It's Week Two of the Prairieland ICE Detention Center Trial

Confirmed: Iran's Mullahs In Serious Power Battle with IRGC Over Nepo Babytollah

“Republicans love Donald Trump more than any president's own party supporters loved them at this particular point,” CNN’s Harry Enten reported Thursday, citing results of his network’s latest poll. No other president has had this high a percentage of overall approval by supporters of his own party at this point in his presidency, Enten said while explaining why almost all of the primary candidates endorsed by Trump win: “Why? Because Republicans love Donald Trump more than any president's own party supporters loved him at this particular point. “Just take a look here, okay. Own-party supporters, 21st century presidents’ own-party approval about at this point in a second term: Bush was at 77%, Obama was at 77%. Look at this: 86% of Republicans approve of the job that Donald Trump is doing at this point. “That is higher than either Obama or Bush had within their own party at this point. Trump's magic touch has not seemed to wore off yet, when it comes to the Republican base.” What’s more, over half of his own party say they “strongly” approve of Trump, Enten noted: “The strongly approve, not just like, but love. Love, okay. We're going to look at these same presidents again. Strong approval among your own party's base. “What you see is Trump is the only one who gets a majority at this point in their presidency. Obama was at 48%. Bush was at 47%. You see here Trump at 53%. “Not as high as overall approval rating, but still getting a majority of the Republican base, at least in the average of polls, to say that they still really, really, really like him.” CNN’s findings are virtually identical to those of a Fox News survey of registered voters published Wednesday showing that 87% of Republicans approve of Trump’s job performance. In contrast, 95% of Democrats voiced disapproval of Trump. But, Democrats were also more sour on their own party’s leaders, the Fox poll reveals. While more than three-fourths (77%) of Republicans approve of their party’s leaders, only 62% of Democrats approve of theirs. pic.twitter.com/M7dKrKVbXM — Craig Bannister (@CraigBBannister) March 5, 2026

Continuing to be the proper Republican counterpoint to the rest of the far-left table that had been missing in the show for years, guest co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck confronted co-host Sunny Hostin for her naked hypocrisy when it came to wars, during Thursday’s edition of The View. This time, she called out Hostin for decrying President Trump’s military action in Iran as “illegal” despite her previous support for President Obama going into Libya without congressional approval. Following Hostin “calling it illegal, unconstitutional attack” on Iran, Hasselbeck wanted to know if she was “complaining” when Obama didn’t get approval to attack Libya but instead had his DOJ vouch that it was perfectly fine: Did you believe it was illegal in August of 2011 when Office of Legal Counsel memo stated from President Obama stated that the president constitutional authority to direct the use of military force in Libya, because you could reasonably determine that such use of force was in the national interest prior -- congressional approval was not constitutionally required to use military force in these operations. Where were you then complaining? Of course, Hostin admitted she “agreed” with how Obama chose to do things “because Office of Legal Counsel was involved.” Never explaining how the approval Office of Legal Counsel equaled that of Congress’s, Hostin defended Obama and shouted about how Trump was supposedly acting like a “king”: But the Office of Legal Counsel is the office in the Department of Justice because I worked at the Department of Justice that reviews these things and makes legal determinations. This president doesn't go through Office of Legal Counsel. This president does not go to Congress. Congress has the power to enact -- to approve wars, this Congress has the power of the purse. This president is acting more like a king than anything else.   Elisabeth Hasselbeck confronts Sunny Hostin's hypocrisy on presidents carrying out wars without congressional approval. She gets Hostin to admit she "agreed" with Obama going into Libya, meanwhile she calls Trump's actions in Iran "illegal." She also gets Hostin to admit she… pic.twitter.com/wOpKI2oOKt — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) March 5, 2026   “We haven't used that power since Truman,” Hasselbeck shot back, noting how Congress had long since abdicated its duty. “I don't think that this was done appropriately. I maintain that this is illegal and unconstitutional,” Hostin declared. Hostin was so blinded by rage that a simple question from Hasselbeck got her to admit she sided with Iran and didn’t like that Ayatollah Khamenei and many mullahs were eliminated (Click “expand”): HASSELBECK: Do you like the result? Do you like the result? HOSTIN: No, I don't. [Crosstalk] HASSELBECK: So, you would rather the regime head and those 40-50 leaders would have stayed in place. HOSTIN: Because I think it's easier to start a war, very difficult to end one. To quell the shellacking Hostin was receiving, moderator Whoopi Goldberg stepped in to call a commercial timeout. But commercial breaks don’t last forever. When they came back, co-host Sara Haines jumped in and piled it on Hostin by noting that the U.S. had taken part in and started several conflicts without congressional approval: In regard to what Sunny's saying about it being an illegal war, every modern president since Reagan has done this, attacks from Syria, Libya, Bosnia, Panama. So, it happens continually to give it context. (…) And I have a lot of criticisms on Congress, and this is one of them. If you want to be part of the conversation, don't hand your power over to the president, which they have done.   