Democrats are freaking out over proposed plans by DOGE, or the Department of Government Efficiency, to conduct mass firings of federal workers when President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office.
Virginia House Speaker Don Scott Jr., a Democrat, wrote a letter to Virginia's unemployment agency warning of the implications that massive layoffs could have as Virginia is home to a large portion of the federal workers that work in Washington D.C.
In that letter, Scott wrote to Virginia Employment Commissioner Demetrios claiming that "We should all be concerned about what these changes mean for the employees raising their families in Virginia, paying taxes in Virginia and calling Virginia home."
The letter continued saying, "Taking President-elect Trump at his word that he will immediately move to downsize the workforce and relocate agencies, we can safely assume that a large portion of our workforce that resides in the commonwealth will be negatively affected."
Democrats are concerned that DOGE purging the federal government of bloat will lead to unemployment but are unconcerned with the massive costs that maintaining a bloated federal workforce costs taxpayers.
Scott's letter attracted a quick response from Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle who blasted Scott for focusing on the wrong question.
McDougle stated, "That's the wrong question. The question should be whether we are taking dollars that Virginians are earning and paying to the federal government and whether they are being spent wisely. If the federal government is paying people to do jobs they shouldn't be doing, then that's spending taxpayer dollars unwisely."
Democrats are focused on the wrong issue and are ignoring the massive burden that the federal workforce puts on the American taxpayer.
DOGE co-leader, Vivek Ramaswamy, has been clear that the agency will be outright deleting unnecessary federal departments and trimming down workers in other departments.
Ramaswamy told Fox News, "We expect mass reductions … [and] certain agencies to be deleted outright."
These cuts could be paired with a legislative effort by Senator Joni Ernst to relocate one-third of federal workers outside the District of Columbia-Maryland-Virginia area which will effectively gut D.C.
McDougle used Scott's letter to call attention to Virginia Democrats funneling massive sums towards D.C. instead of supporting Virginia's non-federal workers who actually live and work in the Commonwealth.
McDougle tore into Virginia Democrats saying, "I didn't feel our Democratic friends were as concerned with the millions of dollars going to fund Metro amid [federal workers not being required to] go into the office and having to subsidize them."
Republicans want to prioritize the livelihood of American taxpayers and the best way to do that is to cut back on government waste, much of which comes in the form of unnecessary government workers who enjoy massive salaries and extensive benefits while regular Americans foot the bill.
Cleaning out D.C.'s federal workforce will also make Virginia more competitive for Republicans in national elections as Virginia's federal workers who commute into D.C. are a large reason why Virginia is a Blue state.
Legendary CBS sportscaster and play-by-play analyst Greg Gumbel has died after losing his battle with cancer.
According to a statement from the family released by CBS Sports on Friday, Gumbel passed away after battling an undisclosed cancer but was reportedly well-supported and with his family until the end.
That statement read, "It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Greg Gumbel. He passed away peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer. Greg approached his illness like one would expect he would, with stoicism, grace, and positivity."
The statement continued saying, "He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten. Greg's memory will forever be treasured by his family, dearest friends, colleagues and all who loved him. — Marcy & Michelle Gumbel."
While the family has been sparing with the details of Gumbel's cancer, fans were devastated to hear of Gumbel's passing as he has been a fixture in the sports world for decades.
As soon as news of Gumbel's death broke, tributes from around the sporting world poured in from friends and fans alike.
Gumbel has become a nationally recognized figure due to his calling of many important NFL games, especially playoff games. He was also a staple of Selection Sunday and would announce the teams as they were selected for March Madness.
Fellow sports commentator Tim Brando took to X to say, "Last March when we were told Greg Gumbel was taking off from @MarchMadnessMBB on @CBSSports I feared it was something serious. According to published reports my worst fears were true. Apparently he’s died at age 78. A sportscasting GIANT. Greg could do it all."
Once again, Gumbel was very private with his health battle as his death seems to have shocked the sporting community and many of those around him.
Gumbel missed March Madness because of a family health issue which almost made it sound like he wasn't actually involved.
Tragically, that wasn't the case and now the sporting world has lost an iconic voice that many sports fans can instantly recognize and will keep Gumbel's memory alive for years to come.
