This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Political party has added 'incarceration' to the 'four stages of the confession'
Majority Democrats in the autocracy in the state of Washington now have declared open war on Christianity, and the Catholic Church has responded with a volley that includes its commitment to defy a new law.
At issue, according to a report from constitutional expert Jonathan Turley, who has not only testified before Congress on constitutional disputes, but represented members in court in those fights, is the state's decision to alter the confessional requirements of the church.
"The Democrats have added to the four stages of the confession. Examination, confession, absolution, and penance may now be followed by incarceration," he explained.
It's because Democrat lawmakers in the state have decided to require Catholic priests, and other ministers as well, to tattle to law enforcement about anything they hear in a confessional.
He explained the "blatantly unconstitutional" law was signed recently by Democrat Gov. Bob Ferguson after Democrats in the legislature created it. Its problem is that it eviscerates the right to the free exercise of religion.
"The state is moving to create an effective system of sacramental snitches and the Catholic Church is declaring 'enough.' It has announced that any priest who complies with the law will be promptly excommunicated," Turley noted.
The Democrats want to demand that any priest or minister who learns "of any 'reasonable' basis to believe that a child 'has suffered abuse or neglect,'" must call police.
The law applies to any "ordained minister, priest, rabbi, imam, elder, or similarly situated religious or spiritual leader of any church, religious denomination, religious body, spiritual community, or sect, or person performing official duties that are recognized as the duties of a member of the clergy," he explained.
Despite church law that absolutely forbids such tattling, the state now demands it.
Courts previously have ruled that's forbidden for states to require.
Under Washington state's ideologies, "The state would be using the church as an agent to compel confessions on the threat of damnation and then turn over the evidence to the police. Worse yet, if the priest does not give a type of ministerial Miranda, the confessant may not realize the danger. However, it is rather hard for a priest to say that a person must confess their sin while reminding them of the right to remain silent."
The Catholic church said, "Catholic clergy may not violate the seal of confession — or they will be excommunicated from the Church. All Catholics must know and be assured that their confessions remain sacred, secure, confidential and protected by the law of the Church."
Turley's comment? "The Democrats effectively declared war on religion, and particularly the Catholic faith, with this abusive law. The matter is now set for a showdown in the federal courts and, hopefully, an expedited process for judicial review and appeals."
He noted in the gospels, Jesus said, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's."
"This is not one of those things to be rendered to the modern demigods of Olympia," he said.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Was belittling Christians who don't adopt his LGBT ideologies
Colorado Democrats already have moved aggressively into dictating what people believe.
Twice they've tried to demand that Christian business operators believe and promote the party's LGBT ideology in order to do business in the state.
First it was with a baker who declined state orders to violate his faith and promote same-sex duos getting married. Then it was a software designer who declined to violate her faith by promoting same-sex duos getting married.
Both times the U.S. Supreme Court slapped them down, although the Democrats have yet to relinquish their agenda.
And yet another case is pending before that same court involving the state's demand for counselors that they promote LGBT ideologies, but are banned for simply telling clients that they can have discussions about unwanted feelings and work through them.
But even with that, the all-leftist regime in the state, a homosexual Democrat governor, Democrat majorities in the state House and Senate and an all-Democrat state Supreme Court that wildly tried to bar President Donald Trump from the 2024 presidential ballot, is not done.
Now they're telling God what they want Him to be.
That would be "trans."
It was Democrat state Sen. Chris Kolker, who has sponsored an extremist bill that critics charge would set up the state as a nuclear bomb against parental rights and families, who might have unveiled their real agenda.
He was belittling the faith of critics of his bill, which was amended radically overnight Monday.
He ranted to the Senate, "This email says, basically, 'I'm accountable to almighty God, because I'm standing up for equality, that my decisions, one day, I will stand before him and be accountable.' Well, this is what I believe: Have you ever seen that movie 'Talladega Nights'? You see that section where they're talking around the dinner table, and they're talking about what their favorite version of Jesus is? Baby Jesus, I love baby Jesus. I love Lynyrd Skynyrd Jesus when angels are behind him and the choir is singing and he's playing 'Free Bird.'
