Authorities are unclear whether an exploding Tesla Cybertruck in Las Vegas had any link with an attack on New Year's partygoers in New Orleans, the Associated Press reported. President Joe Biden told the press, "There's nothing to report on that score at this time."
In the early morning hours of New Year's Day, a pickup truck driven by 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar plowed into a crowd on Bourbon Street. The death toll has climbed to 15 while at least another 30 are injured.
The FBI is now investigating this incident as a terrorist attack. They are also looking for additional suspects who may have planted an explosive device in the French Quarter, including three men and a woman who were caught on surveillance camera.
Curiously, a Cybertruck that contained fireworks exploded and caught fire outside of a Las Vegas hotel owned by President-elect Donald Trump on that same day. One person was killed in that incident, and seven others were injured as the White House insists there's no connection.
Some are wondering if there's a coverup as both Jabbar and Matthew Livelsberger served at Fort Bragg and in Afghanistan, although not at the same times, LA Times reported. Questions abound, given the timing of the incidents and similar military service.
However, items linking Jabbar to the terror group ISIS were found in the vehicle used in the attack, while no such evidence exists for the Las Vegas incident. Biden directly denied that any link had been found in his remarks to the press on Wednesday.
"Additionally, we’re tracking the explosion of a Cybertruck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. Law enforcement and the intelligence community are investigating this as well, including whether there’s any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans," Biden shared.
"Thus far, there’s nothing to report on that score at this time. I’ve directed my team to make sure every resource, every resource is made available to federal, state, and local law enforcement to complete the investigation in New Orleans quickly and to make sure there’s no remaining threat to the American people," Biden said.
President-elect Donald Trump slammed Biden's administration for the failures that led to these attacks on his Truth Social Thursday. "Our Country is a disaster, a laughing stock all over the World!" Trump wrote.
"This is what happens when you have OPEN BORDERS, with weak, ineffective, and virtually nonexistent leadership. The DOJ, FBI, and Democrat state and local prosecutors have not done their job," Trump added.
It's unclear if illegal immigration had anything to do with either attack. However, Trump correctly stated that the agencies "spent all of their waking hours unlawfully attacking their political opponent, ME, rather than focusing on protecting Americans from the outside and inside violent SCUM that has infiltrated all aspects of our government, and our Nation itself," he wrote.
"The USA is breaking down - A violent erosion of Safety, National Security, and Democracy is taking place all across our Nation. Only strength and powerful leadership will stop it. See you on January 20th. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump later concluded.
America is reeling from these incidents that are happening just as Trump is about to take office. The nation needs a strong leader, and Trump's inauguration can't come soon enough.
President Joe Biden's administration is attempting to limit oil drilling to thwart President-elect Donald Trump's agenda, Newsmax reported. The Interior Department is considering putting a 20-year moratorium on mining and drilling leases for the Ruby Mountains in Nevada.
Trump will take office with a mandate this month in part because of his commitment to energy independence through domestic energy production. His "Drill, baby, drill" agenda is second only to his "Build the wall" promise among supporters.
Unfortunately, the current administration is attempting to hamstring energy production by protecting the area known as "Nevada's Swiss Alps." The plan would prohibit about 264,000 acres from being leased for petroleum drilling and other mining.
The Biden administration notes that the land was historically used by the Te-Moak Tribe, who are part of the Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada. The move to protect the land is being championed by those deferential to native tribes as well as to environmentalists.
According to Fox News, the conflict over this land began during Trump's first administration. The Forest Service had surveyed the area and determined that 54,000 acres in the Ruby Mountains could be suitable for drilling.
However, the plan was ultimately rejected in 2019 after "thousands of comments from the local area, the state of Nevada, and from across the nation" were against the plan, forest supervisor William Dunkelberger. He would go on to sign the final decision to prohibit drilling.
Opposition to the drilling also came from Jenna Padilla, the geologist for the Ruby Mountains ranger district of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in 2018. Padilla determined that the geological studies done "show there is low to no potential for oil."
Now Biden's Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has joined those voices in celebrating canceling the plans to drill. "The Ruby Mountains are an iconic landscape with exceptional recreation opportunities and valuable fish and wildlife habitat worth preserving for the future," Vilsack said in a statement.
