenya McCell Chapman with federal firearms violations tied to the March 12 shooting at Old Dominion University. The affidavit states Chapman admitted in a 2021 investigation to straw purchasing multiple firearms later recovered in violent crimes, including a homicide. Federal records show Chapman continued acquiring firearms and later sold one to Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, identified as the shooter last week at Old Dominion University. Under the Biden administration, federal authorities documented serious firearms violations, obtained an admission, but ultimately did not put Chapman in prison.

Original Affidavit

Homeland Security Statement

Justice Complaint

Antifa Conviction

On Friday, March 13, a federal jury in Fort Worth, Texas convicted nine individuals for the July 4, 2025 attack on the Prairieland ICE Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Eight defendants were convicted of terrorism-related charges, including conspiracy, rioting, and use of explosives. A ninth was convicted of document concealment tied to the investigation. The group were members of a North Texas Antifa cell that coordinated the attack and their potential sentences range from 10 to 60 years. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, “Antifa is a domestic terrorist organization that has been allowed to flourish in Democrat-led cities, not under President Trump,”

Kash Patel Statement (X)

Department of Justice Statement

New York Forces Cash

Beginning March 20, 2026, retail businesses in the state of New York must accept cash. S4153-A requires that any business selling in the state must accept American dollars and coins in denominations of $20 and below. They cannot charge more for cash and penalties begin at $1000.

AG James Statement

Full Text of the Bill

Chuck Norris Death

On Thursday, March 19, Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris passed away in Hawaii. It was said he could slam a revolving door, counted to infinity, twice, and could divide by zero. Born in Ryan, Oklahoma in 1940, Norris held black belts in karate, taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and judo. He starred in 196 episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger from 1993 to 2001, and founded Chun-Kuk-Do, his own style of martial arts. Chuck Norris was 86 years old.

Pulse Night Club Memorial

Nearly 10 years ago 49 people were killed and another 53 injured in the shooting at Pulse night club in Orlando. This week, demolition began to prepare the site for a permanent memorial. In 2019, the state awarded a $500,000 grant to the OnePULSE Foundation for the creation of a memorial. Despite having raised somewhere around $20M, the foundation did not meet its obligations. The state recouped almost $400k of the grant money and the City of Orlando is now overseeing the project.

Pulse Orlando Memorial Details

State of Florida Press Release

Finance

Markets

Markets fell this week, continuing a 4 week slide. The Dow lost over 2%, falling 1001 points and closing at 45,557. That’s the lowest week ending since October. NASDAQ also lost 2%, losing 458 points and closing at 21,647. The S&P 500 suffered similarly. The 6,505 close was a 127 point loss, also nearly 2%. Gold dropped more than 10%. The $531 loss left futures at $4492 at close of trading Friday.

Fed Investigation Updates

Friday, March 13, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro spoke about the ongoing case involving the board of governors of the Federal Reserve system. The Fed is renovating two buildings for their headquarters and is more than $1B over budget. After repeated requests for information were ignored by the Fed, two grand jury subpoenas were issued for Jerome Powell to provide testimony so that tax payers can understand where that money has gone. District Court Judge James Boasberg stepped in and squashed both subpoenas and then sealed the documents so I can’t even read his ruling. Pirro asserted that the decision is in contradiction to Supreme Court rulings, impedes investigation and frustrates the public interest in the case. She will be appealing the ruling.

Pirro Full Press Conference

Fed Rate Updates

Wednesday, March 18, Fed Chair Jerome Powell spoke following this month’s board meeting. He said the economy is expanding, unemployment is low and inflation remains somewhat elevated. He declined to lower interest rates for the second month in a row, claiming the middle east conflict creates uncertainty. They anticipate GDP Growth of 2.4% this calendar year, a stronger projection than the December numbers. February unemployment was 4.4%, with little change since the summer. He mentioned that if his successor is not confirmed by the end of his term in May, he will continue to server as Chair pro tem until a successor is confirmed. He said he will not leave the board until the investigation is over.

Jerome Powell Full Remarks

Fed Press Release

Sports

World Baseball Classic

And in Sports, Tuesday night, March 17, The United States faced Venezuela in the finals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Down by 2 in the 8th, Bryce Harper hit a 2 run homer to center to tie the game. Venezuela retook the lead in the top of the 9th and was able to close out the game for their first ever World Baseball Classic championship. MLB Opening Night will feature the New York Yankees at the San Francisco Giants on March 25 at 8:05 Eastern on Netflix.

NASCAR

In Las Vegas last weekend, Denny Hamlin secured his 61st NASCAR win. His last win came at the same track last year. He had to overcome an early penalty, driving from 31st place to win, having led 134 laps. The win came following the death of his father last year as well as a protracted legal battle between his team and NASCAR. His team is challenging the control NASCAR has over the sport as a whole.

March Madness

Finally, it is March Madness and the 2026 NCAA basketball tournament is under way. First round upsets included an 83-82 win over Wisconsin by High Point University. Texas advanced with a 79-71 win over BYU. Texas A&M beat St. Mary’s 63-50, and VCU toppled UNC 82-78. Duke needed 35 minutes to take the lead from 16th seeded Sienna before securing a 71-65 win. Tennessee ended the run for Miami of Ohio in a 78-56 game. Saturday, 11th seeded Texas took down 3rd seed Gonzaga 74-68. Saturday, 11th seeded Texas took down 3rd seed Gonzaga 74-68. The second round continues today and the Sweet Sixteen starts March 26.

