This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Former party member declared it is now 'dead'
The chaos that has enveloped the Democratic party over the past few years is triggering a reaction: Multiple members are abandoning the label and now are describing themselves as independents.
In recent years, since Joe Biden ran a presidential campaign while sitting in his basement, then moved the action strategy into the Oval Office, the Democrat name brand has plunged. The 2024 presidential race, in which candidate Kamala Harris lost by landslide levels to President Donald Trump in both the Electoral College and popular vote. made it worse.
On top of that, there's developed a major divide within the party between the senior citizens there who have been leading for years, and an outbreak of extremism among younger party participants.
The result has been confirmed in a report in the Washington Examiner.
"Frustrated with their party and its struggles to win back popularity after November losses, several Democratic politicians are trading in their partisan registration cards to seek office as independents," the report explained.
They are fleeing a party that has plunged in popularity in recent months as it flails around, seeking any messaging besides "but Trump."
"It's a trend because the leadership of the Democratic Party is weak, because people are much more able to determine how party lines function, there's a general sense that the Democrats don't stand for much, and there's an embarrassment about it," explained Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic strategist who formerly advised Bill Clinton.
One of those on the move is former Florida state Senate Democratic leader Jason Pizzo, who recently described his party as "dead" when he proclaimed his bid for the governor's office, as an independent.
Longtime Democrat donor John Morgan, of the personal injury firm Morgan & Morgan, assembled his own independent party this year, the report said.
And in Michigan, a battleground state won by President Trump, longtime Democrat powerbroker and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is running for governor as an independent, the report said.
Even Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who has aligned with Democrats for years, has suggested party members run as independents "in the face of a tainted Democratic brand 'abandoning' working-class voters and their values," the report said.
The report noted that two major "independent" campaigns recently, Al Gross' challenge to Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Dan Osborn's challenge to Nebraska Republican Sen. Deb Fischer, both failed.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Former FBI Director James Comey is blasting the top two officials at the bureau, Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, for their lack of experience as well as their re-examination of several unsolved cases, including cocaine found at the White House during Joe Biden's term in office.
On Monday, Bongino posted a message on X stating: "Shortly after swearing in, the Director and I evaluated a number of cases of potential public corruption that, understandably, have garnered public interest. We made the decision to either re-open or push additional resources and investigative attention to these cases.
"These cases are the DC pipe bombing investigation, the cocaine discovery at the prior administration's White House, and the leak of the Supreme Court Dobbs case. I receive requested briefings on these cases weekly and we are making progress. If you have any investigative tips on these matters that may assist us, then please contact the FBI."
Appearing with Wolf Blitzer on CNN Wednesday, Comey said: "It's a little confusing to me, honestly. I'm sure it's a huge adjustment to go from being a podcaster to being the deputy director of the FBI. But I don't understand this tweet."
"First of all, I assume that this investigation of the pipe bomb that was found on Jan. 6 was never closed. The FBI never closes such a thing. So I guess it means they're gonna focus on it more?
"And as to the other things, I thought that the Supreme Court marshal had investigated the leak of the opinion, the draft opinion. I don't know what the FBI's role is there.
"Cocaine at the White House, I thought the Secret Service investigated that. I don't follow it and understand it. I also don't understand who the audience is for this tweet. The FBI often calls for public assistance, or in matters of great public concern, will announce an investigation to reassure the public. This seems much more narrowly targeted, maybe to a former podcast audience."
Blitzer also played a May 8 clip of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., asking Patel about the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the FBI, which Patel said was not ready at the time.
"I cringe at that clip," Comey remarked. "I actually feel kind of sorry for the guy. It's like showing up for a final exam with no pencils and no paper, and you didn't even know there was a final exam."
"Nothing in their life or in their career gives me confidence that they know anything about leading an organization like that. And so I would have serious doubts. I bet they do internally about whether they have doubts. Great. Let the people who know what they're doing give you advice and listen to them."
Online journalist Benny Johnson noted: "Disgraced James Comey is losing it on live TV over Dan Bongino and Kash Patel reopening investigations into the White House cocaine, the J6 pipe bomber, and the Dobbs leak. This is how you know they are right over the target."
Comey has recently come under fire for posting a photo of shells on the beach arranged to spell out the message: "86 47," which many have said is a threat to assassinate President Donald Trump.
