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Democrats in Maine are poised to advance legislation that would grant the state emergency jurisdiction over children whose parents refuse to subject them to sex-change mutilations and other confusion-affirming medical interventions. Additionally‚ it would prevent authorities from reuniting runaways with parents out of state if they traveled to Maine to have their genitals removed. A judiciary committee hearing was originally scheduled for Wednesday morning to discuss whether to advance LD 1735‚ the so-called "Act to Safeguard Gender-affirming Health Care." However‚ the review has reportedly been postponed on account of bad weather and will now be held at 3:00 p.m. on Jan. 25. The bill resembles "kidnapping" legislation in various Democratic-run states‚ including Democratic California state Rep. Scott Wiener's SB 107‚ which made California a so-called sanctuary for child sex-change mutilations. Should the act pass: courts would be prohibited from considering the abduction of a child from a parent or guardian who has legal custody "if the taking or retention was for obtaining gender-affirming health care or gender-affirming or gender-affirming mental health care"; courts will be authorized to "take temporary jurisdiction because a child has been unable to obtain gender-affirming health care or gender-affirming mental health care"; and law enforcement would be barred from participating in the "arrest or extradition of an individual pursuant to an out-of-state arrest warrant" based on laws against the sexual mutilation of children. "Gender-affirming health care" is defined as "medically necessary health care that respects the gender identity of the patient‚ as experienced and defined by the patient." This so-called "care" includes genital mutilations; sterilizing chemical interventions and hormone therapies; and cosmetic surgeries "to align the patient's appearance or physical body with the patient's gender identity." "Gender-affirming mental health care" is defined thusly: "Mental health care or behavioral health care that respects the gender identity of the patient‚ as experienced and defined by the patient‚ including‚ but not limited to‚ developmentally appropriate exploration and integration of identity‚ reduction of distress‚ adaptive coping and strategies to increase family acceptance." Children taken from their parents and rendered wards of the state would thereafter have access to state-funded programs that pay down the cost of the irreversible and disfiguring procedures. — (@) The bill's primary sponsor is state Rep. Laurie Osher‚ the leader of the legislature's LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus. Its cosponsors are Democratic state Reps. Erin Sheehan‚ James Worth‚ Matthew Moonen‚ Nina Azella Milliken‚ and Suzanne M. Salisbury and state Sen. Anne Carney. Ahead of the state judiciary committee's now-postponed meeting Wednesday‚ the parental rights group Courage Is a Habit ramped up its pressure campaign to "take a chunk out of the Transgender Cult‚" providing the email addresses of the committee members. Alvin Lui‚ president of Courage Is a Habit‚ told the Post Millennial‚ "If you're wondering how you got there in Maine‚ wherever you live ... it's because over time‚ you've allowed your kindness to be weaponized against you and they kept moving that goalpost and now‚ even when they're proposing a transgender trafficking bill‚ they're still using emotional blackmail to try to get you to accept this." Libs of TikTok highlighted this legislation prioritizing the medicalization of children over parental rights‚ prompting significant backlash. Megyn Kelly wrote on X‚ "This is SICK! Bombard them with emails. This cannot pass." This is SICK! Bombard them with emails. This cannot pass — (@) Mike Davis of the Article III Project noted‚ "This is clearly unconstitutional under the U.S. Constitution. And the most monstrous bill I've seen in a long time." Political scientist and legal scholar Carol Swain asked‚ "Do we really want the state making medical decisions for our children or elderly parents? I don't think so." "Demonic‚" wrote Tom Fitton‚ president of Judicial Watch. Other critics suggested LD1735 amounted to a Democratic effort to increase medical tourism to the state and to increase the profits pharmaceutical companies. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Former President Donald Trump (R) picked up an endorsement from United States Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Tuesday‚ Fox News Digital reported.Cruz announced his support for Trump following his "dominating victory" in the Iowa caucuses earlier this week. The Republican senator told Fox News' Sean Hannity that the results from the caucuses were "decisive." It is time for Republicans to unite.