Legal fallout from the aftermath of the Jan. 6 Capitol riots is still unfolding in courts across the country, but one particular case involving Rep. Nancy Pelosi's stolen laptop recently took a turn.
According to a CBS affiliate, a lawyer for Riley Williams, who has been jailed since 2023 after being hit with six charges related to her alleged involvement in the Capitol protest, pointed out that even though she's been acquitted of stealing the lawmaker's laptop, the government hasn't made any efforts to change the media narrative.
Williams has been continually blasted by most of the establishment media as a major player in the J6 Capitol protests, and was originally charged with the theft of Pelosi's laptop.
The FBI recently confirmed that it had a new suspect in the stolen laptop case, according to reports.
What's going on?
It's been three years since the events of that day unfolded, but just last week, the FBI announced that a man called David Slinker, from Kentucky, is the new suspect in the case of Pelosi's stolen laptop computer.
Williams' attorney, Lori Ulrich, blasted the U.S. government for not making much in the way of efforts to clear her client from being the suspect in the laptop case.
The government had every reason to believe soon after January 2021 she did not take the computer," Ulrich said. "But they never changed the narrative in the media."
The CBS outlet noted:
Williams, who was convicted on six other stemming from her involvement in the Capitol storming, has been in prison since 2023. Throughout the process, Ulrich felt her client was guilty until proven innocent.
"She was treated like she had stole the computer," the lawyer said, adding that her client "never had the laptop."
"Where it actually went, we don't know," Ulrich continued.
"No indications"
One of the investigators behind the case, Matthew Schappell, said after reviewing mountains of video evidence, there wasn't any indication that Williams ever had the laptop on her person or in her bag as she left the building.
"I saw her at the building on video," Schappell said. "There were no indications that she had a laptop in her person, in her purse. Nothing to indicate she was carrying a laptop."
Like many others who took part in the J6 protests and were eventually imprisoned or charged, they're hoping President-elect Donald Trump will come through on a previous vow to consider issuing pardons.
Some believe he'll issue the pardons on a case-by-case basis. Only time will tell.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A volunteer with a program that provides food to the hungry and homeless in Dayton, Ohio, was handcuffed for his work, and although he was later released without charges, the city's agenda has prompted a lawsuit over its restrictions on charity.
It is the Pacific Legal Foundation that has brought the federal complaint against Dayton to challenge a city ordinance that bans, unconstitutionally, the public distribution of food without a permit.
It happened during a food distribution event last April when "a homeless man walked up to volunteer Mitchell West asking for food."
It happened while a police officer who had just ordered the handout closed down was present.
"Despite the officer watching, Mitchell chose compassion over compliance and handed the man a burrito. The officer responded by handcuffing and arresting Mitchell, detaining him for more than 30 minutes—over what amounts to a misdemeanor," the legal team announced.
The program is run by Nourish Our Neighbors, a charity that now has sued Dayton.
"Nourish Our Neighbors offers a wide range of services, including haircuts, education, housing, and food assistance. At its core, however, is its food program, which is a crucial community resource considered illegal by the city. Volunteers serve nearly 150 people per month, collect trash before and after all food service, and leave the area cleaner than they found it," the foundation reported.
The city demands a permit, costing $50 per event, and a $250 security deposit for some, a demand that "would undercut Nourish Our Neighbors' ability to serve those most in need."
The legal team noted: "Even more telling is the law's arbitrariness—no permit is required to hand out cake and ice cream for a birthday party at the same location."
The courts, the Pacific Justice Foundation confirmed, "have ruled that food sharing is expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment. Furthermore, the ordinance unfairly discriminates among similar activities and violates the fundamental right to engage in charitable acts."
The Neighbors program was started by McKahla Moran back in 2022 to help "alleviate hardships."
Free food is a primary component.
"When city code enforcement put a volunteer in handcuffs, the chilling message became crystal clear: In Dayton, charity can be a crime," the legal team warned.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Kash Patel, the former Department of Defense chief of staff who is reportedly on President-elect Donald Trump's short list to be the next director of the FBI, is now sounding the alarm about the current time period before Trump is inaugurated, leaving Joe Biden and the Deep State in charge.
"Right now is, I think in my opinion, the most dangerous time, the sort of lame duck period where the president is not acting in the capability that needs to defend this nation," Patel told Maria Bartiromo on "Sunday Morning Futures" on the Fox News Channel.
"And what we need to do is have our leaders of the agencies and departments that were confirmed by the Senate show up and do their job and tell the Senate and the House of Representatives these are our failures, these are our weaknesses, we need help, we need you to respond the in this time of need. And those guys not showing up to the Hill and just deflecting their responsibility shows us how much more danger we're in," he continued.
