This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The American stock market on Friday surged upward, with the Dow Jones Industrials gaining more than 900 points at one point for an all-time high of 45,757, after Jerome Powell dropped a hint that circumstances are changing.
He's been adamant in keeping interest rates for Americans high, despite good jobs and inflation reports in the months since President Donald Trump took office.
Trump has dubbed Powell "Too Late" for his repeated delays in lowering rates that Trump believes should be changed.
Powell wasn't explicit about rates, but said, during a conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, "Over the course of this year, the U.S. economy has shown resilience in a context of sweeping changes in economic policy.
"In terms of the Fed's dual-mandate goals, the labor market remains near maximum employment, and inflation, though still somewhat elevated, has come down a great deal from its post-pandemic highs. At the same time, the balance of risks appears to be shifting."
The Fed next meets in September. Key during the August meeting, at which he maintained higher rates that deprive Americans of the ability to buy homes, two of the board members sought a rate cut, but they were overruled by the majority, led by Powell.
Trump long has called on Powell, in light of the huge improvement in America's financial position, to lower rates. It was during June that the nation reported its first trade surplus in many years.
"In the near term, risks to inflation are tilted to the upside, and risks to employment to the downside—a challenging situation," Powell said. "When our goals are in tension like this, our framework calls for us to balance both sides of our dual mandate.
"Nonetheless, with policy in restrictive territory, the baseline outlook and the shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance," he added. "[Federal Open Market Committee] FOMC members will make these decisions, based solely on their assessment of the data and its implications for the economic outlook and the balance of risks. We will never deviate from that approach."
Based on his comments, the Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 903 points, or 2%.
Meanwhile, the S&P 500 gained 1.6% and the Nasdaq Composite climbed nearly 2%, according to CNBC.
Trump informed Powell as recently as this week, "There is no inflation, and every sign is pointing to a major rate cut."
Inflation actually exploded to more than 9% under Joe Biden.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
President Donald Trump has delivered a verdict on Lisa D. Cook, a governor for the Federal Reserve who now is facing accusations of mortgage fraud.
His conclusion: She'll be fired if she doesn't resign.
WND reported only a day earlier that Cook was the third major Democrat personality in recent weeks to face mortgage fraud claims.
It was the U.S. Federal Housing FHFA that alleged, in a criminal referral to the Department of Justice, that Cook committed mortgage fraud by designating both an out of state condominium as well as a Michigan residence as her primary "home," at the same time.
Shortly later, the condo allegedly was offered for rent.
The government statement said, "When someone commits mortgage fraud, they undermine the faith and integrity of our System. It does not matter who you are – no one is above the law. We have sent a Criminal Referral to the Department of Justice with regard to the allegations against Ms. Cook, and the DOJ should go wherever the facts may lead them."
Earlier cases were assembled against Letitia James, the attorney general for New York whose massive mortgage fraud case against President Donald Trump's companies collapse in a heap of smoldering ashes this week when her $500 million plus judgment against Trump was trashed by an appeals court.
She was accused of wrongly claiming the location of her "primary residence."
Then it was Adam Schiff, the Democrat senator from California who pushed hard at the false claims of the Russiagate conspiracy theory over which Trump was impeached – and acquitted.
He apparently claimed two residences as his "primary" at the same time.
The Gateway Pundit noted Special Prosecutor Ed Martin is currently investigating Cook for mortgage fraud and falsifying bank statements.
Martin also asked Fed Chair Jerome Powell to remove Cook from her post.
The report noted, "According to housing regulator Bill Pulte's criminal referral, Lisa Cook committed mortgage fraud by lying on her mortgage application and falsifying bank statements when she designated her out-of-state Atlanta condo as her 'primary residence'—just two weeks after taking a loan on her Michigan home, which she also claimed as her 'primary residence.'"
Cook claimed she now is being "bullied" into leaving her post, which she said she won't do.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A new report in Revolver.News warns that now the "jig is up," and there's coming a crackdown on a system rigged to give foreigners Americans' jobs.