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending 3-14-26

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Terrorism

NYC Terror Attack

We begin in New York City. On Saturday, March 7, a protest was held outside Mayor Zohran Mandani’s residence. The protest was called “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City, Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer”. They were met by a counter-protest called “Run Nazis Out of New York City”. Around 12:15 PM, 18 year old Emir Balat and 19 year old Ibrahim Kayumi lit an improvised explosive device and threw it at the anti-Islam protesters. They then lit a second device and dropped it near NYPD officers before attempting to flee. Both were caught and pledged allegiance to ISIS before being federally charged under terrorism statutes and each faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The devices did not detonate and no one was injured.

US Attorney Statement

Criminal Complaint

State Department X Post

Video of Suspect 1

Video of Device Thrown

US Embassy In Canada Attacked

Royal Canadian Mounted Police responded to shots fired at the US consulate in Toronto on Tuesday March 10. They found shell casings and damage to the exterior of the building. RCMP said they believe a white Honda CRV stopped in front of the building, that two people got out, shot at the building with a hand gun and then drove away. Their press release says they increased security around embassies and are treating the investigation as a national security incident. The United States government has not issued a statement that we could find.

RCMP Press Release

RCMP Press Conference 1

RCMP Press Conference 2

Michigan Synagogue Attack

On Thursday, March 12, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali drove into Temple Israel in Oakland County, Michigan. Private security at the synagogue engaged the driver and ended his life before he could exit his vehicle. There were no additional fatalities. Information was provided by US Immigration, the mayor of Dearborn Heights, and the Lebanese Government. Ghazali was a Lebanese immigrant granted citizenship in 2016. He lost family members this month in the conflict between Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon and Israel. The government of Lebanon condemned the attack amid their ongoing efforts to disarm Hezbollah.

Press Conference

Dearborn Heights Mayor Statement

ICE X Post

Lebanese Embassy Statement

Old Dominion University Terror Attack

Around 10:45 Thursday morning, March 12, Old Dominion University Police received calls of an active shooter inside the school. Officers arrived within 4 minutes and found the active assailant deceased. Three victims were taken to the hospital where one succumbed to his wounds. The FBI identified the shooter as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, who was arrested and pled guilty to attempting to provide material support to ISIS in 2016. He was in prison from 2017 until 2024. He shouted Allahu Akbar before opening fire, and according to the FBI, students responded and “rendered him no longer alive”. They noted that he was not shot.

Full Press Conference 1

Full Press conference 2

Kash Patel X Statement

White House X Statement

Politics

Partial Federal Government Shutdown

The partial federal government shutdown over funding for the Department of Homeland Security continued this week as Democrats and Republicans traded blame in official statements. On Wednesday, March 11, Senator Todd Young said the shutdown began after Democrats demanded changes to immigration enforcement before approving DHS funding. He called the lapse in funding a national security risk. On Thursday, March 12, Senator Alex Padilla said he voted against additional funding for ICE and CBP, stating the agencies “don’t need another blank check, they need accountability.” House Appropriations Democrats, said Republicans are blocking funding for parts of the department, while House Appropriations Republicans said Senate Democrats caused the shutdown by refusing to pass a full-year DHS funding bill approved by the House. There is no end in sight for this dispute.

House Appropriations Statements

DeLauro Statement

Padilla Statement

Young Statement

World

Iran Conflict

In World News, Secretary of war Pete Hegseth spoke Friday morning, March 13 about the conflict in Iran. He asserted that the US and Israel have destroyed over 15,000 targets and maintain complete control of the airspace over Iran. Hegseth maintains that Iran has no air defenses, air force, or navy and that their missile volume is down 90% and one way attack drones 95%.
He emphasized that every company that builds components for ballistic missiles in Iran has been destroyed and pointed out that Iranian leadership has gone underground. The Secretary of War pushed back on headlines that the war is widening and that the US has no plan to control and protect the Strait of Hormuz, saying instead that what is widening is the US advantage and Iran’s strategy to disrupt the strait has been in place for decades. He called the claims unserious.

Hegseth Full Press Conference

Iranian Women’s Soccer in Australia

7 members of the Iranian women’s national soccer team have been granted asylum in Australia. The team did not sing the Islamic Republic anthem at their match and after some prompting by president Trump, the Australian government offered asylum visas to the team. 7 members accepted the offer, but one later withdrew her request and returned to Iran. The other 6 remained in Australia where police are housing them in a safe location until they can be provided services to complete immigration. Trump was initially critical of Australia’s response, but after speaking to PM Anthony Albanese he praised the leader saying he “is doing a very good job having to do with this rather delicate situation”.

Team Doesn’t Sing (video)

Trump Criticism (Truth)

Australian Presser 1

Australian Presser 2

Australian Presser 3

Trump Praise (Truth)

Current Events

Yamaha To Move US Headquarters

February 26, Yamaha Motor Company announced they will relocate their US headquarters from California to Kennesaw, GA. The company indicated that the move aims to improve profitability in the US market. They will sell a 25 acre facility in Cypress, CA after operating there since 1979. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp expressed gratitude saying “After many years of great partnership, we are honored and proud to welcome Yamaha’s American headquarters to the No. 1 state for business”.