"Well, on my day of judgment, I might be standing in front of trans Jesus, I don't know."
His bill, HB 25-1312, originally was set up to punish parents who don't adopt and promote transgender ideologies fully.
The Democrats want to order courts to consider "deadnaming" and "misgendering" as forms of "coercive control" in custody disputes.
Courts then would be instructed to use those factors to destroy parental rights and assign custody based on their political ideology.
Deadnaming is simply using a child's legal name, after they've been counseled to claim to be transgender and have picked another name. Misgendering is simply referring to a child as "he" or "she" based on the sex they are.
The bill first attracted attention when a Democrat in the body described parents who don't align with the ideology as like the KKK.
A report at the Daily Signal noted that Rep. Brandi Bradley, a Republican, confirmed that the House sponsor no longer knows what the bill does.
But Bradley warned it still remains a massive "attack on parental rights."
The new version apparently, the report said, allows minors to change their names on a birth certificate, cutting out parents.
Kristen Christensen, state director for Heritage Action, told the Signal, "Colorado's HB 1312 remains an open assault on parent's rights and free speech.
"This legislation still includes school dress code language, adds to the anti-discrimination act, and muddies up legal documents with 'sex' changes. Heritage Action will continue the fight against this awful legislation."
Bradley warned, too, that the Democrats' bill could allow changing sex designation on identification documents multiple times: "How do we know that we're not giving a job to a sex offender? This is horrific for the health care industry, for the mortgage industry, for the gun industry, for public safety. … How many sex offenders are going to be working with children as teachers? How many health care workers will be going into senior living?"
Social media reacted to Kolker with:
"I seriously doubt his final destination is in an upward trajectory."
"Judgment Day is not going to go well for this guy."
"I suggest you go read the Bible, God is a jealous God and he doesn't like it when you mock him or claim to worship a God besides him. I think you and Trans Jesus will not go over well with the big guy, just saying."
Amid the jokes about Kolker being greeted by Satan, there was one simple testimony: "Your knee will bow just like the rest of us. The difference is I have the blood of Christ to cover my sins sir."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Colorado's voting population was a largely Republican majority from 1880 to the early 2000s, with the party sometimes winning with a majority of 65%.
Then, history shows, several leftist billionaires donated heavily to state-level political races, for the state House and state Senate, and even the governor's office. The candidates they funded became the majority.
Since then, leftists have been running the state, with the current Democrat majority in the state House, Senate, governor's office and even the all-Democrat state Supreme Court, which radically even tried – and failed – to bar President Donald Trump from the 2024 presidential ballot.
The result has seen officials in Denver try repeatedly to control and mandate the thoughts and beliefs of business owners, with mandates supporting the LGBT ideology.
After all, Gov. Jared Polis is homosexual and brought his "first husband" to the governor's mansion. But they've been slapped down, hard, twice by the Supreme Court already even as a third similar case is pending at the high court.
What also has happened is that Democrats in charge of state offices and coffers have turned their taxpayer-funded machinery into a weapon against Trump.
They've used tax revenues from the now-majority Democrats, as well as from the 43% minority Republicans, to sue the Trump administration 15 times.
The state's political divisions are common to many states: Tens of thousands of square miles of rangeland and mountains are staunchly Republican. City centers, like Boulder, Denver and Fort Collins, are dominated by Democrats.
It is a report in Westword that documented how Phil Weiser, the far-left Democrat attorney general, "has joined or filed over a dozen lawsuits against the Trump administration.
So far in 2025.
Actually, the report confirms, "Weiser has filed 15 lawsuits against the Trump administration in partnership with other attorneys general across the country. Weiser's lawsuits focus on maintaining Colorado's federal funding and protecting the rights of Colorado citizens."
Westword confirms, from April 29 was one in which Weiser opposes a Trump administration order under his program to save taxpayer money to cut back spending on AmeriCorps, a fed-funded program that in Colorado uses staff members to work in wildfire mitigation and trail restoration.