Announcer Nick Yeoman said in a tribute on X that, "I’m not sure there’s been a more pleasant and easy to listen to voice in the “host” role of an event/studio show than Greg Gumbel. An absolute pillar to CBS’ NFL/MarchMadness coverage for decades. One of those voices you lose but can’t replace."
Two decades of calling play-by-play for the NFL will cement someone in the national consciousness.
While the NFL was his main arena, he also did play-by-play work for Major League Baseball games on both CBS and NBC and anchored coverage of other events, including college football, the College World Series, and even the Olympics.
Gumbel leaves behind a loving family which includes his wife and his daughter who will dearly miss him. Gumbel is also survived by his younger brother, Bryant Gumbel NBC's Today fame.
Hudson Meek, the child actor who had roles in "Baby Driver" and "90 Minutes in Heaven," died December 21 after falling from a moving car two days earlier.
The fall took place in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, and caused blunt-force trauma injuries.
Meek was taken to the hospital after the incident but after treatment for his injuries, he was declared dead two days later.
The exact circumstances of the fall and the events that led up to it were not shared publicly by the family or law enforcement.
Meeks's online obituary described him as a devout Christian, sports fan and avid scuba diver.
He enjoyed the outdoors and played water sports often, and he loved spending time with his friends.
Besides "Baby Driver" and "90 Minutes in Heaven," Meek had television credits in "MacGuyver," "Found," and "Legacies."
He also did voice-overs for McDonald's and Toys-R-Us during the course of his career.
He was in the cast of "The School Duel," an upcoming movie that has already won the Canal+ 50th anniversary prize at the Deauville Film Festival in France this year.
He was “surrounded by friends, family, and the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” his obituary read.
“Please pray for our family and friends as we all process this sudden and tragic loss,” his mother Lani Wells Meek said.
“Our hearts are broken to share that Hudson Meek went home to be with Jesus tonight,” she wrote on Facebook. “His 16 years on this earth were far too short, but he accomplished so much and significantly impacted everyone he met.”
A celebration of Meek's life is planned for December 28, but details about the event were not given.
A scholarship is being set up in his name at the high school he attended.
Authorities in the field of aviation stated on Thursday that it is highly likely that Russian air defense systems were responsible for the crash of an Azerbaijani airplane that occurred in Kazakhstan.
Various news outlets have gathered information about the crash that resulted in 38 of the 67 individuals that were on board, but much is still unknown, as Breitbart News reported.
On Wednesday, an Embraer 190 belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines was rerouted from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to Grozny, a city in Russia located in the North Caucasus. The reasons for the reroute are not yet completely understood.
After traveling in an easterly direction across the Caspian Sea, it was attempting to land at Aktau, Kazakhstan, when it crashed.
It was approximately three kilometers (or about two miles) from Aktau when the plane crashed close to the coast. The video footage from the cellphone that was being shared on the internet appeared to show the airplane making a sharp drop before it crashed into the ground and exploded in a fiery inferno.
All 29 survivors were transported to hospitals by the rescuers.
Thursday was designated as a day of mourning for the whole nation of Azerbaijan.
The national flags were lowered to half-staff, all traffic across the country came to a complete halt at noon, and sirens were sounded from ships and trains.
During a press conference that took place on Wednesday, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, stated that the jet had to deviate from its intended path due to the weather conditions.
The accident is under investigation by Kazakhstani, Azerbaijani, and Russian authorities. Embraer noted in a statement to The Associated Press that the company is "prepared to provide assistance to all pertinent authorities.
According to Rosaviatsia, the civil aviation authority of Russia, the pilots diverted to Aktau following an emergency on board as a result of a bird incident.
An Azerbaijani lawmaker explicitly pointed the finger at Russia, while officials remained silent. The Azerbaijani news agency Turan was informed by Rasim Musabekov that the aircraft was fired upon in the skies over Grozny. He also urged Russia to issue an official apology.
Some aviation experts believe that the holes observed in the plane's tail section following the accident suggest that it may have been the target of Russian air defense systems attempting to repel a Ukrainian drone attack.
In a significant legal development, President-elect Donald Trump has agreed to a $15 million settlement with ABC News and its anchor George Stephanopoulos. The resolution aims to prevent a costly legal battle and includes specific conditions favorable to both parties.
