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Leavitt blames 'left-wing cult of hatred' after WHCA Dinner shooting

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:18:29 -0400

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, delaying her maternity leave after Saturday's shooting at the White House Correspondents Association Dinner, praised the "fearless" leadership of President Donald Trump, blaming a "left-wing cult of hatred" for political violence.

"Those who constantly falsely label and slander the president as a fascist, as a threat to democracy, and compare him to Hitler to score political points, are fueling this kind of violence," Leavitt told reporters Monday at the White House.

"The left-wing cult of hatred against the president and all of those who support him and work for him has gotten multiple people hurt and killed, and it almost did so again this weekend."

Leavitt said the White House had expected to spend the evening discussing "speech and the First Amendment" with reporters before, but "the night was hijacked by a crazed anti-Trump individual who traveled across the country to assassinate the president and as many administration officials as possible."

FORMER SECRET SERVICE OFFICIALS WARN OF LOW-TECH THREATS FACING TRUMP AFTER LATEST MAR-A-LAGO BREACH

Leavitt thanked law enforcement and the Secret Service for rushing into action, singling out an agent who she said was struck in the chest but saved by a bulletproof vest.

She said Trump, after returning to the Oval Office, wanted to check on that agent personally and had tried to remain at the event Saturday night even after shots were fired.

Leavitt, seated next to Trump and first lady Melania Trump when the gunfire erupted, described the president as "calm amid the chaos."

BESSENT BLAMES LEFT'S POLITICAL 'VENOM' FOR VIOLENCE AFTER DEADLY MAR-A-LAGO INCIDENT

"President Trump is fearless because he loves this country, and he is willing to put his own life on the line to deliver on the promises that he made to the American public," she said.

"And while we are blessed to have a fearless president, we should not live in a country where such constant fear of political violence permeates our society every single day. We can and we should have fierce disagreement in this country.

"As you all know, we disagree often – myself in this role and all of you in the news media – but those disagreements must remain peaceful.

"Debating, peaceful protesting and voting are how we need to settle disagreements, not bullets."

She repeatedly blamed Democrats, media figures and online commentators for what she called a years-long effort to demonize Trump and his supporters, saying such rhetoric had helped create a climate that inspires violence.

"Nobody in recent years has faced more bullets and more violence than President Trump," Leavitt said. "This political violence stems from a systemic demonization of him and his supporters by commentators, yes, by elected members of the Democrat Party and even some in the media.

WISCONSIN DEM'S BAR LAMENTS 'WE ALMOST GOT FREE BEER DAY' FOR TRUMP ASSASSINATION

"This hateful and constant and violent rhetoric directed at President Trump, day after day for 11 years, has helped to legitimize this violence and bring us to this dark moment."

Leavitt denounced the recent comment by ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel about the first lady having the "glow of an expectant widow," calling it "completely deranged."

TRUMP FACES UNPRECEDENTED THIRD ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Pressed by reporters on public fears about the president’s safety, Leavitt said Trump continues to trust the Secret Service and argued the security perimeter worked because the suspect was stopped before inflicting massive harm.

She added that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles would convene a meeting with Department of Homeland Security leaders, Secret Service officials and White House operations staff to review procedures and ensure Trump’s safety at future events.

Asked why she returned to the podium instead of taking maternity leave, Leavitt said that serving as Trump’s spokeswoman is a "public service," and that the president’s determination after the shooting inspired the White House staff to "keep going and keep fighting every day."

Justice Department and FBI to counter online conspiracy theories that began spreading after the shooting.

Leavitt also used the briefing to press Congress to fund the Department of Homeland Security, calling the prolonged lapse a "national scandal." She warned that continued obstruction could place more strain on the Secret Service ahead of major events and the next presidential election.

Leavitt said the administration’s immediate focus was getting facts out quickly and relying on what she described as transparency from the

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"I hope and pray that this is the last time I speak to you, for some time, until after my maternity leave," Leavitt concluded at the end of a short briefing before the Justice Department's news conference announcing the charges for Saturday's shooting suspect.

DOJ cites White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting in push to drop lawsuit against ballroom

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:25:12 -0400

The Justice Department is pressing the leading opposition to President Donald Trump's $400 million privately funded ballroom project, calling on lawyers for the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) to drop their lawsuit.

"[Y]our lawsuit puts the lives of the president, his family, and his staff at grave risk," Brett Shumate, assistant attorney general in DOJ's Civil Division, wrote in a Sunday letter to opposing counsel, shared on X by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.

"Enough is enough," Shumate continued. "Your client should voluntarily dismiss this frivolous lawsuit today in light of last night's assassination attempt on President Trump."

Shumate vowed that if the NTHP did not move to dismiss by 9 a.m. Monday, he would move to dissolve the injunction against the ballroom's construction and to dismiss the case.

WALZ REPEATS DEBUNKED CLAIM THAT TRUMP CONSIDERS WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM 'TOP PRIORITY'

"It’s time to build the ballroom," Blanche agreed, in his X post, echoing Trump's words during the impromptu White House briefing after dodging his third assassination attempt by a gunman who rushed the White House Correspondents Association Dinner on Saturday night.

"The shooter targeted President Trump at the Washington Hilton, the only ballroom in Washington, D.C., suitable to host large gatherings for the President, where another shooter targeted President Reagan 45 years ago," Shumate noted in his letter to Greg B. Craig of Foley Hoag LLP, pointing to the historical context of former President Ronald Reagan's near-assassination at the same location.

"As history proves, that venue is demonstrably unsafe for the President of the United States because its size presents extraordinary security challenges for the Secret Service.

"[Saturday’s] assassination attempt on President Trump proves, yet again, that the White House ballroom is essential for the safety and security of the President, his family, his cabinet, and his staff."

CHECKS AND BALANCES: TRUMP, SUPPORTERS SEEK TO PUSH BACK AGAINST 'ACTIVIST' JUDGES

"I hope [Saturday’s] narrow miss will help you finally realize that filing a lawsuit that literally serves no purpose except to stop President Trump no matter the cost," Shumate wrote.

National Trust President and CEO Carol Quillen issued a response to Shumate's letter on Monday.

"We’re grateful to the Secret Service and DC law enforcement officers for keeping the President and all guests safe at this weekend’s White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. We are not planning to voluntarily dismiss our lawsuit, which endangers no one and which respectfully asks the Administration to follow the law," Quillen said. "Ballroom construction is continuing unabated until June 5th at the earliest because the injunction is on hold. We have always acknowledged the utility of a larger meeting space at the White House. Building it lawfully requires the approval of Congress, which the Administration could seek at any time."

WHITE HOUSE TOUTS TRUMP’S ‘BOLD VISION’ FOR TOWERING INDEPENDENCE ARCH FOR AMERICA 250

The NTHP sued the National Park Service in December, a week after the White House finished demolishing the East Wing for a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom.

The group claimed Trump exceeded his authority when he demolished the East Wing — built in 1902 during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency and expanded in 1942 — arguing the president needed congressional authorization to do so.

Trump has said the president has historically had say over the White House remodeling, and has long noted that Congress does not have to pay for the privately funded project.

A lower court had issued a March 31 injunction to halt ballroom construction, but it also paused that injunction to allow for an appeal.

The White House argued the obstruction left the White House "open and exposed," threatening security for the building, the president and his family and staff.

TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING SURVIVORS TURN ATTACK INTO MOTIVATION YEAR LATER: ‘GO OUT THERE AND LIVE LIFE’

"When the White House ballroom is complete, President Trump and his successors will no longer need to venture beyond the safety of the White House perimeter to attend large gatherings at the Washington Hilton ballroom," Shumate wrote.

Forcing the president and Cabinet to attend events outside the White House grounds is too dangerous in this political climate, Trump himself argued Sunday night on CBS' "60 Minutes."

"I'm building a safe ballroom," Trump said. "And one of the reasons I'm building it is exactly what happened last night.

DHS LOOKS TO DEMOLISH HISTORIC ST. ELIZABETHS BUILDINGS DUE TO 'UNACCEPTABLE' RISKS

"This is exactly why the military, and this is exactly why Secret Service and all law enforcement want it. Because you have maybe 1,000 hotel rooms above the ballroom we were in [Saturday] night. And I'm not knocking it. I'm just saying in terms of maximum security – it's not the best thing. You can do it, but you can have problems like this."

The obstruction by lawsuits is potentially delaying the project, Trump added.

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"I wish it could be even sooner," Trump said. "We're months ahead of schedule, but it doesn't open till '28."

Virginia GOP, Dems battle it out over redistricting before state Supreme Court

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:14:03 -0400

The Virginia Supreme Court heard arguments Monday on a Republican challenge to a congressional redistricting plan approved by voters last week that could help Democrats win as many as four additional U.S. House seats and turn a 6-5 delegate edge to 10-1.

"The proposed amendment is invalid for several reasons, any one of which is sufficient to invalidate the proposed amendment and require invalidation of the vote," Thomas McCarthy, lawyer for the Republican challenge, concluded in the hour-long hearing on Monday.

The Republicans contend that the Democrat-led General Assembly violated procedural requirements by placing a constitutional amendment before voters to authorize mid-decade redistricting. If the court agrees that lawmakers broke the rules, it could invalidate the amendment and render last week’s statewide vote meaningless.

"It's often said ours is a government of laws, not of men," McCarthy continued. "Sadly, that's not the case if a bare partisan majority can circumvent the constitutional amendment process and undermine the rights of the people in whom all government power ultimately rests – also, that partisan majority can transform our system from a nonpartisan one where the voters elected representatives into a partisan one where the representatives select their voters."

GOP FRACTURES OVER VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING MAP HANDING DEMOCRATS 10-1 EDGE

"We ask that the court enforce the constitutional amendment process by affirming the decision below, declaring the proposed amendment invalid and enjoin certification of the election," he added.

Lawyers for Democratic legislative leaders urged the Virginia Supreme Court to uphold the amendment and clear the way for the new map, arguing voters and lawmakers followed every step required by the state Constitution. In rebuttal, attorney Matthew Seligman said, "The people did, in fact, validly ratify the proposed amendment last Tuesday," and argued challengers were trying to undo a democratic process that had already been completed through legislative approval and a statewide vote.

Notably, the justices acknowledged the courts in Virginia only permitted the vote to be held amid the legal challenge.

DEMOCRATS' CHAIR VOWS TO FIGHT 'TOOTH AND NAIL' TO STOP TRUMP, REPUBLICANS, IN REDISTRICTING BATTLE

Seligman also argued to the justices the challengers’ case depended on reading limits into the Constitution that are not actually there. He argued the General Assembly controls its own procedures, that nothing in the Constitution barred lawmakers from acting as they did in special session, and that the legal meaning of "election" supports the state’s position that the amendment was passed before the relevant November election.

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He closed by saying that federal law and court precedent back the view that Election Day is a single day in November, defeating the challengers’ argument.

The Virginia court proceedings mark the latest twist in a national redistricting battle between Republicans and Democrats seeking an advantage in a November election that will determine whether Republicans maintain their narrow majority in the House.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Mamdani vetoes first bill in sign of tensions with NYC council

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:27:30 -0400

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued his first veto Friday, halting City Council bill Int. 175-B that would have forced the NYPD to publicize plans for handling protests near schools and other educational facilities.

It is the latest sign of Mamdani's growing clash with Council leadership, deepening an early power struggle with Council Speaker Julie Menin over policing, public safety and free speech.

"The problem is how widely this bill defines an educational institution and the constitutional concerns it raises regarding New Yorkers’ fundamental right to protest," Mamdani wrote in a statement. "As the bill is written, everywhere from universities to museums to teaching hospitals could face restrictions."

"This could impact workers protesting ICE, or college students demanding their school divest from fossil fuels or demonstrating in support of Palestinian rights," he continued.

ISRAELI COMEDIAN DROPS OUT OF PASSOVER EVENT AFTER LEARNING OF MAMDANI'S ATTENDANCE

"Int. 175-B is not a narrow public safety measure; it is a piece of legislation that has alarmed much of the labor movement, reproductive rights groups, and immigration advocates, among others, across this City. Nearly a dozen unions have raised the alarm about its impact on their ability to organize," the mayor added.

Menin is going to work to whip up votes to override Mamdani on the bill, which finished just four votes shy of being veto-proof, passing last month 30-19.