Comey has claimed he thought it was a "political message," but did not believe it was any call to violence against the president.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A newly released video shows now-indicted judge Hannah Dugan, of Wisconsin, sending two federal agents waiting to take an illegal alien into custody packing.
She told them they had to see the chief judge for another warrant, and the video shows, moments later, the wanted suspect leaving the courthouse with his lawyer.
Dugan allegedly sneaked the suspect out of her courtroom to avoid the officers.
A report at the Gateway Pundit described how the video shows Dugan "angrily confronting ICE agents in the courthouse."
Dugan later was arrested by the FBI for obstructing federal law enforcement.
She has claimed that everything she did was part of her judicial duty, so she is totally immune to any prosecution.
The report noted, "According to the FBI, Judge Hannah Dugan obstructed an immigration arrest operation last month. Dugan became angry when she found out that ICE agents were waiting outside of her courtroom last week to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an illegal alien involved in a domestic abuse case she was overseeing. She allegedly directed Flores-Ruiz to exit the courthouse through a private jury door to evade arrest."
Dugan by now has been indicted by a federal grand jury, relieved of her duties and is facing trial.
FBI Director Kash Patel accused Dugan of intentionally misdirecting agents away from the subject.
Evidence shows Dugan ended the hearing for Flores-Ruiz "so she could discreetly escort him through a 'jury door' to avoid his arrest."
WND previously has reported Dugan could face sentencing of up to six years in jail and $350,000 in fines if convicted.
Her lawyers claimed that she is "entitled to judicial immunity for her official acts."
They said that means the prosecution against her for her actions to help a suspected criminal evade arrest is "barred."
In an interview on "American Reports," Attorney General Pam Bondi explained how the Trump administration will handle judges who obstruct and block federal efforts to secure the border and remove illegal aliens.
"We are going to prosecute you, and we are prosecuting you. I found out about this the day it happened," she said.
"We could not believe, actually, that a judge really did that. We looked into the facts in great depth… You cannot obstruct a criminal case. And really, shame on her. It was a domestic violence case of all cases, and she's protecting a criminal defendant over victims of crime."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The U.S. Treasury has announced that it will end the production of pennies for use in America's cash markets, following President Donald Trump's call for that move on the money-losing process.
It costs more than 2 cents for the government to make each penny.
The end of production will mean that cash transactions will have to be rounded up or down to the nearest nickel's worth, while online purchases and card purchases still will be able to be defined by the penny.
A report from the Daily Express said the penny has been in production for 200 years, but now is being phased out.
But, the report said, the penny phaseout likely will mean a surge in the demand for nickels, which also lose the government money, costing 14 cents for production of each coin.
The report explained, "The move to cease penny production follows years of bipartisan efforts to ban the coins. Former President Barack Obama criticized the penny during his time in the White House. In a social media post this February, President Trump called on the Treasury to stop producing pennies, labeling them 'wasteful.'"
He said, "For far too long, the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. Let's rip the waste out of our great nation's budget, even if it's a penny at a time."
Treasury explained in a statement that the round-up or round-down process now will be needed for cash transactions.
Reports confirmed the final order of blank templates needed to make pennies was placed this month.
After that, minting will stop and the final pennies will be moved into circulation.
Further, the problems created by the demands of state sales taxes, which sometimes must be rounded to the "nearest cent." will have to be addressed.
The government predicts millions of dollars will be saved by ending the penny production.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The U.S. Department of Education, under the direction of President Donald Trump, has canceled a $37.7 million fine that had been imposed on Grand Canyon University, a Christian school, under Joe Biden's administration.
The Daily Caller News Foundation reported it was "the largest ever proposed against a university and sparked allegations that the Biden administration was targeting and harshly punishing Christian universities."
The Education Department now has concluded there are "no findings" of wrongdoing by the university.
It was dismissed through a procedure that means it cannot be brought again.
"Unlike the previous administration, we will not persecute and prosecute colleges and universities based on their religious affiliation," Ellen Keast, an ED official, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. "The Trump administration will continue to ensure every institution of higher education is held accountable based on facts – but department enforcement will be for the purpose of serving students, not political bias."
Under Biden, department officials had claimed that GCU misrepresented the cost of its programs.
"The facts clearly support our contention that we were wrongly accused of misleading our doctoral students and we appreciate the recognition that those accusations were without merit," GCU President Brian Mueller said.
"GCU is a leader in innovation, transparency and best practices in higher education and we look forward to working cooperatively with the Department in the future – just as we have with all regulatory agencies."