The system is the H-1B visa system that purportedly is to allow foreigners with technical expertise to come to America for jobs when there aren't enough qualified Americans for the work.
The report cited a new looming crackdown by the Trump administration:
For years now, corporate elites and their buddies in The Swamp have locked Americans out of good jobs by rigging the hiring system so cheap foreign labor can help line their pockets. They've built an underground pipeline that pretends to "recruit" US workers while actually funneling the positions to cheap H-1B workers. The whole scheme runs on secrecy, red tape, and the government's flat-out refusal to enforce the law. But now, The jig is up. Americans have had enough, and they're fighting back. Thousands of American workers are now flooding these rigged job postings and exposing the bald-faced lie that there are "no qualified US workers." US workers are jamming up the PERM process, exposing the big con and forcing the truth about the rigged system out into the open. This is what it looks like when ordinary American workers finally fight back.
It is economist Peter St. Onge who is quoted describing how a program "sold to Americans as this 'high-skilled program' is now a marathon race-to-the-bottom that's costing us our jobs, our innovation, and our competitive edge."
Trump, however, is adopting an agenda to end the H1-B program as it exists, the report said.
"They're ripping out the coding sweatshops by the roots and taking the program back to what it was supposed to be – bringing in true experts when needed, not churning out boatloads of cheap labor to make corporations richer and Americans poorer," Revolver.News said.
Testimony about the corruption of the system already has made its presence known online:
One insider reported, "There are many of us who have worked for H1B dependent companies and managed B1B2/ L1/ H1Bs. Myself, I have managed over 3000. As outlined in my congressional testimony I stated this is nothing but cheap labor. Out of 50 people (NO AMERICANS but me!) That I had in an average implementation, there was one competent H1B. The remaining had to work 10 hours on the client site and then 8 hours at night with co workers in India to get their work completed. They lived 8 to 10 in a 2 bedroom apartment. This was nothing but taking jobs from Americans and on the job training."
According to Newsweek, changes are coming through a proposed Department of Homeland Security rule that would alter the visa effort.
It already has cleared the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
"Federal regulators cleared a proposed rule that would apply a 'weighted selection process' by replacing the current random lottery with a new system that gives priority in the selection process to registrants who meet or exceed certain criteria, such as wage or education level," the report said.
It explained, "The H-1B program supplies tens of thousands of specialty-occupation workers to U.S. employers each year and is heavily used by the technology sector. Any shift from a random lottery to a weighted, wage- or skill-based system could change hiring incentives for employers, affecting which foreign professionals obtain U.S. work authorization."
In fact, the report suggested the changes could "incentivize employers to offer higher wages to improve odds in a weighted system or change recruitment strategies."
The report said the next step in the process is publication of a proposed rule in the Federal Register and a public comment period.
Trump's first administration had proposed a similar plan, when he sought to "rank and select petitions by wage tiers (OES wage levels IV down to I)." He argued it would focus on higher-paid, highly skilled hires.
Joe Biden killed the plan, however.
Newsweek said, "The Institute for Progress, a nonpartisan think tank examining innovation policy, earlier this year suggested eliminating the H-1B lottery. It argued that the economic value of the visa program could be increased by 88 percent if applicants were evaluated based on seniority or salary. The H-1B visa has come under increasing scrutiny since Trump assumed office in January, as the president's supporters have called into question the number of visas handed out to foreign nationals at what they claim is the expense of American workers."
For instance, Microsoft repeatedly has demanded to hire employees under the program. It applied for 9,491 visas during the last fiscal year, at a time when it was laying off 16,000 Americans.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
It was only minutes after a panel of judges on a New York appeals court ruled that Attorney General Letitia James and Arthur Engoron, a trial court judge, violated the U.S. Constitution by trying to penalize President Donald Trump with a $500 million penalty that he responded on social media:
"A GREAT WIN FOR AMERICA!" he said.
