The Republican National Committee filed another election-related lawsuit against Democratic Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson over her enforcement of signature verification law. The lawsuit‚ filed on Thursday‚ says that Benson directed local election officials before the February 2024 presidential primary election to presume that an absentee voter’s signature was legitimate. The RNC described this directive as “secret instructions” that were given “outside the public eye.” “Michigan’s State Constitution is very clear: election officials have to verify the identity of voters casting absentee ballots‚” RNC Chair Michael Whatley said in a statement. “Jocelyn Benson is yet again working to undermine election integrity by secretly instructing officials to disregard and circumvent these clear requirements. The RNC is suing Benson because Michiganders deserve election integrity‚ not underhanded Democrat schemes.” The lawsuit said that the presumption of validity undercut state law requiring verification of absentee ballot signatures. “While the Michigan Constitution expressly mandates that election officials ‘verify the identity’ of any voter who applies for an absent voter ballot or who votes an absent voter ballot other than in person by completing the signature comparison scheme outlined above‚ see Const 1963‚ art 2‚ § 4(1)(h)‚ the Secretary has instructed local election officials to apply a ‘presumption of validity’ to those signatures‚” the lawsuit says. The suit was filed in Michigan state court by the RNC‚ the Michigan Republican Party‚ the National Republican Congressional Committee‚ and several Michigan voters. The plaintiffs want Benson’s actions to be declared unlawful and they want a judge to make her retract her Signature Verification Instructions. Similar instructions from Benson before the November 2020 election were ruled “invalid” in March 2021 with a state judge saying that Benson had acted outside of the law. Michigan is again expected to be a hotly contested state with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump gearing up for a rematch. Earlier this month‚ the RNC filed another lawsuit against Benson‚ accusing her office of maintaining inaccurate voter rolls. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP According to the lawsuit‚ at least 53 counties in Michigan have more active registered voters than adult citizens over the age of 18. According to the RNC‚ the number of counties with registration rates above 100% ballooned after 2020‚ when only one county had that rate. The suit also said that 23 counties have voter-registration rates of over 90% of eligible adults registered‚ which is far above the average national and statewide rate. Under Whatley’s leadership‚ the RNC hired two new election-focused lawyers‚ Charlie Spies‚ who will serve as the RNC’s chief counsel‚ and Christina Bobb‚ a Trump campaign lawyer who has challenged the outcome of the 2020 election.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) slammed lefist Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador‚ known as AMLO‚ this week over his demand that the U.S. give billions of dollars to Latin American countries and assist Marxist regimes or else Mexico will continue to allow illegal aliens to flood the U.S. southern border. Cruz’s remarks come after AMLO claimed during an interview that aired on Sunday that he ended corruption in Mexico and that the hundreds of political assassinations that are carried out every year in his country are not a threat to democracy. AMLO demanded earlier this year that if the U.S. wanted help in combating the millions of illegal aliens entering through the southern border‚ the U.S. must give tens of billions of dollars per year to countries in Latin America‚ give work visas to 10 million illegal aliens in the U.S.‚ lift sanctions on socialist Venezuela‚ and end the embargo of communist Cuba. “Notice his demands. His demands are end the embargo against Cuba. And end the sanctions against Venezuela‚” Cruz said on his “Verdict” podcast. “He’s standing with communist dictators in Cuba and Venezuela‚” he said. “That’s who he aligns himself with is the hard-Left anti-American Communist axis through Latin America. That’s who AMLO is. So it’s not surprising. That’s who he’s always been.” “Is he trying to extort America? Of course‚” Cruz said before comparing AMLO’s remarks to the mob trying to shake down a business. “‘Nice little bar you got here‚ shame if something happened to it. Boy‚ a fire would do real damage.’ He said‚ ‘Well‚ we’ll keep these migrants coming. Unless you pay us off. Just you know‚ a bag of cash each week would be good. I’ll send my guys to pick it up.’” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Cruz said that AMLO — whose policy for dealing with drug cartels is “hugs not bullets” — is not afraid of President Joe Biden because Biden “is weak.” “Look‚ Marxist gonna Marxist. That’s who they are‚” he added. “He is going to engage in anti-American rhetoric. The only thing he responds to his strength. This Biden White House is not capable of strength against leftist‚ against enemies of America. They’re only capable of strength against our friends. They’re only capable of undermining allies of America.”