"We know what President Trump's gonna do, but he's 54 days away from taking the oath of office. Right now, we need the United States of America to remind those agencies and department leaders that they work for us, and the mandate that President Trump was given was to protect our borders, to make sure CCP fentanyl doesn't kill our children, to the end the forever wars, to return our hostages, and make sure American global diplomacy is in great hands when President Trump is sent to the to Oval Office on January 20th. And we must respect the will and power of Congress, I cannot stress that enough.
"The constitutional oversight responsibilities of the United States House of Representatives and the Senate has been lost by the leaders of the Deep State in Washington, D.C., and I think President Trump is going to restore that with his selections and his nominees."
Bartiromo noted, "Unfortunately, the public has also lost trust in a number of these agencies."
She then asked Patel how he believes Americans "will regain trust in our most important law-enforcement agencies?"
"One thing: exposure of corruption," Patel replied. "Put out the documents, put out the evidence. We only have gotten half way down the Russiagate hole. The people need to know their FBI is restored by knowing full well what they did to unlawfully surveil them.
"The people need to know there's been a deweaponization, a defanging of the Department of Justice and their houses of worship will no longer be raided, but they need to be shown the documents that said this was the reasoning they weaponized justice.
"And that, in my opinion, is how Congress can most importantly secure the trust or resecure the trust of these agencies and departments. President Trump is taking a huge first step with his monumental victory.
"Now it's up to Congress and the Senate to work with his leaders at DOJ and FBI to put out those documents, and I think DOGE goes a long way in that. But we're going to need Cabinet secretaries who say we don't fear the corruption that preceded us. It will make us powerful if we expose it to the American public."
Though they recently presented a very united front when it came to campaigning on behalf of Kamala Harris in her bid for the White House, that is not to say that former President Barack and former first lady Michelle Obama have always been on the same page.
In fact, as InStyle reports, there have been a number of bumps and hurdles along the way during the course of the Obamas' romance, including the then-future president's clunky advances at the start of their relationship.
Not a storybook start
Though millions of Americans are said to look up to the Obamas as an example of marital support and solidarity, their initial days of acquaintance did not necessarily foreshadow the impressive trajectory on which their union would embark.
Few would believe that the loved-up couple dancing together at two presidential inaugurations had a start that included rebuffed advances and a hearty dose of skepticism from the eventual first lady.
In Michelle Obama's own telling, her future husband made his interest clear just one month after their first meeting, but he did not make the sort of impression many would expect.
Looking back, Michelle Obama characterized Barack's overtures while working together at the Chicago office of the Sidley Austin law firm as “completely tacky.”
Eventually, however, Barack's persistence paid off, and the pair's first date included a visit to an art museum, a movie, and a stop for ice cream that was capped off by a goodnight kiss.
“I was sold”
Despite her initial reluctance, Michelle Obama's first date with Barack was so successful that it set the stage for a marriage now poised for the history books.
“We clicked right away...by the end of the date, it was over...I was sold,” she would later explain.
A 1991 proposal during a romantic dinner out followed, and Barack and Michelle subsequently married in October of 1992.
It was just a few short years later that Barack Obama launched his political career in the Illinois legislature, a road that would ultimately lead him to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
With the birth of daughter Malia in 1998 and Sasha in 2001, the Obama family unit was complete, bringing a happy conclusion to the initial days of uncertainty about the couple's future together.
“People aren't perfect”
With 32 years and two terms in the White House under their belts, Barack and Michelle Obama look to many to be the image of a perfect partnership, but as the former first lady explained not long ago, a commitment to hard work and patience underlies their marital longevity.
“People aren't perfect. Marriage is hard. It's a struggle for everyone,” she said, adding, "You've got to know that there are going to be long periods of time when you can't stand each other...but that doesn't mean you quit,” and political disagreements aside, that is advice every married couple – regardless of age – would do well to heed.
President-elect Donald Trump has been naming prospective members of his new administration at a lightning-fast pace, and now it appears that the former -- and future -- first lady has also begun the process of choosing key personnel for her White House office.
As The Hill reports, Melania Trump announced on Friday the selection of longtime aide and confidante Hayley Harrison to serve as her chief of staff as she makes yet another transition to the East Wing.
Longtime aide tapped for key role
Mrs. Trump's office made the announcement of Harrison's new role in a post on X, touting her longstanding ties to the incoming first lady.
“Mrs. Harrison has maintained an integral role and exceptional leadership on the First Lady's team over the past seven years,” the statement began.