The Biden administration also tried to attack the school's nonprofit status, but the school went to court and won.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Stunning online and published reports assert the government of Canada, which already has a widely promoted plan to offer help to people to kill themselves, called Medical Assistance in Dying, is considering an expansion to offer such "help" to children.
Jasmin Laine, the host of the program "Over Opinionated," posted online images of flyers, apparently from critics of the ideology, describing the plan that would give "mature" children the option of killing themselves without any input from the child's parents.
"You have to be a special kind of demonic to advocate for MAID for young, vulnerable people and people who are suicidal," Laine wrote. "Imagine walking into a clinic for help, and being told the world would be better off without you… that you should cave to the lies the devil on your shoulder is telling you, and it would be more affordable for Canada's healthcare system if you were gone."
She continued, "As someone who has transformed my life and become empowered to live it, thanks to recovery plans and treatment after trying to end it—and is on the other side after losing the man I loved for nearly 10 years of my life to that same fate; There is nothing compassionate about this—it is pure evil."
It was Slay News, under the headline noting Canada, "moves to begin euthanizing children without parental consent," that reported, "The globalist Canadian government has launched a campaign to promote a new push to begin euthanizing children with mental health issues without their parents' consent. The new scheme seeks to open up the country's Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) to children. Liberal Party Prime Minister Mark Carney's government describes those children who would be eligible for 'assisted suicide' using the alarmingly vague term 'mature minors.'"
Canada already operates an extensive assisted suicide program, and hospitals and doctors routinely offer the service to those with a wide range of ailments, including depression.
Beginning in 2027, the government also will start offering euthanasia for those with mental issues, the report said.
Even today, those seeking counseling might have to wait four months for treatment, while the wait for MAID is only three months.
The report noted Dying With Dignity Canada, on the web, explains the current age limit for assisted suicide applicants is 18, but it said, "In many jurisdictions across Canada, mature minors already have the right to make important decisions regarding their healthcare."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Some states, many cities, and even some other jurisdictions have declared themselves to be "sanctuary" locations.
Those are places where local law and its enforcers don't apply statutes regarding illegal entry into the United States, even though that is a federal crime.
They don't recognize it, they don't enforce, and many actively work to foil the federal law by refusing to accept or act on detainers, which are federal requests to turn over an illegal alien for deportation when that person finishes a local or state jail term.
Those "sanctuary" locations simply turn the wanted individuals loose, without regard for federal law enforcement.
But in one state that now could be changing.
A report from Fox News explains that in California, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli is changing things up.
He's no longer going to issue "detainers" for wanted individuals, he's going to issue criminal warrants for their arrests.
The report said his "Operation Guardian Angel" task force, including assets from ICE, HIS, DEA, FBI, ATF and Border Patrol, is under way.
"They've made it almost impossible for ICE to do their job, issue detainers and get criminal illegal immigrants out of jails. So what we're doing instead is we're going to start issuing warrants," he explained.
Federal officers scan the criminal database of those held in California jails all the time now, to identify those who are in custody, and are illegal aliens.
"We're going to flood the system with warrants for criminal illegal immigration that are in county jails, they can ignore a detainer, but they cannot ignore a criminal arrest warrant," he told Fox. "As soon as an illegal immigrant is booked into a county jail, we're reviewing their file. And if they meet the elements of illegal reentry, which is a federal crime, we are filing a complaint and getting an arrest warrant issued before they're released from state custody."
He said the plan is a test for what such adjustments in the system will do for other "sanctuary" locations, too.
After Joe Biden's administration let millions and millions of illegal aliens into the U.S. across essentially open borders, including criminal gang and terrorist elements, the administration of President Donald Trump closed the borders.
But many of the millions who already were allowed in under Biden remain.
Biden's CBP One app, to let people in, was turned into the CBP Home app, to encourage illegals to return to their home country, under Trump.
Already, 350 such warrants have been filed in just the Los Angeles area, Essayli said.
"They have no choice, they will comply. And if they don't comply, if they interfere in our ability to arrest a federal felon, they can expect to face consequences for that. So I don't expect any resistance from the local authorities," he explained.