\n\nI am proud to support President Donald J. Trump in his effort to take back the White House and send Joe Biden to the retirement home. — (@) "It was a dominating victory for Donald Trump. I got to say‚ there's no place like the Iowa caucuses. I know it intimately. The men and women of Iowa‚ they take their responsibility incredibly seriously. They scrutinize the candidates. It's an amazing process and I'm a big believer in letting democracy play out‚" stated Cruz‚ who beat Trump in the 2016 Iowa caucuses."Well‚ last night it played out‚" he continued. "Trump's victory was across the board. He won 51% of the vote. He won 98 of the counties."Cruz congratulated Trump on his landslide win in Iowa on Monday evening. The former president secured a 30-point victory over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R)‚ who eked out a second-place win against former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley."At this point‚ I believe this race is over. So I am proud to endorse Donald Trump for President of the United States. I look forward to supporting him enthusiastically because I think it's time for the Republican Party to unite‚" Cruz added.He stated that the GOP needs to come together to beat President Joe Biden (D) and his party's "disastrous cultural Marxist agenda." Cruz said he does not see a path to victory for any of the other Republican candidates. "With the results last night‚ the people have spoken. It's time to move onward to victory in November‚" Cruz remarked. He predicted Trump would score another decisive win in South Carolina. Cruz‚ who is up for re-election‚ stated that he is one of the top targets of the Democratic Party."I wear that as a badge of honor‚" he commented."If you are a left-wing Democrat‚ after Donald Trump‚ there's nobody in the country you want to beat more than me. And Chuck Schumer has made clear I am his number-one target in the country‚" Cruz added. "The Democrats are going to spend $100 million this year trying to beat me and trying to flip Texas blue. Now‚ that ain't going to happen."Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy dropped out of the race following the results from the Iowa caucuses and placed his support behind Trump. The former president also recently captured endorsements from North Dakota Republican Governor Doug Burgum and U.S. Republican Senator Marco Rubio from Florida‚ Blaze News previously reported.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

While the Democrats are still yelling about the 2020 election‚ they’re doing as much as they can to alter the course of the next one. Mark Levin pins this interference on “Joe Biden personally‚ and his surrogates at the Department of Justice‚ and his party members in the judgeships and the unelected prosecutors and the would-be unelected jurors should there be trials in these Democrat cities.” It’s “monumentally outrageous‚” he adds‚ noting that Biden has “interfered up and down.” Levin is of course referring to the attacks on Donald Trump‚ which he says are “undermining our voting system.” Trump is currently at the mercy of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit‚ where a three-judge panel will debate the limits of presidential immunity. The panel‚ which features “two radical leftists‚” is set to decide whether or not the former president should be granted immunity from a four-count criminal indictment that charges him with plotting to overturn the 2020 presidential election and inciting a violent riot at the Capitol. Levin doesn’t believe the panel of judges is promising. “The worst of the bunch was appointed by Biden‚” Levin says‚ referring to Judge Florence Pan. “This was done to try and impact and interfere with the election and to get Joe Biden re-elected‚” Levin warns. Want more from Mark Levin?To enjoy more of "the Great One" — Mark Levin as you've never seen him before — subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

A doctor was suspended by a medical college after an argument with a woman who wanted to become a man and was requesting testosterone injections. The doctor said that despite male pronouns and testosterone injections‚ the patient would remain a woman. The college declared the doctor must adhere to the patient's preferred "gender identity."Dr. Raymond Brière has 700 patients in Montreal‚ Quebec‚ Canada‚ and had been seeing the unnamed woman for at least four years before their confrontation in 2022.During the appointment‚ the woman reportedly asked for a prescription for testosterone‚ citing that she had already been using male pronouns.The doctor noted that he had never helped a patient transition into a man and issued a warning to the woman that testosterone therapy could make her more aggressive‚ the Daily Mail reported.The patient disputed the claim and told the doctor that his opinions were based on "stereotypes." She was then offered testosterone gel‚ but demanded injections as a faster means to "masculinize."The patient also allegedly made a recording of Dr. Brière in which he insisted that she would still be "genetically a woman‚" even after treatments. The doctor reportedly said a genetic analysis of the patient would show that she had two XX chromosomes‚ rather than the XY of a man.Brière was