But he wasn't done:
TOTAL VICTORY in the FAKE New York State Attorney General Letitia James Case! I greatly respect the fact that the Court had the Courage to throw out this unlawful and disgraceful Decision that was hurting Business all throughout New York State. Others were afraid to do business there. The amount, including Interest and Penalties, was over $550 Million Dollars. It was a Political Witch Hunt, in a business sense, the likes of which no one has ever seen before. This was a Case of Election Interference by the City and State trying to show, illegally, that I did things that were wrong when, in fact, everything I did was absolutely CORRECT and, even, PERFECT.
ADVERTISEMENTEvery single Dollar was thrown out, even the penalties imposed on us by the Corrupt Judge, one of the most overturned in History, Arthur Engoron. I wasn't given a Jury and, during the course of the Trial, which lasted a long time, was not given one Ruling in my favor by this Political Hack, but worse than him, if that's possible, was Letitia James, a Corrupt and Incompetent Attorney General who only brought this Case in order to hurt me politically. She is a Trump Deranged Lunatic!
They made me bond the outrageous sum, which never happened before, and which cost me Millions of Dollars a month. It should have never been allowed to happen, and everyone knew it! Importantly, the Vote was 5 to 0. I am so honored by Justice David Friedman's great words of wisdom, which should be read by everyone. I would also like to thank the Court for having the Courage to make this Decision, which is already going down as one of the worst business persecutions in the History of our Country.
Sadly, there are other Cases against me that are equally disgraceful, including those headed up by Corrupt Judges, like Juan Merchan, whose daughter collected Millions of Dollars in Fees from Crooked Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, while her father shockingly REFUSED TO RECUSE himself from a vicious and corrupt trial, which is also under Appeal, one in which every Legal Pundit in New York said, "THERE WAS NO CASE!" — Even Editorial Boards said, "DO NOT DO THIS!"
Judge Merchan gave me an unprecedented Gag Order, not letting me talk about him or his daughter, or the fact that the Appellate Judges thought he should not be doing the Case, but he did it anyway. Many Lawyers said that his daughter and him created the Greatest Conflict of Interest they had ever seen. Judge Lewis Kaplan, the other remaining Case, whose wife, family, and friends attended his two trials, is as mean and nasty as anyone I have ever met. That Case, also on Appeal, should also never have been brought, and he should be admonished for Abuse, and every other thing that can be thrown at a Corrupt Judge. He loved the publicity, and would not let us present the irrefutable evidence that we wanted to present. This Clinton appointed Judge should not be allowed to get away with this SCAM…."
He added, "These were all Political Trials in an effort to destroy my viability as a Presidential Candidate before, during, and after the Election. They were strongly coordinated with the Biden/Harris Campaign, and will go down in History as among the most Corrupt Cases ever brought. These two Cases are even more ridiculous than the Corrupt Letitia James Case, and will be found out to be so in the very near future. All of these Judges should be ashamed of themselves for allowing them to happen. They are Political Hacks who did everything possible to hurt me as a Candidate. This was an attack by the Biden/Harris Administration on their Political Opponent, ME. It is such an Honor to have withstood it, thrived, and even become President of the United States despite the horrible things that were done to me. I'd like to thank and congratulate my son Eric Trump, and all of the many people in the Trump Organization, that fought so strongly for Justice. My Legal Team refused to give up against heavy odds. This is a Great Day for New York City and State!"
The decision said the penalty violated the U.S. Constitution's ban on excessive fines. The remaining injunctive comments by the judge now can appealed further by Trump.
James had campaigned for office on the promise to "get" President Trump, without citing any evidence of wrongdoing, then fabricated "fraud" claims against him. She alleged that he was guilty over the valuation of his properties in connection with various loans.
Testimony during the trial showed that the banks that loaned Trump money were happy with the transactions, that all the loans were repaid in full, they made money from the deals and they would like to do them again.