"Ensuring students can enter and exit their schools without fear of harassment or intimidation should not be controversial," Menin wrote in a statement. "This bill simply requires the NYPD to clearly outline how it will ensure safe access when there are threats of obstruction or physical injury, while fully protecting First Amendment rights."

HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEMAND TRUMP ADMIN DENY MAMDANI FEDERAL SECURITY CLEARANCE

The bill, sponsored by Councilman Eric Dinowitz, would have required police to submit a protest-response plan to the mayor and speaker and post it online. It also would have required the police commissioner to provide a public point of contact for any effort to manage demonstrations near educational sites.

Dinowitz pushed back on claims that the bill threatened free speech.

"Should students be harassed on the way to school? I think the answer is no," he told The New York Times.

MAMDANI RIPPED BY RIVALS FOR UNPOPULAR STANCE DURING FIERY NYC DEBATE: 'YOU WON'T SUPPORT ISRAEL'

Opponents on the left said the measure would expand protest policing and chill protected speech.

The fight also exposed one of the biggest political fault lines at City Hall: how to respond to protests tied to Israel and the war in Gaza. The issue gained momentum after a heated protest outside a Manhattan synagogue last fall, where some demonstrators shouted, "Death to the IDF," and, "Globalize the intifada."

"Sending the message to New Yorkers that we have something to worry about with regard to protest by or near schools, libraries, teaching hospitals is absolutely the wrong message for these times, especially when the Trump regime is coming at protest with a sledgehammer," New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman told the Times.

Jewish groups, including UJA-Federation of New York, blasted the veto, rebuking the "profound failure of City Hall to demonstrate to all New Yorkers that our safety is a priority."

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"At a time when Jewish and other communities across our city are facing heightened threats, this legislation represented a crucial step toward ensuring that every school and community institution can be better protected," the group wrote in a statement.

Mamdani and Menin — the city's first Jewish speaker — had shown signs this week of trying to cool things down, including a Thursday dinner to discuss the pending veto and other issues, the Times reported. Friday’s decision suggested the détente may not last.

North Dakota state rep, pilot killed in plane crash

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:23:53 -0400

A North Dakota state representative and the pilot of a small plane were killed after they crashed shortly after takeoff Saturday near Crystal Airport in a Minneapolis suburb.

Rep. Liz Conmy, D-Fargo, was identified as one of the two people killed when the Beech F33A went down in Brooklyn Park, Minn., and caught fire.

"Liz served her state and community with care and compassion, from her service in the Legislature and on the state’s Human Trafficking Commission to her work on education, habitat and immigration," North Dakota GOP Gov. Kelly Armstrong wrote in a statement. "Kjersti and I are saddened by this tragic loss and offer our deepest condolences to her family, friends and fellow legislators. We ask North Dakotans to join us in keeping them in our prayers."

Armstrong directed all U.S. and North Dakota flags to be flown at half-staff from dawn to dusk on the day of Conmy’s interment, encouraging North Dakotans to do the same at their homes and businesses.

DC PLANE CRASH: VICTIM'S FAMILY SEEKS $250 MILLION IN FIRST LEGAL ACTION SINCE DEADLY COLLISION

"I am heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rep. Conmy, a dear friend and former colleague with whom I had the privilege of serving in the state House," Lt. GOP Gov. Michelle Strinden wrote in a statement. "Liz brought integrity, compassion and unwavering dedication to her work on the Education and Judiciary committees, and I was proud to partner with her on efforts to strengthen our schools. My thoughts are with her family and all who knew and loved her."

The Federal Aviation Administration said two people were aboard, but the pilot was not immediately publicly identified.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate, Fox 9 reported.

WHO ARE THE SHOOTING VICTIMS IN THE 'TARGETED' ATTACKS AGAINST MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS?

"We are completely heartbroken and gutted by the loss of Representative Liz Conmy," the North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party wrote Saturday on X.

"Her death is a profound loss for our state. As a lawmaker, she championed public education, the environment, and transparency."

Brooklyn Park Police Inspector Matt Rabe said officers were called at 11:51 a.m. to a report of a small plane crash in a park area. Emergency crews found the aircraft engulfed in flames after it crashed shortly after departing from Crystal Airport, north of Minneapolis. The Brooklyn Park Fire Department arrived within minutes and extinguished the fire, but there were no survivors.

Neighbors near the crash site described hearing a loud explosion and seeing flames shoot up from the wreckage.

"I was in the house, in my bedroom, and my daughter was eating cereal at the kitchen table, and there was a really loud boom," Ashley Capp, who lives across the street, told FOX 9.

Another neighbor, Kim Clark, said the scene unfolded quickly.

"We look across the street, and it was a huge flame, huge fire," Clark told the station. "Everybody started calling 911."

State Sen. Tim Mathern, who described Conmy as a friend and former running mate, said she brought "a zest for life and a strong work ethic" and would be missed by Democrats and Republicans alike.

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The crash was the second deadly plane crash in Brooklyn Park in more than a year, according to FOX 9.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Wisconsin Dem's bar laments 'we almost got free beer day' for Trump assassination

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 13:29:16 -0400

A Wisconsin brewery and taproom known for promising "free beer" when President Donald Trump dies is drawing renewed scrutiny for posting on Facebook "we almost got #freebeerday."

The Minocqua Brewing Company is owned by Wisconsin Democrat Kirk Bangstad, a former state Assembly candidate who has repeatedly used the brewery’s brand to attack Trump and Republicans. The brewery's social media lamented Saturday night's foiled attack at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

"Well, we almost got #freebeerday," the company's post read, although 91�� could not immediately identify the poster's tie to the owner. "Either a brother or sister in the Resistance needs to work on their marksmanship or he faked another assassination to get a positive news cycle. We’ll never know."

"Regardless, we stand at the ready to pour free beer the day it happens," the post concluded.

IDAHO BAR OWNER FACES DEATH THREATS AFTER VIRAL PROMO OFFERING FREE BEER FOR ASSISTING ICE

Bangstad was the Democrat nominee for Wisconsin’s 34th Assembly District in 2020, according to Ballotpedia, but lost the general election.

Minocqua Brewing sells politically themed merchandise, including shirts saying, "I wish it was free beer day," and pitches its progressive brand that pairs beer with activism and "snarky progressive merch."

91�� Digital previously reported on the brewery’s "free beer day" vow. In January, 91�� highlighted a Minocqua Brewing message offering "free beer, all day long, the day he dies," and noted Bangstad’s comment that he would welcome people to celebrate Trump’s "impending death" with one caveat: "no red hats allowed."

91�� also identified Bangstad as the founder of the Minocqua Brewing Company super PAC, which targets Trump and Republicans. Also, Bangstad once sued to keep Trump off the Wisconsin ballots before the 2024 presidential election.

DONALD TRUMP JR. WARNS POLITICAL VIOLENCE IS 'NOT GOING BOTH WAYS' AS HE MOURNS CHARLIE KIRK'S DEATH

The fresh backlash followed Saturday night’s security scare at the WHCA dinner in Washington, where Trump and first lady Melania Trump were evacuated after shots were fired outside the ballroom.

91�� reached out Sunday to Bangstad, the brewery and the Wisconsin Democratic Party.

In a January statement to 91��, Bangstad welcomed the celebration of the "impending death" of Trump.

Bangstad and Minocqua Brewing have drawn repeated scrutiny beyond their anti-Trump messaging. Wisconsin Public Radio reported Bangstad was charged last year in a harassment case tied to a dispute with a local newspaper publisher, and Wisconsin newspaper reporting said he later entered a no-contest plea in a disorderly conduct case and was found guilty earlier this month.

JB PRITZKER CONDEMNS POLITICAL VIOLENCE AFTER CHARLIE KIRK'S DEATH, SAYS TRUMP'S RHETORIC 'OFTEN FOMENTS IT'

Trump-backed House candidate Michael Alfonso called out the normalization of Bangstad's rhetoric in the state.

"This brewery is owned by a man named Kirk Bangstad, and he’s not just some random crazy guy," Alfonso posted on X. "Kirk is friends with current Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Francesca Hong. He previously employed Rebecca Cooke, the Democrat currently running against Derrick Van Orden, and was himself the Democratic nominee against my father-in-law, Sean Duffy, in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District—where I am now running for office."

TRUMP RALLY GUNMAN ACTED ALONE, FBI SAYS — BUT QUESTIONS ABOUT MOTIVE PERSIST

Wisconsin Republicans and the Republican National Committee are calling out the ties to Bangstad.

"Wisconsin Democrats are so sick in the head that an attempted murder is funny to them," RNC spokeswoman Delanie Bomar told 91�� Digital on Sunday morning.

"All Wisconsin Democrats, including Rebecca Cooke, must immediately condemn this disgusting behavior."

Amid the criticism, both Cooke and Hong's campaign responded to 91��' request for comments, but did so without mentioning ties to Bangstad by name.

PENTAGON CALLS CHARLIE KIRK POSTS ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISM’; DEM WARNS DISCIPLINE IS ‘UN-AMERICAN’

"This rhetoric is dangerous and unacceptable – showcasing just how broken our political system is," Cooke told 91�� via email from her campaign manager. "I denounce all forms of political violence.

"We need to bring the temperature down, stop pitting working folks against each other, and come together to solve the very serious problems facing our communities."

Still, the National Republican Congressional Committee called on Cooke to call out her former employer "by name."

"Rebecca Cooke needs to stop hiding and immediately denounce her former employer, Kirk Bangstad’s dangerous and unhinged comments," NRCC spokesman Zach Bannon told 91�� in a statement Sunday afternoon.

TRUMP FACES UNPRECEDENTED THIRD ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

"Cooke's previous employment by Bangstad makes her silence even more unacceptable. Voters deserve to know whether she stands with Wisconsinites who reject this rhetoric or with the same extremist voices pushing it.

"If Cooke wants to be taken seriously, she should condemn Bangstad by name, and do it now."

Hong also posted a lengthy response in multiple X posts after being reached by 91�� on Sunday, but also did not mention Bangstad by name.

When asked about comments specifically mentioning the brewery or its owner, Becky Cooper, Hong's campaign manager pointed back to the X posts.

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"That would fall under the ‘becoming numb’ portion," Cooper wrote to 91�� via email. "[Minocqua Brewing Company’s] tweet is intentionally inflammatory and a symptom of the normalization of political violence."

91��' Lindsay Kornick contributed to this story.

Trump faces unprecedented third assassination attempt

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:42:36 -0400

President Donald Trump infamously acknowledges he is choosing the world's most "dangerous profession," but surviving a third unprecedented assassination attempt — including one where he was shot in the ear — is only hardening his resolve.

"I've studied assassinations, and I must tell you, the most impactful people, the people that do the most" are the targets, Trump said in a Saturday night White House press briefing after an alleged would-be assassin was stopped by the U.S. Secret Service at the Washington Hilton, the notorious site of former President Ronald Reagan's shooting in 1981.

"You take a look at the people, Abraham Lincoln, I mean, you go through the people that have gone through this where they got them, but the people that do the most, the people that make the biggest impact, they're the ones that they go after.

"They don't go after the ones that don't do much because they like it that way."

TRUMP STANDS 'STRONGER THAN EVER' ONE YEAR AFTER SURVIVING PENNSYLVANIA ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, STAFFERS SAY

In Trump's case, three thwarted assassinations are part of his presidential lore, facing a string of shootings, plots and major security breaches unlike anything in history.

Trump cautiously admitted, "I hate to say I'm honored by that," but noted that "the big names" and the big movers are the targets.

Saturday night’s chaos at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington added a new entry to a list already defined by gunfire in Butler, Pa. (July 13, 2024), an armed suspect at his Florida golf club (Sept. 15, 2024) and the Secret Service's discovery of a sniper's nest in eyeshot of where Air Force One lands at Palm Beach International in Florida.

SCRUTINY INTENSIFIES OVER SECURITY LAPSES SURROUNDING THE CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTING

Trump hailed the unity at the WHCA dinner in a room of some of his fiercest critics in the media, urging Americans to unify in divided political times.

COREY COMPERATORE'S WIDOW SHEDS NEW LIGHT ON FINAL MOMENTS WITH HER HUSBAND

"In light of this evening's events, I asked that all Americans recommit with their hearts and resolving our differences peacefully," Trump said. "We have to resolve our differences."