Yamaha Announcement

Governor Kemp Announcement

Charlie Kirk Assassination Trial

Friday morning March 13, Judge Tony Graph, presiding over the trial of the accused Charlie Kirk assassin held another pretrial hearing. This hearing was to address media coverage and related issues. After hearing arguments from both the defense and prosecution, the judge ruled that “In balance, the defendant has not provided a sufficient basis for the court to find that the interests favoring closure outweigh the interest favoring an open proceeding and the presumptive right to access.” also noting “Moreover, as a Utah Supreme Court recognized, even in highly publicized cases, a defendant’s right to a fair trial can be protected through the regular time-honored process for selecting jurors, like enlarging the voir dire of potential jurors, utilizing a detailed juror questionnaire and conducting a thorough voir dire of potential jurors.” The next hearing will be April 17 and will address the defense’s motion to exclude all cameras from the courtroom.

Full Hearing Video

Florida Authorizes Death Penalty For Child Rape

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier spoke Monday March 9 about the state’s efforts to combat child predators. He announced a sentence for Michael Ambrosio of 25 years for CSAM including toddlers and babies. He also announced the passing of House Bill 1297, a new Florida law that allows capital charges for sexual battery of a minor under 12 years old. Existing Florida law places limitations on the death penalty, so the jury must find at least two aggravating factors before determining a sentence of life in prison or death. This new law is in conflict with a 2008 US Supreme Court ruling in Kennedy v. Louisiana which held that the 8th amendment disallows the death penalty in cases where the victim survived. The state expects challenges on these grounds but is prepared to argue their case.

Uthmeier Press Release

Uthmeier Press Conference

HB. 1297

Florida Death Penalty Statutes

Supreme Court Decision

Markets

Markets slid for a third straight week with the Dow Jones dropping 2%, a 943 point loss with a closing of 46,558. NASDAQ lost 281 points, finishing down one and a quarter percent at 22,105. The S&P 500 lost more than 1.5%, dropping 108 points and closing at 6632. Even gold continued to drop, closing at $5023 / ounce. The $135 loss erased more than 2.5% of value.

Sports

Freedom 250 IndyCar Grand Prix

And in Sports, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy spoke at a press conference to announce the Freedom 250 Indycar Grand Prix in Washington DC. The 1.7 mile circuit will run down Pennsylvania Ave and include 7 turns. Cars will pass the National Archives, the Washington Monument and the National Mall. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser thanked secretaries Duffy and Burgum and expressed her excitement for this event, saying that DC is the sports capital of the country, and “wherever you’re coming from in America, remember this. We have won a world series, a Stanley Cup, a WNBA Championship, an NSWL Championship, all while I’ve been Mayor”. It was nice to see officials set aside political posturing and just celebrate sports and America’s 250th birthday. The race will take place August 23.

Full Press Conference

F1 News

Formula 1 announced the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix. Yes that’s how you say it, no it does not feel good in your mouth. Amid the ongoing middle east conflict, Formula 1 cleared the April Calendar, giving teams 5 weeks off between Japan and Miami. In China this weekend, Russel took sprint pole ahead of his teammate Antonelli. Russel finished first, with Antonelli 5th after a 10 second penalty for a collision. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finished the podium for Ferrari. In qualifying for the main event, Antonelli became the youngest pole sitter in the history of F1. He brought the car home in first, becoming the second youngest driver to win a Grand Prix.

MLB

MLB spring training is underway, along with the world baseball classic. The United States will face Dominican Republic tonight for the first of two semi final games. Tomorrow night will feature Venezuela and Italy. The winners will play the final on Tuesday night at 8 eastern.

NCAAM / March Madness

This week is conference tournament week for mens’s college basketball. Miami of Ohio was handed their first loss of the season by UMass in the MAC tournament, but the MAC will likely see two teams into the tournament this year. Vanderbilt ended a 12 game winning streak for the defending national championship Florida Gators yesterday. The commodores will now face Arkansas for the SEC tournament championship. 13th ranked St. John’s beat 6th ranked UCONN to take the Big East title. Top ranked duke beat UVA for the ACC championship and Michigan will play Purdue today to decide the Big 10. The tournament committee will announce bids and seeding for the 2026 ncaa men’s basketball tournament tonight.

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending 3-7-26

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

World

Summary Of Operations In Iran

We begin in the Middle East, where over the last six days, the United States and Israel have conducted a coordinated military campaign against Iran. On Saturday, March 1, the White House announced Operation Epic Fury, describing it as a U.S. military operation targeting Iran’s missile forces, air defenses, and military infrastructure. The same day, the Israel Defense Forces said Israel had launched Operation Roaring Lion, striking Iranian command centers, missile systems, and air defense networks. In an official briefing, the IDF said its opening strikes killed roughly 40 senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. On Monday, March 2, U.S. Central Command said combat operations were continuing and confirmed six U.S. service members had been killed in action. By March 4, the White House said Iranian ballistic missile launches had fallen 86 percent from the first day of fighting and one-way drone launches had dropped 73 percent. The statement said U.S. and Israeli forces were continuing strikes against missile launch sites and military targets across Iran. On March 6, the IDF chief of staff said Israeli forces had carried out about 2,500 strikes using more than 6,000 munitions since the operation began.

