Back in January, Blaze News shared the story of Dr. Eithan Haim, a 33-year-old, board-eligible general surgeon who publicly revealed that transgender-related medical interventions continued at Texas Children's Hospital, even after its leaders claimed they had been put on "pause." Dr. Haim now faces four federal charges in connection with his exposure of Texas Children's, and Blaze News spoke with him to learn more details about his recent interaction with armed federal agents and his unwavering desire to see the truth prevail.'Ethically evolving standards': Haim's history with Texas Children'sFrom 2018 until 2023, Dr. Haim worked as a surgical resident at several Houston-area hospitals, including Texas Children's. At that time, the public outcry against gender-related medical interventions on kids — such as puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgical genital mutilation — grew louder and louder, and executives at Texas Children's issued a statement in March 2022, claiming that all such interventions there had been brought to a halt.In the statement, executives expressed no concern about the potentially irreparable harm the hospital may have inflicted on its minor patients. In fact, the statement even unequivocally insisted that children can be "transgender." However, the statement did express concern about possible legal retribution against the hospital and its staff.'We will continue to offer ... any form of care we can within the bounds of the law.'"Texas Children’s Hospital paused hormone-related prescription therapies for gender-affirming services ... to safeguard our healthcare professionals and impacted families from potential criminal legal ramifications," it said (emphasis added). Despite this statement suggesting the "hormone-related ... gender-affirming services" had stopped at Texas Children's, Dr. Haim discovered that they continued apace. In January 2023, nearly a year after the hospital issued the statement, the hospital hosted meetings and virtual conferences during which the gender clinic was openly discussed and medical professionals admitted they still screened minor patients for possible transgender interventions "behind their parents' back," Haim previously told Blaze News.In May 2023, Haim exposed the continuing trans-related interventions through an article published in the City Journal. Within days, the Texas Senate passed SB 14, which banned transgender surgeries on minors, and Texas Children's CEO Mark Wallace promised to close the transgender program for good on September 1."We will work with patients and their families to manage the discontinuation of hormone therapies or source appropriate care outside of Texas. We will continue to offer psychosocial support and any form of care we can within the bounds of the law," Wallace wrote.As Dr. Haim no longer works at Texas Children's, he could not definitively state whether the trans-related program there is still in operation, but he believes it is now finally defunct. The hospital does still have a Gender Medicine Program, alternatively called the Disorders of Sexual Development division. This division includes a team of "multidisciplinary experts" who can "offer management of disorders of sexual development and respond to ethically evolving standards," its website says.Those "multidisciplinary experts" include pediatric gynecologists. One such gynecologist offers adolescents "contraceptive counseling" and pledges to make her patients "feel comfortable, understood, and respected during their visit." Screenshot of texaschildrens.org taken on June 7, 2024The hospital did not respond to Blaze News' request for comment.'I'm the one being investigated': Haim threatened with prosecutionSince Haim first came forward about the continuing trans-related interventions at Texas Children's, he has been on the radar of federal prosecutors operating under the purview of the Biden administration. Last summer, on the same day that Haim was set to graduate from his residency program, two agents with the Department of Health and Human Services showed up at his home unexpectedly. They came to inform Haim that he was "a potential target for a criminal investigation," he previously told Blaze News."Within 24 hours of the story's release, what we had exposed was voted to become illegal, and I'm the one being investigated," he added with bewilderment.After that day, the feds kept in semi-regular contact with Haim, especially after Haim's attorney wrote a letter to Congress in late January. The letter elucidated several examples of alleged misconduct on the part of federal prosecutors, who even reportedly threatened Haim's wife, who works with a Texas division of the U.S. Department of Justice.Feds return — this time, 'heavily armed' and carrying court summonsThis week, more than a year after genital mutilation procedures on children were officially outlawed in Texas, the feds made good on their threats of charges against Haim.'There was a reason they did it like this.'Early Tuesday morning, Haim and his wife, who is currently expecting the couple's first child, were not surprised to receive a knock on the door since they had previously scheduled an appointment with an electrician. But when Haim opened the door, he didn't see an electrician standing on his porch.Instead, a team of "heavily armed" U.S. Marshals wearing "body armor" stood before him, he claimed. Despite the show of raw power, the agents simply confirmed Haim's identity, handed him some papers, and left. The entire process took only "a few minutes," he told Blaze News.Haim confirmed that agents did not call ahead of time and did not forewarn his attorneys about the pending charges. Nor did they search the premises or place Haim under arrest.Instead, the unannounced appearance and the melodramatic tactical gear seem to have been an attempt to intimidate Haim and his family. "There was a reason they did it like this," he said.Those efforts did not work in the short-term. After briefly speaking with his attorneys, Haim still went to work that day and performed surgeries as scheduled. "It was not difficult or challenging to kind of refocus and get back to work," he claimed."When you're taking care of the patients, nothing else matters."'Carefully redacted': Alleged HIPPA violationsThe papers Haim received that day summoned him to court in connection with an indictment for four felony charges, but they otherwise provided very little information. Haim told Blaze News that he has a hearing in the next few weeks to find "what exactly" he has been charged with.The City Journal reported that the charges relate to alleged violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, better known by its abbreviation, HIPPA. HIPPA prohibits the unauthorized release of private medical information.Federal prosecutors seem to believe that Haim illegally released private information regarding patients at Texas Children's, though at least one key potential witness denies that Haim did any such thing. Christopher Rufo, the anti-woke crusader with the City Journal who initially shared Haim's whistleblowing story with the world last year, claimed that none of the materials Haim shared with him "identified any individual." "All the documents were, in fact, carefully redacted," Rufo reiterated.Haim also reiterated to Blaze News that the agents conducting the investigation into him work for the FBI, not the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees HIPPA. However, Mark Lytle, an attorney representing Haim, claimed that it was not unusual for FBI agents to be involved in a case such as Haim's.Lytle also provided the following statement regarding the charges against Haim:Dr. Haim blew the whistle against a hospital that proclaimed it had stopped performing gender-changing surgeries and treatments on minors, when, in fact, it had not. These