Weiser's 2025 attacks on Trump began the day after the president took office.
On Jan. 21, Weiser sued, with other states, over Trump's birthright citizenship order, a dispute that now has been taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court.
A week later, Weiser was suing over the Trump administration's freeze on federal cash handouts to research groups and nonprofits.
On Feb. 5, Weiser opposed a decision to allowing members of the Department of Government Efficiency to access Treasury's payment system, access that was needed to evaluation possible fraud and other criminal activity in the federal government's disbursement of payments.
On Feb. 10, he opposed Trump's decision to reduce reimbursements at research institutes across the country.
On Feb. 19, Weiser sued to keep federal taxpayer cash flowing to organizations that provided transgender chemicals and body mutilating surgeries to transgender patients, including children.
On March 6 he and others sued to continue handing out taxpayer money to grants that were to address the "shortage" of teachers in the nation.
He also, on the same day, joined an action against the Trump administration for laying off probationary federal employees.
On March 13, Weiser and others sued to keep the U.S. Department of Education, which has been targeted by the Trump administration for shutdown, with plans to give much of its authority to local and state education boards.
Weiser, on April 1, sued Health and Human Services chief Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over $11 billion in grant funding cuts to various "public health" programs.
On April 3, Weiser demanded in court that President Trump was not allowed to require documentation of citizenship for people to vote in U.S. elections.
On April 4, Weiser and others sued various administration components for delaying cash handouts for various medical research projects.
On that same day, Weiser was in court to keep open federal operations like the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Minority Business Development Agency.
Then on April 23, he sued over the president's tariffs, which are aimed at making the world trade economy fair to U.S. manufacturers, consumers and taxpayers.
And on April 27 there was Weiser's claim that Colorado can keep pushing "diversity, equity and inclusion" social agendas despite the president's ban, because the ban isn't "fully explained," the report said.
Many of the administration's moves would end up reducing funding for special interest programs in Colorado.
The report noted, "It seems Weiser will be going to court a lot in the coming months."
Some of Trump's moves have been blocked by judges at the entry level of the federal court system. And they are on appeal. Some have been affirmed, including a decision by the Supreme Court to allow Trump's ban on transgender patients in the military, for health and deployment reasons, to stand.
The actual results of many of Trump's agenda points will become clear as the Supreme Court weighs in on more and more of the plans.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Despite Senate confirmation hearings set to begin this week on President Trump's first surgeon general nominee, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, he has now replaced her with a new nominee: Dr. Casey Means, an adviser to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who is well-known in the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement.
"Casey has impeccable 'MAHA' credentials, and will work closely with our wonderful Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to ensure a successful implementation of our Agenda in order to reverse the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and ensure Great Health, in the future, for ALL Americans," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
"Her academic achievements, together with her life's work, are absolutely outstanding. Dr. Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in United States History."
Referencing his first nominee, Trump wrote, "Congratulations to Casey! Secretary Kennedy looks forward to working with Dr. Janette Nesheiwat in another capacity at HHS."
Nesheiwat recently came under fire for past remarks about the COVID vaccine and DEI initiatives.
CNN notes that both Means and her brother, White House health adviser Calley Means, have made frequent public appearances at MAHA events and on podcasts, arguing that Americans are sick with chronic disease because the health care system and federal agencies are prioritizing medication and financial incentives over nutrition and holistic health.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A U.S. House committee has written a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi explaining that its investigation shows that the security measures used by ActBlue, a massive Democrat cash collecting scheme, are weak, and the organization "overlooks bad actors."
WorldNetDaily recently reported the investigation was begun into fundraising giant ActBlue, which reportedly has directed some $16 billion to Democrat politicians in recent years.
Earlier, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the chief of the House Oversight Committee, said, "We're investigating ActBlue the same way we investigated the Bidens. … We're starting with the suspicious activity reports — bank violations that flag financial crimes. And let me tell you, the evidence is overwhelming."
There have been claims of money-laundering, massive piles of cash being funneled from overseas into Democrat campaigns, and more.