"Today’s action honors the voices of Tribal communities and conservation and sportsmen’s groups and marks another important step to protect a treasured landscape," he added. It's unclear whether Trump would revisit the project in his new administration anyway.
Regardless of Trump's plans for this area, the move by the Biden administration is just the latest effort to sabatoge the incoming president's agenda. The New York Post reported that Biden has chipped away at another Trump priority by quietly selling off materials purchased for the border wall.
Trump and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton requested a hearing over the practice in December. Reports found that materials, including slats for a border fence, were being auctioned off for as low as $5 each.
Last week, a federal judge blocked the effort. "We have successfully blocked the Biden Administration from disposing of any further border wall materials before President Trump takes office," Paxton said in a statement.
“This follows our major victory forcing Biden to build the wall, and we will hold his Administration accountable for illegally subverting our Nation’s border security until their very last day in power, especially where their actions are clearly motivated by a desire to thwart President-elect Trump’s immigration agenda," he noted. Trump said selling it off was an "almost criminal act."
Biden was a terrible president who ruined the country, and now he can't afford to have Trump show him up by succeeding. It's petty and ridiculous for his administration to do this to Trump's agenda before he even takes office.
Oscar-nominated writer and filmmaker Charles Shyer has died at 83, Breitbart reported. Shyer was best known for combining comedy and heart in films such as Father of the Bride and Baby Boom.
His daughter and fellow filmmaker Hallie Meyers-Shyer confirmed that Shyer passed away Friday in Los Angeles but did not disclose the cause of death. Shyer began his career collaborating with Garry Marshall on shows like The Odd Couple and later received writing credits on films like House Calls, Smokey and the Bandit, and Goin' South.
He would often team with Nancy Myers, whom he would go on to marry and make several successful films with. After his passing, Meyers posted a black and white photo of the two of them on Instagram on Sunday.
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Shyer's only Oscar nomination came from co-writing Private Benjamin with Meyers and Harvey Miller. As for anyone in Hollywood, it was his greatest professional achievement.
The 1980 hit comedy was about a young widow convinced to join the Army after finding herself directionless and the hilarity that ensued from the fish out of water situation. However, the film almost didn't happen.
Every major studio rejected the script even though actress Goldie Hawn had already been signed as producer and lead actress for the film. In an interview with Indiewire in 2022, Shyer recounted how the project finally got off the ground.
"We went to a meeting at Paramount after they read the script, and Mike Eisner was the president of the studio, and we sat in his office with Mike and (producer) Don Simpson. And Mike said to Goldie, 'This is a mistake for you to make this movie,'" Shyer said at the time.
"God bless Don Simpson who spoke up and said, ‘Mike, you’re 100% wrong on this one,'" Shyer added. The film's success would open the door for Shyer's next big success, Irreconcilable Differences, starring Shelley Long and Ryan O’Neal.
Winning Combination
Meyers and Shyer were a winning combination, both on-screen and off. "Nancy and I just laughed at the same things," Shyer said in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter.
"We love the same movies. We kind of educate each other on the movies that each of us loved. And Nancy really made me laugh. I think she wrote the best one-liners of anybody I know, except Neil Simon," Shyer added.
"And, and we were just always in sync — as filmmakers, we had this thing." They would go on to make Baby Boom, starring Diane Keaton as a big-city working woman who unwittingly becomes an adoptive mother and learns to love domestic life.
The pair also collaborated in the wildly popular 1990s remake of the 1950 flick Father of the Bride starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Keaton. The last time Shyer and Meyers made a film together was 1999 reboot of The Parent Trap, which was released shortly before their divorce. Shyer never really recaptured the same success as he had with Meyers.
Shyer was a unique talent in Hollywood who made some of the most beloved films of the last few decades. His legacy lives on in those films and the new generations who will discover these timeless classics.
Actress Linda Lavin died unexpectedly Sunday in Los Angeles at age 87 from complications of a lung cancer diagnosis, her spokesperson confirmed.
Lavin was best known for the sitcom "Alice," about a single mom working in a diner.
She was working on a Hulu comedy "Mid Century Modern" at the time of her death.
Showrunners David Kohan, Max Mutchnick and Jimmy Burrows said in a statement about Lavin's death, "Working with Linda was one of the highlights of our careers."
