A NYC Muslim taxi driver was hit with a hate crime for beheading a statue depicting a young Jesus outside a Queens, NY Catholic Church. NY Post (h/t Nita) Jamshaid Choudhry, 44, of Hollis, was arrested Thursday night and charged with criminal mischief as a hate crime and other related crimes for allegedly decapitating the […]

Two former Secret Service agents told The Daily Wire that the agency will have to conduct a thorough investigation to determine how a gunman was able to take several shots at former President Donald Trump during a rally on Saturday. Secret Service agents quickly evacuated Trump from the stage in Butler, Pennsylvania, after the assassination attempt. His campaign said that the former president was “fine” and that he had been checked out at a local medical facility. On Truth Social, Trump said he had been shot in the ear, adding that there was a lot of blood. A suspected shooter was “neutralized” by U.S. Secret Service personnel, according to the Secret Service. The Secret Service said that one spectator was killed and two others were “critically injured.” The Secret Service further stated that an investigation was underway and the FBI had been notified. Charles Marino, a former Secret Service agent who is now the CEO of Sentinel Security, told The Daily Wire that the FBI and Secret Service will need to figure out how the shooter was able to get a clear shot at Trump. “The follow up joint investigation led by the FBI with the Secret Service will most certainly focus on overall security planning for the event, including review of resources & how the shooter was able to assume an elevated position of attack without being detected and eliminated prior to shots being fired,” Marino told The Daily Wire. Marino also pointed to the Secret Service’s response to Trump being shot. Shortly after Trump was shot, he was taken to the ground and covered by a number of agents. “The Secret Service consistently trains for a wide range of scenarios, including the worst case scenario of an assassination attempt against one of its protectees. The execution of that training was on full display by the former president’s protective detail,” he added. Robert McDonald, a former agent who now teaches criminal justice at the University of New Haven in Connecticut, said that the assassination attempt was a “terrible incident” that would need to be thoroughly investigated. “An investigation will be conducted to see exactly what happened here and the US Secret Service will conduct a thorough after action report to see exactly what happened here and how it can augment or enhance its protective methodologies,” McDonald told The Daily Wire. Some Republican lawmakers have already called for a congressional investigation into the incident. “It’s a wonder Donald Trump is alive. Let’s call this what it was. An assassination attempt with at least one innocent bystander murdered. The nation needs to know who did this. And why. And we need a full, public investigation by Congress into HOW it happened,” said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO). The shooter has not yet been identified by law enforcement as of press time.

One Democrat in the Tennessee state legislature appeared to suggest that former President Donald Trump brought an assassination attempt upon himself, while another suggested that it was a hoax but hoped it was real. State Sen. London Lamar of Memphis wrote in a since-deleted post on X that “While I am praying for former President Trump and hopes [sic] he makes a full recovery… the extremism from the MAGA regime has brought us to this moment.” (Ellipses in original.) She then suggested that the violent act might spur policy changes — the purpose of terrorism. “Now that Trump has stated he’s fine… I wonder will he consider sensible gun laws? Gun violence is too rampant in our country and I hope this situation changes the minds of his followers and Republican lawmakers,” she wrote. She deleted the first post, but continued to lash out, saying, “the same people who want me to show sympathy are the same ones making racist comments.” She deleted that post as well. She then reposted a message saying “Sure, it’s bad, but all I’m saying is we have to get over it.” Lamar’s office did not immediately return a request for comment from The Daily Wire. Another black Democrat lawmaker from Memphis, state Rep. Antonio Parkinson, suggested that Trump had staged his own shooting as a hoax but seemed to insinuate that it might be better if it were real. “I certainly hope this is not a staged act,” he wrote. His most recent post on X prior to that said, “The Supreme Court just ruled that Trump will be granted immunity for some official acts and a presumption of immunity for other official acts which, means he may avoid accountability for attempting to overturn the 2020 election. They basically created a dictatorship in the Oval office.” Tennessee Democrats have a history of spurring their leftist comrades to violence with exaggerated rhetoric, then using the violence to call for more Democrat policies. Last year, a deranged transgender leftist killed six at a Christian school, leaving behind writings lashing out at Republicans and whites. Parkinson then used the tragedy to try to force gun control, while authorities concealed the manifesto detailing the true motive for the crime and said it was not a hate crime or terrorism. After a gunman shot Trump, President Joe Biden refused to call it an assassination attempt.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said on Saturday that he would conduct a full investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump earlier in the day during a rally in Pennsylvania. Shots were fired at Trump while he spoke to the crowd, and he was hit in the ear. After the shots rang out, Trump quickly dropped to the ground as he was instantly swarmed by Secret Service agents. The shooting left one innocent rally attendee dead and two in serious condition. Johnson said he would have the head of the Secret Service testify about the security gaps that allowed the gunman to take shots at Trump. “THE HOUSE WILL CONDUCT A FULL INVESTIGATION OF THE TRAGIC EVENTS TODAY. The American people deserve to know the truth. We will have Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and other appropriate officials from DHS and the FBI appear for a hearing before our committees ASAP,” Johnson posted on social media. House Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said Saturday night that he had invited Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to testify on Monday before lawmakers. “My prayers are with President Trump and the victims of the assassination attempt at today’s rally in Pennsylvania. I thank the brave Secret Service members who put their lives at risk to protect President Trump and for the American patriots in the audience who helped others who were hurt. Political violence in all forms is unamerican (sic) and unacceptable. There are many questions and Americans demand answers,” Comer said on Saturday. Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley also demanded that Congress investigate the assassination attempt. “It’s a wonder Donald Trump is alive. Let’s call this what it was. An assassination attempt with at least one innocent bystander murdered. The nation needs to know who did this. And why. And we need a full, public investigation by Congress into HOW it happened,” he said. After the gunman was neutralized, Trump got up and raised his fist, then signaled to the crowd to “fight” as the Secret Service rushed him off stage. Trump confirmed that he was shot in a statement issued about two hours after the shooting. “I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Trump said in a statement posted to social media. “Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured. It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country.” The FBI is reportedly leading the investigation into the shooting, and the gunman has not been identified.