"I will say you had Republicans, Democrats, Independents, conservatives, liberals and progressives — those words are interchangeable, perhaps, but maybe they're not — but yet everybody in that room, big crowd, record-setting crowd. There was a record-setting group of people, and there was a tremendous amount of love and coming together," Trump continued.

TRUMP SAYS HE WON NEW FANS AFTER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: 'SOMETHING HAPPENED WHEN I GOT SHOT'

"I watched, and I was very, very impressed by that."

Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed from the Washington Hilton after shots were fired outside the ballroom, where the president had been scheduled to speak.

Authorities said one officer was shot but protected by a ballistic vest, and the suspect, Cole Tomas Allen of California, was taken into custody before breaching the room.

HAWLEY URGES DHS SECRETARY NOEM TO DECLASSIFY ALL TRUMP BUTLER RALLY ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT DOCUMENTS

The three men at the center of the most serious known threats are now Thomas Matthew Crooks (Butler suspect, deceased), Ryan Wesley Routh (Palm Beach suspect, sentenced to life) and now Allen (arrested and charged Saturday night).

Crooks, 20, opened fire at the July 13, 2024, campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The FBI identified Crooks as the shooter after he hit Trump in the right ear and killed rallygoer Corey Comperatore before being shot dead by a Secret Service countersniper.

Routh, 59, received a life sentence for his attempt at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach in September 2024. Prosecutors said Secret Service agents spotted him with a rifle near the course while Trump was playing, prompting an agent to open fire before Routh could get a shot off.

TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AFTERMATH, REACTIONS FROM INNER CIRCLE REVEALED IN NEW BOOK

Allen, identified in Saturday night’s Washington incident, is the newest name on that list. Authorities have announced firearms and assault-related charges.

Law enforcement at a Saturday night news conference said Allen was armed with multiple weapons and allegedly fired during a rush at a security perimeter near the dinner, striking a Secret Service agent in his bulletproof vest before being "tackled" to the ground without taking a bullet from the Secret Service.

"One officer was shot, but saved by the fact that he was wearing an obviously a very good bulletproof vest," Trump told reporters, many still in their tuxedos, having left the canceled WHCA dinner, too. "He was shot from very close distance with a very powerful gun, and the vest did the job. I just spoke to the officer and he's doing great. He's great shape. He's very high spirits, and we told him we love him and respect him."

RYAN ROUTH TRIAL CONTINUES AFTER AGENT TESTIFIES SUSPECT AIMED RIFLE AT HIM ON TRUMP’S GOLF COURSE

Taken together, the three cases underscore how Trump’s security profile has changed from unusually fraught to historically extraordinary. One attempt drew blood on a campaign stage, another ended in a life sentence after a rifle ambush at a golf course, and the latest forced a presidential evacuation from one of Washington’s highest-profile public events.

US JUDGE ORDERS SUSPECT DETAINED FOR THREATENING TO KILL RICHARD GRENELL

Trump signaled Saturday night that he does not plan to retreat from public appearances despite the repeated threats.

"The response time was really incredible, and we're going to reschedule," Trump said. "We're going to do it again."

"We're not going to let anybody take over our society," he added. "We're not going to cancel things out because we can't do that. We wanted to stay tonight."

TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: SECRET SERVICE ACTING DIRECTOR REVEALS 'NUMEROUS CHANGES' AGENCY HAS IMPLEMENTED

Other thwarted plots and security scares

Beyond the three highest-profile cases, Trump has faced a broader pattern of violent threats and close calls dating back to his first campaign.

TRUMP RESPONDS TO CRITICS WITH COUNTERPUNCHES ACROSS POLITICS AND ONGOING CULTURE WARS

In June 2016, Michael Steven Sandford, a British national, allegedly tried to grab a police officer’s gun at a Trump rally in Las Vegas and later told investigators he intended to kill Trump, according to court records and contemporaneous reporting.

In March 2016, Thomas Dimassimo rushed onto the stage at a Dayton, Ohio, rally before Secret Service agents tackled him.

And in November 2016, Trump was briefly rushed offstage in Reno, Nevada, after someone in the crowd shouted "gun," though authorities later said the man detained was unarmed.

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Public reporting has also documented later threats not carried out at Trump’s immediate location, including a 2020 ricin letter case; a 2024 murder-for-hire plot tied to Iran; a 2017 North Dakota incident in which a man stole a forklift and aimed it toward the presidential motorcade; and a February 2026 confrontation at Mar-a-Lago in which Secret Service fatally shot a 21-year-old who was armed with a shotgun and gas canister while Trump was in Washington.

Wyoming court blocks fetal heartbeat abortion law

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 08:27:49 -0400

A Wyoming judge temporarily blocked the state’s newest abortion limit, halting enforcement of a law that prohibits most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, generally around six weeks of pregnancy.

Natrona County District Judge Dan Forgey on Friday granted temporary injunctive relief against the Human Heartbeat Act while the case plays out in court.

The plaintiffs "made a sufficient showing of irreparable injury," Forgey wrote, adding that "the state defendants did not persuasively argue otherwise."

He also said the plaintiffs had made "a sufficient showing of probable success" under Article 1, Section 38 of the Wyoming Constitution, which protects individuals’ rights to make their own healthcare decisions.

VERMONT ACCUSED IN LAWSUIT OF TRACKING PREGNANT WOMEN CONSIDERED UNSUITABLE TO BE MOTHERS

The ruling is the latest turn in Wyoming’s long-running abortion fight and comes just months after the Wyoming Supreme Court struck down two earlier abortion restrictions, finding they violated the state constitution’s healthcare autonomy protections. That January decision reshaped the legal landscape in Wyoming and prompted lawmakers to try again with a narrower ban tied to the detection of fetal cardiac activity.

The law, passed during the Legislature’s 2026 session and signed by Republican Gov. Mark Gordon on March 9, took effect in March. It bars abortion beyond roughly the sixth week of pregnancy, once a fetal heartbeat is detected. The measure includes exceptions for medical emergencies that threaten a woman’s life or health, but not for pregnancies caused by rape or incest.

"Where the act does not align to my pro-life stance is in the concern for specific vulnerable populations," Gordon wrote in a letter to lawmakers Monday.

HOUSTON-AREA MIDWIFE ARRESTED FOR PROVIDING ILLEGAL ABORTIONS IN FIRST CRIMINAL CASE UNDER STATE BAN: TEXAS AG

It echoes his reservations and expected legal fight when signing the law in March.

"I resoundingly share the determination to defend the lives of unborn children and support the intentions behind the Human Heartbeat Act," he wrote in a statement. "Regrettably, this Act represents another well-intentioned but likely fragile legal effort with significant risk of ending in the courts rather than in lasting, durable policy. Rather than finding a remedy that saves the unborn, I fear we have only added another chapter to the sad saga of repeatedly trying to force a specific solution."

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Gordon's signing made Wyoming the fifth state to bar most abortions at that stage of pregnancy, along with Florida, Georgia, Iowa and South Carolina. Thirteen other states bar abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with some exceptions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Illegal immigrant Israel Flores Ortiz gets 360 days for groping girls at Fairfax County Va. High School

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:33:53 -0400

Israel Flores Ortiz, 18, an illegal alien, was sentenced to 360 days on Tuesday after being convicted for groping several female classmates in Fairfax High School hallways earlier this year.

With time served and the calculations for a misdemeanor, he has 135 days left in prison.

Judge Melinda Vanlowe delivered the sentence, calling it a "very difficult case," adding the actions were "targeted" and representing a "pattern" of "deplorable" behavior.

Fairfax County public defender Jamie Hospes asked Judge Vanlowe for a sentence of 9 days, calling the offenses just "butt-grabbing," adding, "sometimes we arrest people for that, sometimes we elect them to be president of the United States."

ILLEGAL ALIEN ALLEGED GROPING OF MINOR GIRLS AT HIGH SCHOOL BEING INVESTIGATED BY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Flores Ortiz wore a green prison jumpsuit and listened to the proceedings through an interpreter.

He read a statement in Spanish, saying he apologized to the girls he had grabbed and their families.

"I hurt them," he said, also apologizing to his own mother and father.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF EASTER KIDNAPPING, SEX ASSAULT IN COLLEGE TOWN; ICE RIPS SECOND ATTACK IN WEEKS

Flores Ortiz was charged as an adult, but he was tried in juvenile court because most of the victims were minors. He was convicted in nine cases, acquitted in three and had one charge dismissed. He had originally been accused of assaulting 13 female classmates, according to the Fairfax Police Department.

The case had heightened concerns among parents about student safety after years of former President Joe Biden's open borders policy.

Flores Ortiz, originally from El Salvador, is in the country illegally, having reportedly arrived in 2024.

TWICE-DEPORTED HONDURAN ACCUSED OF STABBING PASSENGER ON CHARLOTTE LIGHT RAIL FACES FEDERAL CHARGES

The defense asked the court to impose just nine days of incarceration, arguing Flores Ortiz’s age should weigh heavily in sentencing. Counsel said his "brain is physically not as developed" as that of a 25-year-old and argued his actions were not driven by sexual gratification.

Instead, the defense characterized the assaults as immature behavior, telling the court Flores Ortiz acted "for fun" and that "it was like a joke or prank."

"Only a teenager would think like that," counsel said.

TRUMP'S DHS SAYS BIDEN RELEASED 'BARBARIC' ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT NOW ACCUSED OF HEINOUS CRIME

After the hearing, an attorney representing one of the teenage victims rejected the political framing.

"This should not be politicized," the attorney said.

The defense said the defendant "is sorry" for his actions and "he agrees it was deplorable; he agrees it was a pattern."

ICE PRESSURES SPANBERGER AS FAIRFAX MURDER SUSPECTS TRIGGER NEW DETAINERS IN ‘SANCTUARY’ CLASH

Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano, who has been under fire for this case, as well as other high-profile crimes committed by illegal immigrants in Northern Virginia, spoke to the media after the sentencing. He called Fairfax County, "The safest large jurisdiction in the country."

Prosecutor Jenna Sands read from a letter written by one of the victims who said for her this was not about immigration, but about "a guy who made me feel unsafe."

"I want to back to being a normal kid," the victim added.

SEXUAL PREDATORS, DRUG TRAFFICKERS AMONG ICE'S 'WORST OF THE WORST' ROUNDUP IN VIRGINIA

The judge allowed Flores Ortiz and his attorney to remain seated during sentencing, then sharply rebuked him as she laid out the impact of the assaults and his conduct after being confronted by one of the victims.

Referring to the evidence, the judge said that on March 4, "one of the students actually confronted you," and made it "very clear it hurt her."

Despite that, the judge said, Flores Ortiz went on to assault another victim two days later.

BIDEN-ERA ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CONVICTED OF GROPING TEEN GIRLS AS CRITICS BLAST SOROS-BACKED PROSECUTOR

The judge said that for the victims, the offenses had "adjusted how they move through life," underscoring the lasting effect the assaults had on the students involved.

After serving his sentence, Flores Ortiz will be placed on two years of probation. The judge also ordered him to undergo a psychosexual evaluation and complete any treatment recommended as a result.

Addressing Flores Ortiz directly, the judge struck a more measured tone at the close of the hearing, telling him, "I absolutely believe in redemption" and, "this does not define you."

ICE ARRESTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH CHILD SEX CRIMES AFTER HIS RELEASE BY LOCAL POLICE DESPITE DETAINER

She added, "You can go on to do great things."

Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano told reporters after the hearing that he was "happy with the outcome," and said prosecutors "stand ready" if Flores Ortiz chooses to appeal.

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The case stems from a series of incidents in crowded school hallways that prosecutors said involved Flores Ortiz groping female students. The allegations sparked scrutiny in Fairfax County over school supervision and hallway safety.

Both Jake Gibson and Peter Pinedo reported from the courtroom.

NASA shuts off Voyager 1 instrument to save power 15B miles from Earth

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:11:26 -0400

NASA shut down one of Voyager 1’s science instruments to conserve dwindling power and keep the nearly 49-year-old spacecraft operating as it continues its journey through interstellar space more than 15 billion miles from Earth.

Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California sent commands Friday to turn off Voyager 1’s Low-Energy Charged Particles (LECP) experiment, a long-running instrument that has operated almost continuously since the spacecraft launched in 1977.