also allegedly asked to refer to the woman as "he/him‚" to which he responded that she is "biologically a woman."The doctor then reportedly told the patient that believing she is a man was "in your brain.""A patient until today‚ [but] you were a woman‚ dear madam‚" Brière reportedly remarked.Before long‚ the two agreed that the patient should see another doctor‚ with Brière stating that he would organize a new appointment. That was until another argument erupted surrounding the use of pronouns‚ which resulted in the doctor refusing to book the new appointment.That was a serious point of contention for the Medical College of Quebec‚ which sided with the patient in its subsequent three-month suspension of Brière.The college determined the doctor had acted in an "inappropriate and disrespectful manner." It added that it was the "doctor's obligation" to establish a relationship of trust with his patient and ultimately adhere to her gender confusion."[If a patient] believes that their gender identity does not correspond to the sex appearing on their birth certificate‚ they can request that they be referred to by the identity they express‚" the panel declared. "The medical encounter must then take place while respecting this gender identity."The college added that it did not see any indication that the patient had been "difficult" and referred to the patient as a "he."Brière disagreed and said that the patient "denotes‚ at best‚ a problem or the non-existence of the mutual trust necessary for the professional relationship."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Special counsel David Weiss revealed in a new court filing that FBI investigators recently discovered cocaine on the handgun that Hunter Biden allegedly purchased illegally in 2018.The new detail was included in Weiss' response to Hunter Biden's motion asking a federal judge to dismiss the felony firearm charges that he faces for allegedly lying about his drug use when purchasing a revolver in October 2018. The first son's legal team has claimed Hunter is the victim of a selective and vindictive prosecution.Weiss and his team of prosecutors address that claim in their filing. But they also go to painstaking lengths to explain why the preponderance of evidence against Hunter is so "overwhelming" that it would be legal malfeasance to dismiss an airtight case.For example‚ Weiss explained:In 2023‚ FBI investigators pulled sealed evidence from the state police vault to take photographs of the defendant’s firearm. After opening the evidence‚ FBI investigators observed a white powdery substance on the defendant’s brown leather pouch that had held the defendant’s firearm in October 2018. Based on their training and experience‚ investigators believed that this substance was likely cocaine and that this evidence would corroborate the messages that investigators had obtained which showed the defendant buying and using drugs in October 2018. An FBI chemist subsequently analyzed the residue and determined that it was cocaine."To be clear‚ investigators literally found drugs on the pouch where the defendant had kept his gun‚" he emphasized.The filing is also significant because Weiss confirmed — for the first time — the legitimacy of Hunter Biden's infamous laptop that Biden defenders claimed was Russian disinformation before the 2020 election.Weiss explained:In August 2019‚ IRS and FBI investigators obtained a search warrant for tax violations for the defendant’s Apple iCloud account. In response to that warrant‚ in September 2019‚ Apple produced backups of data from various of the defendant’s electronic devices that he had backed up to his iCloud account. Investigators also later came into possession of the defendant’s Apple MacBook Pro‚ which he had left at a computer store. A search warrant was also obtained for his laptop and the results of the search were largely duplicative of information investigators had already obtained from Apple.Regarding Hunter's claim that he is a victim of selective prosecution and right-wing bias‚ Weiss denounced the assertion as a "conspiracy theory.""Left with the inconvenient truth of trying to explain how this could happen during the Biden Administration‚ the defendant suggests that evil motives are lurking deep within the Department of Justice‚" Weiss wrote. "This theory is a fiction designed for a Hollywood script.""The charges in this case are not trumped up or because of former President Trump — they are instead a result of the defendant’s own choices and were brought in spite of‚ not because of‚ any outside noise made by politicians‚" Weiss said.Hunter will likely go to trial in the case later this year. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The armorer for the film "Rust" was offered a "favorable" outcome by the prosecutor if she was able to explain how live ammunition made it on to the set of the movie. The live rounds were ultimately given to actor Alec Baldwin before he fired a gun that killed a cinematographer.Armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed faces up to three years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence in connection to the death of Halyna Hutchins‚ cinematographer for the movie "Rust." Hutchins was shot by Baldwin while preparing for a scene when he pulled the trigger on a gun that was supposed to have "dummy rounds‚" Variety reported.Gutierrez Reed was reportedly warned that if she refused to provide information as to where the real bullets came from‚ she would face additional charges. Detectives had asked the woman why there was live ammunition on the set‚ to which she replied "I have no idea."Several other live rounds were also reportedly recovered from the scene‚ but their origins are still unknown.Kari Morrissey‚ the special prosecutor assigned to the case‚ reportedly told the defense lawyer in September 2023 that she believed Gutierrez Reed knew more about the incident than she was willing to say."I feel very strongly she has some notion of how the live rounds came on set‚" Morrissey wrote. "I certainly respect her right not to come forward with that information and to stay silent‚ however if she were to come forward and answer some of these questions that plague the victims in this case that would go a long way toward getting her a favorable resolution.""If she chooses not to ... while I respect her decision‚ I will proceed with the additional felony charges we spoke of‚" Morrissey added.Just over two weeks later‚ Gutierrez Reed was indicted on a charge for carrying a firearm in a liquor establishment‚ a fourth-degree felony‚ after allegedly bringing a gun into a bar in October 2021. This was less than two weeks after the "Rust" incident.Evidence for the charge allegedly stemmed from a search of pictures and data on Gutierrez Reed's phone‚ which was turned over to authorities in relation to the shooting incident.Gutierrez Reed’s lawyer‚ Jason Bowles‚ has taken all the aforementioned actions as a misappropriation of authority. Bowles reportedly saw the offer of a "favorable" outcome as a method by prosecutors to invoke a false confession.The lawyer has also sought to have the additional charges dismissed and argued that they were filed vindictively as a retaliation."This is an extremely rare case in which we have a statement of the prosecutor’s motive behind charging‚" Bowles wrote. "That charge was solely designed to pressure Ms. Gutierrez Reed into giving up her Fifth Amendment right to silence (to provide information she didn’t have) or face felony criminal prosecution on a totally unrelated charge."Bowles had also argued that the prosecutor's scope was meant to be limited to the "Rust" case and that she was operating outside her authority when she charged Gutierrez Reed for the gun possession. Alec Baldwin\xe2\x80\x99s reaction when he was told that cinematographer Halyna Hutchins had passed away after she was accidentally shot with a live round discharged from a revolver used as a prop by the actor. — (@) Actor Baldwin was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter‚ but charges were dropped in April 2023. Prosecutor Morrissey said that "additional facts have come to light" that warranted charges against the actor‚ but though she claimed the charges would be brought within two months‚ nothing materialized.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Jordan Peterson is throwing down with gusto and promising that "the war has barely started" after yet another Canadian court ruled he must submit to "re-education" due to his un-woke ways.A three-judge panel with the Ontario Court of Appeal on Tuesday dismissed Peterson’s challenge against a previous decision by the Ontario Divisional Court‚ the National Post reported.The fight is over Peterson's past comments and speech that the College of Psychologists of Ontario reportedly said "may cause harm." A year ago Peterson said he "formally indicated" his "refusal to comply" with the CPO's demands that he undergo "re-education" over his speech.In the wake of the Court of Appeal's ruling‚ Peterson hopped on social media and promised a massive fight: — (@) "A higher court in Canada has ruled that the Ontario College of Psychologists indeed has the right to sentence me to re-education camp. There are no other legal avenues open to me now‚" he wrote while ripping "petty bureaucrats and the addle-pated woke mob" who seem intent on taking Peterson's professional license.But Peterson promised more rounds in the fight are coming: "The war has barely started. There is nothing you can take from me that I'm unwilling to lose. So watch out. Seriously. You've been warned."What's the background?Peterson last January posted to X parts of a document from the College of Psychologists of Ontario that outlined its concern over his "public statements made on social media and during a January 25‚ 2022‚ podcast appearance" that "may have lacked professionalism."The document indicates that Peterson is to work with another professional to “review‚ reflect on‚ and ameliorate [his] professionalism in public statements" and complete