Hegseth / Caine Full Press Conference

White House March 1 Statement

CENTCOM March 2 Statement

White House March 4 Statement

White House March 5 Statement

IDF Statement

CENTCOM On Iranian Navy

Thursday, March 5, Admiral Brad Cooper spoke alongside Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Tampa. The CENTCOM Commander said U.S. forces have sunk or destroyed more than 30 Iranian naval vessels during Operation Epic Fury. Cooper said the total had earlier been 24 ships, a figure referenced by President Donald Trump, but updated operational reporting now places the number “over 30 ships.” He added that U.S. forces struck an Iranian drone carrier roughly the size of a World War II aircraft carrier, leaving the vessel on fire. The Admiral added U.S. bombers struck nearly 200 targets inside Iran in the previous 72 hours, including ballistic-missile launchers and Iran’s space command infrastructure. He said missile and drone attacks had dropped sharply since the start of the operation. Officials noted the next phase will target Iran’s ballistic-missile production capability.

Full Press Conference

Lebanon Hezbollah Activity

On Sunday, March 1, Hezbollah launched projectiles from toward northern Israel. The Israel Defense Forces said it responded by striking Hezbollah targets across Lebanon. Lebanon’s cabinet then announced an immediate ban on Hezbollah military activity and ordered its weapons restricted to the Lebanese state. President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also condemned the rocket fire and said decisions on war and peace belong to the government. In a public post, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Hezbollah had given Israel an opportunity to test the Iron Beam air defense system.

IDF X Post

Iron Beam Video

Lebanese Cabinet Ruling

Lebanese Follow-up

Kuwaiti Friendly Fire

Sunday, March 1, three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were shot down over Kuwait in what U.S. Central Command described as an apparent friendly-fire incident. CENTCOM says the aircraft were supporting Operation Epic Fury when Kuwaiti air defense systems mistakenly engaged them. All six aircrew members ejected safely, were recovered, and were reported to be in stable condition. CENTCOM says Kuwait acknowledged the incident and is cooperating to investigate the cause.

CENTCOM X Post

CENTCOM Official Statement

Video of Down Pilot 1

Video of Down Pilot 2

Crash Video 1

Crash Video 2

Current Events

Austin Terror Attack

Moving to Current Events On Sunday, March 1, a man wearing a sweatshirt reading “Property of Allah” opened fire outside a bar on West 6th Street in Austin, Texas. Austin Police say a black Cadillac SUV pulled alongside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden and the driver fired a pistol into the crowd. The suspect then drove down the street, parked, exited the vehicle with a rifle, and fired at a pedestrian while moving back toward the bar area. Officers located the suspect who fired in the direction of officers. Three officers returned fire, struck the suspect, and took him into custody. The shooter was identified as 53 year old Ndiaga Diagne who was pronounced dead at the scene. Austin Police say 19 people sustained injuries in the incident. 21 year old Savitha Shan, and 19 year old Ryder Harrington were pronounced dead at the scene. 30 year old Jorge Pederson, was later pronounced deceased at a hospital. The FBI and Austin Police say the investigation into the attack is ongoing.

APD Press Release

APD Press Conference

Body Cam 1 (graphic)

Body Cam 2 (graphic)

Video of the Scene (extremely graphic)

Photo of the Shooter (property of allah)

Jose Garcia Official Statement

FBI Statement

Suspect Identification

Virginia Road Rage Stabbing

On Sunday, March 1 Virginia State Police responded to a road-rage incident on I495 in Fairfax county that led to a stabbing attack. Police say Jared Llamado, 32, of McLean, stabbed four women, killing Michele Adams, 39, and seriously injuring three others and killing a dog. A Virginia State Police trooper shot Llamado, who later succumbed to his wounds at the hospital.

Video of Incedent

X Post of Wide Angle Video

Virginia State Police Facebook Post

Additional Video (X post)

Tebow Testifies About Child Sex Abuse Online

Wednesday March 4, Tim Tebow testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism. He spoke to advocate for the Renewed Hope act of 2026, a bill to combat child exploitation. During his testimony, he showed a map of the United States, identifying 6 months worth of known cases of downloading, sharing or distribution of child sex abuse images. The map shows over 330,000 instances in 6 months. I’ve brought this up before when I spoke about Roblox and Minecraft, but Friday the Florida legislature held a hearing about it, earlier in the week 89 people were arrested in Tampa. The Sean Ryan podcast has almost 6 million subscribers on YouTube and he has more than 12 hours of content devoted to protecting kids online. If you are a parent, please take this seriously. Visit the cold take dot com. I built a page that will be a permanent link in the header titled ‘Parental Resources’ and it will have links to information about how to protect your kids, tools to monitor their devices and details about how these sickos groom kids. I have no affiliation with any of these people or tools, I don’t get a penny from it, but I’m a parent and these stories make me sick. So if you’re a parent, go to the website, I have videos, links, and a few of my own thoughts as well.