Despite the evidence, Engoron, without a jury, wildly claimed Trump was guilty and owned in excess of $300 million in penalties. That grew to more than half a billion with interested, a threat Engoron made against the president that now has vanished.
Reports confirmed the ruling is a major loss for James, who ironically now is under investigation herself for fraud.
She's accused of misrepresenting her residents in order to obtain preferential mortgage loan treatments, including once when she allegedly characterized her father as a "spouse" and represented a five-apartment building she owns as having four apartments because that would give her a better interest rate.
Trump has charged that the case is a political attack by Democrats, like multiple other lawfare cases he faced, from Democrat prosecutors, in recent years, including wild claims he was engaged in an organized crime operation in Florida. Those other lawfare cases now have gone away.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Euthanasia, the deliberate medical industry killing of victims, has become more and more common around the world in recent years. In Canada, it's routinely offered, instead of medical treatment, to people with nothing more than depression. In the United States, more and more state legislatures are adopting the "assisted suicide" schemes that kill residents.
But it is one scheme, in France, that has actually alarmed even the progressives at the United Nations.
There, the U.N. Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has told the French government to respond to serious concerns about its "radical" plan authorizing and promoting euthanasia and assisted suicide.
According to a report from the American Center for Law and Justice, whose affiliate, the European Centre for Law and Justice alerted the U.N. about problems, said the bill "seems to target persons with disabilities, and coerces religious clinics and retirement homes to comply or face punishment."
The French plan already has been endorsed by Emmanuel Macron and been adopted in the National Assembly. He awaits confirmation in the French Senate.
"First, as a matter of principle, it violates the prohibition on killing and describes euthanasia and assisted suicide as forms of so-called 'medical care,' deceptively framed as merely offering 'aid in dying.' Even more alarming, it uses a subjective criteria of suffering, including individuals with mental illness and disabilities," the ACLJ warned.
"The proposed euthanasia procedure could occur in a shockingly quick turnaround – carried out within a week – based solely on the decision of a single physician without any judicial oversight. Families would not be allowed to oppose the killing of their loved one, and compliance with the policy would only be reviewed a posteriori, or after the patient's death," the pro-life organization said.
"Extremely disturbing is that medical and social institutions — including religious clinics and retirement homes — would be forced to permit euthanasia on their premises, while pharmacists would be legally required to supply the lethal drugs used. The bill even creates a new crime of obstruction, punishable with up to two years in prison and fines of €30,000, effectively criminalizing any attempt to prevent or question an assisted suicide."
The ECLJ now is challenging the plan under international law, specifically the U.N. Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
That 2006 treaty sets out the rights of the disabled, and countries are legal bound to follow, if they've adopted it.
The ECLJ has informed the U.N. of the human rights violations embedded in France's agenda, and as a result, the U.N. told France of the "credible information indicating that if the above-mentioned piece of legislation is approved, it would result in an infringement of the duty of the state party to respect, protect and guarantee the right to life of persons with disabilities."
Among the concerns is the U.N.'s perception that "proposed eligibility criteria . . . appear to be based in ableist perceptions of the quality and value of the life of persons with disabilities.":
The ACLJ explained, "In fact, under the proposed law, a disability alone could be sufficient grounds for euthanasia or assisted suicide, if the person suffers physically or psychologically. This refers to what the U.N. CRPD calls 'ableist.' It also raised concerns about the lack of 'alternatives to assisted dying,' the creation of a new felony of obstructing assisted suicide, and the very short mandatory cooling-off period of only two days before euthanasia or assisted suicide can be performed.":
France has been trying to delay a response, which now isn't expected until the end of the month.
"It is extremely unusual for a U.N. Committee to intervene during a national legislative process, but in this case, it is fully justified given the dangerous nature of the bill. We must never forget that the U.N. was founded in response to the horrific crimes of Nazi Germany, including the state-sanctioned euthanasia of the innocent," the ACLJ warned.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states euthanasia is always a crime and can never be justified.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A man has been arrested for expressing his affinity for the traditional English breakfast that includes bacon.