It was President Donald Trump who signed a memo calling for a crackdown on "straw donors" and foreign money in American campaigns. That instructed Bondi to take appropriate action on the issues, and offenders.
A report at Center Square said the memo cited documentation of "significant fraud schemes" involving ActBlue and donations made through the organization just ahead of the 2024 election that came "from foreign internet protocol addresses using prepaid cards" that could involve illegal behavior.
The new letter is from the House Committee on House Administration, and its chief, Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis.
"The oversight has uncovered that ActBlue has weak fraud-prevention practices and overlooks bad actors, including foreign actors, who take advantage of the platform to make illicit political donations," the letter said. "ActBlue's concerning activities may have a direct effect on U.S. political campaigns and elections."
Actually, various Republican groups have been investigating ActBlue since 2023, when Steil launched a probe into the way the group verified donors, or didn't.
Documentation already has shown that some donors have made thousands of donations, amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars, even though the donors are retirees on fixed incomes.
The organization abruptly fell into disarray this year, after the New York Times "reported on March 5 that at least seven senior staffers resigned in late February, including its top legal officer. The reason for the exodus is not yet known."
Several attorneys general from states also have begun investigating.
Democrats peppered Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with tough questions at a hearing for the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Breitbart reported. Noem discussed issues such as budget cuts, immigration, and REAL ID travel requirements.
The hearing occurred on Tuesday as Noem faced the panel of four Democrats and seven Republicans. She defended President Donald Trump's positions and her own actions on several key issues.
The wide-ranging topics included Noem defending recent budget cuts and the immigration crackdown currently underway. There was also news on the REAL ID front, which has hit some snags in implementation.
As Spectrum News reported, Noem was asked about reducing the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's budget by $491 million. "Despite the growing cyber threats, your budget cuts nearly half a billion dollars—half a billion dollars from the main agency charged with protecting our federal network," Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL) charged.
Noem explained that it was reshifting priorities rather than cutting something necessary. "So in CISA, instead of doing censorship, misinformation and disinformation, they are back to securing our critical infrastructure," Noem explained.
She said it was the same thing for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, explaining that Trump "wants to eliminate FEMA as it exists today and to have states have more control over their emergency management response." Democrats challenged Noem on the cuts, but they clearly thought immigration was a winning issue.
Underwood pressed Noem on whether the government was able to deport American citizens. Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) similarly took that line of questioning, referencing deported citizens who decided to take their American-born children with them.
"No, and we are not deporting U.S. citizens," Noem explained. "The specific cases that you're referencing with these children, it was the parents' choice to take their children, which is the policy of the Trump administration to keep families together," Noem said, destroying the narrative.
Noem also fielded questions about the REAL ID requirement that the Associated Press noted would go into effect Wednesday. All airplane travel, including domestic, requires a passport or a compliant identification card or driver's license.
This comes from a 2005 law that was a recommendation after the 9/11 Commission investigation. The thought is that state-issued identification documents must comply with uniform federal standards for national security purposes in travel and entering certain federal buildings.
During Tuesday's hearing, Noem announced that travelers without a REAL ID "may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step" at airports, but wouldn't be denied access to travel. "But people will be allowed to fly," Noem assured the public.
"We will make sure it’s as seamless as possible," she added. Although Noem said nearly 81% of Americans wishing to travel have the complaint IDs, many have worried about the problems it might cause for those who don't in the interim.
Noem handled herself like a pro during the onslaught of pointed questions. Officials in the Trump administration, including Noem, are doing a phenomenal job implementing and explaining his agenda.
The Senate voted on Tuesday to repeal the Biden-era regulations that restricted emissions from tire manufacturing, putting a climate-focused strain on the industry.
The resolution was then sent to President Donald Trump's desk for a signature, which is expected to happen sometime in the near future, The Washington Examiner reported.
The Senate passed a resolution that would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's standards regarding hazardous air pollutants from rubber tire facilities in a 55-45 vote.