In the history of the U.S., four sitting presidents have been assassinated, while two have been wounded by assassination attempts.  The history of assassinations in the U.S. is largely a history of anti-Republican and leftist violence; all of the victims were Republicans except for John F. Kennedy, who was killed by a communist. Before Donald Trump survived the attack on his life Saturday, two presidents were wounded in assassination attempts. One was Theodore Roosevelt, who, like Trump, ran for office again four years after leaving the White House. In 1912, Roosevelt, a progressive who was running as a third-party candidate, was shot but gave an 84-minute speech while the bullet was lodged in him. The other was Ronald Reagan, who was shot in 1981 by John Hinckley Jr, who also wounded three others. The first president to be killed by assassination was Abraham Lincoln in 1865. His assassin, John Wilkes Booth, was later shot. The second was James Garfield in 1881. Garfield survived for nearly three months before perishing. His killer was hung. The third was William McKinley in 1901. McKinley died eight days later. The assassination led to the Secret Service being assigned to protect presidents. The only Democrat president to be killed was John F. Kennedy in 1963. Lee Harvey Oswald, his killer, was then shot by a vigilante. Oswald had lived in the Soviet Union and asked to be represented by a lawyer for the Communist Party. A congressional probe said Oswald had likely previously shot an anti-communist military officer who he considered “fascist.” In 1968, Kennedy’s brother, Robert F. Kennedy, was killed while he was a candidate for president. His killer was a Palestinian terrorist, Sirhan Sirhan, who objected to Kennedy’s support for Israel. That led to the Secret Service extending protection to presidential candidates.  Today, the FBI’s list of “most wanted” domestic terrorists is dominated by leftists, including black nationalists, communists, and eco-terrorists.

During a chat on Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, Ron Howard fondly remembered how Andy Griffith’s comedic approach made The Andy Griffith Show stand out from its competitors. The classic TV show became famous for being both wholesome and hilarious in its unique way, and it grew to be one of television’s most iconic series for those same reasons. According to the Oscar-winning director, who began his career playing Opie Taylor in the series, Andy’s creative direction was responsible for the success. While shows like Petticoat Junction, Gilligan’s Island, and Green Acres relied on slapstick humor, The Andy Griffith Show earned laughs differently. “Andy used to kill jokes if they were too broad,” Ron shared. “He just kept saying, ‘The south is plenty funny on its own without having to reach for it.’ He didn’t like Petticoat Junction… and Beverly Hilbillies because they were doing sketch, basically.” Ron Howard pointed out that no series that followed was able to hone in on The Andy Griffith Show’s style aside from “maybe The Real McCoys, a little bit.” But that didn’t have a character like Don Knotts’  Barney Fife, so it wasn’t quite the same. “The Andy Griffith Show” Kept People Tuned In Without The Bait And Switch Conan O’Brien said The Andy Griffith Show was a character comedy that didn’t rely on heavy drama or bait and switches, which would never work for modern television. “I have this theory that comedy has been increasingly compressed to the point now that when any series starts, they have to start at the most dramatic moment, and then that turns out it’s a flashback because they can’t start slowly,” said Conan. “People can flip to another streaming platform too quickly.” “Just the idea that one of the most popular shows in television history could often consist of people playing things in that [slow] pace,” he added. Ron Howard noted that not only is that true, but it made the show “endure.” More than 55 years after it ended, The Andy Griffith Show is still wildly popular. “It’s actually on all the time,” he added. “And especially over Covid, I kept hearing from people that it was like a lifeline.” This story’s featured image is by Hulton Archive/Getty Images. The post Ron Howard Fondly Remembers How Andy Griffith’s Comedic Approach Made “The Andy Griffith Show” Iconic appeared first on InspireMore.

How many men have faced the crucible of a near-death experience and came out triumphant? America just watched Donald Trump’s great moment of testing and saw him prove his mettle. When we tell our children about the assassination attempt on Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, we will remember the moment when a man, wounded and bloodied, raised his fist in the air and shouted, “Fight! Fight!” Trump could not have known—in that fateful moment—that there was only one shooter, that he would be safely escorted off that stage, to recover. After he heard shots fired and felt blood trickle down his face, he must have known that any moment might be his last. He could have cowered. He could have rushed off the stage. Instead, he risked making himself a target in order to deliver a message. Those two seconds spoke volumes. It was as if he said, “Don’t back down! Even if they kill me, stand firm. We must make America great again.” Trump’s opponents have been yelling that Trump would end democracy. They’ve been comparing him to the most evil tyrant in history. They’ve been bragging about a campaign of lawfare that has left a former president a “convicted felon” on trumped up charges. This display of courage cuts through that noise. Americans saw what Trump is all about in the moments when it mattered. They saw a man tested by fire and come out unscathed. We mourn with the family of the rallygoer who died in the shooting, and we pray that Americans would unite against political violence of all kinds. But if there’s one take-away from this horrific night, it is this: Donald Trump is a fighter, and I pray that my son will grow up to have one ounce of his courage. The post Tested by Fire: The 2 Seconds That Define Donald Trump appeared first on The Daily Signal.