Texas has reportedly arrested another 70 of the migrants who stormed the El Paso border and assaulted National Guard members earlier this month. The 70 migrants have been arrested on misdemeanor rioting charges related to the March 21 incident‚ the New York Post reported Friday. The violent incident was caught on video‚ which shows a large group of adult male migrants tearing down fences with razor wire and pushing up against several National Guardsmen‚ eventually overwhelming them and rushing up to a tall border wall. Texas had already charged nine migrants on Wednesday who were allegedly involved in the assault. They face charges of inciting a riot‚ damaging property over $2‚500‚ and assault on members of the National Guard. NEW: Texas has arrested 70 more migrants who rioted at the southern border in El Paso‚ Texas and assaulted National Guard troops. Glad to see someone is taking action. Texas charged nine of the migrants on Wednesday involved in the riot. Knives and shanks were… pic.twitter.com/LXgME5ivrX — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 29‚ 2024 Earlier this week‚ Texas surged soldiers and resources to boost border security operations in El Paso. We continue to reinforce existing border barriers and repel illegal crossings. Texas will hold the line. More: https://t.co/BmQv9or3HB pic.twitter.com/ZYaYm8uttz — Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 29‚ 2024 The first migrant to be charged was Junior Evaristo-Benitez‚ 21‚ of Honduras‚ who allegedly stepped on a National Guard soldier’s knee “purposefully and with malice.” About 200 migrants are being held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)‚ and Texas reportedly wants to charge them all. However‚ federal authorities “are not being as cooperative as Border Patrol‚” an official reportedly told the Post. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP The majority of the migrants involved in the border rushing incident were men from Venezuela‚ according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Just before the migrants rushed the border‚ National Guardsmen reportedly began directing the groups back toward Mexico‚ at which point they began to rush the soldiers. One migrant allegedly tried to grab a soldier’s firearm. Knives and shanks were also later reportedly confiscated from some of the migrants. In response to the migrants rushing the border‚ Governor Greg Abbott (R) deployed 200 tactical border force soldiers to El Paso‚ who arrived on Tuesday. Texas also recently installed more border wire in El Paso. The southern border has been in a state of crisis for years under the Biden administration. Last year‚ 2.5 million migrants were apprehended crossing or trying to cross the southern border‚ according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The administration has released more than 2.3 million border crossers into the country since 2021. Meanwhile‚ more than 96‚000 “known gotaways‚” migrants who were detected but not caught‚ have reportedly crossed the southern border just between October 1 and January. The border crisis has resulted also in tens of thousands of migrants descending on major cities like New York City‚ Chicago‚ Denver‚ Philadelphia‚ and Los Angeles. New York City has seen more than 183‚000 migrants show up since the spring of 2022. Chicago has seen more than 37‚000 migrants. Both cities have spent tens of millions of dollars on food‚ shelter‚ and other migrant-related costs.

Former President Donald Trump slammed President Joe Biden this week for being too weak to support law enforcement because his base won’t allow him to. Trump made the remarks after attending the wake of slain 31-year-old New York City Police Department officer Jonathan Diller‚ who was allegedly murdered by 34-year-old Guy Rivera. During a traffic stop‚ as Diller attempted to get Rivera to vacate the car‚ Rivera allegedly pulled out a handgun and shot Diller in the stomach. Rivera had 21 prior arrests and was released from prison in 2021 after serving five years for criminal possession of a controlled substance. “I think that politically he can’t support the police. I think he’s also making a mistake‚ but I think politically‚ his base won’t let him support the police‚” Trump said. “And I support the police‚ I would say at the highest level of any president by far‚ maybe double or triple. And they knew that. That’s why when I walked into that funeral parlor‚ it was — it was like love. It was just — they want to shy away from it. They didn’t even call the family. They could have called. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know even a call would be‚ perhaps — I’m not sure they would take his call.” Trump applauded everyone who turned out to show support for Diller and said that he enjoyed meeting Diller’s wife and grandmother. “When I was leaving‚ we’re driving down the road and it felt like we were driving for miles and there were men and women in blue‚” he said. “They were going for such a period‚ I said‚ ‘That’s a lot of people.’ It was a long blue line.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP WATCH: Trump says Biden’s “base won’t let him support the police” pic.twitter.com/CWHDWE0jgS — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 29‚ 2024

Disney’s new “Star Wars” showrunner Leslye Headland has been raising eyebrows with her latest comments about her upcoming female-centric‚ Sith-focused series. So‚ we took a deep dive into her past projects and the comments she’s made over the years to get an idea about the woman described as the “Queen of Raunch Comedy.” Harvey Weinstein And The Seven Deadly Sins Early in her career‚ Headland worked under disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein as his assistant for one year during her time at Miramax. In 2012‚ Headland said that Weinstein influenced her “raunchy female comedy” “Bachelorette‚” which was first a play and later her debut film‚ The Hollywood Reporter reported. It was part of her Seven Deadly Sins play series‚ this one dealing with gluttony. Next‚ she developed another part of her sins play series called “Assistance‚” this one dealing with greed‚ THR noted. Later‚ she did “Cult of Love‚” Stage Scene LA reported‚ where she takes aim at the sin of pride‚ “particularly that of self-proclaimed ‘Christians’ who would counsel praying away the gay‚ blame a couple’s miscarriage