The move comes as the nuclear-powered probe loses about 4 watts of power each year, and mission managers work to stretch its remaining lifespan.

"While shutting down a science instrument is not anybody’s preference, it is the best option available," Kareem Badaruddin, Voyager mission manager at JPL, said in a statement. "Voyager 1 still has two remaining operating science instruments — one that listens to plasma waves and one that measures magnetic fields. They are still working great, sending back data from a region of space no other human-made craft has ever explored."

TRUMP SWINGS FOR MOON WITH NUCLEAR REACTOR PLANS AS CHINA, RUSSIA TEAM UP IN SPACE RACE

The shutdown underscores the increasingly delicate balancing act facing the Voyager team as both spacecraft age far beyond their original mission plans.

Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, are powered by radioisotope thermoelectric generators that convert heat from decaying plutonium into electricity. After nearly five decades in space, engineers have had to steadily power down heaters and instruments while making sure the spacecraft do not get so cold that key systems, including fuel lines, are put at risk.

"The team remains focused on keeping both Voyagers going for as long as possible," Badaruddin added.

SNUB OF MUSK'S NASA NOMINEE ALLY PRECEDED SUDDEN 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' CRITICISM, TRUMP FEUD

The pressure to act intensified after Voyager 1 experienced an unexpected drop in power during a routine roll maneuver Feb. 27, according to NASA.

Engineers feared that any further decline could trigger the spacecraft’s undervoltage fault protection system, which is designed to automatically shut down components to protect the probe. Recovering from such a fault can be lengthy and carries added risk, prompting the team to move before the spacecraft did it on its own.

The two Voyager probes remain the only spacecraft far enough from Earth to collect data on "detecting pressure fronts and regions of varying particle density in the space beyond our heliosphere," according to NASA.

IS THIS SPACE CAPSULE HOW WE WILL LIVE AND WORK IN ORBIT IN THE FUTURE?

"Engineers are confident that shutting down the LECP will give Voyager 1 about a year of breathing room," a NASA press release said. "They are using the time to finalize a more ambitious energy-saving fix for both Voyagers they call 'the Big Bang,' which is designed to further extend Voyager operations."

"The idea is to swap out a group of powered devices all at once — hence the nickname — turning some things off and replacing them with lower-power alternatives to keep the spacecraft warm enough to continue gathering science data," the release continued.

The decision to turn off LECP was not made suddenly. NASA said mission science and engineering teams had years ago agreed on the order in which spacecraft systems would be shut down as available power declined. Of the 10 original instrument sets carried by the twin probes, seven have now been switched off. Voyager 2’s LECP instrument was shut down in March 2025.

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Because Voyager 1 is now more than 15 billion miles from Earth, commands take roughly 23 hours to arrive. The shutdown sequence itself takes more than three hours to complete. One part of the LECP system — a small motor that rotates the sensor so it can scan in all directions — will remain powered because it uses only about half a watt. Engineers hope that could leave open the possibility of restarting the instrument in the future if more power becomes available.

Hegseth announces end to military flu vaccine requirement

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 10:33:10 -0400

War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the end of the Pentagon's long-running flu vaccine mandate for U.S. troops.

"The War Department is once again restoring freedom to our Joint Force," Hegseth announced in an X post, linking to a video statement of his signing the new policy. "We are discarding the mandatory flu vaccine requirement, effective immediately."

Hegseth said service members would no longer be forced to take the annual flu shot, and instead could decide for themselves whether it was in their best interest, casting the move as part of a broader rollback of what he called overly aggressive medical mandates imposed under the Biden administration.

"Our new policy is simple," Hegseth said. "If you, an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation, believe that the flu vaccine is in your best interest, then you are free to take it, you should."

HEGSETH VOWS TO REBUILD MILITARY DETERRENCE SO ENEMIES 'DON'T WANT TO F--- WITH US'

"But we will not force you."

The announcement appears to go further than a Pentagon policy shift disclosed last fall, when an internal memo showed the department had already begun scaling back the flu shot requirement, at least for some troops.

Hegseth framed the change as a matter of personal liberty, religious freedom and military readiness. In the video, he accused the Biden administration of forcing troops to choose "between their conscience and their country" and said that period was over under President Donald Trump.

DAVID MARCUS: IN TRUMP'S DEPARTMENT OF WAR, IT'S SOLDIERS — NOT EXPERTS — CALLING THE SHOTS

"In this case, this includes the universal flu vaccine and the mandate behind it," Hegseth said. "The notion that a flu vaccine must be mandatory for every service member everywhere in every circumstance at all times is just overly broad and not rational."

The Pentagon had required annual flu vaccinations across the force for years, arguing that widespread immunization helped protect readiness, especially in close-quarter military settings where illness can spread quickly. A memo obtained by The Associated Press and reported in September 2025 showed the department had already softened that stance.

That memo, signed May 29 by Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, said reservists would only be required to get the flu shot if they were on active duty for 30 days or more. It also said the military would no longer pay for reservists or National Guard members to get vaccinated on their own time.

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At the time, the policy change was not publicly announced, and the memo itself sent mixed signals. While it said the department would require seasonal flu vaccination "only when doing so most directly contributes to readiness," it also appeared to leave the annual requirement in place for active-duty service members.

Hegseth’s new announcement suggests the administration is now moving beyond those limited exemptions and ending the universal mandate altogether.

The move fits into a broader Trump administration effort to revisit military vaccine policy, particularly after the bitter fight over the COVID-19 vaccine. Hegseth explicitly linked the flu shot decision to that earlier controversy, saying, "You know what I’m talking about, what happened [with] COVID-19 and the vaccine. No more."

HEGSETH SHREDS SOVIET-STYLE BUREAUCRACY AND 'FIVE-YEAR PLANS' GOVERNING PENTAGON

"That era of betrayal is over," Hegseth declared.

The administration has already offered back pay to service members discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine under Biden, and has encouraged them to return to uniform.

Hegseth made clear the administration intends for the change to be a sharp break from past policy.

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"Your body, your faith, and your convictions are not negotiable," he said. "It’s common sense."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Hiker identified, popular trail closed after deadly fall at Utah's Zion National Park

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 09:31:48 -0400

A Texas man who died after falling from one of Zion National Park’s most famous and challenging trails was identified as Gilberto Ramos, 68, of Laredo, the National Park Service announced Monday.

The fatal fall happened Friday, April 17, at about 2 p.m. local time in Utah, when park officials received reports that a hiker had fallen from the chained section of the Angels Landing trail, a steep and heavily visited route known for its narrow ridge line and sheer dropoffs.

Park rangers and local law enforcement responded to the scene and later located Ramos on the north side of Angels Landing in Zion Canyon near Big Bend, according to officials. Recovery operations were completed Friday evening, and his remains were transferred to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner.

FAMILY'S SPRING BREAK HIKE TURNS INTO LIFE-OR-DEATH RESCUE AFTER PARENT FALLS 70 FEET OFF UTAH CLIFF

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the state medical examiner publicly identified Ramos on Monday.

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, officials temporarily closed the West Rim Trail, including Scout Lookout and Angels Landing, during response and recovery efforts.

HIKER DIES NEAR SUMMIT OF NEW YORK'S TALLEST PEAK AFTER SLIPPING OFF TRAIL

The National Park Service (NPS) and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fall.

Angels Landing is closed from April 20 through April 23 for trail maintenance, according to NPS. No permits will be issued during those dates. The park said the day-before lottery will reopen April 23 for hikes scheduled April 24.

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While Angels Landing is closed, the broader West Rim Trail is currently open.

Trump urges Virginia voters to reject 'blatant partisan power grab' by Democrats

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 07:50:24 -0400

President Donald Trump is urging Virginians going to the polls Tuesday to reject a redistricting ballot measure that could hand Democrats as many as four House seats in November, a large haul with House Republicans hanging onto a slim majority.

"This referendum is a blatant partisan power grab that nobody’s really ever seen anything like it," Trump told a telerally call with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Monday night, The Hill reported.

Just say "no" to Democrat Gov. Abigail Spanberger's push, he added.

"It’s the liberal extremist Gov. Abigail Spanberger, too bad, and the far-left Democrats in Richmond after Spanberger promised Virginia voters that she would never do this," he told the call. "And if it passes, Virginia Democrats will eliminate four out of five congressional seats, so you’re going to get just wiped out in terms of representation in Washington.

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"That’s what it’s all about. Please get out and vote and vote no. It’s very simple," the president added. "Just vote no."

Virginia has moved to push through a new map before the 2026 midterms, something that would not otherwise happen before the 2030 census.

Democrats currently hold six of the 11 House seats in Virginia, a state that narrowly went for former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, but the new map would hand the Democrats a huge 10-1 advantage.

SPANBERGER ONCE BLASTED GERRYMANDERING AND NOW BACKS AMENDMENT CRITICS SAY COULD ERASE VIRGINIA GOP

Among the nearly 6 million registered voters in the state of Virginia, Democrats do have an edge, but not one that wide. The state is majority Democrat (51.24%), but Republicans (30.56%) and independents (18.2%) are both well represented, according to Independent Voter Project data.

"We have to stand up for fair maps and we have to vote no," Johnson told the call.

"As your speaker of the House, I see firsthand every single day how all five of those members are leading the fight on things like lowering costs and securing our borders and making Virginia and America great again," he said. "And we need to return all five of them to Congress this November."

GOP-LED COUNTIES PUSH BACK AGAINST DEMOCRAT'S REDISTRICTING CHARGE, TESTING VIRGINIA’S CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS

Johnson was referring to the vulnerable seats of Virginia GOP Reps. Rob Wittman, Jen Kiggans, John McGuire, Ben Cline and Morgan Griffith.

The new map would leave only Griffith's 9th Congressional District with a Republican edge, but it would pit him against Cline in a difficult primary. Kiggans' seat would remain a swing district, but one trending further into the favor of Democrats.

"They definitely want to turn us into New England," Cline told the Ruthless Podcast last week. "Massachusetts used to have Republican members of Congress, a much more balanced delegation. Now it’s 9-0. But Republicans vote, what, 40% of the population there. They do it in Illinois. Most of the states where they control, they’re trying to just draw Republicans completely out."

SCHWARZENEGGER PUSHING BACK BACK AGAINST NEWSOM REDISTRICTING BID IN CALIFORNIA

It is not just about gaining House seats either. The map difficulty moves future candidates further left even on the right, according to Cline.

"Their goal is the long game," Cline added. "It is the short game of the next election, but it’s also the long game of trying to turn rural Virginia into either a non-impact on politics or convert. You either assimilate or you’re destroyed."

Griffith is planning a legal challenge on the structure of Tuesday's special election ballot question for its "compactness, other arguments about the process, and the question on the ballot," he told WJHL.

"These maps are horrible, and they do not work for good government, or good representation by any of the congressmen or women of Virginia," he added.

JD VANCE CALLS ON REPUBLICANS TO TAKE 'DECISIVE ACTION' TO COUNTER DEMOCRATIC GERRYMANDERING

Notably, the ballot asks a generic question about a desire to "restore fairness," suggesting the previously democratically approved map might be unfair.

"Question: Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections, while ensuring Virginia's standard redistricting process resumes for all future redistricting after the 2030 census?"

Former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, is calling out the disenfranchisement of voters in the state.

"It's a measure to silence and disenfranchize the voices of millions of Virginians," he told "Fox & Friends" on Tuesday morning. "And you're exactly right when even The Washington Post calls the 'yes' campaign brazenly dishonest, that says something: They're definitely not a friend to conservatives."

'FULL OF S---': NEW YORK REPUBLICAN ACCUSES STATE DEMS OF HYPOCRISY IN REDISTRICTING PUSH

"But what this is is nothing but a left-wing power grab" Miyares continued. "Virginians have already spoken on this in 2020 by a 30-point landslide. They said, 'Hey, we don't want politicians of either party drawing these lines,' but Democrats, as soon as they got in power – remember Abigail Spanberger promised in August of 2025 that she wasn't going to gerrymander Virginia – yet that was the very first bill she signed in office and is one of the reasons why she's the least popular governor in the entire history of modern Virginia politics."

While Spanberger has argued Virginia has to retaliate for other states' efforts to redraw favorable districts for this midterm election, Miyares argued this one is the last and most blatantly lopsided.