Tim Tebow Full Testamony

The Cold Take Parental Resources

Tampa Child Exploitation Sting Operation

In Tampa, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office announced March 3 that 89 people were arrested in an undercover operation targeting people seeking to sexually exploit children and purchase sex. The operation ran during the first five weeks of 2026 and resulted in 1,217 felony charges. The operation rescued two minors, including a 2-year-old child recovered from an exploitation case and a missing 17-year-old girl who investigators say was being commercially sexually exploited. Authorities arrested Peter Torres, 42, in connection with the toddler’s case, and Armani Hopkins, 23, in connection with the case involving the missing teenager.

Hillsorough County Sheriff Statement

Supreme Court Ruling About Child Gender

In December 2025, a federal district court in California issued a permanent injunction in Mirabelli v. Bonta, blocking enforcement of policies that allow schools to withhold information from parents when a student adopts a different gender identity at school. The State of California appealed, and in January 2026 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit granted a stay, pausing the district court’s injunction while the appeal proceeds. The court wrote the state had shown “a substantial case for relief on the merits.” The plaintiffs then filed an emergency application with the U.S. Supreme Court citing the Fourteenth Amendment. On March 2, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the Ninth Circuit stay as it applies to the parent plaintiffs, which allows the district court injunction to take effect for them while the case continues. California’s Department of Justice asserted that under state law schools are not required to disclose a student’s gender identity to parents and that guidance is intended to protect student privacy and safety. The Ninth Circuit appeal is still pending, and the case could return to the Supreme Court for a final ruling.

Initial Stay

Emergency Application to Supreme Court

Supreme Court Docket

CA Know Your Rights Document

Supreme Court Asylum Case Ruling

On Tuesday, March 4, the Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Urias-Orellana v. Bondi involving an asylum claim. The Court held that federal appellate courts reviewing asylum denials must defer to the factual findings of immigration judges and the Board of Immigration Appeals unless the evidence compels a different conclusion. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson stated that under federal immigration law, “the agency’s findings of fact are conclusive unless any reasonable adjudicator would be compelled to conclude to the contrary.” The ruling affirms that immigration courts, not federal appellate courts, are the primary fact-finders in asylum cases.

Supreme Court Order

New York Redistricting Supreme Court Ruling

Sticking with the Supreme Court, but moving into more Political stories, In New York, a state trial court ordered the state to redraw the boundaries of the 11th Congressional District, which covers Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn. The judge ruled the district diluted the voting power of Black and Hispanic voters and directed the state to create a new map before the next election. The district’s current representative, Republican Nicole Malliotakis, and other plaintiffs appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing the ruling would force the state to redraw the district using race as a primary factor. On March 2, the Supreme Court issued an emergency order blocking the redraw for now, allowing the current district map to remain in place while the case continues through the appeals process. For the moment, New York cannot change the district lines. The underlying case will now continue in the lower courts, where judges will determine whether the state’s redistricting order complies with federal constitutional standards.

New York Supreme Court Ruling

US Supreme Court Ruling

Kristi Noem Reassigned Away From DHS

On Wednesday, March 5, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he was removing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and nominating Senator Markwayne Mullin to lead DHS. Trump wrote that Noem “has served us well” and said she would move to a new role as Special Envoy for the “Shield of the Americas.” Two days earlier, Noem testified before Congress during a hearing on DHS operations. Following the testimony, lawmakers from both parties publicly criticized the department and its leadership. Senator John Fetterman wrote that DHS was in crisis and called for changes to leadership. Representative Maxwell Frost wrote that Noem “will go down in history as a bigot,” while also stating that removing her would not solve the broader problems at DHS. Homeland Committee Republicans focused on the funding dispute, posting that democrats continue to block a DHS funding bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson also posted that Democrats were “keeping the Department of Homeland Security closed” during the ongoing funding standoff. The partial government shutdown enters day 14 with no end in sight.

Kristi Noem Full Testamony

X Post

Maxwell Frost on X

Donald Trump on Truth Social

Clintons Testify

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both testified before Congress this week as part of the House Oversight Committee’s investigation related to Jeffrey Epstein. The committee released the recordings of the depositions, totaling roughly nine hours of testimony between the two sessions. There is no official public transcript available yet, but we will put out a special edition once we’ve reviewed the complete testimony. Smash that follow button to get notified when that video is available.

House Oversight Posting of Videos

Bus Stop Stabbing and DHS Complaint

On Sunday, February 23, Fairfax County Police say 32-year-old Abdul Jalloh fatally stabbed 41-year-old Stephanie Minter at a bus stop in Fairfax County. Police say officers first arrested Jalloh on February 24 in connection with a petit larceny before identifying him as the last person seen with Minter. He was then charged with second degree murder and is being held without bond. Weeks before the killing, Governor Abigail Spanberger rescinded a prior executive order that had directed Virginia law enforcement to assist with federal civil immigration enforcement. Her order directs state and local resources to focus on enforcing Virginia law rather than federal immigration law. On February 4, she also directed several state agencies to terminate all Section 287(g) agreements with ICE, while saying Virginia officers may still act when presented with a valid judicial warrant. In response, the Department of Homeland Security said Jalloh is an illegal alien with more than 30 prior arrests and urged Virginia authorities not to release him. DHS said ICE uses immigration detainers to request notification or transfer of custody, but judicial warrants cannot be obtained without federal charges.