Perhaps it's a good thing he didn't mention sausage.
The scenario developed in Cumbria, England, where townsfolk were objecting to yet another Islamic mosque being erected adjacent to their small town.
Cumbria police have increased their patrols and are monitoring online comments so they can investigate potential thought crimes that could develop during the towns' objections.
They've also been on hand at the construction site to makes sure no one offends Muslims by saying "bacon."
Viral footage confirms a man saying, "We love bacon" and being cuffed and arrested.
He asks why he's being arrested and an officer confirms it's because he mentioned bacon, which under the nation's Public Order Act of 1986 apparently could be considered "threatening or abusive words or behavior."
That law, in fact, claims that using words that someone else doesn't like can cause "distress" and is therefore illegal.
A report at the Blaze confirms, "A stated affinity for pork — like silent Christian prayer — is now an arrestable offense in the land of St. George."
"The State Department admonished the U.K. this week against continuing its clampdown on free speech and persecution of Christians, once again blasting the penalties handed out to those Britons who dare to engage in silent prayer near abortion facilities. It turns out that British pork lovers may similarly be in need of such advocacy," the report said.
The report noted bacon is forbidden by the Quran, "but essential to a full English breakfast."
It explained to accommodate the exploding Muslim population in the U.K., a huge number of mosques have been or are being built.
"This expansion has made its way to the town of Dalton-in-Furness in the English county of Cumbria, which is set to get its first mosque," the report said.
Some people among the 8,000 in town object to the huge project adjacent.
The leader of Independence Party, Nick Tenconi, said, "The takeover of the U.K. continues. … Enough with the inclusivity BS. That argument has been utterly lost by the woke left and proponents of the Islamist caliphate in Britain. People simply aren't buying it any more and are rightly outraged. There is absolutely no need to put a mosque here, and the sole reason is to artificially flood the area with Muslims…"
"British journalist Isabel Oakeshott noted that bacon is a fundamental part of the full English breakfast, stressing that 'it is part of our culinary culture — which is why there should be nothing remotely controversial about saying so,'" the report noted.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
President Donald Trump on Thursday renewed his call for freedom for "Patriot" Tina Peters, a former Colorado county elections official jailed by the leftists in the state on their charges of election interference.
She was indicted, convicted, and jailed for allegedly releasing one inactive password to an elections system several years ago.
However, the Democrat government there handed a free pass to Jena Griswold, the Democrat secretary of state in the one-party government after she oversaw her office's publication online of hundreds of current passwords.
Griswold earned the backing of the Democrat political machine in her failed attempt to remove President Donald Trump from the 2024 presidential ballot, a move that was approved by her own all-Democrat state Supreme Court but reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Continuing the "torture" of Peters will bring bad things to Colorado, Trump promised.
"FREE TINA PETERS, a brave and innocent Patriot who has been tortured by Crooked Colorado politicians, including the big Mail-In Ballot supporting the governor of the State. Let Tina Peters out of jail, RIGHT NOW. She did nothing wrong, except catching the Democrats cheat in the Election. She is an old woman, and very sick. If she is not released, I am going to take harsh measures!!!"
While Peters was convicted under state law, and Trump cannot pardon her in that case, the president does have the power, through the executive branch control of the federal government's grants, allocations of federal resources and much more, to make her jailors uncomfortable.
The Gateway Pundit noted she was sentenced to nine years in prison last October after she was accused of breaching the Mesa County election systems and leaking Dominion voting machine passwords.
The report said, "But Peters contends that her office had the Dominion machine passwords, which is what Maricopa County successfully argued when they were subpoenaed for Dominion passwords during the Arizona Election audit in 2021."
During her sentencing, Matthew Barrett, the judge handling her state case, attacked her political speech, and denied her bond.
Peters' legal team has appealed her case to federal court, challenging the First Amendment violations and asking them to decide whether Tina Peters is being unlawfully imprisoned for her political speech.