After the break, Sara Haines joins Hasselbeck in piling on Hostin by noting that presidents of both parties have done this and retired U.S. generals support the move because Iran is a threat: HAINES: In regard to what Sunny's saying about it being an illegal war, every modern… pic.twitter.com/8r3l9v4R33 — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) March 5, 2026   Haines reiterated her point from earlier in the week that she trusted the military leaders who said this action was justified and needed (Click “expand”): But then the last thing is the other day I talked about whereas administrations change and it's always political, I trust often the generals in the military. 74 retired U.S. generals and admirals came out endorsing this operation and saying that since its inception 47 years ago, they have been -- this regime has endangered lives of U.S. troops, diplomats, civilians across the Middle East and here at home, death to America, death to Israel is a chant they have used over and over. I trust that these career military generals, you can't be I general if you haven't served the whole time. These career general they have seen stuff we haven't seen and the fact they're coming out to say, you guys, this needed to happen, I do trust that. Hasselbeck seemingly forced a second commercial break by calling out the Obama administration for their secret deal with Iran and how giving them billions of dollars helped their nuclear and missile ambitions: HASSELBECK: This is a geopolitical move of brilliance. It will be painful in the short term. We will absolutely choke down China's oil access from Iran. We've done it with Venezuela. The Obama administration actually paid for the development of these nukes at some point. We have had imminent threat, thousands of Americans have been killed by this regime. [Crosstalk] HOSTIN: That's not imminent. That is not an imminent threat. BEHAR: Elisabeth, are you willing to send boys and girls - [Crosstalk] GOLDBERG: We're going to go to break so that I can stay on and keep everybody off my ass. We'll be right back. Notice how Behar was desperately trying to take a moral gab.   Hasselbeck calls out how Obama's secret deal with Iran didn't stop them from enriching uranium and actually gave them money to help fund the program. Then they suddenly had to go to break: HASSELBECK: This is a geopolitical move of brilliance. It will be painful in the short… pic.twitter.com/XGJSWTE3Rk — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) March 5, 2026   Hostin really doesn’t care about getting congressional approval when it’s a foreign interventions she cared about. In 2022, she demanded that President Biden install a no-fly zone over Ukraine and touted how it was done in conflicts that didn’t get congressional approval: “And in terms of the no-fly zone, we've done it before. We did it in Iraq. We did it in Bosnia. We did it in Libya, and we did it because we had a coalition.” The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: ABC’s The View March 5, 2026 11:09:41 a.m. Eastern ELISABETH HASSELBECK: I want to ask you why you keep calling this like an undocumented attack. You don't agree with the war -- [Crosstalk] SUNNY HOSTIN: I'm calling it illegal, unconstitutional attack. HASSELBECK: Did you believe it was illegal in August of 2011 when Office of Legal Counsel memo stated from President Obama stated that the president constitutional authority to direct the use of military force in Libya, because you could reasonably determine that such use of force was in the national interest prior -- congressional approval was not constitutionally required to use military force in these operations. Where were you then complaining? HOSTIN: I agreed -- Well, I wasn't on the show then. HASSELBECK: No, but personally since you -- [Crosstalk] JOY BEHAR: she was at home complaining. HOSTIN: I was at home complaining. No, I wasn't home complaining, HASSELBECK: Do you have a problem with that? HOSTIN: because Office of Legal Counsel was involved. And Office of Legal Counsel - HASSELBECK: This came after. HOSTIN: But the Office of Legal Counsel is the office in the Department of Justice because I worked at the Department of Justice that reviews these things and makes legal determinations. This president doesn't go through Office of Legal Counsel. This president does not go to Congress. Congress has the power to enact -- to approve wars, this Congress has the power of the purse. This president is acting more like a king than anything else. HASELBECK: We haven't used that power since Truman. HOSTIN: He's the commander-in-chief, but he is not a king. And so, I think this should have gone through Congress. I think that American -- the American embassies should have been notified so American citizens -- [Crosstalk] HOSTIN: - would have been able to get to safety. I don't think that this was done appropriately. I maintain that this is illegal and unconstitutional. But I - HASSELBECK: Do you like the result? Do you like the result? HOSTIN: No, I don't. [Crosstalk] HASSELBECK: So, you would rather the regime head and those 40-50 leaders would have stayed in place. HOSTIN: Because I think it's easier to start a war, very difficult to end one. WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Okay since this is going to be a longer conversation - Since this is going to be a longer conversation, we're going to take a break. (…) 11:16:08 a.m. Eastern SARA HAINES: In regard to what Sunny's saying about it being an illegal war, every modern president since Reagan has done this, attacks from Syria, Libya, Bosnia, Panama. So, it happens continually to give it context. The other thing is - BEHAR: What does. HAINES: That Congress has ceded this power a long time ago. And I have a lot of criticisms on Congress, and this is one of them. If you want to be part of the conversation, don't hand your power over to the president, which they have done. Two, the travel policy. I wanted to look it up because there’s a lot of Americans stranded. It ends up since the '70s that the government has put countries on certain warning labels like beware but also it is not the government's responsibility. They won't have the capacity to bring everyone back. They've changed that because that number was not -- they had a number you were supposed to call. [Crosstalk] HAINES: But then the last thing is the other day I talked about whereas administrations change and it's always political, I trust often the generals in the military. 74 retired U.S. generals and admirals came out endorsing this operation and saying that since its inception 47 years ago, they have been -- this regime has endangered lives of U.S. troops, diplomats, civilians across the Middle East and here at home, death to America, death to Israel is a chant they have used over and over. I trust that these career military generals, you can't be I general if you haven't served the whole time. These career general they have seen stuff we haven't seen and the fact they're coming out to say, you guys, this needed to happen, I do trust that. (…) 11:19:33 a.m. Eastern HASSELBECK: This is a geopolitical move of brilliance. It will be painful in the short term. We will absolutely choke down China's oil access from Iran. We've done it with Venezuela. The Obama administration actually paid for the development of these nukes at some point. We have had imminent threat, thousands of Americans have been killed by this regime. [Crosstalk] HOSTIN: That's not imminent. That is not an imminent threat. BEHAR: Elisabeth, are you willing to send boys and girls - [Crosstalk] GOLDBERG: We're going to go to break so that I can stay on and keep everybody off my ass. We'll be right back. BEHAR: Are you willing to - [Gets played off]

House Republican leadership has officially called for disgraced Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales to drop his re-election bid.The scandal-ridden congressman faced calls to resign after reports indicated he had an affair with a staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, who later committed suicide by setting herself on fire. Gonzales dodged the allegations for weeks but admitted to the affair in a Wednesday interview, prompting an official call to step down from Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) as well as House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), and Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.). 'Let's get to work.'“The Ethics Committee has announced an investigation into Congressman Tony Gonzales’s conduct, and we urge them to act expeditiously," Republican leadership said in a joint statement. "Congressman Gonzales has said he will fully cooperate with the investigation.""We have encouraged him to address these very serious allegations directly with his constituents and his colleagues. In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for re-election."RELATED: 'I made a mistake': Tony Gonzales admits to affair with staffer who set herself on fire Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty ImagesGonzales' primary opponent, Brandon Herrera, nearly unseated him in 2024, and the two candidates are currently heading to a runoff in May. Herrera holds a narrow lead over Gonzales in the 2026 primary and has embraced leadership's calls for his opponent to step down."I would like to thank Speaker Johnson and House leadership for holding Congressman Tony Gonzales accountable for actions that have tarnished the office," Herrera said in a post on X. "I’m looking forward to representing the district the way the people of West Texas have always deserved. Let's get to work."RELATED: 'Really disgusting': Damning alleged texts prompt Republicans to call for scandal-ridden Tony Gonzales' resignation Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesGonzales has not yet confirmed whether he will step down from the race. His office did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Jasmine Crockett’s run for Senate has come to an end, with Democrat James Talarico handily beating the congresswoman and advancing to the general election — and BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock is not surprised.