He said, "This is the safest way for us to get criminal illegal immigrants. Get them while they're still in state custody, where they've been searched. They have no weapons, and we can do a safe transfer."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Democrats' lawfare against President Donald Trump was much more than just their voting against his plans and ideas in Congress. More than their public innuendo about him breaking democracy. Much more than the falsified claims perpetrated by the schemers of the Russian collusion conspiracy. Much more than just the Deep Staters ignoring his orders, reversing them when they could within their own sphere of government influence.
It also was all the criminal and civil cases created against him. It was all of the wild and unsubstantiated claims they used in two failed impeach-and-remove campaigns. It was Democrat prosecutors likely misusing their positions of power to attack him.
That's the conclusion drawn from an admission by a Democrat strategist.
"I can't believe it. They finally admitted it on live TV: The prosecution of President Trump was an organized effort by the Democratic Party 'resistance.' Lawfare is real. The justice system was weaponized against President Trump," explained Scott Jennings.
It was strategist Lis Smith, also a CNN panelist who said, "Democrats cannot be only the part of resistance. We cannot – like – we resisted so hard between 2017 and 2024. We impeached the guy…"
Jennings, "Twice."
Smith, "'Like, we prosecuted him, convicted him of 34 felony counts, and guess what? He still got elected. So, I don't know how much harder we can resist right now…"
Jennings: "Are you admitting that the case in New York against Trump was part of the organized Democrat Party resistance?"
Smith, "It was a Democrat prosecutor."
Jennings: "Yeaaaaah! Okay!"
Smith, "It was! At the time I said this was unwise."
Jennings, "You were right."
Not the Bee commented, "Let's just take a moment here to appreciate what Scott Jennings' mere presence on CNN has accomplished. They have admitted to lawfare. They have admitted openly that they abused their office, abused their power, colluded with law enforcement – all in an effort to stop the Bad Orange Man."
Other social media comments:
"Damning" and "stunning" admission."
"Legend,"
"As we knew all along."
"Has hell frozen over?"
And one that made the point a little more direct: "Now they must all go to jail."
A good number of the cases against Trump failed. In one, there's the possibility that Georgia will have to reimburse Trump for his legal fees for Fani Willis' wild claim that included organized crime charges.
One in New York, before a leftist judge, resulted in 34 convictions against Trump for essentially describing his legal expenses as legal expenses, and that's on appeal.
New York Attorney General Letitia James' case, claiming fraud in a series of deals that the "victims" all were happy with Trump's performance and payments, ended up with a half a billion dollar penalty for Trump from a leftist judge had been openly critical of Trump.
That, too, is on appeal, with multiple analysts describing the result as a clear weaponization of government against Trump.
Ironically, James herself now is under investigation for possible felony charges from suspected fraud that she committed.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
On the heels of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calling the 2021 COVID-19 shot mandate "unlawful as implemented," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is being strongly encouraged to follow suit.
While the Department of Defense is the agency responsible for overseeing and directing the nation's military forces, the Coast Guard is the only military service within the Department of Homeland Security.
WorldNetDaily spoke to Rocky Rogers, a Coast Guard IT Chief with more than 20 years of faithful service. Rogers fought against the now-rescinded 2021 COVID-19 shot mandate until a pre-approved retirement came to fruition in August 2022.
Mere days after the mandate, said Rogers, the Coast Guard released its first-ever religious accommodation request policy: Commandant Instruction Manual (CIM)1000.15.
"In the past, the Coast Guard had always followed Navy medical manuals, so adopting their own policy was a red flag that something was about to happen," he told WorldNetDaily.
His instinct was right. On Aug. 24, 2021, then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin mandated that all service members receive the COVID-19 shot. Interestingly, the secretary of Defense is not in the Coast Guard's chain of command, as the nation's maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch falls under the umbrella of DHS. Nevertheless, on Aug. 26, 2021, DHS adopted the same policy as DoD.
"The Coast Guard chose to follow DoD on this mandate, although it had no obligation to do so," Rogers pointed out. "Everybody was scrambling to follow the same agenda, and that's exactly what it was – an agenda."
"Many of us knew it was unlawful at the time, and now America knows it," he said, calling attention to the fact that "Pete Hegseth verbally said it was unlawful [in a video posted to the Secretary of Defense's official X account]."
"Knowing it was unlawful like Hegseth finally admitted," Rogers said, "many of us pushed back against the shot at the time, telling our chain of command they did not have to follow DoD." Their pleas fell on deaf ears, however, and many Coasties were forcefully separated, resigned under duress, or retired from service in the years to follow.