Trump recently has added to his agenda of making America great again the discontinuation of "Highly Inaccurate, Very Expensive, and Seriously Controversial VOTING MACHINES, which cost Ten Times more than accurate and sophisticated Watermark Paper."
The Post Millennial reported what Peters actually was accused of was providing someone with a security pass to review her county's elections system after she developed suspicions about the veracity of the voting system's conclusions.
Colorado Attorney General Philip Weiser, another activist Democrat, has asked the judge to dismiss Peters' petition to be released on bond pending the appeals process. Weiser, while claiming "No one is above the law," also has been completely inactive regarding any charges against Griswold for her involvement in released passwords.
KREX television in Colorado said Trump already demanded Peters' release in May, writing, "Tina is an innocent Political Prisoner being horribly and unjustly punished in the form of Cruel and Unusual Punishment."
The Department of Justice already has warned Colorado it is examining its prosecution, because there are "reasonable concerns" with the state's attack on Peters.
WND previously reported that Peters "was a conservative in the far-left state, where the all-Democrat state Supreme Court partisanly tried to remove Donald Trump from the 2024 ballot. Where virtually all of the top state leaders in the governor's office and legislature are virulently anti-Trump."
Further, it's where "leftists in population centers like Denver and Boulder openly advocate for Americans' rights to be violated in order to protect illegal alien criminals. Where abortion was made a state constitutional "right" and the state constitution's protection for voters against massive overtaxing plans routinely is undermined. For example, Democrat lawmakers, faced with constitutional limits on raising 'taxes,' routinely hike them anyway and then simply call them 'fees.' For example, state residents who license vehicles and pay taxes have to pay a 'fee' for roads and bridges. Visitors to the state using the same roads and bridges don't pay that 'fee.'"
Complete Colorado noted at the time there are multiple "missteps" by Griswold that now could come under review.
Colorado Republican Party Chairwoman Brita Horn said, "Our secretary of state gaslights voters with her 'Gold Standard' narrative while she oversees leaked passwords. She has no one to blame but herself and her irresponsible team for the investigation. We need the truth about what happens in her department, and in our elections."
Previously, Griswold earned infamy among elections officials by sending postcards to some 30,000 non-residents, telling them how to register to vote.
In what may end up being related, Judicial Watch said Griswold's office gave out incorrect numbers for those removed from the state's registration lists due to address changes. The watchdog organization wanted its lawsuit over the dispute reopened because of the wrong numbers, but a leftist judge in the left-leaning federal court system in Colorado refused permission.
Even earlier, Trump pointed out, "Radical Left Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser ignores illegals committing Violent Crimes like Rape and Murder in his State and, instead, jailed Tina Peters, a 69-year-old Gold Star mother who worked to expose and document Democrat Election Fraud. Tina is an innocent Political Prisoner being horribly and unjustly punished in the form of Cruel and Unusual Punishment. This is a Communist persecution by the Radical Left Democrats to cover up their Election crimes and misdeeds in 2020. The same Democrat Party that flies to El Salvador to try to free an MS-13 Terrorist, is cruelly imprisoning, perhaps for life, a grandmother whose brave and heroic son gave his life for America. Colorado must end this unjust incarceration of an innocent American. I am hereby directing the Department of Justice to take all necessary action to help secure the release of this 'hostage' being held in a Colorado prison by the Democrats, for political reasons. FREE TINA PETERS, NOW!"
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
One of the most influential Christian leaders for decades, Dr. James. C. Dobson, has died at the age of 89.
His James Dobson Family Institute announced his passing on Thursday.
He was "tireless advocate for the traditional family."
"A psychologist, New York Times best-selling author, a Radio Hall of Fame broadcaster, and advisor to five U.S. presidents, Dr. Dobson dedicated his life to strengthening marriages, guiding parents, and defending biblical values by championing the central role of family in America," the JDFI confirmed.