“She didn’t campaign against her number-one opponent. She campaigned against Donald Trump,” Whitlock says, pointing out that her campaign ad featured a shot of Crockett staring straight ahead while a voice-over of Donald Trump insulting her played.“Who told her that was going to work? Letting Trump talk accurately about you on camera for 30 seconds — that somehow was going to win you [the] election?” Whitlock asks.However, Chad O. Jackson doesn’t believe it’s the time to be running any victory laps.“Her opponent, James Talarico, is far worse than Jasmine Crockett is, in terms of his effectiveness in pushing the agenda that they’re pushing. It’s interesting because Jasmine Crockett has become this kind of household name in a negative way for a lot of Republicans and conservatives, for the very reason that she’s very boisterous and she’s very out there and what many people would call ‘ghetto,’” Jackson tells Whitlock.“James Talarico is much more silent, but he’s much more deadly. Talarico represents a lot of what’s wrong, but he also is a heretic and he’s a fraud. He is a proponent of the social gospel, the, you know, liberation theology,” he explains.“He has this so-called faith-forward agenda, where he adheres to a kind of progressive theology, and he’s been effective in terms of pushing leftist secularist policies here in the state of Texas,” he continues.“Somebody like a Jasmine Crockett or an AOC — they’re easy to point at and say, ‘Oh, these people shouldn’t be in Congress; they shouldn’t be in politics,’ and I fully agree with that. But … it’s really easy to defeat their policies. These more silent and yet deadly people are more effective — and therefore more dangerous,” he adds.Want more from Jason Whitlock?To enjoy more fearless conversations at the crossroads of culture, faith, sports, and comedy with Jason Whitlock, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

A letter circulating on social media appears to show that a California high school has suspended a student over signs showing support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.The letter from Torrey Pines High School in San Diego and dated February 27 affirmed that students have a right to free speech but asserted that the signs violated a policy against "conduct that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment," according to a picture.'This is divisive language. Being American means tolerating protests.'The letter said that the student was caught on video "posting flyers in the learning commons and in hallways that stated I Love ICE from Real Americans."It went on to define the "fighting words" doctrine: "While a high bar, in a school context, words that are intentionally used to provoke a violent reaction or target a marginalized group's right to be on campus can be restricted to maintain safety."It said the student would be suspended for March 2 and indicated that one-day suspension was the student's first suspension of the year.Torrey Pines High School is also the location of a walkout protest against ICE that included hundreds of students. The school did not sanction the protest and warned students that they would be marked truant if they left the campus.A bilingual Latino newspaper in San Diego supported the suspension."Students suspended at Torrey Pines HS over 'We [heart] I.C.E. by Real Americans' posters. Critics say it’s unfair after anti-ICE protests," read the post by La Prensa. RELATED: 100 outraged community members denounce grade school teacher over 2-word pro-ICE post Photo by Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images"The difference: not loving ICE doesnt [sic] mean protesters are not 'real Americans.' This is divisive language. Being American means tolerating protests," the outlet wrote unironically. The school's administration acknowledged emails from Blaze News but did not provide comment.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Misty Roberts — accused of having sex with a drunken 16-year-old boy during a boozy pool party at her home while she was mayor of a small town in Louisiana — has been found guilty of felony child sex crimes.KPLC-TV on Tuesday evening reported that Roberts was found guilty of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behavior with a juvenile — both felonies. 'Go fight your friend. He’s the one who did it.'The station noted that the jury "deliberated for less than an hour" before reaching a verdict. Her sentencing is scheduled for 9 a.m. April 17. Roberts will have to register as a sex offender.Blaze News previously reported on the initial arrest and resignation of the 43-year-old Roberts.Roberts was arrested on Aug. 1, 2024, and charged with third-degree rape and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles, according to the Louisiana State Police.Roberts — who was the first female mayor of DeRidder and was serving her second term — resigned on July 27, 2024.In her resignation letter to the city council, Roberts explained her decision to step down by saying: "I must adjust my focus and priorities."The Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office requested the Louisiana State Police Special Victims Unit to investigate a complaint regarding allegations of sexual relations between a minor and Roberts.Roberts hosted a boozy pool party at her home in July 2024 during her