Arrest Statement

Spanberger Statement To Law Enforcement

Removing 287(g) Agreements

ICE Statement (X)

Fairfax Police Statement

Kansas Revokes Driver License for Transgender People

In Kansas, a new law affecting state identification documents took effect last week. The legislation is House Substitute for Senate Bill 244. According to the official bill text, the law defines gender in Kansas as biological sex assigned at birth and directs the state’s Division of Vehicles and Office of Vital Statistics to invalidate and reissue driver’s licenses and birth certificates when the sex designation does not match that definition. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly vetoed the bill February 13, saying in her veto message that the legislation would have “numerous and significant consequences.” The Legislature then overrode the veto and the statute took effect February 26. That same day two Kansas residents filed a lawsuit in Douglas County District Court seeking to block enforcement of the law, arguing it violates protections in the Kansas Constitution including equal protection and due process. The case is currently pending and no ruling has been issued.

SB 244

House Version

ACLU Response

Florida Gun Registry Fight

On Sunday, March 2, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced his office is reviewing whether the City of Jacksonville violated Florida law by maintaining a firearm registry. In a letter to Melissa Nelson, Uthmeier said Jacksonville kept logbooks recording the names and firearm information of people entering city buildings while armed. Nelson’s office investigated the logs and declined criminal charges, concluding the conduct did not meet the statute’s requirement that violations be “knowing and willful.” Uthmeier rejected that conclusion and directed his office to obtain the investigative evidence and evaluate whether to pursue civil enforcement under Florida Statute 790.335, which bans government firearm registries. The statute allows civil penalties of up to $5 million if a court finds a local government knowingly maintained a registry of privately owned firearms or firearm owners.

Florida Gun Registration Statute

James Uthmeier Letter

James Uthmeier X Post

Finance

Markets

Markets turned red this week. The Dow Jones dropped 1,476 points, a 3% loss, closing at 47,501. This erases 15 weeks of gain, going back to late November. NASDAQ lost 282 points and closed at 22,386. The S&P 500 lost 2%, a drop of 138 points and finished the week at 6740. Gold futures also fell this week, ending trading at $5,158 per ounce, a 2.6% drop. Meanwhile, Crude oil futures rose by 28%, gaining nearly $20 and closing ten cents shy of $100.

Sports

Lou Holtz Death

Moving over to Sports, On Wednesday, March 4, Louis Leo Holtz, who went by Lou passed away in his home in Orlando Florida. Born in West Virginia in 1937, Lou attended Kent State where he played football and trained in the Army Reserve Officer’s training corps. After earning a bachelor’s degree in history, Holtz got his masters at University of Iowa. From there, Holtz’ focus was football. His coaching career included William and Mary, NC State, The New York Jets, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame and South Carolina. He led the Fighting Irish to a national championship in 1988 and was later awarded an honorary doctorate from Notre Dame. Holtz was elected to the college football hall of fame, the Arkansas sports hall of fame, the Cotton Bowl hall of fame and in 2020 President trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Lou Holtz was 89 years old.

Lou Holtz Official X Post

Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix

In the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, the opening race of the 2026 season, local hero Oscar Piastri crashed on the formation lap and didn’t even start the race. Leclerc took the lead in turn one from 4th on the grid. The Red Bull of Isaac Hadjar suffered a failure that saw him retired the car after just 11 laps. Mercedes and Ferrari split strategies and traded places in the front throughout the race with the Mercedes of George Russel eventually coming home in first. Max Verstappen finished 6th behind defending world champion Lando Norris.

NCAA Men’s College Basketball

In College Basketball, Sunday, March 1, unranked Ohio State beat 8th ranked Purdue 82-74. On Tuesday unranked UCLA beat 9th ranked Nebraska 72-52. Other unranked winners were Arizona State over number 14 Kansas and Georgia over number 16 Alabama. The 5th ranked national championship defending Florida Gators sealed the SEC regular season championship with a 108-74 win over Mississippi State and Miami of Ohio beat Toledo 74-72 to stay perfect at 30-0. They needed overtime Friday against Ohio to cap a perfect 31-0 regular season in a 110-108 win. Congratulations to that squad. Saturday March 7, number 4 UConn fell to unranked Marquette 68-62. Unranked Wisconsin beat 15th ranked Purdue 97-93. Florida went into Rupp Arena and beat Kentucky 84-77. The Gators are the number 1 seed in the SEC tournament and with UConn’s loss, bracketologists have them now at a 1 seed in the big tournament as well.

Stranded Hot Air Balloon

And finally, Saturday, February 28, a Cameron Z-77 hot air balloon struck the guidewire of a radio tower around 8:40 a.m. with two people on board, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The balloon became entangled near the top of the tower more than 900 feet above the ground. Longview Fire Department crews conducted a high-angle rescue and lowered both occupants to the ground. Both were transported to a hospital as a precaution. The FAA is investigating the incident. I have wanted to become a balloon pilot for years but I never even considered the possibility of being stuck at the top of a radio tower. I’m also super curious how they got the basket down.