"Dr. Dobson was a pioneer—a man of deep conviction whose voice shaped the way generations view faith, family and culture," said Gary Bauer, senior vice president of public policy at the organization.
"His bold leadership, integrity, and compassion helped equip countless families to thrive in a world of shifting values. He was a mentor, a counselor, and a steady voice of truth in turbulent times."
Born in 1936 in Shreveport, Louisiana, Dr. Dobson founded Focus on the Family in 1977, creating one of the largest faith-based organizations in the world. His daily broadcasts were heard on over 4,000 radio stations across North America and translated into 27 languages in more than 160 countries. Following his departure from Focus on the Family in 2010, Dr. Dobson launched the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute (JDFI), continuing his mission through Family Talk, a nationally syndicated radio broadcast offering timeless counsel for today's families, the JDFI said.
He played multiple key roles in presidential commissions, serving in positions to which he was appointed by Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
He was instrumental in shaping national conversations around pornography, gambling, teen pregnancy prevention, and the sanctity of human life, and he served on President Donald Trump's Evangelical Executive Advisory Board.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Shirley; their children, Danae and Ryan; daughter-in-law Laura; and two beloved grandchildren.
He wrote more than 70 books include "The New Dare to Discipline," "The New Strong-Willed Child," "Bringing Up Boys," "Bringing Up Girls," and "When God Doesn't Make Sense."
He worked to found several other very influential groups, including the Alliance Defending Freedom, a coalition of legal experts who have fought on behalf of religious rights before the nation's Supreme Court multiple times.
He also was integral to the founding of the Family Research Council and the Family Policy Alliance, and more.
"The world has lost a mighty voice for truth and an incredibly influential servant of Christ today," said ADF CEO Kristen Waggoner. "Dobson's bold leadership and commitment to the Gospel shaped the lives of so many and will continue to do so many years after his passing. We know that death is not the end, and we are confident he is walking victoriously into the arms of his Savior and hearing the words, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.' ADF is grateful for the vision and inspiration Dobson provided us, and we extend our warmest sympathies to Shirley and the rest of the Dobson family."
It was in 1994 that Dobson joined with Bill Bright, Marlin Maddoux, D. James Kennedy, Larry Burkett, and William Pew to launch the ADF.
Dobson had previously served with Alan Sears on the U.S. Attorney General's Commission on Pornography in 1986, which led to Dobson being a central figure in calling Sears to serve as CEO, president, and general counsel for ADF for 26 years.
"I am sad to learn of the passing of my ally and friend, Dr. James Dobson," said Sears. "He gave us the greatest gift any person can give: his name and reputation. It was an incredible trust and turned out to be a gift that changed the world. Without Dobson in those early years, it's unlikely ADF would have become what it is today."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A settlement of millions of dollars now is being paid to 207 former high school students in the Chicago Public Schools system – for being required to participate in the district's Transcendental Mediation program and being forced to hear those religious beliefs during class.
The damages total about $2.6 million and were announced in a statement from John Mauck, a lawyer with Mauck & Baker.
"As part of their in-school curriculum, the students were either required to participate in Transcendental Meditation or were deprived daily of a half hour of academic opportunity and made to maintain silence while their classmates focused their minds on secret mantras," the lawyer explained.
The court-approved settlement allows compensation for those students being forced to practice a worldview that was in conflict with their own faith.
"The settlement requires the Chicago Board of Education and the New York-based David Lynch Foundation to pay lead plaintiff Kaya Hudgins $100,000, while the remaining students in the class-action suit will each receive up to $9,500," the legal team confirmed.
Just weeks ago, in May, Judge Matthew Kennelly of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois approved the class action suit settlement.
Mauck noted that Hudgins' rights, and those of the other students, were completely disregarded by the school district.
His report said, "This was done in an illegal effort to force a religious belief system upon them against their will."
Hudgins now 22, confirmed how at the age of 16 she was forced into "Quiet Time," a program to which she was not allowed to object.