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"It's been called the most gerrymandered map in the entire country," he told 91��. "And now it's why rural Virginians are standing up saying, 'No, do not disenfranchise our voices,' because 56 counties in Virginia, if this passes, will effectively not have a voice in Congress.

"That's wrong. That's not fair. That's not democracy. Virginians need to go vote now, today."

Texas AG Paxton sues Dem fundraising platform ActBlue, alleging 'fraudulent and foreign donations'

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:44:14 -0400

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit Monday against Democrat fundraising platform ActBlue, accusing them of misleading donors about safeguards meant to block fraudulent and foreign political contributions.

"BREAKING: I just filed a landmark lawsuit against ActBlue for deceiving Americans by lying about its donation processes that allow fraudulent and foreign donations," Paxton wrote Monday on X.

The state’s lawsuit, filed in Tarrant County district court, seeks injunctions barring ActBlue from accepting contributions made through gift cards and prepaid debit cards, along with civil penalties, attorneys’ fees and costs.

"The radical left has relied on ActBlue as a way to funnel foreign donations and dark money into their political campaigns to subvert our laws and compromise the integrity of our elections," Paxton said in a statement announcing the case. "ActBlue lied to Congress and to the American people, and I will ensure justice is served.

"It has blatantly ignored state law that prohibits deceptive practices, and it must pay for its illegal conduct. Fair elections are the foundation of our democracy, and I will work to ensure no illegal campaign donation flies under the radar."

DEM FUNDRAISING GIANT IN THE HOT SEAT AS GOP LAWMAKERS DEMAND ANSWERS OVER DODGED SUBPOENA

The state is suing under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, alleging that ActBlue engaged in false, misleading and deceptive practices by marketing its service as compliant and secure, while continuing to allow payment methods Texas says can facilitate unlawful donations.

The allegations in the lawsuit have not been proven in court, and ActBlue spokesperson De'Andra Roberts-LaBoo fired back at Paxton's lawsuit as an alleged deflection.

"This is a thinly veiled attempt to distract from Ken Paxton’s numerous legal and ethical issues ahead of next month’s runoff," Roberts-LaBoo, when reached for comment, wrote in a statement to 91��, referring to Paxton's Senate GOP primary runoff against Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

"If he and his Republican allies actually cared about donor fraud, they would work to strengthen security standards across the board, including within their own operations, rather than targeting ActBlue.

"Our platform has done more than any other, regardless of party, to prevent improper donations and protect donors. Full stop."

In the complaint, Texas alleges that ActBlue falsely claimed it had tightened donor-vetting procedures and stopped accepting certain high-risk forms of payment while continuing to process donations that, according to the state, could mask a donor’s true identity.

The lawsuit argues that gift cards and prepaid debit cards are especially vulnerable to abuse because they can be used without the same level of identification tied to traditional payment methods.

REPUBLICANS RIP 4 BLUE STATES FOR KEEPING TAXES ON TIPS, OVERTIME AFTER TRUMP REPRIEVE

Paxton’s office said the lawsuit grew out of an investigation opened in 2023 into whether ActBlue was enabling donor fraud in violation of Texas law.

The attorney general’s office later petitioned the Federal Election Commission in 2024, arguing that suspicious actors appeared to still be using the platform to make straw donations.

Paxton now says recent reporting and the office’s own investigation show ActBlue’s public claims about its compliance systems were false.

The lawsuit leans heavily on allegations that ActBlue misrepresented its security practices to Congress and the public.

DEMOCRATS' ACTBLUE FUNDRAISING PLATFORM FACES FEDERAL INVESTIGATION

According to the filing, the platform told congressional investigators it had stopped accepting gift card donations and had implemented multilayered checks to screen for foreign or otherwise impermissible contributions. Texas alleges those assurances were untrue and says investigators were later able to make donations through ActBlue using gift cards, including donations to the Democratic National Committee and Texas candidates.

"ActBlue claimed it stopped its illegal operations," Paxton's news release read. "Now, recent reporting and internal OAG investigations have shown that ActBlue lied about its donor vetting policies and its operations. As The New York Times recently reported, ActBlue’s own outside counsel acknowledged that the organization’s representations about its donation safeguards were not true."

The complaint says those internal findings showed a "substantial risk" that some impermissible foreign contributions might have been processed, and alleges that ActBlue chose not to fully correct the record with Congress.

NRCC REPORTING RECORD $47.1 MILLION QUARTER, RECORD $28.1 MILLION RAISED IN MARCH

The issue comes as the Democratic National Committee reportedly carries more than $17.5 million in debt, according to the FEC.

The House Administration, Judiciary and Oversight committees, amid an ongoing investigation, had issued a 2025 report titled "Fraud on ActBlue."

"This report reveals that ActBlue made its fraud-prevention rules 'more lenient' twice in 2024 — even though there is extensive fraud on the platform, including from foreign sources," a House Judiciary Committee news release related to the report said. "Internal documents show that ActBlue executives and staff are aware that both foreign and domestic fraudulent actors are exploiting the platform but do not take the threat seriously. In fact, they attempted to hide the changes to avoid sparking discussions about fraud on the platform."

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ActBlue, founded in 2004, has processed more than $16 billion for Democrat and progressive candidates and causes, according to Paxton’s filing.

In the lawsuit, Texas says the platform handled $1.78 billion in donations in 2025 alone.

Hundreds of activists face pepper spray in violent clash with deputies at Wisconsin beagle research facility

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:02:14 -0400

Hundreds of animal welfare activists converged Saturday on a Wisconsin beagle breeding and research facility, forcing local law enforcement – prepared for the planned event – to use tear gas, pepper balls and rubber bullets "to keep and maintain peace in the community."

"It was clear from the beginning that this was not going to be a peaceful protest," Dane Country Sheriff Kalvin Barrett wrote in a statement shared on Facebook.

"The DCSO response to the active break-in attempts by hundreds of protesters was appropriate and proportionate to the behaviors observed. With the assistance of our partner agencies, we were able to maintain order without anyone being seriously injured."

Wayne Hsiung, the activist organizer tied to the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs, was arrested within minutes of arriving at the property on probable cause for conspiracy to commit burglary, the sheriff’s office said. Earlier this week, Hsiung previewed the protest on the "Tomi Lahren Is Fearless" video podcast.

2,000 PEOPLE ARE ABOUT TO STORM THIS BEAGLE LAB IN WISCONSIN

"This is a peaceful compassion movement, but we've decided if the government is not going to protect the dogs, we will," Hsiung told Lahren.

Deputies were ready.

"The Sheriff’s Office pre-planned a tiered response to resistance, should it be necessary," the department posted on Facebook. "The response was strategic and appropriate to the activists' actions."

The confrontation began around 8:52 a.m. local time at Ridglan Farms in the town of Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, where about 1,000 activists gathered after organizers abruptly moved up a previously publicized Sunday protest, according to authorities. Deputies said protesters were warned through a Long Range Acoustic Device that anyone crossing onto clearly marked private property would be arrested.

But authorities said hundreds soon tried to break through barriers and fencing at the farm while others blocked nearby roads to slow law enforcement and emergency responders.

ANIMAL ACTIVISTS ARE PREPARED TO PUT UP A FIGHT FOR THE BEAGLES

Hsiung, an animal welfare lawyer, was being held Saturday in the Dane County Jail.

"I am in tears hearing these stories about what is unfolding at Ridglan Farms," Hsiung shared in an X message "from jail" on Saturday. "This is the kind of bravery from ordinary people that changes the world. We cannot give up on the dogs. If we stay focused on this purpose, the repression will backfire."

Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., represents this district and called out President Donald Trump's Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. just this week on this topic.

"In my district, a beagle breeding facility called Ridglan Farms has hundreds of code violations, including serious harm to the health of the dogs, yet the NIH is still giving funding to groups that use the beagles from this facility," Pocan wrote on X, sharing video of his House hearing questioning.

"I urged Secretary Kennedy to stop this practice."

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At the hearing, Kennedy questioned Pocan's claims that NIH is still getting beagles from this facility. The use of beagles in animal testing had long been under fire from former President Joe Biden's administration.

"I believe you, but I have a hard time believing that," he responded. "I need to look into this."

"We've done more than any other administration has to end animal testing," Kennedy continued, claiming that "we’ve ended most of it."

"What you're describing should not be happening," he added.

GOP TARGETS TRANSGENDER ANIMAL TESTING IN DEFUND DEMAND TO NIH

The White Coat Waste Project (WCWP) has been actively pressing the Trump administration on the beagles testing, claiming "RFK literally lied to Congress about" continuing to fund animal testing, according to Justin Goodman, WCWP senior vice president.

"In truth, they doled out over $126 million in new funding to dog and cat labs since RFK took office," Goodman wrote on X. "Since day one of RFK‘s tenure, he has had the authority to cut funding for these grants overnight. He has even admitted this. But instead, he has kept them alive.

"Senior NIH and HHS officials reached out to us and told us to shut up, and even abused their authority (and federal ethics rules) by reaching out to our board and urging them to disavow us for criticizing the agency’s continued funding for dog and cat testing.

"We have a long list of receipts proving all of this."

91�� Digital reached out to HHS, NIH and Pocan's office, and Goodman for comment. NIH responded Monday.

PETA, ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUPS PRAISE TRUMP ADMIN FOR PHASING OUT 'CRUEL TESTS ON DOGS' AND OTHER ANIMALS

"Ridglan Farms is a commercial dog breeder, not a research facility, and it does not receive NIH grants or funding," an NIH spokesperson told 91�� via email. "NIH enforces strict policies to protect animal welfare and maintain rigorous oversight as the agency works to reduce reliance on animal models over time. It actively supports the development and use of new approach methodologies (NAMs) and will continue to invest in these alternatives."

The spokesperson added that NIH "recently announced a $150 million investment to expand human-based methods that better reflect human biology."

"This funding supports organoids, computational models, and other tools to improve how diseases and treatments are studied," the statement continued. "The investment is part of a broader shift toward more predictive, human-relevant science."

The animal welfare activists took matters into their own hands with respect to Ridglan on Saturday.

Barrett said 300 to 400 protesters were "violently trying to break into the property" and assault officers.

"This is not a peaceful protest," Barrett said in a video statement shared to social media, accusing demonstrators of ignoring designated protest areas and blocking roads needed for emergency access.

Officials said some protesters remained peaceful, but those who ignored repeated warnings and continued trying to enter the property were first met with tear gas as a deterrent. As the confrontation intensified, deputies deployed less-lethal 40mm munitions and pepper balls, according to the sheriff’s office.

NIH CLOSES EXPERIMENTATION LABS ACCUSED OF BRUTALLY KILLING THOUSANDS OF BEAGLES FOR 40+ YEARS

Authorities also said a driver was arrested after recklessly driving a vehicle through the property before law enforcement stopped it, calling the incident a potentially deadly threat.

A significant number of arrests were made, though authorities had not yet released a final count by Saturday evening.

"Only a deeply corrupt system will use tear gas and rubber bullets against peaceful activists saving dogs," Hsuing's X account posted in a statement, announcing his arrest.

"We are seeing the worst in humanity today. But, in the courage of the rescuers, also the best."

PENTAGON'S 'BARBARIC' DRUG TESTING ON BEAGLES RAISES HACKLES OF PET-LOVING POLITICIANS

Deputies, however, said investigators recovered what they described as burglary tools including saws, fence cutters and sledgehammers, along with handcuff keys and tear gas allegedly carried by activists.

The sheriff’s office said activists also tried to divert law enforcement resources during the attempted breach by overwhelming Dane County’s 911 center and flooding the department with phone calls.

Saturday’s clash marked the second high-profile protest at Ridglan Farms in recent weeks. In March, activists broke into the facility and removed 30 dogs, leading to the arrests of 27 people on trespassing and related charges.

Ridglan Farms, which houses an estimated 2,000 beagles, has denied mistreating animals. The facility agreed last year to surrender its state breeding license effective July 1 under a deal to avoid prosecution on animal mistreatment charges, while continuing to deny abuse or neglect.

SCOOP: HOUSE REPUBLICANS REQUEST BAN ON FEDERALLY FUNDED 'TRANSGENDER ANIMAL' EXPERIMENTS IN 2026 BUDGET

On its website, the company says that no credible evidence of abuse, cruelty, mistreatment or neglect at Ridglan Farms has been substantiated.