Trump's defamation lawsuit with ABC and Stephanopoulos concludes with a $15 million agreement and public acknowledgment of a mistaken statement.
The defamation lawsuit, initiated over alleged wrongful claims made during an interview by Stephanopoulos, came to an end with the Southern District of Florida Federal Court filing. Trump's legal team, comprising Alejandro Brito and Richard Klugh, confirmed the agreement, which entails both financial compensation and public rectification.
One of the key settlement conditions included ABC News and Stephanopoulos issuing an editor's note expressing "regret" over statements made during a March 10, 2024, interview. During this exchange, Stephanopoulos inaccurately asserted that Trump had been found liable for rape, confusing it with the actual legal finding of "sexual abuse" under New York law.
To facilitate the settlement, ABC agreed to a $15 million charitable contribution aimed at supporting a future Presidential foundation and museum spearheaded by Trump. Additionally, the network consented to cover $1 million in attorney fees incurred by Trump's legal team.
The lawsuit stemmed from a controversial segment on ABC's "This Week," where Stephanopoulos, in conversation with Rep. Nancy Mace, made erroneous statements regarding Trump's legal predicaments. He repeatedly suggested Trump was found liable for rape, a claim that contradicted the actual court finding.
Specifically, Stephanopoulos queried Mace, "How do you reconcile your support for Trump with the recent testimony?" He added further assertions about court verdicts concerning Trump's conduct. This mischaracterization led to Trump's legal action, claiming defamation.
The urgency to resolve the lawsuit before trials and potential summary judgments likely influenced the swift settlement. The case was scheduled for decisive actions, with U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisette M. Reid setting a late December deadline for depositions and motions.
The closure of the case was officiated by Chief U.S. District Judge Cecelia Altonaga, who approved the dismissal filing. The court documentation read, "Having been advised of the settlement of the parties... the stipulation is approved," thus bringing the legal dispute to a conclusive end.
The finality of this agreement included dismissal "with prejudice," which means the case cannot be reopened, ensuring both ABC News and Trump would handle their respective legal costs without further attempts to litigate on this matter.
ABC News, through a spokesperson, expressed a sense of satisfaction with the settlement outcome. The network was reportedly "pleased" with the resolution, highlighting the mutual benefit in avoiding prolonged legal contention.
This incident underscores the critical importance of accuracy within media reporting, especially concerning high-profile subjects like political figures. Misstatements, particularly concerning legal matters, can swiftly lead to complex legal implications, as evidenced in this case.
The case also highlights the delicate balance between journalistic freedom and legal accountability, where errors in reporting can incur significant financial and reputational costs.
Looking forward, both media outlets and public figures may study this case to glean insights on navigating similar conflicts and maintaining the integrity of public communication.
As this legal chapter concludes, Trump is poised to focus on his forthcoming responsibilities as President-elect while leveraging the settlement to bolster his future initiatives through the proposed foundation.
Meanwhile, ABC News and George Stephanopoulos are likely to reflect on the lessons learned and implement measures to enhance editorial oversight and accuracy, safeguarding against future missteps.
With the completion of this case, the stage is set for both Trump and ABC to move forward, equipped with renewed understanding and strategic caution in their respective arenas.
This resolution not only closes a significant legal dispute but also signals a precedence of accountability in media declarations, impacting how news outlets operate under public scrutiny.
Former President Bill Clinton (D) was in MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC on Monday after he developed a fever, but was discharged on Tuesday, according to his deputy chief of staff.
Angel Ureña told reporters that the hospital visit was for testing and observation only. It was later reported that Clinton had the flu and was released on Tuesday.
Clinton was “in good spirits and grateful for the care he is receiving," Urena said.
President Clinton was discharged earlier today after being treated for the flu. He and his family are deeply grateful for the exceptional care provided by the team at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and are touched by the kind messages and well wishes he received. He sends… https://t.co/URiITiMqF8
— Angel Ureña (@angelurena) December 24, 2024
Clinton, 78, has had a few other health issues in recent years.
In 2021 he was hospitalized for sepsis that developed from a urinary tract infection.
In 2004, he had quadruple bypass, followed by two stents in 2010.