second term as mayor, prosecutors said.RELATED: Marriage meltdown: Mom-of-two teacher busted for alleged child molestation of student; reportedly loses custody of kids During the seven-day trial, jurors were shown text messages between Roberts and her teenage son, with the pair discussing what type of alcohol the teens wanted for the party hosted at her home.KPLC reported on the victim's testimony about the night of the pool party, noting that Roberts told him he "looked good, started winking at him, and dancing on him."In his closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Charles Robinson highlighted a "lewd and lascivious photo" which KPLC described as Roberts "wearing a bikini as the teen smiles up at her."The victim said Roberts kissed him near the pool, then led them into a room of her home.The victim — who was 16 years old at the time — testified that Roberts removed her top, he pulled his pants down, and then they had sex.During explosive testimony Tuesday, the victim — who was a friend of Roberts' son — told the jury he was extremely intoxicated when he and Roberts had sex, KPLC reported."I was kind of dizzy," the victim told the courtroom. "I had to put my hands on the couch. My eyes were just, like, closed."The teen added, "While it was happening, I couldn’t feel my body.""After we had sex, I kinda was realizing what was happening," the victim stated.The boy recalled Roberts noticing what appeared to be a cell phone seen in a window of the room.Roberts' son told the pair that someone at the party had recorded their sexual encounter on video, according to the victim.The victim testified that a "big argument" between Roberts and her son took place, during which she said, "Go fight your friend. He’s the one who did it."According to KPLC, the victim told jurors that Roberts "was trying to get him to fight me. She was trying to get the blame off of herself."The boy said he was "kind of shell-shocked" and added, "I just went to my truck and sat there."The teen said Roberts' nephew later came up to him outside and said, "What you did was kind of messed up, but it’s her fault."According to KPLC, a 14-year-old at the party testified that he witnessed the victim and Roberts having sex. The teen told the court that Roberts "was acting real crazy" when she came back downstairs after the sexual encounter.Another witness who was 17 at the time of the alleged incident admitted on the stand that he lied when he first told investigators in 2024 that he was asleep and didn't see anything, KPLC reported, adding that he testified Monday that he actually did see Roberts and the victim having sex.“It just seemed the easiest thing to do was to keep up with the lie,” he told the jury, according to the station.'I played dumb and denied it.'Roberts' nephew told the court he believed he saw the two engaging in sexual activity based on their movements but admitted he hadn't seen any "private parts."Roberts’ daughter testified that she saw her mother and the teen "on top of each other" on the night of the party, KPLC reported.The victim said those who knew about the incident had a plan "to not tell anyone because it was embarrassing" to Roberts' nephew, Roberts' son, and himself.KPLC reported that Duncan Clanton, Roberts' ex-husband and father to their two children, testified that his ex-wife told him she had sex with a juvenile, which their son confirmed to him.Clanton added to jurors that Roberts requested that he call the victim’s family to gauge their reaction, which he said he did.Clanton said DeRidder City Councilman Joseph Daniel Reynolds contacted him about the incident, and afterward he texted Roberts: "I played dumb and denied it."In another text, Roberts wrote to her ex-husband, "I can’t keep hurting others, friends, and family. Lord knows I’ve done enough."Clanton assured Roberts via text message that she was a great mom, according to prosecutors.However, during cross-examination, Clanton was asked if his ex-wife was a great mom, and he responded, "No."Roberts' lifelong best friend and former sister-in-law, Jill Weaver, texted her son — Roberts' nephew, who attended the party — "Lie till you die" about what happened, according to KPLC.Weaver was asked if she instructed her son to not contact authorities about the incident: "Did you consult with him on how to keep the police out of this?” Weaver responded, "Probably."The mother of the victim texted Roberts about the possibility that her son impregnated her, but Roberts assured the mom that she was on birth control, according to messages shown in court by prosecutors.A DoorDash driver also informed the court that he delivered Plan B emergency contraception to Roberts' home in 2024 and left it at her front door and that a customer named "Misty C" made the order.KPLC reported, "He said he knew it was Roberts’ house because he had brought his kids trick-or-treating there before."The news outlet added that the DoorDash driver had "heard rumors of Roberts’ alleged crimes in the following days and believed that he had delivered the contraceptive for that incident."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

On their 1974 LP, Fagen and Becker honed their humorous lyrics and perfected their luscious arrangements that straddled multiple genres. The post Steely Dan Delivers Bite-Sized Gems on ‘Pretzel Logic’ appeared first on Best Classic Bands.