The clash marked the second effort to remove dogs from the facility, which has become a flashpoint in the fight over animal testing and breeding conditions. Protesters on Saturday tried to overcome barriers that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and barbed-wire fencing.

Some made it through the outer fence but were unable to get inside the facility itself.

The protest had been publicized in advance, with announced plans to seize dogs from the property Sunday before launching the action a day earlier. As the effort stalled, some activists expressed frustration that no animals had been removed.

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"I just feel defeated," activist Julie Vrzeski told the Wisconsin State Journal roughly three hours into the operation.

After being pushed back from the facility, demonstrators later shifted their protest to outside the jail in downtown Madison.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sen Mark Warner 'heartbroken,' announcing daughter dies of juvenile diabetes

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:58:35 -0400

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., announced the loss of his adult daughter Madison Warner at age 36 after a long battle with juvenile diabetes and other health problems.

"We are heartbroken beyond words by the passing of our beloved daughter, Madison, 36, after a decades-long battle with juvenile diabetes and other health issues," Warner wrote in a joint statement with his wife Lisa Collis. "She filled our lives with love and laughter, and her absence leaves an immeasurable void."

"We are grateful for the loving support of friends and family during this difficult time and ask for privacy as we navigate this profound loss," the statement concluded.

Madison was the eldest of Warner’s three daughters with his wife, Lisa. She is survived by sisters Gillian and Eliza.

VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON DHS FUNDING LINE DESPITE ISIS-LINKED SHOOTING AT ODU, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT MURDER

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle and both chambers of Congress responded with their sincere condolences over the family's sudden loss.

"Our deepest condolences," Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., wrote on X. "We're keeping your family in our prayers."

"Please join me in praying for Senator Mark Warner and his family," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, posted. "This is heartbreaking news."

BIPARTISAN SENATE BILL TO CAP INSULIN FOR AMERICANS AT $35 HAS NEW MOMENTUM

"We're praying for @MarkWarner," Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., wrote on X.

"I am incredibly sorry for your loss," Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, wrote on X. "Keeping you and your family in my prayers."

"Our prayers are with Sen. Warner, his daughter, and their whole family," Vice President JD Vance wrote on X. "What a terrible loss at such a young age. May God comfort them."

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Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said the "entire Virginia delegation stands with Mark and Lisa during this period of profound grief."

"Suzanne and I are praying for Lisa and Mark Warner and their family today after the loss of their daughter, Madison," former Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin wrote on X. "Our prayers are with them on this most difficult of all days."

DOJ demands 865K Detroit ballots, threatening possible legal action

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:01:51 -0400

Michigan is among states doubling down on rejecting Trump administration investigations and oversight into elections, claiming protection of the right to vote, potentially setting up a battle that could escalate to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Justice Department is demanding roughly 865,000 ballots and hundreds of thousands of related election records from the Detroit area’s 2024 election, threatening to seek a court order if the materials are not turned over within 14 days.

In an April 14 letter to Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon asked for "all ballots (including absentee and provisional), ballot receipts, and ballot envelopes" from the November 2024 federal election, saying the department was acting under federal records-retention law and investigating whether election laws were followed.

Dhillon wrote that the request was based on a "history of fraud convictions and other allegations" in Wayne County and warned that failure to comply "may result in the United States seeking a court order for production of such records."

FEDERAL JUDGE REJECTS TRUMP ADMIN LAWSUIT SEEKING MICHIGAN VOTER ROLLS

"Here @theJusticeDept, ensuring election integrity is a paramount duty," Dhillon wrote Sunday on X, sharing the video of her appearance on 91��' "Sunday Morning Futures" with Maria Bartiromo. "Many states fail to clean noncitizen & deceased people from their voter rolls, and under my leadership, @CivilRights will continue working to ensure that ONLY eligible American citizens vote in our elections!"

Dhillon added her investigations seek to "ensure accountability for the outrageous weaponization of the deep state against President Trump and his team."

"It must never be repeated!" she concluded.

WITHIN MINUTES OF TRUMP SIGNING VOTER DATABASE ORDER, DEM STATES THREATEN LAWSUITS

The demand marks the latest step in a broader push by the Trump administration to scrutinize election procedures in key swing states after earlier moves involving 2020 ballots in Georgia and election records in Arizona.

Democrat officials in Michigan blasted the request as baseless and politically motivated.

"If this administration wants to bring this circus to our state, my office is prepared to protect the people’s right to vote," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told The Washington Post.

FBI SUBPOENAS 2020 ARIZONA VOTING DOCS AS FEDERAL PUSH INTO ELECTION ADMINISTRATION WIDENS

The Justice Department’s request covers ballots, ballot envelopes and ballot receipts in Wayne County, which includes Detroit.

Nessel wrote in a separate letter that the department is seeking about 865,000 ballots and that the request was directed to the wrong office because the ballots are held by 43 municipal clerks, not the Wayne County clerk.

In her letter, Dhillon cited three voter-fraud cases and repeated allegations raised in a 2020 lawsuit against Detroit and Wayne County over absentee-ballot handling. That suit was later dismissed, with a judge finding the allegations were not credible.

DOJ SUES 5 MORE STATES, DEMANDING ACCESS TO VOTER ROLLS: 'WE WILL NOT BE DETERRED'

Nessel argued that Dhillon's request is a "fishing expedition" that goes too far back in state election history, and the past findings of fraud in 2020 were not widespread, claiming the "the process worked" in rooting out fraud.

Further investigation will be "an unwarranted intrusion into Michigan elections," she added, and would put an undue burden on elections officials before the Aug. 2 primary, which is more than three months away.

"Any form of federal interference in Michigan’s elections, including any attempt to seize election records, will be closely scrutinized," she warned.

GOP GOVERNORS, AGS BACK TRUMP SAVE ACT PUSH, WARN SYSTEM GIVES ‘UNDUE INFLUENCE’ TO STATES WITH ILLEGAL ALIENS

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called the request a "poorly disguised attempt to justify more doubt and misinformation about our elections," while Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson described it as the administration’s "latest attempt to interfere in our elections," according to the Post.

The Post report of Michigan's letter to Dhillon came hours after her appearance on 91��, where Dhillon laid out the work of the DOJ and the obstruction it faces from Democrat-run states like Michigan.

"I've requested the voter rolls from all states and the District of Columbia," Dhillon told Bartiromo. "About a third of the states have voluntarily complied with us or reached settlements with us, and we've run some of those records.

FBI REVIEWING FULTON COUNTY VOTE-COUNT ‘DEFICIENCIES,’ COURT DOCS REVEAL

"I'm suing 29 states and the District of Columbia for their refusal to give us the voter rolls to which the attorney general or the acting attorney general is entitled under the Civil Rights Act of 1960. We're doing that to make sure that states are in compliance," she said. "And guess what? States are not in compliance, even those ones who want to do so."

Dhillon noted that in the DOJ's investigation into the states that have cooperated with transparency to her requests, "we found at least 350,000 dead people currently on the voter rolls in those jurisdictions."

ELECTION INTEGRITY GROUPS PRESS SUPREME COURT TO REQUIRE BALLOTS BY ELECTION DAY

"And we've referred approximately 25,000 people with no citizenship records to Homeland Security to look at, you know, dig into that further and see the extent to which people voted," she continued. "I'm in touch with voting rights activists who are showing me information about people who have voted, who are not American citizens."

"So the left told us, this never happens. And it's a myth," Dhillon continued. "It definitely happened just recently, someone was indicted in Minnesota, of all places, for voting without being a citizen."

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Minnesota, Dhillon noted, "has a weird vouching law that allows citizens to vouch for each other's citizenship."

"That's crazy and inconsistent with the Help America Vote Act, and we're not going to rest until we complete this project," Dhillon said.

NRCC reporting record $47.1 million quarter, record $28.1 million raised in March

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:32:47 -0400

The midterm elections might be historically difficult for the controlling party, but Republicans are building a war chest to break that trend, reporting smashing first quarter fundraising totals of $47.1 million, including a record $28.1 million in March alone.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) was set to report the strongest first quarter fundraising haul in its history Monday, according to figures shared first with 91�� Digital, giving House Republicans a fresh sign of financial momentum as they look to defend their narrow House majority in a cycle that has often favored the party out of power.

"This historic fundraising quarter proves House Republicans have a tremendous amount of enthusiasm behind our agenda to lower costs and keep Americans safe," NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson said in a statement to 91��.

"House Republicans are united, battle-tested, and building the financial firepower to protect our majority and take the fight directly to Democrats' extreme agenda."

ON FILING DEADLINE, GOP BLASTS DEMOCRATS FOR OPPOSING TRUMP TAX CUTS, ‘MAKING LIFE MORE EXPENSIVE’

NRCC officials are framing the numbers as part of a broader trend they say has defined the cycle so far, with Republican incumbents and allied groups posting stronger-than-usual early fundraising numbers and narrowing, or in some cases reversing, Democrats’ traditional money advantage.

The NRCC is staking claim to having outraised the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on average for five straight quarters, including snapping a long-standing trend by outraising the minority party in the first year of an election cycle for the first time in decades in 2025.

The NRCC reported this week its swing-district patriots have raised an average of $1.2 million and hold $3.5 million cash on hand, compared to $919,000 raised and $2.4 million cash on hand for DCCC frontliners.

MCINTOSH: MIDTERMS A CHOICE BETWEEN TRUMP’S ‘GREAT PROGRESS’ AND ‘SOCIALISTS BACK IN’

"Vulnerable House Democrats are getting outraised, outworked, and outmatched. Republicans have the momentum, and the money is following it," NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella said in a statement last week.

The financial windfalls do not end there.

The House Speaker Mike Johnson-backed Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and its nonprofit American Action Network (AAN) have raised a combined $192.6 million thus far in the 2025-2026 cycle. Those groups brought in a combined $56.6 million in the first quarter of 2026, which Republicans say is a record for the first quarter of a non-election year. CLF alone raised a record $38.1 million and is expected to report $91.4 million cash on hand.

REPUBLICANS WIN BUT DEMOCRATS ALSO CLAIM VICTORY WITH BALLOT BOX SURGE IN TRUMP TERRITORY

Top House GOP leaders have also posted eye-catching numbers, according to the NRCC:

Johnson himself raised $34 million in the first quarter and more than $116 million in hard dollars this cycle
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., raised more than $10.1 million in the quarter, bringing his cycle total above $45.6 million.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer raised $9.2 million in the quarter, pushing his cycle total past $38 million.

MIDTERM ALARM BELLS: DEMOCRATS FACE STEEP FAVORABILITY DEFICIT DESPITE ELECTION GAINS

The committee also pointed to the wider President Donald Trump -aligned fundraising network, noting that MAGA Inc. entered 2026 with more than $300 million cash on hand.

"This unprecedented momentum is part of a sustained trend that’s held this entire cycle and is now accelerating," Marinella said in a statement to 91��. "Republicans are consistently outpacing Democrats in the money race where Democrats have traditionally dominated."

"This is a fundamental shift from the traditional dynamic where Democrats build an early financial edge and force Republicans onto defense," he added. "That script has flipped."

Insiders pointed out to 91�� that circumstances of the spring have combined to provide the unprecedented financial push, including Trump peacemaking in the Middle East and wildly successful military operations in Venezuela and Iran.

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Also, Democrats have been hurt in the fundraising coffers by House Oversight, Judiciary and Administration committee investigations into the big-ticket Democrat fundraising platform ActBlue, and the Senate Democrat-forced government shutdown of Department of Homeland Security funding.

Notably, the record NRCC March came amid massive spring break delays and four- to eight-hour security line waits at crowded spring break airports, which were hamstrung by Transportation and Security Administration (TSA) agents not showing up because they were not getting paid for work.

Police identify suspect who killed eight kids, most believed to be his own, after multi scene domestic rampage

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 13:33:02 -0400

Shreveport, Louisiana, police identified Shamar Elkins as the suspect in a domestic violence rampage that left eight children dead, and two women shot early Sunday before he was killed in a confrontation with officers, authorities said.

Shreveport police identified Shamar Elkins as the suspect in the horrific shooting, saying seven of the children killed are believed to be his, ranging in age from about 1 to 14.

Shreveport Police Department Corporal Christopher Bordelon released Elkins’ identity while speaking with reporters near the crime scene Sunday evening, calling the mass shooting a "heinous crime."