On Jan. 10, 2023, DoD finally rescinded the COVID-19 shot mandate for service members, while the active duty component of DHS's Coast Guard followed suit the very next day. However, Coast Guard Reserve did not rescind the shot mandate until March 16.
As Rogers told WND, "You can see that the Coast Guard chose to follow the SecDef rather than referencing direction coming from the DHS Secretary." For him, it begs the question: "Why did the Coast Guard choose to follow orders by an individual that is not in the Chain of Command of the Coast Guard?"
"All of us who were following Coast Guard policy (CIM)1000.15) to exercise our religious freedoms were referred to as 'insubordinate wrongdoers' by retired Commandant Paul Zukunft," he shared.
"My case in point is that if, in 2021, the Coast Guard acted on their own to follow the SecDef prior to the DHS Secretary giving direction, wouldn't that classify as insubordinate or defiant?" Rogers asked. "The same Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) articles 90, 91 and 92 that were referenced to force service members into submission are now proven by today's lack of action from the Coast Guard that interpretation precedes the violation of law and policy in our service."
Now that the mandate is no longer in effect, both DoD and DHS under President Donald Trump are welcoming its members to return to service. In an official letter sent from the Coast Guard to those discharged as a result of the COVID-19 shot mandate, an invitation to rejoin the service includes a few perks, including back pay, bonus payments and/or compensation.
According to Rogers, former Coasties are largely ignoring the invitation. "There aren't many that I know who would return. I wouldn't," he admitted. "It would take a lot to change my opinion."
"Trust has been broken, and the Coast Guard is in disarray right now," he explained. "They haven't even chosen a new commandant after the last one was fired." According to a DHS official, Admiral Linda Lee Fagan was firedas a result of "leadership deficiencies, operational failures, and inability to advance the strategic objectives of the U.S. Coast Guard." An "excessive" focus on DEI – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – policies was also mentioned.
What's more, Rogers pointed out that "some Coast Guard boot camp recruits are still wearing masks that are proven to be ineffective."
"Why would anyone want to join or get back into that?" Rogers asked. "I would encourage that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem make a public announcement to essentially mirror SecDef Hegseth's statements on this unlawful order, as it would bring a lot of peace to those that stood firm."
What's more, he added, "This would also be so beneficial to the members who are still in the service."
The U.S. Coast Guard did not respond to WorldNetDaily's requests for comment.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A federal judge has delivered "another blow to free speech," and constitutional expert Jonathan Turley, who has both advised Congress on key points in the Constitution and represented members in disputes, is urging an appeal.
The fight is over a student who wore a T-shirt to school with the slogan, "Let's Go Brandon."
That, Turley explained, "has become a similarly unintended political battle cry not just against Biden but also against the bias of the media. It derives from an Oct. 2 interview with race-car driver Brandon Brown after he won his first NASCAR Xfinity Series race. During the interview, NBC reporter Kelli Stavast's questions were drowned out by loud-and-clear chants of 'F*** Joe Biden.' Stavast quickly and inexplicably declared, 'You can hear the chants from the crowd, 'Let's go, Brandon!""
It was Paul Maloney, the judge in the D.A. v. Tri County Area Schools case in Michigan who used the power of his black robes to grant the school permission to censor the student's shirt.
He said vulgar and profane words are not fully protected by the First Amendment, and claimed, "If schools can prohibit students from wearing apparel that contains profanity, schools can also prohibit students from wearing apparel that can reasonably be interpreted as profane."
He said, "Removing a few letters from the profane word or replacing letters with symbols would not render the message acceptable in a school setting. … School officials have restricted student from wearing shirts that use homophones for profane words … [such as] "Somebody Went to HOOVER DAM And All I Got Was This 'DAM' Shirt.'"
The case developed when a student, "C.C.", wore a "Let's Go Brandon" slogan on a shirt to school. He was punished repeatedly, and eventually sued.
School officials clearly were "put out over the political messaging of the shirt. However, we should encourage students to be politically aware and expressive. Moreover, if schools are allowed to extrapolate profane meaning from non-profane language, it is hard to see the limits on such censorship," Turley explained.
"So what if students now wear 'Let's Go Krista' shirts? How many degrees of removal will negate the profane imputation. Does that mean that the use of 'let's go' in any shirt is now prohibited?
"C.C. and his family should continue to litigate and, if necessary, appeal this worthy case in the interests of free speech for all students," Turley explained.