In March, the bill was approved by the House when introduced by Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and advanced through the Congressional Review Act, which offers an expedited procedure for Congress to cancel rules, bypassing the filibuster in the Senate.
“I am happy we are one step closer to eliminating the Biden-era NESHAP rule driven by radical environmentalism that did nothing but hurt workers and businesses across the nation,” said Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).
“Republican leadership continues to deliver for the American people by getting rid of government overreach and inefficiency and paving the way for productivity and prosperity.”
“The Biden administration forced needless regulations on American tire manufacturers and producers. Increasing the NESHAP standard puts an unnecessary financial and environmental burden on rubber manufacturing facilities," said Wicker.
"Reversing this decision will protect jobs and bring back the time-tested NESHAP rule, which has kept our environment clean and our communities safe."
On the House side, Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) spoke to the bill, saying“House and Senate Republicans are acting decisively to repeal onerous regulations from the Biden EPA, like the rubber tire manufacturing rule, that do very little to serve public health.
"Like many of the regulations issued during the waning days of the Biden-Harris Administration, the rubber tire manufacturing emission standard utilized questionable emissions data and pointed to negligible health benefits as justification for the rule.
He went on to thank the "strong conservative leaders in the Senate, like Senators Tim Scott and Roger Wicker, Congress is exercising its authority to undo this harmful Biden EPA measure and provide relief to America’s rubber tire manufacturers.
Last week the upper chamber passed a resolution sponsored by Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL) disapproving of the Biden administration’s energy conservation standards for commercial refrigerators and freezers.
After a 52-45 vote, the proposition was approved. The bill is now on its way to the president's desk after passing the House.
This Congressional Review Act resolution would repeal the rule Biden signed into law mandating energy efficiency ratings for freezers and refrigerators.
The Biden administration claims that the Department of Energy's final regulation, published on January 17th, greatly improved energy efficiency by revising the requirements for freezers and refrigerators.
Former First Lady Jill Biden is stepping into a new chapter, venturing into the field of women's health advocacy with the Milken Institute. On Tuesday, the institute declared that she will act as the chair of the novel "Women's Health Network," an integral move to enhance the focus on women’s health issues, the Daily Caller reported.
The newly formed initiative aims to revolutionize women's health by bolstering both existing and fresh efforts within this crucial area of research and development.
Her commitment to women’s health stretches back decades. Two years after her husband was inaugurated as Vice President, Jill Biden created the Biden Breast Health Initiative in 1993, which focused on awareness surrounding breast cancer. This new endeavor with the Milken Institute signifies a natural progression from her prior philanthropic activities.
The Milken Institute is recognized for its influential annual gatherings that tackle worldwide challenges. In introducing Jill Biden, the institute consolidates its efforts to address persistent underinvestment in areas unique to women’s health. The Women's Health Network seeks to forge partnerships that can significantly impact women’s well-being.
According to Esther Krofah, an executive at the institute, the organization greatly values what Jill Biden represents. Her dedication to enhancing investment in research pertaining to women's health was appreciated during her time in the White House. Jill Biden’s association is expected to propel the initiative studies forward.
Data highlights the ongoing challenges within women's health when it comes to investment in research and innovations. By leading the Women’s Health Network, Jill Biden will be a pivotal figure in addressing these disparities and elevating the conversation on women’s health.
Jill Biden's involvement with the Milken Institute signifies a continued passion for thematic advocacy that began decades ago. As First Lady, she also upheld her professional life as an educator, teaching English and writing at Northern Virginia Community College. Her diverse background enriches her capability to steer dialogues and initiatives related to health.
Just last year, she played a significant role in pushing forward the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, announcing a substantial $100 million in federal funding dedicated to this cause in February 2024. This not only underscored her existing commitments but also set a precedent for subsequent efforts like her latest role with the Milken Institute.
Michael Milken established the institute to engage with a diverse spectrum of global issues, some of which involve political nuances. Despite being officially pardoned for securities fraud five years ago, his organization continues to stand largely with center-left policies, though occasionally supporting right-leaning views such as corporate tax rate reduction.