Along with the children, Elkins is accused of shooting the mother of his children, who is expected to survive, as well as another woman who is suffering from life-threatening injuries. A teenage victim also sustained injuries considered non-life-threatening.

MISSOURI SUSPECT TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AFTER DEPUTY FATALLY SHOT, ENDING MANHUNT

According to investigators, the suspect first shot a woman on Harrison Street before traveling to a residence on West 79th Street, where the murders happened.

After fleeing, he allegedly carjacked a man at gunpoint near Linwood Avenue and West 79th Street before officers located the vehicle and initiated a pursuit.

The chase continued into Bossier Parish, where officers confronted the suspect and opened fire, killing him at the scene. Authorities said no officers were injured.

MANHUNT UNDERWAY AFTER GUNMEN STORM CHICK-FIL-A LEAVING 1 DEAD

Louisiana State Police have taken over the investigation into the officer-involved shooting, while Shreveport police continue to investigate the murders and are asking anyone with information, photos or video to come forward.

"I just don’t know what to say, my heart is just taken aback," Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said. "I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur."

"This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen," Bordelon said.

Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux called the situation "tragic," adding it may be the worst the city has ever faced. "It’s a terrible morning," he said.

FLORIDA MAN SUSPECTED OF KILLING 6 IN SHOOTING SPREE AT 2 RESIDENCES IDENTIFIED

Officials said they were still gathering details about the crime scene, which extended across multiple locations.

Elkins previously served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from 2013 to 2020, though he was never deployed.

"Shamar D. Elkins served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from August 2013 to August 2020 as a Signal Support System Specialist (25U) and a Fire Support Specialist (13F)," an Army official told 91�� Digital. "He has no deployment. He left the Army as a private."

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said his thoughts and prayers are with the Shreveport community following the "heartbreaking tragedy."

"Heartbreaking tragedy in Shreveport this morning — 8 children were senselessly killed and multiple others were injured," Johnson wrote on X. "My team is in touch with local law enforcement as more details emerge."

MULTIPLE DEAD AFTER SHOOTING INSIDE GATED FLORIDA COMMUNITY: SHERIFF'S OFFICE

"We’re holding the victims, their families and loved ones, and our Shreveport community close in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time," he added. "And we are grateful to the Shreveport, Bossier, and Louisiana State Police for their swift response."

City leaders said the attack has had an immediate and staggering impact, with one councilman noting it more than doubled Shreveport’s homicide total in a single act.

"I've struggled all morning since I woke up," Councilman Grayson Boucher said. "Over 30% of our crimes and 30% of our murders in the city of Shreveport are domestic in relation. Now, that number has gone up. We more than doubled our homicides in the city of Shreveport because of one act of domestic violence."

He described the violence as "pure evil" and warned that without intervention, similar incidents could continue.

"We can have 100 new police cars. We can have a brand new, beautiful multimillion-dollar police substation right up the road," Boucher said. "But until we stop this violence, the cycle of violence, like I've said over and over again, we're going to still be standing here, and it's only going to get worse."

Other officials echoed that concern, stressing the shooting underscores the dangers of domestic disputes and the need for earlier intervention.

Councilwoman Tabatha Taylor emphasized the severity of the case and urged the community to take warning signs seriously.

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"From what I've learned about this incident…it's domestic in nature. That makes it even more horrific," she said. "This is not a freaking joke. This is real. And this is the result when someone snaps."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Feds arrest Iranian woman at LAX for allegedly brokering weapons sales for Islamic regime

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 12:37:22 -0400

Federal authorities arrested an Iranian woman at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, alleging she brokered deals to sell Iranian-made drones, bombs, bomb fuses, assault weapons and millions of rounds of ammunition to Sudan in violation of U.S. sanctions laws, according to a newly unsealed criminal complaint.

"Last night, Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for trafficking arms on behalf of the government of Iran," First Assisant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli wrote Sunday on X.

"She is charged with a violation of 50 U.S.C. § 1705 for brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan.

"If convicted, she faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Mafi is an Iranian national who became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2016. She is expected to make her initial appearance on Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown L.A. She is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court."

ICE ARRESTS RELATIVES OF SLAIN IRANIAN GENERAL SOLEIMANI LIVING IN US AFTER RUBIO REVOKES THEIR GREEN CARDS

Prosecutors say Mafi, granted permanent U.S. residency in California under former President Barack Obama, worked with others on behalf of Iran and was preparing to board an LAX flight to Turkey when she was taken into custody, according to a redacted member of the Iran Counterintelligence Squad of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.

The complaint accuses Mafi of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and says she allegedly brokered a contract worth more than $70.6 million for the sale of Iranian-made Mohajer-6 armed drones to Sudan’s Ministry of Defense.

Investigators allege she also helped arrange the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses to the Sudanese military and multiple ammunition deals, including 10 million rounds of AK-47 ammunition and a separate proposed contract for 240 million rounds.

"MAFI is a lawful permanent resident in the United States who maintains a residence in Woodland Hills, California, and travels frequently to Iran, Turkey, Oman, and other countries," the 68-page complaint read. "As set forth below, MAFI executed her illegal weapons brokering scheme from multiple locations, including within the Central District of California.

ISRAELI MAN BUILT BOMB LAB FOR IRANIAN PLOT TARGETING EX-PM BENNETT, AUTHORITIES SAY

Mafi, born in Iran, relocated to Istanbul and eventually ended up in the U.S., where she is not a citizen. She has a sordid history and connection to Iranian government and intelligence.

"During interviews with U.S. Customs and Border Control ('CBP') officers and the FBI, MAFI acknowledged communicating with an officer of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security ('MOIS Officer-1')," the complaint alleged.

FEDS SAY PAKISTANI NATIONAL BACKED BY IRAN PLOTTED TO ASSASSINATE TRUMP, OTHERS IN MURDER-FOR-HIRE SCHEME

"Mafi stated that she is 'more useful to them [i.e., MOIS] in Iran than in the United States,' and records obtained pursuant to a search warrant show approximately 62 bidirectional contacts between Mafi and MOIS Officer-1’s phone numbers between December 2022 and June 2025."

According to the FBI affidavit, Mafi and her alleged co-conspirators used an Oman-based company, Atlas International Business LLC, to facilitate the deals and routed payments through Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, which investigators say was intended to evade U.S. sanctions.

The filing also alleges Mafi coordinated with figures tied to Iran’s government, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and maintained contact with an officer from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security.

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Federal agents said Mafi never obtained the required U.S. licenses to broker such transactions involving Iranian goods or defense articles. The complaint says she was scheduled to depart LAX for Istanbul on April 18 and that investigators believed evidence of the alleged scheme would be found on her person and at her residence.

Trump renews bridge, power plant threat against Iran in push for deal, mocks 'tough guy' IRGC

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 08:54:42 -0400

President Donald Trump is giving peace – and war – a chance after alleged ceasefire violations, he told 91�� on Sunday morning.

"If the deal isn’t done, the deal that we made, then I’m going to take out their bridges and their power plants," Trump said as he fired off another warning to repeat his threat to end "civilization" in Iran. "If they don’t sign this thing, the whole country is going to get blown up."

"We’re preparing to hit them harder than any country has ever been hit before because you cannot let them have a nuclear weapon," Trump added.

Those remarks came as Trump mocked the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in a Truth Social post for staking claim to a S trait of Hormuz "blockade" the U.S. military had already put in place.

TOP GOP HAWK GRAHAM WARNS IRAN DEAL HAS ‘TROUBLING ASPECTS’ AS CEASEFIRE BEGINS

"Iran recently announced that they were closing the Strait, which is strange, because our BLOCKADE has already closed it," Trump wrote. "They’re helping us without knowing, and they are the ones that lose with the closed passage, $500 Million Dollars a day! The United States loses nothing.

"In fact, many Ships are headed, right now, to the U.S., Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska, to load up, compliments of the IRGC, always wanting to be 'the tough guy!'"

Notably, Trump told 91�� that there is turmoil in Iran, over control of a country where multiple layers of leadership have been killed over the past few months during strikes by Israel and the U.S.

"There's a little bit of a fight between the moderates [in Iran] and the crazies," Trump said. "Nobody's winning it."

IRAN REVEALS 10-POINT PLAN FOR PEACE WITH THE US – HERE'S WHAT'S IN IT

"Our Navy has done an unbelievable job," he continued. "We haven't even been challenged."

Trump declared that Saturday's IRGC fire was "a total violation" of the ceasefire.

"Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz — A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement!" his Truth Social post began.

"Many of them were aimed at a French Ship, and a Freighter from the United Kingdom. That wasn’t nice, was it? My Representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan — They will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations."

Trump remains hopeful about diplomacy, but is not ruling out a return to force, where he once warned about ending "civilization" in Iran as they know it.

PAKISTANI GENERAL SAYS IRAN DIPLOMACY STILL 'ALIVE, DESPITE US BLOCKADE, FAILED TALKS

"We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran," Trump's stern warning continued.

"NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!"

"They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy and, if they don’t take the DEAL, it will be my Honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran, by other Presidents, for the last 47 years," Trump added. "IT’S TIME FOR THE IRAN KILLING MACHINE TO END!"

Trump's Middle East peace envoys are going to take the next step toward a diplomatic resolution first, he told 91��.

"Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are heading to the Middle East," Trump said. "They will be leaving [Monday]. Their meeting will begin on Tuesday morning. It’s a very simple deal, they’ve agreed to much of it."

"It's almost like they don't learn," he said.

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Trump added that he has not made a decision on targeting water infrastructure, including desalination plants.

"I hate to do that one," he said.

Republicans rip 4 blue states for keeping taxes on tips, overtime after Trump reprieve

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:05:32 -0400

Four Democrat-led states that rejected President Donald Trump's policy of no taxes on tips and overtime pay are getting called out by Republicans for going against efforts to increase affordability.

The governors of the three largest Democrat-run states, California, New York and Illinois, are continuing to tax tips and overtime against Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, while Colorado will require taxpayers to report how much is deducted federally so it can be added back for state taxes in future years.

"Gov. Hochul and Albany Democrats believe your money is their money: They are picking the pockets of waitresses, bartenders, and first responders who work overtime just to make ends meet in a state that already has the highest tax burden in the country," Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., told 91�� Digital.

"No wonder working people and jobs continue to flee New York in record numbers, and we’re consistently among the worst in outmigration every year."

AVERAGE TAX REFUND TOPS $3,700 MIDWAY THROUGH FILING SEASON, TREASURY SAYS

With "affordability" a key political issue, Republicans countered with a Tax Day narrative against the governors of those four blue states that are facing midterm gubernatorial campaigns, including Hochul, who is running for re-election and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who terms out this year.

"California Democrats talk a lot about making life more affordable, but when given the chance to let hardworking Californians keep more of what they earn, Gov. Newsom and the state legislature refused to update the state’s tax code," Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., told 91�� Digital. "No tax on tips or overtime would provide real relief to service workers, first responders, and families across our state, and it’s disappointing to see Sacramento turn its back on them."

DOORDASH DRIVER HAILS KEY TRUMP POLICY AFTER DELIVERING MCDONALD'S TO WHITE HOUSE: 'I'M GOING TO ENJOY IT'

Illinois Republican Party Chair Kathy Salvi says that while Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is running for re-election in the nation's third-largest blue state, he is really positioning himself for a 2028 presidential campaign on the agenda of obstructing Trump.

"Last year, President Trump delivered the largest tax cut in American history, putting millions of dollars back in the pockets of Americans; this commonsense legislation is good for Illinois, but wannabe president, JB Pritzker would rather slam the door shut on opportunity and relief, knowing full well that he supported and empowered Joe Biden's economic disaster," Salvi told 91�� Digital.

"The sad truth is that if President Trump is for it, JB Pritzker will always be against it."

NASHVILLE ARTISTS PRAISE TRUMP'S NO-TAX-ON-TIPS POLICY ONE YEAR INTO PRESIDENCY

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who is termed out and among names potentially running in the 2028 Democratic presidential primary, was called out by Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., for action to tax overtime pay in future years.

"As a former cop in Colorado, I know firsthand how important overtime pay is to first responders, blue-collar workers, and hardworking families across America — that’s why I was proud to stand with Republicans to deliver no tax on overtime at the federal level," Evans told 91�� Digital.