X Post 1

X Post 2

X Post 3

FAA Statement

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending 3-1-26

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

World

Joint US/Israeli Strikes In Iran

During the daylight hours of Saturday, February 28, US and Israeli forces conducted joint strikes against Iran. They targeted air and missile defense systems and destroyed the IRGC headquarters in Tehran. Ayatollah Khameini was among the list of high ranking Iranian officials killed in the strikes. Iran’s response was to send rockets and drones to attack sites in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, Israel, Bahrain, Syria and the UAE. Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia have all pledged their assistance to the US and Israel. Donald Trump released an 8 minute video announcing the operations. Democrats condemned the action, asserting that while Iran is a problem, Trump is breaking the law and requires congressional authorization. Others, including Senator John Fetterman released statements in support of removing the Ayatollah. After weeks of tense relations with Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney released a statement saying “Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security”. There is a lot more to this story and we may do a feature in a week or two.

Donald Trump Announcement Video

Netanyahu Statement (video in Hebrew)

Netanyahu Statement (text translated)

Australia Statement of Support

Qatar Statement of Support

UAE Declaration of War

Canada Statement of Support

Saudi Arabia Statement of Support

John Fetterman Statement of Support

Mike Pence Statement of Support

Kier Starmer ‘The UK Had Nothing To do with this’

IDF Announcement of casualties

White House Announces Death of Khameini

UN Security Council Full Remarks

Mike Waltz Torches Iran at UN 1

Mike Waltz Torches Iran at UN 2

Cuban Boat Shooting

Staying in world news Wednesday, February 25, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke about an incident involving a shooting between Cuban authorities and some individuals on a boat registered in Florida. The Cuban Embassy asserted on Twitter that the vessel was violating Cuban territorial waters. They state that when Border Guard Troops approached to identify the vessel, the crew opened fire on the Cubans who then returned fire. According to Cuba, 4 were shot fatally and the remaining 6 were injured. Marco Rubio vowed to conduct an investigation, asking for access to the vessel and the surviving members of the crew. Cuba is framing the incident as an attempted terrorist attack and signaled their willingness to work with US officials to investigate and clarify facts.

Cuban Foreign Ministry Official Statement

Cuban Embassy X Statement

Secretary Rubio Full Statement (Video and Text)

Secretary Rubio X Statement

Air Force Pilot Helps China

The FBI and US Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the arrest of Gerald Brown Jr. on Thursday, February 26. The 65 year old former F-35 instructor pilot had decades of experience with US Military aircraft in the Air Force. He is accused of providing training to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force in China in 2023.

Jeanine Pirro Statement

FBI Statement

Kash Patel Statement

State of the Union Address

Moving to US Politics, Tuesday night, February 24, President Trump gave the 2026 State of the Union Address. 130 Democratic legislators declined to attend and those who did were largely stoic. Sarah Beckstrom, the 20 year old national guardsman killed in a DC terror attack in November was posthumously awarded a purple heart. Staff Sargant Andrew Wolfe survived the attack and was also awarded a purple heart. Both sides of the aisle stood to honor them. The medal of honor was awarded to Eric Slover, the helicopter pilot wounded during the capture of Maduro. Another was awarded to 100 year old Royce Williams for a 1952 dog fight in which he shot down 4 soviet fighters. Even Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin stood and clapped for this award. Democrats largely criticized the speech as being political theater and full of lies, while republicans were critical of democrats lack of support. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger issued the Democratic Party rebuttal.

Full State of the Union Address

Spanberger Response

Democrat Sleeping

Omar and Tlaib Shouting

Trump Honors Iryna Zarutska’s Mother

Sen. Fetterman Shakes Trump’s Hand

War on Fraud Announcement

Fetterman on Dem Reacions

Michigan State of the State Address

Wednesday, February 25, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer gave her 2026 State of the State address. In it, she acknowledged the politically divided legislature and urged bipartisanship, noting issues like affordable housing, literacy and affordable health care. She spoke about new factories opening across the state, producing cars, computer chips, and batteries and she went so far as to thank President Trump for his work to bring manufacturing back to the United States.

Full Address

Short Comments on Trump

Minnesota Fraud

Wednesday, February 25 JD Vance and Dr. Oz spoke at the white house. They talked about fraud in systems meant to benefit autistic children and their families. Oz asserted they are beginning the largest fraud investigation in CMS history. He said the average health care cost per family per year is $27,000. He also asserted that CMS believes we are spending $300B / year on fraud in the health care system. He said one case CMS is investigating in Minnesota involves criminals paying mothers around $1000 to falsely claim their children are Autistic. The companies then bill Medicaid millions of dollars for services that are never rendered. One behavioral health care organization in Minnesota received $11.5M, submitting 450 days claiming they were working more than 24 hours per day. As a result he announced $259M in Medicaid payments to be deferred based on audits of the last quarter of 2025. He said the federal government will hold the money until Minnesota presents a comprehensive corrective action plan. He emphasized that Minnesota has a rainy day fund, so the impact should only be to the state and not individuals. Minnesota HHS says they shut down off payment to 540 medicaid providers last year and made over 300 referrals to law enforcement. Tim Walz says Minnesota has already tried and convicted nearly 100 people related to fraud. He framed the White House action as “taking health care from poor people” and a “medicaid money grab and retribution”.

JD Vance Dr. Oz Full Press Conference

Tim Walz Full Press Conference

Tim Walz Press Release

Church Protesters Arrested

You may recall that Don Lemon was arrested for his involvement in a protest in St. Paul Minnesota. The group entered a church and disrupted the service, filling the aisles and chanting about ICE. Friday, February 27, FBI director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that 30 more people have been indicted by a grand jury, bringing the total number of indictments in this case to 39. Pam Bondi indicated that 20 had been arrested by federal agents.