a "Coaching Program." — (@) Peterson's stated refusal to comply could result in discipline for professional misconduct‚ according the document's language.With that‚ Peterson filed for a review of the committee's ruling. In August‚ the Ontario Divisional Court ruled against Peterson‚ concluding that the committee's ruling "is not disciplinary and does not prevent Dr. Peterson from expressing himself on controversial topics; it has a minimal impact on his right to freedom of expression."Peterson shot back on X: "If you think that you have a right to free speech in Canada you're delusional. I will make every aspect of this public ... Bring it."Later in August‚ Peterson doubled down‚ saying if push comes to shove‚ he'd attempt to capture "re-education" efforts on video and share it all with the world.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Actor Pierce Brosnan allegedly stepped over a few boundaries at Yellowstone National Park and found himself on the wrong side of the law.Last fall‚ Brosnan spent some time in Montana to shoot a Western film called "The Unholy Trinity‚" also starring Samuel L. Jackson. While in the area‚ Brosnan decided to take a side trip to Yellowstone National Park in the northwest corner of Wyoming.As he was touring the enormous‚ 2.2 million-acre park on November 1‚ Brosnan allegedly made two illegal missteps. On one occasion‚ the 70-year-old Irish actor allegedly ventured into Mammoth Terraces‚ a hot springs area that was closed to the public at the time. He then also supposedly wandered off the walkway in another thermal area of the park.According to federal law‚ all Yellowstone tourists must restrict their "foot travel ... to boardwalks or trails that are maintained for such travel and are marked by official signs." Brosnan eventually received two federal citations‚ one for "foot travel in all thermal areas and w/in Yellowstone Canyon confined to trails" and the other for "violating closures and use limits‚" court documents said. The maximum penalties for those offenses include six months behind bars and a $5‚000 fine.At a hearing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming on January 4‚ Brosnan's lawyer‚ Karl Knuchel‚ entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of his client‚ who did not appear. Knuchel also requested — and was granted — a virtual hearing for Brosnan on February 20.Various outlets have reached out to Brosnan‚ through his website and his publicist‚ for comment but so far have not received a response.Issuing federal citations to a 70-year-old man for allegedly taking a few liberties with some of the boardwalk rules may sound harsh‚ but thermal areas — which include geysers and hot springs — are some of the most dangerous attractions in the park. Water temperatures can reach a scalding 175 degrees Fahrenheit‚ and the park warns visitors that hot springs "have injured or killed more people in Yellowstone than any other natural feature."Brosnan's Hollywood career began 40 years ago‚ when he starred in the popular TV series "Remington Steele." He also appeared in hit movies such as "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "The Thomas Crown Affair." However‚ he is perhaps best known for playing James Bond in several films between 1994 and 2002. He married current wife Keely Shaye Smith about 10 years after his first wife‚ Cassandra Harris‚ passed away from cancer in 1991. Between the two marriages‚ Brosnan has five children and four grandchildren. Court documents indicate he lives in Beverly Hills‚ California.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The results of Iowa caucuses saw Donald Trump blow his competitors out of the water 51% of the vote. Florida’s Ron DeSantis trailed him distantly at 21.2%‚ while Nikki Haley came in third at 19.1%. Per usual‚ MSNBC had something wildly stupid to say. Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey play a clip of Joy Reid citing racism as the reason Haley didn’t win. “It’s the elephant in the room – she’s still a brown lady who’s gotta try to win in a party that is deeply anti-immigrant and accepts the notion that you can say that immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country‚” Reid ignorantly stated‚ adding that she can’t imagine a scenario in which someone like Haley “becomes the nominee of that party.” “It must be tough if you have to look under every rock for a racist‚” sighs Bubba. “Everything goes through the race filter with her.” Rick agrees‚ adding that Reid’s poor analysis is also “lazy.” “Can you not walk out a different narrative? Something a little deeper‚ a little more complex?” he asks. Further‚ most people “couldn’t tell Nikki Haley was from foreign immigrant parents‚” adds Bill. “To be a true racist‚ I would think you’d have to visibly be able to notice somebody’s differences.” To see their full analysis‚ watch the video below. Want more from Rick and Bubba?To enjoy more legendary comedy‚ political arguments‚ and lessons in common sense‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.