Clinton campaigned hard for Kamala Harris in 2024. He has stayed active in politics and has spoken at every Democratic National Convention since 1976.
“I want to say this from the bottom of my heart,” he said in August. “I have no idea how many more of these I’ll be able to come to.”
Clinton was in the news last week when he commented on a pardon by President Joe Biden of his son Hunter.
"I think that the president did have reason to believe that the nature of the offenses involved were likely to produce far stronger adverse consequences for his son than they would for any normal person under the same circumstances," Clinton said.
He said he did not think the pardon by Biden was comparable to his pardon of his brother Roger Clinton on drug charges even though some have compared the two.
Roger Clinton served his sentence and was later pardoned, whereas Hunter's pardon will keep him out of jail.
"I wish he hadn't said he wasn't going to do it," Clinton admitted. "I think it does weaken his case."
Lara Trump, the daughter-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump and former RNC chair, said Saturday that she is removing herself from consideration for Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-FL) Senate seat.
"After an incredible amount of thought, contemplation, and encouragement from so many, I have decided to remove my name from consideration for the United States Senate," she wrote on X.
"I could not have been more honored to serve as RNC co-chair during the most high-stakes election of our lifetime and I’m truly humbled by the unbelievable support shown to me by the people of our country, and here in the great state of Florida," Trump added.
She stepped down as RNC chair after the election and teased a big announcement in January.
The president-elect had initially pushed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to appoint his daughter-in-law to the Senate seat, which Rubio.
Later, however, he said that he didn't expect DeSantis to appoint Lara Trump as Senator when Rubio leaves to become Trump's Secretary of State.
"That's his choice," Trump said.
Rubio has two years left of his Senate term, which the appointee will fill.
Whoever ends up being appointed will have an advantage when re-election time comes, since they will be an incumbent.
Lara Trump previously said she was seriously considering the appointment, but wasn't sure it was right for her.
Because of her familial relationship with the President-elect, there may have been a perception of nepotism if she had been appointed.
She is the wife of Eric Trump, the president's son.
She reportedly failed to win the support of DeSantis to get the appointment.
DeSantis lost to Trump in the Republican primary in a tough race, but later expressed support for Trump in the general election.
John Ramsey, the father of six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey, a child beauty queen who was brutally murdered in 1996 has received a letter from a woman claiming to have married his daughter's killer.
The murder of JonBenet Ramsey has captivated the nation for years now as the past decades have seen multiple different investigations involving multiple agencies trying to solve the brutal killing that left the Ramsey family devastated.
The murder occurred on Boxing Day of 1996 and when police began their investigation it was John Ramsey who was the prime suspect.
It wasn't until 2008 when an old DNA sample from the crime scene identified the presence of an "unknown male," exonerating John Ramsey and his family all of whom were suspected at one point or another.
John Ramsey is now 81 and his wife, Patsy Ramsey, died in 2006 of cancer. However, despite everything he has lost, John Ramsey is still working to find his daughter's killer.
John Ramsey told The Daily Mail that he received a letter from an anonymous woman claiming that her ex-husband was the killer.
The letter read, "I’ve kept this inside for as long as I can - please, please call me." The woman had left her number in the letter which John Ramsey immediately dialed but there was no answer.
This comes after a popular Netflix series re-examining the case has brought attention to the case nearly 30 years later.
The series, titled Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey, has now been watched by millions and that has been a real boost for John Ramsey who has been delighted with the attention the series is generating despite the pain of reliving the case.
Ramsey stated, "You know, the police were doing nothing and had done nothing for 28 years, quite frankly, other than trying to explain away the evidence so they could prosecute Patsy or me and they couldn’t do it so they thought “oh well, we know who did it, but we can’t prove it so we’ll just forget about it." I think the documentary has brought a lot of renewed interest and it has kept pressure on the police to do their job."
For many years it felt like there was no hope that the case would be solved, but with so much attention on the Ramsey killing, there's hope that new information will come to light.
While the killer has yet to be found, what is known is that JonBenet was supposedly kidnapped on December 26 and a letter left on the stairs demanded the precise sum of $118,000 for her safe return.
This letter was presumably left by the killer but it only served to confuse the family as John Ramsey later discovered JonBenet in a disused boiler room in the basement. She’d been tortured, sexually assaulted and asphyxiated.