Although Jill Biden's new role is prominently non-partisan, her political engagements are far from over. She remains a supportive force for the Democratic Party alongside her husband, who continues to assist in the party's endeavors. In the wake of the 2024 elections, both former President Joe Biden and Jill Biden appear ready to tackle political challenges head-on.
A source close to Jill Biden has indicated that she upholds her role as a privilege and is eager to support the party in any viable manner. Professional and personal responsibilities seamlessly interweave in her approach, encompassing political, educational, and now health-centric advocacy.
Both Joe and Jill Biden are also reportedly working on writing projects. The extent of these publications is yet unknown, but they may reflect their long careers in public service. Meanwhile, Jill Biden's new appointment combines her past experiences with forward-facing objectives at the Milken Institute.
As Jill Biden joins the Milken Institute's initiative, her added value to the women’s health conversation is undeniable. The potential transformative impact of her leadership complements her history of diligent service and advocacy.
President Trump pledged to maintain tariff pressure on China, as he pushes to end America's steep trade deficit with its largest economic competitor.
During a combative interview with NBC's Kristen Welker, Trump said he sees little reason to dial back 145% tariff rates right now because China's economy is buckling.
"They said today they want to talk. Look, China, and I don't like this. I'm not happy about this. China's getting killed right now," Trump told Welker.
"They're getting absolutely destroyed. Their factories are closing. Their unemployment is going through the roof. I'm not looking to do that to China now. At the same time, I'm not looking to have China make hundreds of billions of dollars and build more ships and more Army tanks and more airplanes."
While Trump has signaled that he sees an off-ramp in the future, he made it clear to Welker that America will not make the first move. And he warned that some tariffs would remain permanent in order to incentivize companies to build in America long-term.
China has already exempted a range of U.S.-made goods, including some pharmaceuticals and microchips, from its 125% tariff rates.
"You're not dropping the tariffs against China to get them to the negotiating table?" Welker asked.
Trump responded, "No."
"At some point, I'm going to lower them because otherwise, you could never do business with them. And they want to do business very much. Look, their economy is really doing badly. Their economy is collapsing."
Trump objected early and often to Welker's "dishonest" framing as she needled Trump on the perceived downsides of his tariff war, at one point asking if Americans could expect to see "empty store shelves" in the future. Trump rebuked her for ignoring positive developments like a drop in gas prices.
"This is such a dishonest interview already. Prices are down on groceries. Prices are down for oil prices are down for oil. Energy prices are down at tremendous numbers for gasoline," Trump said.
Trump repeated his now-familiar argument about trade-offs, conceding Americans may need to pay more for certain "junk" products from overseas during a "transition period" towards a more resilient economy.
"I don’t think that a beautiful baby girl needs — that’s 11 years old — needs to have 30 dolls. I think they can have three dolls or four dolls because what we were doing with China was just unbelievable. We had a trade deficit of hundreds of billions of dollars with China," Trump said.
When Welker pushed Trump to rule out a recession, Trump rejected the premise as absurd.
"Anything can happen," Trump said. "But I think we're going to have the greatest economy in the history of our country. I think we're going to have the greatest economic boom in history."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat and no fan of Donald Trump, was captured on video in the Oval Office Monday during an event with the president, expressing obvious discomfort as he hammered Joe Biden over his lax immigration policies.
The setting was the announcement that the NFL Draft in 2027 would be held in Washington, D.C. Also present were NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other officials.
In an X post featuring the video, country musician John Rich noted, "This is hysterical. Look at the Mayor of DC's body language, she's about to spontaneously combust."
Bowser's participation started positively, as RedState reported.
"We are delighted to be here with the Washington Commanders, the NFL, and the president to talk about this very exciting announcement for Washington, D.C.," she said. "We believe in investing in sports because they have helped us transform neighborhoods."
But once Trump began criticizing his predecessor, the mayor's face betrayed her discomfort.
The mayor's awkward looks follow an Oval Office appearance last month by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in which she held a blue binder in front of her face, apparently embarrassed by her presence in MAGA Central: Donald Trump's Oval Office.