"She was a magnificent actress, singer, musician, and a heat-seeking missile with a joke," they continued. "But more significantly, she was a beautiful soul. Deep, joyful, generous and loving. She made our days better. The entire staff and crew will miss her beyond measure. We are better for having known her."
Lavin had a career on Broadway before, during and after she embodied single motherhood in "Alice."
She had six Tony Award nominations, the first in 1970 for her role as Elaine in "Last of the Red Hot Lovers."
She won the award in 1987 for playing Kate in "Broadway Bound."
She also won an Emmy and two Golden Globes for "Alice."
She appeared in a number of movies, including 1984's "The Muppets Take Manhattan," "See You in the Morning" (1989), "I Want to Go Home" (1989), "Wanderlust" (2012), and "The Intern" (2015).
More recently, she had roles in "How to Be a Latin Lover" (2017), "Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase" (2019), and "Being the Ricardos" (2021).
She appeared in the CBS TV shows "B Positive" and "Elsbeth," as well as "No Good Deed," a new comedy on Netflix that also featured Lisa Kudrow.
Lavin said that she met with feminist Gloria Steinem when she began her role in Alice.
When she learned that on average at the time, women were making 69 cents to every dollar men made, she said it gave her a "commitment" to the cause.
The results of the November election were driven in large part by a growing sense among American's that the country is moving in the wrong direction under the current leadership, and a new federal agency report shines a light on one key metric in which that is clearly the case.
As the Associated Press reports, officials from the Biden Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) revealed on Friday that the nation witnessed an 18.1% increase in homelessness in 2024 alone, with 770,000 individuals lacking a place to live.
The 2024 figures are alarming, particularly given that they build on a disturbing trend that was already underway during the prior year.
Breitbart noted that the aforementioned rise in homelessness over the past year comes in the wake of an additional 12% increase seen in 2023.
The outlet added that the exacerbation of the problem during Biden's time in office was not a natural or inevitable progression, given that reductions in homelessness were seen during the period between 2010 to 2017, but those stopped in recent years, leading to the largest uptick in numbers since this statistic was first measured in 2007.
As the AP explained, the official tally of 770,000 homeless individuals likely represents something of an undercount, given that it fails to include people currently residing with friends or family due to their lack of a residence of their own.
Casting further shadows on Biden's tenure when it comes to the problem of homelessness is the fact that the increase seen in 2023 included a significant share of individuals entering this unfortunate group for the first time in their lives, with Black Americans overrepresented among the unhoused.
The Associated Press indicated that the growth in homelessness during the last two years of the Biden administration was due, in part, to a lack of affordable housing stock along with natural disasters that displaced more Americans than in the recent past.
However, the HUD report also acknowledged another key driver of the increase, namely, the pressure on housing caused by an influx in immigration.
The agency noted in its assessment, “Some communities reported data to HUD that indicated that the rise in overall homelessness was a result of their work to shelter a rising number of asylum seekers coming into their communities.”
HUD added, “Migration had a particularly notable impact on family homelessness, which rose 39% from 2023-2024. In the 13 communities that reported being affected by migration, family homelessness more than doubled.”
Democrat-led cities that have touted sanctuary status were especially hard hit, with the AP noting, “Among the most concerning trends was a nearly 40% rise in family homelessness – one of the areas that was most affected by the arrival of migrants in big cities. Family homelessness more than doubled in 13 communities impacted by migrants including Denver, Chicago and New York City.
According to Robert Marbut, Jr., who once served as the executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, the roughly 33% increase in the problem since Biden took office is “disgraceful,” and he suggests a renewed focus on “treatment of substance abuse and mental illness” and to reinstate job training requirements for those seeking help.
Though HUD's Adrianne Todman said upon release of the agency's report that “no American should face homelessness, and the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring every family has access to the affordable, safe and quality housing they deserve,” it is increasingly clear that the current president's policies have only succeeded in undermining that goal.
President Joe Biden faced a wave of criticism after he vetoed the JUDGES Act, a piece of legislation intended to create 66 new federal judgeships to alleviate pressing caseloads nationwide. The decision sparked outrage from federal judiciary leaders and lawmakers, as the bill, despite initially enjoying bipartisan support, was seen as offering nomination benefits to President-elect Donald Trump.