"She shared how despite its innocuous title, the mandatory sessions included an uncomfortably private one-on-one Hindu 'Puja' worship ceremony in a darkened room, chanting, religious paraphernalia, and secret mantras which were actually the names of Hindu gods," the report said.
It's part of what Mauck has warned is an "egregious trend" by public schools and education authorities to force agendas, religious or political, on students with neither their consent nor that of their parents.
He cited the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor, where the justices emphasized parental rights in their children's education.
"In Mahmoud v. Taylor, a school district was refusing to let parents opt their children out of lessons incorporating LGBTQ+ themes and literature," Mauck detailed, "The high court ruled that the school district was out of line to deny parents their First Amendment religious rights."
"In the case of Kaya and her peers," added Mauck, "the schools had students sign nondisclosure agreements. Several students shared how they and their classmates were instructed not to tell anyone, including their parents, about the program – detailing how they were particularly warned by a David Lynch Foundation representative not to tell their parents if their family was ''religious.'"
The result should be noted by other schools, Mauck said.
"School administrators cannot run roughshod over constitutionally guaranteed rights in order to force acceptance of ideologies that are in perceived conflict with the religious beliefs of parents and students. The teaching of Simian ancestry (humans are descended from apes) will be the next fallacy to be challenged in the public schools."
Mauck continued, "We hope that the Chicago Board of Education has learned that indoctrination doesn't pay – unless you're the victim. And there are multiple victims here – not just the students whose religious rights were violated, but parents who were deliberately deceived, teachers whose integrity was put on the line, and the communities which were negatively impacted by school overreach."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Some federal security grants intended for a variety of Muslims groups identified as having "alleged terrorist ties" have been canceled, and more are being reviewed, after a new report cited "extremist" agendas.
Fox News Digital is reporting that 49 projects "with alleged affiliations to terrorist activities" already have been canceled, a move that will save taxpayers $8 million.
And a review is moving forward of other cash handed out through FEMA's Nonprofit Security Grant Program that is intended to help churches, mosques, synagogues and other faith-linked institutions defend themselves from hate-driven violence.
Fox News reports the actions follow an extensive report by the Middle East Forum, a think tank, that charged more than $25 million in DHS and FEMA grants went to "terror-linked groups" from 2013 to 2023.
The new review is being done in the Department of Homeland Security.
Fox explained, "A DHS official said the department is conducting its own independent review of funding but added, 'We take the results of the MEF report very seriously and are thankful for the work of conservative watchdog groups.'"
For example, MEF cited a $100,000 grant in 2019 to the Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Virginia, which has previously been described by Customs and Border Protection as a "mosque operating as a front for Hamas operatives in the U.S.," Hamas being the terrorist organization that, among other attacks, invaded Israel on Oct. 7 and slaughtered some 1,200 innocent civilians and kidnapped another 250 or so.
Now the review is being done so that current and future contracts do not send tax funding to such groups.
There also is consideration of a way to recover unspent funds.
"Funding for fiscal year 2024 has already been allocated. That includes $94 million for 500 Jewish organizations and another $110 million shared among 600 Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jewish institutions," the report said.
The 2025 fiscal year handouts now will have to go through "robust" vetting.
"We don't want to be empowering groups that could be causing a threat to our community here in the United States," a DHS official told Fox.
The MEF investigation and report documented "specific cases of funding that it claims went to groups with extremist ties. It said $10.3 million had gone to the Islamic Circle of North America, which the forum alleges is tied to the South Asian Islamist movement Jamaat-e-Islami," Fox explained.
And the report cited $250,000 handed to the Council on American Islamic Relations, "which DHS has accused of having 'Hamas ties.'"
The MEF report cited an additional $750,000 dispatched to Michigan and Texas mosques described by DHS as "outposts for Iran's revolutionary brand of Shi'a Islamism."
CAIR's charge to Fox was that "Kristi Noem's Department of Homeland Security is embarrassing President Trump by making decisions based on the ravings of the Middle East Forum, an Israel First hate website."