Melania Trump's office continued, “She has a strong understanding of White House operations, and as Chief of Staff, Mrs. Harrison will oversee and manage the East Wing's team while strategically liaising with other parts of government.”
The appointment of Harrison to this key role in Mrs. Trump's office represents the first such hire following Donald Trump's Nov. 5 victory against Kamala Harris.
Harrison's history of loyalty
As USA Today notes, Harrison's tenure as a Trump insider includes Donald Trump's first term in office as well as the post-presidential period during which the family relocated to Palm Beach, Florida.
Harrison's involvement in Mrs. Trump's post-White House life was so substantial that she was later identified as “Trump Employee 1” in special counsel Jack Smith's classified documents indictment of Donald Trump.
The Washington Examiner reported that court filings indicated that Harrison had sent text messages to another Trump staffer in regard to the need to move the documents at issue out of the Mar-a-Lago business center to another location so that staff would have sufficient room to work.
Hayley Harrison's husband, William “Beau” Harrison, also has a history of strong ties to the Trump family, also having been the subject of a grand jury interview before charges were lodged against Donald Trump and his aide, Walt Nauta.
The questioning revolved around Harrison's prior role coordinating relocation logistics with the General Services Administration ahead of the Trumps' move back to Florida in 2021.
Redefining her role
As the Examiner suggested, it is far from clear that Mrs. Trump has any plans to move back to the White House on a full-time basis, with all indications suggesting that she will split time between her homes in New York City and Palm Beach Florida, traveling to D.C. when official needs dictate.
Mrs. Trump has made it clear, however, that her prior experience as first lady has prepared her well to make critical personnel decisions such as the appointment of Harrison, explaining in late October, “So when you go in, you know exactly what to expect. You know what kind of people you need to get.” Hopefully, she can now rely on the sort of staff loyalty that all too often proved elusive last time around.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Colorado taxpayers are being stung with a $1.5 million bill they will have to pay for their leaders' anti-Christian ideology.
It's the settlement that the state is required to pay after losing its war – at the U.S. Supreme Court – on the Christian faith of artist Lorie Smith.
She runs her own design studio, 303 Creative, specializing in graphic and website design.
"She left the corporate design world to start her own small business in 2012 so she could use her skills to promote causes consistent with her beliefs and close to her heart, such as supporting children with disabilities, the beauty of marriage, overseas missions, animal shelters, and veterans," the ADF explained.
"She was excited to expand her portfolio to create websites that celebrate marriage between a man and a woman, but Colorado made clear she's not welcome in that space."
In fact, Colorado leftists imposed a law that would have required her to promote same-sex duos if she also did wedding site designs.
But that would violate her faith.
The law, in fact, was intended to censor what she wants to say and requires her to create designs that violate her beliefs about marriage, the legal team explained.
"She enjoys working with people from all walks of life, but, like most artists, can't promote every message."
The payment by the state is to finish a lawsuit brought by ADF lawyers, and is to cover attorneys' fees.
The Supreme Court scolded the state for its agenda to violate the First Amendment in its attack on Smith.
After the Supreme Court ruling, a district court's final judgment requires the state and its officials to comply with the First Amendment.
The ADF explained, "Colorado officials threatened and censored Smith's speech for nearly seven years before she was victorious at the high court. They have also relentlessly pursued other Colorado artists—like cake designer Jack Phillips—for years, filing complaints against him for expressing only messages consistent with his religious beliefs."
"The government can't force Americans to say things they don't believe, and Colorado officials have paid and will continue to pay a high price when they violate this foundational freedom," said the ADF's Kristen Waggoner.
"For the past 12 years, Colorado has targeted people of faith and forced them to express messages that violate their conscience and that advance the government's preferred ideology. First Amendment protections are non-negotiable. Billions of people around the world believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman and that men and women are biologically distinct. No government has the right to silence individuals for expressing these ideas or to punish those who decline to express different views.
"Political and cultural winds shift, but the freedom to speak without fear of censorship is a God-given constitutionally guaranteed right, essential for a flourishing society and self-governing people."
California Gov. Gavin Newsom will face an estimated $20 billion shortfall in the state's budget by 2026, the Washington Examiner reported. Meanwhile, Newsom has pledged to fight provisions of President-elect Donald Trump's new administration which will cost taxpayers millions of dollars.
A report from the California Legislative Analyst’s Office warned that measures must be taken in the coming years. "We anticipate the Legislature likely will need to address deficits in the future, for example by reducing spending or increasing taxes," the report said.
"In our view, this year’s budget does not have capacity for new commitments, ongoing ones." Gabriel Petek, an analyst for the agency, projected that the state would spend an additional 2.3% year over year and exceeding the state's income by 2%.