All of these facts led the police to suspect John and Patsy Ramsey until they were exonerated by DNA evidence. But the question remains if the case will actually be solved, especially before John Ramsey passes away.
President-elect Donald Trump announced Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote, as his pick to be the U.S. ambassador to Vatican City.
Trump's choice to nominate Burch is in recognition of the important role that he and his activist organization played in mobilizing American Catholics to get out and vote for Trump both in 2020 and 2024.
In an official statement, Trump said, "Brian is a devout Catholic, a father of nine, and President of CatholicVote. He has received numerous awards and demonstrated exceptional leadership, helping build one of the largest Catholic advocacy groups in the Country."
Trump ended his statement by saying, "Brian loves his Church and the United States — He will make us all proud."
Burch accepted Trump's nomination saying, "The Catholic Church is the largest and most important religious institution in the world, and its relationship to the United States is of vital importance."
He confirmed that he was "committed to working with leaders inside the Vatican and the new Administration to promote the dignity of all people and the common good.”
Burch's nomination as ambassador to the Holy See has certainly ruffled feathers among the elite in the Catholic church, a group that has become increasingly leftist, and according to some Catholics, heretical.
Burch is a critic of Pope Francis, and that animosity has been growing ever since Pope Francis and the Vatican began investigations designed to intimidate and silence conservative critics within the Catholic Church.
One such critic was Bishop Joseph E. Strickland, who openly called out Pope Francis for pushing progressive ideology in the Catholic Church which flew in the face of biblical teaching. Strickland went so far as to call Pope Francis a “usurper of Peter’s chair.”
Strickland has since been removed from overseeing the Texas diocese and that has created a lot of anger among conservative Catholics, including Burch.
The Catholic Church, especially in America, has been slowly dividing over progressive issues clashing with traditional and biblical ideas. This political division has only intensified under Pope Francis and his openly leftist ideology.
Catholic voters in America appear to be swinging right as they supported Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris by a 20-point margin after voting for President Joe Biden by a 5-point margin in 2020.
Biden had a bit of an advantage with Catholic voters as he is Catholic himself, but after years of attacks on the Catholic Church by the left, many devout Catholics are swinging right and could stay there in future elections.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) told a Fox News host that the DOJ investigation into him is "clearly suspect" because it occurred after he spoke out about the Biden administration's immigration policies.
“I clearly believe when you looked at aspects of the indictment and you look at the timing of this and the manner — the leaks, there were just so many leaks,” Adams said.
“I’m a former law enforcement officer, and when you conduct an investigation, you’re not leaking out repeatedly information that clearly only the Justice Department was aware of. Just the manner in which this was done is clearly suspect to me,” he continued. “I should not have been charged. No American should go through what I’m going through right now. This country believes in fairness, and what I’ve experienced is not only a professional tragedy, it’s a personal tragedy.”
He was indicted in September over his 2021 mayoral campaign and accused of taking bribes to do favors for foreign entities and governments.
Adams claimed that Biden admitted his Justice Department was politicized, but it wasn't clear which of Biden's comments he was referring to.
It's possible that he was referencing Biden's comments about the case against his son Hunter.
Referring to Hunter's prosecution, Biden said that the case was infected by “raw politics,” leading to “a miscarriage of justice.”
“I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,” he said when he was announcing Hunter's pardon.
Adams said on Wednesday, “The president of the United States said his Justice Department is politicized. Donald Trump stated … the parents who are on the FBI watchlist for standing up for their children, they’re saying it. There’s something wrong, and we need to make sure that we don’t use any tool of law enforcement in a way to politicize the process.”
Of course, that's not what Biden meant when he said it, but technically he did say it.
The host asked Adams whether he had asked Trump to pardon him. Trump is reportedly considering doing so when he takes office in January.
“I did not ask that,” Adams said. “And our conversations — we both express our love for the city… I’m working with the president and his administration, not warring with him. I say that quote over and over again.”
If the Biden DOJ is going after Adams unfairly, it's no doubt because he refuses to "war" with Trump.
That's the one thing Democrats just can't abide, getting along with Trump and treating him like a legitimate leader--which he most certainly is.