President Biden's veto of the JUDGES Act prompted significant controversy and debate, as stakeholders expressed dissatisfaction with his decision, as reported by the Hill.
Biden’s veto was announced on a Monday, halting a bill that promised to bring judicial relief across 13 U.S. states. The plan was to introduce the new judgeships in multiple stages until 2035. Among the judgeships, around 24 would fall under the nominating authority of President-elect Trump, a situation criticized by opponents who believed it rushed for the benefit of the incoming administration.
The proposal had enjoyed unanimous approval from Democrats in the Senate back in August. However, it encountered delays in the Republican-controlled House, where it wasn't put to a vote until after Trump's election win. Ultimately, the House passed it with a vote count of 236 to 173, with most Democrats opposing the measure.
President Biden, defending his decision, indicated the bill wasn't primarily addressing caseload issues and critiqued it as a hastily assembled piece of work in the waning weeks of the 118th Congress. He questioned the swiftness with which the House moved without resolving critical ambiguities in the legislation.
The JUDGES Act emerged in response to a dramatic rise in pending federal civil cases, which have increased by 346% over the past two decades. As of March, approximately 82,000 cases were awaiting attention, according to data from the federal judiciary. The Judicial Conference originally put forth the recommendation for new judgeships to Congress, leading to the introduction of the JUDGES Act.
Federal judiciary advocates had tirelessly lobbied for Biden’s endorsement of the legislation, even after the elections. Groups like the Federal Judges Association and several judicial organizations supported the bill, emphasizing the need for more judges to ensure efficient justice administration.
Among Biden’s sternest critics was Judge Robert Conrad, who expressed profound disappointment with the veto. He considered the additional judgeships crucial for maintaining functional justice delivery. Conrad strongly contested Biden's claim of the bill's haphazard construction, noting it was the result of deliberate, detailed analyses focusing on per-judge caseloads and contributions of senior and magistrate judges.
“The President’s veto marks a significant deviation from historical practices where new judgeships benefited sitting presidents,” Conrad remarked. He added that Biden's decision leaned against the legislative groundwork Biden himself supported during his Senate tenure.
Gabe Roth added to the chorus of dissatisfaction, labeling Biden's decision as an "embarrassing" conclusion to an otherwise impactful reshaping of the judiciary over the past four years. Sen. Todd Young accused Biden of engaging in partisan politics, contrasting his enthusiasm for assisting family members with due process against the backdrop of ordinary Americans awaiting judicial relief.
Biden's veto, while controversial, is grounded in his belief that the legislation needed more scrutiny and careful construction. His action underscores the complex interplay of political priorities and judicial necessities, setting a challenging precedent for future judicial reforms.
For now, the fate of the JUDGES Act remains uncertain, as the judiciary and its advocates continue to push for solutions to alleviate the federal caseload crisis, which remains a pressing concern for efficient and effective justice in America.
President Joe Biden has come under fire for commuting the sentences of 37 federal inmates on death row, The Hill reported. Some are outraged that Biden has given the worst criminals life without parole in lieu of execution, while others believe he didn't go far enough.
Biden was busy Monday giving a new lease on life to dozens of cold-blooded killers. It was a favor he granted to all but three prisoners awaiting their death sentence.
This tracks with Biden's criteria for imposing a moratorium on executions except for cases of terrorism and mass killings. The men not granted clemency include Dylann Roof, who shot Black parishioners at a church in 2015; Robert D. Bowers, who shot up the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the brothers who bombed the 2013 Boston Marathon.
People who care about law and order are outraged that Biden would show these people mercy they don't deserve. Others believe Biden's move doesn't go far enough as it leaves out the three worst offenders.
Biden explained his thinking in a statement released Monday. "I’ve dedicated my career to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system. Today, I am commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 individuals on federal death row to life sentences without the possibility of parole," Biden began.
"These commutations are consistent with the moratorium my Administration has imposed on federal executions, in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder. Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss," the president added.
"But guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice President, and now President, I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted," he added.
Many who are on the side of criminals lauded this decision. Anthony Romero, executive director for the American Civil Liberties Union, said that Biden will be remembered as "a leader who stands for racial justice, humanity and morality."
The Equal Justice Initiative applauded the move as a "turning point in the history of capital punishment in the United States." Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights president and CEO Maya Wiley called Biden "courageous" for this decision.