Meanwhile, Newsom has already promised to use funds from California coffers to oppose Trump's agenda. This could bring the state to its financial tipping point.
Bleak Fiscal Outlook
In years past, a robust stock market injected much-needed cash that gave California a surplus. Unfortunately, the tide has turned, and things are not looking great for Newsom in the coming years.
The state has already had to cut funding to "temporary commitments" and other projects because of a projected $68 billion deficit in the 2024 budget. Even after the changes, California will still be $2 billion in the red.
The Legislative Analysts Office says key indicators point to the fact that it's only going to get worse. "We’re seeing declining consumer spending," Petek said.
"We’re seeing an unemployment rate that’s ticking up and very anemic, job growth, and the job growth we are getting is entirely attributable to government and healthcare, and so that is not a foundation on which our office can project comfortably that we’re going to have robust revenue growth going forward," he added. Meanwhile, expansion of government programs has only made it worse.
MediCal, the state's Medicaid program, covers healthcare even for noncitizens, and the program has become a burdensome drain. "Our advice to the legislature is that they should conduct oversight of programs and take a take stock of what their main priorities are, and try to, you know, work on addressing that misalignment," Petek recommended.
Newsom's Crusade
During Trump's first term in office between 2016 and 2020, California sued the administration 120 times. Now Newsom is poised to do the same, but this time with funds California simply doesn't have.
James Gallagher, GOP leader of the California state assembly, excoriated Newsom for his fiscal irresponsibility. "California has a $2 billion deficit that’s projected to explode in the next few years, and Newsom’s solution is to spend another $100 million on lawyers to fight President Trump," Gallagher said.
"You can’t lead the ‘resistance’ when you can barely pay the bills. It’s too bad Newsom is more focused on chasing headlines for his 2028 presidential run than actually running the state," Gallagher added.
Still, Newsom has signaled that he's serious about his opposition of Trump. Just 36 hours after he was elected president again, Newsom called the Legislature together for a special session to fund lawsuits for abortion rights and other leftist pet causes, the LA Times reported.
Newsom is a typical liberal politician who has no problem spending taxpayers into oblivion. Californians will revolt as the state simply can't afford it this time, and Trump will be smiling as they turn on Newsom because of it.
Melania Trump, the wife of President-elect Donald Trump, has announced that she is appointing her longtime aide Hayley Harrison as her Chief of Staff.
Melania will begin her second stint as First Lady of the United States in January when Donald Trump is sworn into his 2nd term as the 47th President of the United States.
Melania Trump issued a statement praising Harrison stating that she "has maintained an integral role and exceptional leadership on the First Lady’s team over the past seven years.”
The statement continued saying, "She has a strong understanding of White House operations, and as Chief of Staff, Mrs. Harrison will oversee and manage the East Wing’s team while strategically liaising with other parts of government."
Melania Trump is set for a big role in the White House as she is no longer primarily concerned with raising her son, Barron Trump, who has now graduated high school and is going to college. Harrison will play a key role in aiding Melania in her plans.
Melania's Plans
Now that she has more time for herself and her plans, Melania Trump is set to have an impactful time as she is once again America's First Lady.
Insiders have confirmed reports that Melania Trump will likely not be living full-time in Washington D.C. at the White House. She still plans on being very active but will likely be splitting time between D.C. and Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
Melania Trump has done things differently than her predecessors as she has kept a smaller staff and taken up less space in the White House.
During an appearance on Fox News, Melania stated that she is "not anxious because this time is different. I have much more experience and much more knowledge."
No amount of experience could have prepared Melania Trump for what she would experience in her first term as First Lady in her husband's historic first term.
It was open season for the Trump family after the 2016 presidential election and Melania Trump was torn between her duties as First Lady and protecting her family, especially her young teenage son. Now Melania is ready to take on the nastiness that will only intensify in the coming years.
First Lady's Agenda
Melania Trump was busy pushing initiatives to combat cyberbullying during her first term as First Lady especially after Barron Trump was attacked by leftists who speculated that he was autistic because of his quiet nature.
She will likely continue those efforts with an added emphasis on combatting political violence thanks to the attacks on her family from the left.
Melania Trump has already sent strong messages on these issues as she turned down a transition meeting invitation from First Lady Jill Biden and directly called out the Biden family for their attacks on the Trump family.
Melania is going to be doing things differently and will be throwing punches just like her husband will be for the next four years. She will need a dedicated and strong team around her and that will begin with Harrison.