Pam Bondi Statement

Kash Patel Statement

Current Events

Vegas Terror Attack

Las Vegas Metro Police, Boulder City Police and the FBI held a joint press conference regarding an attempted terrorist attack on February 19. Around 10 am a vehicle crashed through a secure gate at a power substation. Boulder City police officers responded, finding a 23 year old man deceased from a self inflicted gunshot wound. He had been recently reported missing from Albany New York. Officers observed multiple firearms inside the vehicle. They obtained a search warrant for his hotel room where they found extremist propaganda, explosives, firearms and other weapons. Law enforcement is treating this as a terrorist event, and the investigation is active.

LVPD Press Release

LVPD Press Conference

Fairfax Stabbing

Monday morning, February 23 in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia, a man was cleaning snow off his car and came inside to see his wife’s father with a long curved blade. The father had killed his daughter, and stabbed his own wife and also attacked his son in law. Responding officers shot and killed the man with the knife. A 1 year old baby was unharmed. There were no prior calls for service for domestic disturbance, mental health or any other reason. Fairfax police indicated that the body camera footage will be released within 30 days.

Fairfax Press Release

Fairfax Press Conference

Picture of Weapon

Nick Reiner Trial

Nick Reiner appeared in court Monday, February 23. He pled not guilty to the charges related to the murder of his parents Rob and Michelle Reiner in December. He is being held without bail. He waived his right to a speedy trial and his next court date is April 29, 2026. After the hearing, the LA County DA spoke, saying that the case is eligible for the death penalty but that his office has not made that determination yet.

Full Hearing (go to 2:25 for the start)

Charlie Kirk Assassin Murder Trial

On Tuesday, February 24, the Utah judge overseeing the case against the accused killer of Charlie Kirk held a hearing. The defense had moved to have the entire prosecution team disqualified because the daughter of the attorney in the office was present when Kirk was assassinated. The defense argued that this constituted a conflict of interest and because he was involved in the charging decision, the entire prosecutor’s office should be disqualified. The judge evaluated the cases cited as legal precedent for disqualification and determined that the circumstances of this case are fundamentally different. He noted that the defense has the right to call the daughter if they feel her testimony would materially help their case.

Full Hearing

New Mexico Deputy Killed

In New Mexico, Sgt. Michael Schlattman of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department was killed in the line of duty on Tuesday February 26. While conducting a traffic stop, his vehicle was struck by a semi truck and he was pinned beneath the vehicle. The truck driver was transported to the hospital and released.

Full Press Conference

Full Press Release

Robert Carradine Death

Actor Robert Carradine passed away Monday, February 23. First appearing in Bonanza in 1971, Carradine also appeared in one episode of Kung Fu in 1972. He was the half brother of David Carradine, the star of Kung Fu. His most iconic role was Lewis in 1984’s Revenge of the Nerds. After a prolonged struggle with bipolar disorder, he took his own life. Robert Carradine was 71 years old.

Minneapolis Drug Ring

Wednesday, February 25, federal and local law enforcement announced the arrests of 12 people tied to the “family mob” gang. The FBI, DEA, Minneapolis police department and Hennepin county sheriff’s office worked together, including the deployment of 8 swat teams on Wednesday morning. The gang had operated in the area since the 1990’s, and Wednesday’s searches recovered 14 firearms, 6.5kg of fentanyl, 2kg cocaine, 5 vehicles and nearly $100k in cash.

Full Press Conference

Lunar Eclipse

In the early hours Tuesday March 3, the moon will experience a total lunar eclipse. At 6:04 AM EST, the earth will pass between the sun and the moon, turning the moon a coppery red color. Because the atmosphere bends light, if you live on the east coast of the United States, you’ll briefly be able to see both sunrise and moonset, all while the moon is in eclipse. Enjoy.

NASA Article

My Radar Weather X Post

Finance

Markets

Markets slumped this week. The Dow fell 648 points or about 1.3% and closed at 48,977. The NASDAQ dropped 218 points, almost 1%, and finished the week at 22,668. The S&P 500 lost 31 points, ending at 6878. Gold futures rose $216, ending at a record $5,296 and outpacing the metal price by $18.

Sports

NCAAM

In College Basketball, Tuesday, February 24, UCF went 14 of 24 from 3 point range to beat 19th ranked BYU. Duke beat Notre Dame 100-56. Wednesday the Florida Gators traveled to Austin Texas where they beat the longhorns 84-71. Friday night, Miami of Ohio got the ball with 12.7 seconds in a tie game at western Michigan. Trey Perry was able to roll a buzzer beating layup in for a 69-67 win. The Redhawks are now 29-0 with two games remaining in the regular season. Saturday saw 16th ranked Texas Tech beat 4th ranked Iowa State 82-73. Number 17 Alabama went to Knoxville and edged the 22nd ranked Volunteers 71-69. Top ranked Duke handled UVA 77-51 and unranked St. Mary’s beat 9th ranked Gonzaga 70-59. Finally, the defending national champion Florida Gators put on an absolute clinic in a 111-77 win over 20th ranked Arkansas. The Gators have won 9 in a row and can lock up a regular season SEC title Tuesday at home against Mississippi state. They’ll finish the regular season Saturday at Kentucky.