While leftists celebrated Biden's decision to save the lives of murderers, others rightly excoriated Biden for the decision not to consider the victims in this decision. According to Fox News, that included the family of Donna Major, whose killer was one of those granted clemency.
"I was angry. I'm still angry," Major's adult daughter, Heather Turner, said Tuesday.
"I am upset that this is even happening, that one man can make this decision without even talking to the victims, without any regard for what we've been through, what we're going through, and completely hurt, frustrated and angry," she added. The family was informed just two days before Christmas that her killer, Brandon Council, would be spared the death penalty.
Meanwhile, others were upset that Biden didn't do the same for all 40 prisoners. "If you’re going to commute 37 and not 40 – now you’re playing judge, President Biden," Rev. Sharon Risher, whose mother and two cousins were murdered by Roof, said.
The death penalty exists to punish the most heinous crimes and keep those who commit them from ever doing it again. Biden has once again sided with the worst people in the world while forgetting the victims.
The family of Donna Major, who was shot to death in 2017, is outraged that President Joe Biden commuted the sentence of her killer just days before Christmas, the Daily Wire reported. Brandon Council was sentenced to death for killing Major and Kathryn Skeen during a 2017 bank robbery.
Biden is on a tear when it comes to letting criminals off the hook and explained his motivations. "I am commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 individuals on federal death row to life sentences without the possibility of parole," the president said in a statement Monday.
"These commutations are consistent with the moratorium my Administration has imposed on federal executions in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder. Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss," Biden claimed.
"But guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice President, and now President, I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted," Biden concluded.
Biden's explanation does nothing for the families whose loved ones were killed by people like Council. Major's family spoke to Fox News Tuesday about the sucker punch this was for them.
"Anger -- absolute anger," Major's adult daughter Heather Turner said. "We were told from our prosecution team on Sunday afternoon. I was actually gathered with my in-laws for our family Christmas; my sister was gathered with her in-laws, and we got the call," she added.
"And I was angry. I’m still angry. I am upset that this is even happening, that one man can make this decision without even talking to the victims; without any regard for what we’ve been through, what we’re going through. I’m completely hurt, frustrated, and angry," Turner said.
Danny Jenkins, Major's husband, also expressed outrage that Biden was eager to be merciful to Council. "She was shown no mercy at all. This man walked into the bank, never said two words to her. Shot her three times in total," Jenkins recalled.
"He went and shot her coworker, Katie Skeen as well, who was totally defenseless and unaware of anything happening. I can't even believe that this is actually happening…" Jenkins said.
Council was already a career criminal when he gunned down Major, 59, and Skeen, 36, on August 21, 2017, at Crescom Bank in South Carolina, Fox News reported. The family has seen the surveillance video from the incident which showed the cold-blooded murderer briefly speaking with Major before shooting her several times.
He then scaled the bank counter and shot Skeen to death. This heinous crime was punishable by execution until Biden commuted Council's sentence, which radical "Squad" member Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) called "moral" and "compassionate" of Biden.
The victim's family couldn't disagree more. "Compassion? I don't think that that's compassion," Major's other adult daughter, Katie Jenkins, said.
Biden is leaving office and casting off any last shred of decency he may have had. Like all leftists, he has all of the compassion and mercy in the world for the people committing the crimes instead of the victims.
House Speaker Mike Johnson's supporters are circling the wagons to ensure he will remain as the GOP leader, Fox News reported. Lawmakers hope to avoid in-fighting at the start of President-elect Donald Trump's new administration as another fight threatens to undermine Trump's new administration.
Republican lawmakers are still shell-shocked from the last fight over the speakership. Johnson's predecessor, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, endured 15 rounds of votes before finally being confirmed.
Despite the California Republican's eventual win, he wouldn't last in the position with some members of his party champing at the bit to get rid of him. McCarthy's fellow Republicans ousted him from the position, and a three-week fight ensued that hamstrung the Congress before Johnson became the replacement.
So far, Johnson has held onto his leadership position and avoided McCarthy's fate. Now his fellow lawmakers are urging colleagues to keep the status quo for to ensure a smooth transition for Trump when he takes over.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) warned that conflict with Johnson could prevent the new Congress from officially taking office. "If we have some kind of protracted fight where we can’t elect a speaker — the speaker’s not elected; we’re not sworn in," Giminez pointed out.