President-elect Donald Trump is poised to reverse a Biden administration directive that had banned the use of the term "illegal alien" starting January 20, 2025.Advisers to Trump's transition team are currently in discussions about reinstating the term "illegal alien" in official communications. This move would be one of Trump's initial actions after his inauguration, signaling a significant shift in immigration terminology policy, the Washington Examiner reports.
The Biden administration had previously replaced the term "illegal alien" with "undocumented immigrants" as part of a broader effort to adopt language that proponents argue is more humane. However, a former high-ranking immigration official advising Trump’s team indicated, "In this [present] administration, we used ‘undocumented immigrants,’ right? Expect all of that to change."
Shift in Policy Marks Return to Previous Language
During Biden's presidency, instructions were given to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel to cease the use of the term along with others like “alien” and “assimilation.” Instead, they were directed to use “noncitizen” or “migrant.” This change was mandated by Troy Miller in April 2021.
Rodney Scott, the then-head of the U.S. Border Patrol, resisted these changes. He expressed his dissent in an internal document, stating, "This memorandum serves as my official nonconcurrence to the proposed updated terminology for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) communications and materials... I will not undermine this effort; however, I cannot endorse it."
The discussions about reverting to the old terminology are also supported by John Fabbricatore, a retired ICE field office director and potential candidate to lead ICE. Fabbricatore argues for the neutrality of the term "illegal alien," asserting, "What is wrong with illegal alien? It connotes no race, religion, or culture... It is a purely legal term that was hijacked in an Orwellian attempt to control the messaging about illegal immigration."
Legislative and Personal Responses to Language Change
These changes have not gone unchallenged in Congress. Rep. Joaquin Castro introduced a bill aiming to prohibit the federal use of “alien” in reference to non-U.S. citizens, although it has not yet been passed. Conversely, Rep. Henry Cuellar expressed disagreement with the removal of the term “alien” as long as it remains in legal statutes.
Even President Biden has waded into the debate inadvertently. During a State of the Union address, he used the term “illegal” in reference to an undocumented individual involved in a crime, a comment for which he later expressed regret, stating, “I shouldn’t have used illegal, it’s undocumented.”
These varied perspectives highlight the contentious nature of language used in the context of immigration. The second official added, "I don’t see anyone at [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] or [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] using any euphemisms for illegal aliens after Jan. 20."
Broader Implications of Terminology in Immigration Policy
The potential policy reversal by the incoming Trump administration reflects broader political and ideological shifts that often accompany changes in governance. Language in immigration policy can influence public perception and policy interpretation, serving as a tool for broader political messaging.
As the January 20 inauguration date approaches, the impact of this shift in terminology will likely be scrutinized both domestically and internationally. Observers will be watching to see how this change fits into the larger immigration policy framework that President-elect Trump plans to implement during his term.
With these changes, the Trump administration aims to restore what it views as a straightforward approach to immigration terminology, challenging what it perceives as a shift towards political correctness under the Biden administration.
Former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres is fleeing the United State over President-elect Trump's election victory.
While celebrities have frequently threatened to leave the country in protest of Trump, DeGeneres is actually putting her money where her mouth is.
The comedian has already moved to the Cotswolds, a picturesque region of England, with her partner, Portia De Rossi, according to The Wrap.
Ellen flees America
A source close to the former TV host said she listed her mansion outside of Los Angeles and has plans "to never return to the United States."
According to TMZ, the pair had already snapped up their new home before the election, but they just couldn't take four more years of Trump.
A popular retreat for the rich and famous, the Cotswolds is a region of southwestern England famous for its beautiful stone architecture and rolling hills.
While Trump has given her an incentive to leave, DeGeneres' ties to the U.S. were already frayed after the former entertainment icon announced her retirement from show business this year.
Her career went into decline following allegations of workplace bullying that emerged in 2020.
Cancelled comedian's farewell
In her final Netflix special before retirement, released this year, the openly gay comedian - once seen as a trailblazer - joked about being "kicked out" of show business over her new "mean" image.
“Alright, let me catch you up on what’s been going on with me since you last saw me,” DeGeneres said. “I got chickens. … Oh yeah, I got kicked out of show business for being mean.”
The comedian explained that she is done trying to please people after spending her career making others happy.
“So after a lifetime of caring, I just can’t anymore. So, I don’t,” DeGeneres said. “I have a choice of people remembering me as someone who is mean or someone who is beloved … beloved, I chose that.”
It's sad that DeGeneres doesn't realize she's a victim of the intolerant liberalism that she has long supported - and continues to back with her very public protest of Trump.
But DeGeneres at least deserves some credit for actually leaving the U.S. She has more integrity than a blubbering fool like Jimmy Kimmel, who cried on his late-night show after Trump's win.
As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words.