surgeries are a violation of Texas law. Dr. Haim was brave in coming forward. Now the federal government is coming after him. He will strongly defend himself at trial and we expect he will be found not guilty.A different attorney representing Haim, Marcella Burke, likewise told City Journal that Haim will eventually be vindicated.'Stick by the truth': Haim remains undeterredEven with the heavy hand of the federal government reaching for him, Dr. Haim expressed to Blaze News unwavering confidence that he did the right thing in exposing the truth regarding Texas Children's previously ongoing transgender program. He also seems unintimidated by the apparent attempts to keep him quiet."All we have to do is tell the truth," he repeatedly told us."If you just stick by the truth ... [then] no matter the outcome of the case, I win," he claimed. "Because there are things worse than what's on the table, and the worst possible thing is to dishonor yourself and dishonor the truth.""It was the hospital that was lying to the public about a program that manipulates, mutilates, and sterilizes kids," he reiterated."We have to not be intimidated by the ruthless tactics from this government."He repeatedly told Blaze News that he's determined to stand for the truth in hopes of making a better world for future generations. "If we don't do this now, then what kind of world are we delivering our children into?"'Targeting a brave man': Blaze Media team members stand with HaimHaim certainly enjoys strong support from the team at Blaze Media. Blaze News editor in chief Matthew Peterson shares Haim's disgust with the federal government's agenda regarding so-called "gender-affirming care" for children:[Haim's case] amounts to an indirect attack by the federal government on Texans and our Governor Greg Abbott, who has wisely sought to ensure that our hospitals are not involved in the genital mutilation and chemical castration of children. The federal government is retaliating by targeting a brave man who revealed that our hospitals have been lying to us and performing these horrific procedures anyway, in cowardly hidden rebellion against our Governor. The fact that the Department of Justice is abusing its power to persecute Dr. Haim is not surprising these days, but it must not be tolerated or accepted.Investigative reporter Steve Baker, who currently faces federal misdemeanor charges for simply exercising his First Amendment rights to cover the events of Jan. 6 as an independent journalist, understands firsthand the power of the federal government and its seemingly endless resources to root out those who disrupt the preferred narrative. "Haim's work is legal. My work is legal," Baker said. "They can't charge us for doing our jobs, so they have to go find something else."Blaze Media digital strategist Logan Hall is likewise outraged and claims the charges against Haim bode ill for supporters of freedom everywhere. "What's happened to Dr. Eithan Haim should be a wake up call for every American about what we're up against in 2024," he said.Those interested in donating to Haim's legal defense may do so by clicking here.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Radicals hostile to America and the West committed to a campaign of deracination and iconoclasm in the summer of 2020, digging up graves, toppling statues, renaming animals, melting down busts, knocking out church windows, and killing off iconic brands. Disney made sure to get in on the action. Amidst the deadly BLM riots, Disney announced that it would overhaul one of its featured theme park rides: Splash Mountain. Apparently, the ride prickled race obsessives with its depiction of characters and songs from "Song of the South" — Disney's Oscar-winning 1946 musical wherein a former slave shares folk tales during the Reconstruction era. Despite blowing an estimated $150 million on the overhaul and engaging in a concerted hype campaign, it appears Disney has yet another flop on its hands. 'The new concept is inclusive — one that all of our guests can connect with and be inspired by.' Splash Mountain first opened in Disneyland in 1989. Disney World in Orlando got its own version a few years later. On both coasts, the ride featured the tale of Br'er Rabbit and his daring escape from a fox and bear. The ride's flume 52.5-foot drop plopped generations of guests down the river and into the moist safety of a mock briar batch. Anthropomorphic animals and a coherent narrative in a Southern setting were evidently too much to bear. On June 25, 2020, Disney revealed that Splash Mountain — at both Disneyland park in California and the Magic Kingdom park in Florida — will soon be completely reimagined. The theme is inspired by an all-time favorite animated Disney film, "The Princess and the Frog.'" "The approach to retheming or 'plussing' attractions (as Walt Disney referred to it) begins with Imagineers asking the question, how can we build upon or elevate the experience and tell a fresh, relevant story?" said the statement. "And with this long-standing history of updating attractions and adding new magic, the retheming of Splash Mountain is of particular importance today. The new concept is inclusive — one that all of our guests can connect with and be inspired by, and it speaks to the diversity of the millions of people who visit our parks each year." Despite over 100,000 fans petitioning Disney to spare Splash Mountain, Disney closed the ride in both parks in early 2023. 'It had kind of run its course.' While the new ride based on a box office underperformer uses the same tracks as Splash Mountain and riders still travel in railed rafts fashioned to look like hollowed-out logs, the New York Times reported that Disney spent an estimated $150 million to alternatively tell the story of lead character Tiana's efforts to cobble together a band for a Mardi Gras party using all-new decorations, audio, and animatronics. Ted Robledo, the ride's executive creative director, stressed to the Times the various signs of "diversity" at play, by which he meant a black protagonist, three types of music, and signage in Spanish and French. “We're always looking at ways to cast a wider net," said Robledo. "With the old property, for a variety of reasons, it wasn't that relevant any more. It had kind of run its course." The Times alluded to some signals that potential park guests aren't interested. A nine-minute point-of-view video tour of the ride uploaded to YouTube had 10,000 thumbs up and over 38,000 thumbs down as of Monday. That Park Place estimated the ratio of positive to negative comments on the video to be roughly 1:200. Numerous annual pass holders permitted to preview the ride in person ahead of its grand opening later this month have also effectively given "Tiana's Bayou Adventure" thumbs down. According to Inside the Magic, the ride has been beset by malfunctions and breakdowns. Apparently the ride's hardware has trouble sustaining and communicating with the new animatronics. Various videos shared online show new characters frozen in place while dialogue and music eerily play on. Last week, on at least one occasion, guests reportedly had to be evacuated following a ride malfunction. It's unclear whether the new ride will survive as long as its predecessor, given the initial backlash as well as its apparent failure to win over race obsessives. Katie Kapurch, an English professor at Texas State University, told the Associated Press that the new ride is silent on the "racial realities of the segregated eras they depict." "We might see the impulse to replace rather than dismantle or build anew as a metaphor for structural racism, too," Kapurch said. "Again, this is unintentional on Disney's part, but the observation gets to the heart of how Disney reflects America back to itself." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