"But while we fought to give Coloradans relief, Gov. Polis and state Democrats held a special session to re-tax overtime pay, ensuring families never see the benefits they earned. The contrast couldn’t be clearer."

SCOOP: HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON'S ALLIES UNLEASH $10M CAMPAIGN TO SPOTLIGHT TRUMP TAX CUTS

Hochul's office told 91�� Digital that she "proposed eliminating the state income tax on tips in her 2026 State of the State,"

"The governor is committed to putting money back into workers pockets," Hochul spokeswoman Kristin Devoe wrote in a statement to 91�� Digital, claiming, "Republicans who oppose her affordability agenda are trying to rewrite the script."

"Governor Hochul is focused on delivering real relief for hardworking New Yorkers, not playing political games," Devoe added.

91�� Digital reached out to the offices of Newsom, Pritzker and Polis for comment, but they did not immediately respond.

While the governors' seats in those four blue states are likely safe due to deep Democratic voter registration advantages, down-ballot races do have a narrative to carry under the Trump banner and the no tax on tips or overtime policy.

"Democrats are risking every race — from gubernatorial to congressional races — all to fund their insatiable appetite for taxing and fee-ing Americans into the ground," RNC spokeswoman Delanie Bomar told 91�� Digital.

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The Senate Finance Committee charted the One Big Beautiful Bill Act "wins" in all 50 states, including those four blocked by Democratic leaders where there still remains a permanent 20% deduction for many small business owners and a $1,500 increase in the standard deduction for millions of families.

California: More than 3.1 million small business owners and 15.3 million families benefited.
New York: More than 1.5 million small businesses, nearly 8.6 million families.
Illinois: More than 1 million small businesses, almost 5.5 million families.
Colorado: Almost 600K small businesses, nearly 2.6 million families.

Federal judge blocks Indiana ban on student ID for voting

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:49:37 -0400

A federal judge this week blocked Indiana from enforcing a law that bars college-issued student identification cards from being used for voting, ruling that the measure likely violates the constitutional rights of students and young voters.

U.S. District Judge Richard Young granted a preliminary injunction on Tuesday against Senate Bill 10, a 2025 law that removed student IDs from Indiana’s list of acceptable voter identification even though such cards had been accepted for nearly two decades if they included a voter’s name, photograph, expiration date and were issued by the state or federal government.

"Plaintiffs have shown that they are likely to succeed on their claim that SB 10 imposes unconstitutional burdens on students and young voters in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments," Young, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, wrote in a 34-page order. "They have also established irreparable harm and satisfied the remaining requirements for a preliminary injunction."

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office said Wednesday it intends to appeal, arguing that the state’s voter ID law should not be weakened by court-ordered exceptions.

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"Indiana’s voter ID law is critical to election security and integrity," the office told the Indiana Capital Chronicle in a statement. "Courts shouldn’t be watering the law down by doling out special exemptions to some students and faculty. We’ll keep fighting to uphold commonsense election rules."

Notably, out of state college students might be registered in another state, perhaps a nexus for the state's requiring a state or federal-issued ID.

Still, Young concluded that rejecting student IDs for voters "is probably unconstitutional."

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"While it's true that an injunction would override a democratically adopted law, Indiana has no valid interest in enforcing 'a statute that is probably unconstitutional,'" Young wrote.

The ruling is a setback for Republican state lawmakers who approved SB 10 last year after arguing that student IDs were not issued with the same rigor as Indiana driver’s licenses and state identification cards. Young found the state’s position undercut by the fact that Indiana still allows other non-driver forms of identification — including military, Veterans Administration and tribal IDs — many of which, he wrote, are "less uniform than student IDs."

"By eliminating student IDs as an acceptable form of identification, Defendants selectively excluded a form of identification that otherwise complies with the neutral criteria established by Indiana’s voter ID law and that has been accepted as a form of voter identification for nearly two decades," Young wrote.

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The judge said he did not need to decide, at this stage, a separate claim that the law intentionally discriminates on the basis of age in violation of the Twenty-Sixth Amendment.

The lawsuit was filed in May 2025 by Count US IN, Women4Change Indiana and Indiana University student Josh Montagne, who had used his IU-issued student ID to vote three times but said he lacked another form of qualifying identification after the law took effect.

Young’s order described student IDs as a long-standing, widely used tool for voting on Indiana campuses. The opinion cited evidence that nearly 200,000 students attend Indiana public universities whose IDs previously qualified under the voter ID law, and noted a Monroe County election supervisor’s estimate that about two-thirds of voters at an on-campus Indiana University polling place used student IDs in the 2024 general election.

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The judge estimated that the actual number of students affected by the ban was likely about 40,000, though he noted the plaintiffs’ expert had produced higher estimates. He said the record showed the law falls hardest on college students and younger voters because they are less likely than the general electorate to possess Indiana driver’s licenses or state IDs and often face added hurdles in getting alternative documentation.

Young rejected the state’s argument that the public interest in election integrity justified the change, writing that Indiana had produced no evidence that student IDs had been used in voter fraud or that they had caused meaningful problems for election administration.

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"To eliminate the ID that students and young voters are far more likely to rely on, Defendants must better document the unique problems student IDs raise," Young wrote. "On this record, SB 10 looks more like a solution in search of a problem."

The court also concluded that blocking the law weeks before Indiana’s May 4 primary would not create the kind of disruption federal courts are warned to avoid close to an election. Young said the injunction would mainly restore a practice Indiana had followed for years and would require only minor updates to election materials and training.

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Because the case is at the preliminary injunction stage, the ruling does not permanently strike down the law. But it means student IDs that otherwise satisfy Indiana’s voter ID requirements can be used in the upcoming elections while the lawsuit moves forward.

Leavitt shows off US Triumphal Arch, with plans to be released Thursday

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:52:07 -0400

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt closed Wednesday's daily press briefing with more renderings of President Donald Trump's new 250-foot "United States Triumphal Arch."

The Interior Department will submit plans for the "architectural masterpiece" to honor the "enduring triumph of the American spirit" in Washington, D.C., as part of the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations, Leavitt told the White House press corps.

"It's quite beautiful, as you can see," Leavitt said, sharing poster renderings. "And this monumental arch will beam at 250 feet tall in honor of 250 years."

It will rise on vacant green space at Memorial Circle on Columbia Island, a National Park Service-managed island in the Potomac River, according to Leavitt, adding that plans would be submitted Thursday.

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"The United States Triumphal Arch will be outfitted with beautiful artwork and depictions celebrating the success of the American people over our 250-year history and the enduring triumph of the American spirit," she continued.

"Long after everyone in this room is gone, our children and grandchildren will remain inspired by this national monument. Beginning construction this year on the architectural arch is a fitting way to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence."

While Trump has faced obstruction in the building of his privately funded $400 million White House ballroom, Leavitt said the arch project should draw bipartisan backing.

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"Great nations build beautiful structures that cultivate national pride and love of country, and this Triumphal Arch should be a project that all Americans of all political persuasions can support, because it's a monument for every American to celebrate 250 years of our nation's proud history," Leavitt concluded.

The announcement adds a large-scale capital project to the White House’s expanding Freedom 250 agenda, which the administration has been promoting across official White House channels in recent weeks.

Leavitt did not disclose a cost estimate, construction timeline beyond this year, or details on how the project would be reviewed under federal planning and preservation rules. She also did not say whether Congress would need to authorize funding.

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The proposed site, Memorial Circle at the northern end of Columbia Island, sits just off the approaches to Arlington Memorial Bridge and near the George Washington Memorial Parkway, placing the project in a prominent ceremonial corridor linking Washington and Arlington.

Leavitt said the administration would have "many more announcements" tied to the 250th anniversary in the coming months.

Spanberger signs gun bills, makes a proposed gun ban even harsher

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:31:53 -0400

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed a series of gun-control bills Tuesday, toughening a proposed assault-firearms ban before sending it back to lawmakers, which drew immediate backlash from Republicans and is likely to draw a constitutional objection from the Justice Department.

The Democratic governor’s changes to House Bill 217/Senate Bill 749 remove the word "fixed" from part of the bill’s definition of an assault firearm, which could sharply expand the range of semi-automatic rifles and pistols swept into the ban, Republicans say.

"If there was any doubt that Gov. Spanberger was coming for our firearms, this substitute removes it," House of Delegates Minority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, told News WCYB 5 in a statement. "Not only does it keep in place the de facto ban on some of the most common firearms in Virginia, it goes further and appears to create a ban on any firearm that can accept a magazine of more than 15 rounds.

"That includes the vast majority of firearms in Virginia that are in common use for legal purposes."

ATLANTA TEEN ARRESTED FOR MURDER AFTER FATAL SHOOTING OF 12-YEAR-OLD INSIDE HOME

The U.S. Department of Justice warned in a letter released Friday that the measure raises constitutional concerns and threatened legal action if the state enforces a ban that infringes on protected firearms.

"This letter provides formal notice that the Civil Rights Division will commence litigation in the event the Commonwealth of Virginia enacts certain bills that unconstitutionally limit law-abiding Americans’ individual right to bear arms," Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon wrote in the letter to Virginia Democrat Attorney General Jay Jones before Spanberger's moves Tuesday. "Specifically, SB 749, as written, would require Virginia law enforcement agencies to engage in a practice of unconstitutionally restricting the making, buying, or selling of AR-15s and many other semi-automatic firearms in common use.

"The Second Amendment protects the rights of law-abiding citizens to own and use AR-15 style semiautomatic rifles for lawful purposes," she added, citing the unanimous Supreme Court opinion that the AR-15 is "both widely legal and bought by many ordinary consumers."

Dhillon said her division "will seek to enjoin any attempt to infringe the right of law-abiding Virginians to acquire constitutional protected arms[.]"

"@SpanbergerForVA is on notice: 2A rights SHALL NOT BE infringed," Dhillon wrote Friday on X. "We are closely watching—in the event any unlawful legislation is enacted, we will sue. @CivilRights will protect the 2A rights of law-abiding citizens in Virginia."

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Undaunted, Spanberger moved forward framing the law as a public-safety push, saying the state is trying to balance Second Amendment rights with efforts to reduce gun violence.

"I grew up in a family where responsible gun ownership was expected, and I carried a firearm every day as a former federal agent," she wrote in a statement. "I support the Second Amendment. But gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in America, and that should motivate all of us to ask ourselves what we can do to mitigate this harm.

"This is why I’ve made amendments to provide clarity for both responsible gun owners and law enforcement, making clear what these changes mean in practice — as Virginians safely purchase and store their firearms," she continued. "These commonsense steps will help keep our families, our communities, and our law enforcement officers safe."

GUNS AND GANJA: SUPREME COURT SKEPTICAL OF FEDERAL LAW BANNING FIREARM POSSESSION FOR REGULAR MARIJUANA USERS

The bill would ban the future sale, transfer, manufacture and importation of covered firearms and magazines over 15 rounds, while exempting firearms legally owned before July 1, 2026. It would create a Class 1 misdemeanor for violations and impose limits on how grandfathered firearms could later be transferred or sold.

The legislation now heads back to the General Assembly, which must decide whether to accept Spanberger’s amendments.

DESANTIS CALLS FOR IMPEACHMENT OF JUDGE FOR RELEASING SEX OFFENDER WHO THEN ALLEGEDLY KILLED STEPDAUGHTER

Spanberger also signed several other gun-related bills without changes, including House Bill 21, which requires firearm manufacturers, dealers and distributors to adopt "reasonable controls" aimed at preventing illegal sales and misuse. The law also opens the door for civil action by the attorney general, local governments and private individuals if a firearm industry member’s actions or omissions are alleged to have contributed to public harm.

She also signed House Bill 110, which bars leaving a firearm in plain view inside an unattended vehicle, and House Bill 40, which bans the manufacture, sale, transfer and possession of unserialized homemade firearms, commonly known as ghost guns.

"In all, the General Assembly has forwarded to you over 20 bills that restrict Second Amendment rights," Dhillon's warning to Jones concluded. "I urge you to reconsider allowing any bill that would infringe on the lawful use of protected firearms by law-abiding citizens to become law.

"In an effort to avoid unnecessary litigation, the Second Amendment Section stands ready to meet and confer with attorneys in the Virginia Attorney General's Office.

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"The Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens shall not be infringed."

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