Tennessee Bureau of InvestigationsElizabeth “Beth” Thomas and Tad Cummins, her former teacher. On March 13, 2017, 15-year-old high school student Elizabeth Thomas disappeared. After an Amber Alert and a 38-day search, she was found in northern California, where she was being held by a 50-year-old married father of two named Tad Cummins, her former health teacher at Culleoka Unit School in Tennessee. While Cummins’ kidnapping of Thomas was already reprehensible, the situation was made all the more tragic when Thomas revealed that she had initially viewed Cummins as a mentor and protective figure — only for him to then abuse that connection and groom the teenager for months prior to her disappearance. Cummins even tried to twist his actions in court, claiming that Thomas had wanted to run away and he was concerned about her going out on her own, so he joined her. In truth, however, Tad Cummins had been actively grooming his young student. Just before the kidnapping, he was suspended from his position as a teacher after another student saw him kissing Thomas on school grounds. Her family claimed that he had spent months pressuring Thomas into spending time with him. Cummins ultimately wound up pleading guilty to federal counts of transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual conduct. How Tad Cummins Groomed And Manipulated Elizabeth Thomas On the morning of March 13, 2017, Tad Cummins left a note for his wife in which he wrote that he was leaving to “think.” He also asked her not to call the police. Later that same evening, Anthony Thomas reported his daughter missing. What followed was a 38-day manhunt for Cummins and Thomas that led police to a remote cabin in Cecilville, California — a small, four-walled shack where Cummins had holed up in with his underage victim. Despite Cummins’ initial claims during police interviews that he “never touched another woman” in his 31 years of marriage, investigators uncovered a series of shocking revelations after his arrest. Tad Cummins/TwitterTad Cummins was 50 years old when he began a sexual relationship with 15-year-old Elizabeth Thomas. According to The Tennessean, Tad Cummins first set his sights on Elizabeth Thomas while she was enrolled in his health class. Tad Cummins was described as a masterfully manipulative predator, pressuring Thomas to go out with him and threatening her with repercussions at school if she refused. A petition filed by Thomas’ father explained that the teenage girl told friends she was scared of Cummins and felt in over her head. She had just recently begun making the transition from homeschooling to public school. Thomas also said that her mother had abused her growing up, and perhaps that is why she initially felt such a strong connection to Cummins. “He made me feel like I didn’t have anyone else, and no one really cared about me like he did,” she recalled to ABC’s 20/20. “Whenever I tried to seek mental help, he told me no. I was feeling real low… and he told me no and not to do it ’cause it’d change who I was.” Thomas was given a seat near Cummins’ desk in his class. Other students also reported seeing him initiate physical contact with her during school hours, including rubbing her shoulders and back. Tennessee Bureau of InvestigationsTad Cummins and Elizabeth Thomas in his classroom. At one point, when she was alone in the classroom with her, he told her, “You’d look pretty nice naked.” Then, when a student saw Cummins kiss Thomas at school, it took a week before the teacher was suspended. During that week, he was the chaperone for a field trip Thomas went on. He reportedly also picked Thomas up from her home and took her out to meals, threatening her with repercussions at school if she refused. Even after he was suspended, he continued to pursue Thomas, showing up at her after-school job. According to court papers, she would often hide from him and ask her coworkers to lie and say she wasn’t at work. “He said if he couldn’t have me, he’d kill himself,” Thomas recalled. “Any time he threatened himself, he’d threaten my family.” But Thomas reportedly felt guilty about Tad Cummins’ suspension and equally worried that he would find a way to punish her for it. In a way, she was right, as Cummins ultimately showed up one day in his wife’s Nissan Rogue and told Thomas to get in. He convinced her to run away with him and, as a silent threat, placed a gun on the console. “He threatened my family,” Thomas