"And if we’re not sworn in, we can’t certify the election," he told Fox Digital. Gimenez believes Trump might hold the key to making this happen.
"I would hope that President Trump would chime in and talk to those who are maybe a little hesitant, and say, 'We’ve got to get going. We don’t have time.'" Gimenez added.
Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) similarly believes "it would be immensely helpful" for Trump to throw his weight behind Johnson. "Any time would be great, but right after Christmas if President Trump said, ‘You know, listen’ — it would even be really cool if somehow Mike Johnson ended up at Mar-a-Lago for Christmas… wherever the president is," Fallon hoped.
"I think it would be incredibly powerful," he added. Unfortunately, there is a tight timeline to getting this done as lawmakers return on Friday, Jan. 3, to elect the speaker before the vote is certified three days later on Jan. 6.
The concerns about instability are very real, but some conservatives are still pushing for a fight. The Hill reported that anonymous sources said lawmakers behind the scenes are urging Trump to give Johnson the boot.
"Members are calling Trump to dump Johnson," one of the sources told the news outlet. Another said that "members are sharing their discontent and concern, and he’s observing" Johnson’s "inability to decide, inability to get it done" in Congress.
“The president recognizes that [Johnson] is somebody he can push around. I think he’s weighing the benefit of that with, can this guy get it done," the second source said. Yet a third source shared that "there’s real concerns about his ability to manage the place" based on the spending deals Johnson has brokered.
"It’s just laying out what’s going on. You can kind of see what was happening with this was going to happen," the source noted. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) confirmed that these discussions have indeed been happening "for a couple of weeks" ahead of the vote.
Trump notched a decisive victory and should have smooth sailing ahead with such a mandate. Unfortunately, Republicans sometimes can't get out of their own way and might diminish Trump's power with these squabbles.
A federal judge agreed Thursday to a Jan. 6 rioter's request to travel to Washington, D.C., for President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, the New York Post reported. Eric Peterson was convicted after he unlawfully entered the U.S. Capitol during the protest and faces up to a year in prison.
On Nov. 1, Peterson pleaded guilty to charges of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. He is free without bail until his sentencing hearing on Jan. 27 but is under travel restrictions until then.
Peterson, a veteran and business owner, requested through his attorney Michael Bullotta to attend Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20. The main event requires tickets, but many revelers watch from the National Mall on a jumbotron.
Bullotta argued that Peterson did not engage in any vandalism or violence while inside the Capitol for eight minutes and was unaware that others were. The attorney also argued that Trump has promised to pardon Jan. 6 prisoners, meaning Peterson's sentence "will likely be rendered moot."
Others who were violent and destructive have made similar requests for Trump's inauguration but have met resistance. However, prosecutors did not counter Peterson's request.
This more nuanced approach perhaps represents a change in how the Jan. 6, 2021 incursion at the U.S. Capitol will now be treated. Almost immediately after the incident, Democrats attempted to turn it into a coordinated insurrection and threw the book at anyone caught in the vicinity.
However, these were ordinary Americans caught up in the "Stop the Steal" protest that suddenly escalated. While some were indeed criminal and violent, many were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
With Trump on his way to the White House and ready to grant pardons, these cases and convictions have been defanged, including Peterson's. His offense was only walking into a restricted area after rioters broke in while repeating, "This is our house!"
Peterson proceeded into the building and noted he walked "right by a police officer posted at the doors … Peterson knew that the building was off limits and he was not authorized to be there," the court filings say. Now it seems he might not face jail as the nightmare is over.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump made it clear that he would pardon Jan. 6 protesters who were convicted of crimes. Even after his election, Trump was steadfast in his pledge.
"I’m going to look at everything. We’ll look at individual cases," Trump said to NBC's Kristen Welker, Fox News reported.
"But I’m going to be acting very quickly," he added. Welker pushed back for a timeline about when this might take place.
"First day, I'm looking first day. These people have been there — how long is it? Three, four years. They’ve been in there for years. And they’re in a filthy, disgusting place that shouldn’t even be allowed to be open," Trump said.
There's no doubt Trump is unbelievably happy about how things are going since Election Day, including for people like Peterson. The 2024 presidential election was consequential for them and the nation.