El Paso County Court of Law Judge Ruben Morales again dismissed riot participation charges filed against a group of illegal aliens who stormed the southern border earlier this year, the El Paso Times recently reported.On June 6, Morales dropped 59 cases against the illegal immigrants, claiming that his court lacked jurisdiction, officials stated.'They seem to be doing everything they can to keep from going to trial.'El Paso Public Defender Kelli Childress, who represented the group, said, "The judge ruled that it [filing of the charges] was done in a way that was improper with respect to constitutional and statutory procedure.""None of these problems have been at the fault of the judge or my clients," Childress continued. "It's been very frustrating to watch this happen over and over again. This is the third dismissal of these charges while these people have had to sit in jail for."The illegal aliens were accused of participating in a riot after they breached the concertina-wire barriers and stormed law enforcement officials along the border in an effort to unlawfully enter the United States on April 12. The incident, involving approximately 300 individuals, took place in front of Gate 36, which is not a designated port of entry.Morales previously dropped the charges against the individuals, claiming that there was no evidence of "probable cause." In response to the judge's decision, District Attorney Bill Hicks called for a grand jury to decide on the case. A panel of 12 El Paso citizens indicted more than 140 illegal immigrants on misdemeanor rioting charges, effectively overruling Morales' decision.The illegal aliens were slated to go to trial on Monday before Morales dismissed the charges again. The judge blamed the DA's office for allegedly improperly filing the cases, but Hicks denied the claims.Childress accused the DA's office of withholding evidence from her. Hicks rejected the accusation and claimed Childress was only required to submit to a confidential agreement to access the evidence but refused.Childress argued that the DA has no right to require her to sign an agreement to access evidence stored in the county's digital filing system.The El Paso Times reported that the DA's office can elect to indict the individuals for a third time. The illegal aliens are being held in county jail. They are also facing federal unlawful entry charges, but it is unclear when they will be transferred to federal custody."They seem to be doing everything they can to keep from going to trial," Hicks told reporters, referring to the public defender's office. "We would like to go to trial. Let a jury decide what happens to these cases."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Hunter was found guilty on all three felony gun charges by a Delaware jury.

The Good, the Bad, and the EXCEPTIONALLY Stupid! Here are the 'Best' Reactions to Hunter Biden Verdict

Aaron Rupar's Attempt at Making Hunter Biden's Crimes Look 'Victimless' Backfires SPECTACULARLY

AWKWARD! Hours After Biden's Son Is Convicted of Felony Gun Charges He Speaks at Everytown's Gun Sense U

No, the Hunter Biden Verdict Wasn't About 'Fairness'—and What About That Pardon?

Ex-NY Governor Cuomo to Answer to House Subcommittee on COVID Nursing Home Debacle

Jurors on Hunter Biden Gun Case Were Split at First, but Overwhelming Drug Evidence Swayed the Panel