later said. “My little sister was there and my whole family was there and if I didn’t go something bad would happen to them… I knew once I got in that car, I wasn’t getting out.” The Kidnapping Of Elizabeth Thomas Tad Cummins wanted to be sure that he wouldn’t get caught. After he took Thomas away with him, he made her throw her phone off a bridge, disconnected the GPS in his wife’s car, and even went as far as to unhook the radio. Cummins drove them across nine states, renting a different hotel room each night, usually in rooms with only one bed. His control went further, though, as he even controlled what Thomas ate. “He told me he likes skinny girls,” she said. “And I ate what he told me to ’cause if I didn’t, I wouldn’t get it at all.” Tennessee Bureau of Investigations Elizabeth Thomas told friends that she was both in love with Tad Cummins and terrified of him. “I know he’s a bad man,” she told 20/20. “He only used me for one thing.” Thomas also said that Tad Cummins had sexually abused her and that they had sex nearly every night while they were on the run. Cummins also admitted to this during an interview with the FBI. Cummins used his own name when booking hotel rooms for the two to stay in. A Walmart security camera in Oklahoma captured images of the two in the store together, but for a time it seemed like their trail had gone cold. Then, another Tennessee native named Griffin Barry made a phone call that led investigators right to Cummins. Barry had been a caretaker for the California property where the cabin that Cummins and Thomas were staying in was located. He recognized Cummins’ face from news reports and photographs, and called in a tip. Authorities moved in and arrested Cummins, and Thomas was flown home to be reunited with her family. Of course, it wasn’t easy for Thomas to put everything behind her, and the emotional damage she suffered as a result of the experience lingered for years. Elizabeth Thomas Describes The Abuse She Faced At The Hands Of Tad Cummins “What you did to me was unspeakable,” Thomas said to Cummins in a statement during his trial. “You saw a broken girl, who was lonely, scared and traumatized. You made her feel safe and loved because you saw what she needed and made her believe you would be her ‘protector’… All you were was a man who wanted sex… Tad Cummins is a sick, disgusting criminal.” Tennessee Bureau of InvestigationsTad Cummins and Elizabeth Thomas caught on camera at an Oklahoma Walmart. Two years after the abduction, when Thomas spoke with 20/20 for the first time, she detailed how the manipulation skewed her perceptions of trust and love. Other teachers at the school had teased her following Cummins’ suspension. Other students bullied her. She was a girl from a damaged home, trying to fit in like everyone else, and instead, a man she wanted to trust took advantage of her. Cummins had repeatedly told Thomas that “the devil made” him pursue a relationship with her. “But if that’s true, then you are the devil,” her statement continued. “Your choices were yours and yours alone. A 17-year-old girl should not have to tell a 52-year-old man this, but choices have consequences. Your choices destroyed not just my family, but also yours.” Thomas also expressed anger at Cummins’ demeanor in court, during which he wept and appeared to show remorse for his actions. “Where was any of that when you directed me into your classroom closet and violated me over and over again for months?” Thomas asked. “Where was any of that when you spent untold amounts of time and effort into manipulating, pressuring, and deceiving me into thinking that you were the only person who cared about me?” Before his sentencing in court, Tad Cummins once again appeared emotional and apologetic. “To the victim, I want you to know: I agree. This was not your fault. You were a kid. My misguided attempt to help you went sideways,” he said. “Anything I can do to give you closure, I stand ready.” After reading about Tad Cummins crimes, read the disturbing story of Nathaniel Kibby, the New Hampshire man who kidnapped a 14-year-old girl and held her prisoner for nine months. Then, read the story of Andrey Emelyannikov, the student who took a selfie with the body of a teacher he murdered just before killing himself. The post Tad Cummins, The Tennessee Teacher Who Kidnapped His 15-Year-Old Student And Claimed ‘The Devil Made Him’ Do It appeared first on All That's Interesting.