on their godlessness‚ and refuse antidepressants the better to keep on hearing voices straight from the Big Guy himself‚” the outlet noted. IMDB. Leslye Headland In 2018‚ Headland talked to the American Theater about her series and the seven deadly sins. “I think they’re just normal‚” Headland said. “They’re what comes along with the baggage of being alive and sentient.” She also told the Theater in 2018 that she was “shocked” Weinstein was taken down and “so emboldened by the chorus of voices that brought him down.” “When someone is screaming at you‚ and a whole bunch of grown men are in the same room and don’t do anything‚ that tells you something right away about what kind of danger you may or may not be in‚” Headland said. “You’re like‚ ‘Oh‚ no one is going to stop this person. The only person that is going to make sure I don’t come to harm is me.'” From Plays To Movies Rolling Stone magazine took their interview with Headland to a whole new level‚ naming her “New Queen of Raunch Comedy” in 2015 following the release of her raunchcom “Sleeping With Other People.” The film deals with one of Headland’s favorite themes‚ “sex addiction‚” TV Overmind noted. In one scene‚ actor Jason Sudeikis demonstrated sex acts in explicit detail. Headland told Rolling Stone that men “… have no idea what’s going down there. Just‚ zero clue. I have a chart of the vagina in my house‚ and when a male friend saw it‚ he said‚ ‘Wow…this just looks like something I’m going to fail at!’ I don’t get the mystery. It’s not a boogeyman.” In 2015‚ Paste interviewed Headland about the movie and going from plays to the big screen. “I meant to make these very important pieces of work‚ and then everyone was just losing their mind laughing about the whole b***-j** monologue or the bottle scene‚” the new “Star Wars” creator said. “I guess there’s just something important behind making people laugh about the things that are really‚ truly painful.” She also admitted she’s always been a provocateur since she was young and is still today with her plays‚ films‚ and series. “I am that provocateur that I was when I was a little kid … I’m much more interested in ‘What am I not allowed to say? What is the thing that we aren’t talking about in a mainstream space?'” Headland said. “And why not?” LGBTQ Infused In 2021‚ Headland talked with AV Club about LGBTQ representation in films. She said‚ “as somebody that is a lesbian‚ every time I see gay or queer representation in the media‚ I scream with happiness. There is just nothing like seeing that out in the world.” “To have the power‚ when you’re creating media‚ to just put in certain types of people that maybe aren’t necessarily in normal mainstream content or media is just…” she added. “I know that for people who don’t identify that way‚ it doesn’t seem that important‚ but to us‚ it’s huge.” Basically‚ if Headland is involved in a project‚ whether it be on stage‚ the small or the big screen‚ it will include LGBTQ references. Representation In New “Star Wars: The Acolyte” In 2021‚ Headland spoke to the Advocate about having representation on “The Acolyte‚” series on screen and behind the scenes. “You can expect some sort of expression of my own artistic dream and just my voice and what it looks like in that universe‚ for sure‚” the SW creator said‚ “But I also think that representation both on screen and behind the screen‚ it’s just so important.” She said with her new series she fully “intends to allow her own personal experiences as a queer woman shine through in the finished product.” “In the same way that the original ‘Star Wars’ film‚ ‘A New Hope‚’ is about a young man living in Modesto‚ California‚ who doesn’t want to take over his dad’s hardware store‚” Headland said. “There’s just no way that me being a queer woman is not going to be reflected in my work. I could try not to do it‚ but why would I? It just feels like a natural extension of what I do.” She also talked about the characters in her stories and made it clear they will all be queer‚ in some way. “I think that because storytelling‚ at its core‚ is always going to come down to either the personal or emotional through-line to your characters‚ your identity is important‚” Headland said. “And like I said‚ mine is just going to be in my work‚ whether I’m explicitly dealing with it or not‚ it’s always going to be there.” Speaking to Entertainment Weekly she also promised that “Star Wars” fans will “see more morally ambiguous characters than you’ve seen in other Star Wars content.” LGBTQ representation also includes who she’s hired to work on the new series‚ PinkNews reported. Transgender actor Abigail Thorn‚ a biological male who identifies as a woman‚ was hired for the role of Ensign Eurus and Jen Richards is one of the writers. Not to mention Headland‚ a lesbian‚ is helming the series with wife Rebecca Henderson starring in it as a “Jedi knight prodigy‚” Pink News noted. Gay‚ non-binary star‚ Amandla Stenberg‚ stars in the show‚ as does Charlie Barnett‚ an outspoken gay star‚ the outlet noted. Disney has faced a backlash at the box office following its push of LGBTQ representation. Disney Pixar studio‚ “Elemental‚” included a “non-binary” character and the movie had one of the worst openings in the studio’s history‚ earning $29.5 million at the domestic box office. “Strange World” involved a same-sex teen romance and was a box office flop for the company. According to Disney+ “The Acolyte” is rated TV-14. Bounding into Comics reported in March 2023‚ that Headland brought in an intimacy coordinator for part of the show’s production. The outlet reported that the coordinator was used for 8 episodes of the first season. An intimacy coordinator “is an advocate‚ a liaison between actors and production‚ and a movement coach and/or choreographer in regards to nudity and simulated sex and other intimate and hyper-exposed scenes‚” according to SAG-AFTRA. Earlier this month‚ a video from the 2023 Star Wars Celebration resurfaced in which Headland said the new series will be like the children’s movie “Frozen” which she labeled “coded queer.” Headland talked about watching “Frozen” as an adult and was captivated by “the concept of true love being between two sisters and not a heterosexual relationship. She said it “inspired” her to create a similar story that her parents would have allowed her to watch when she was a younger “queer” person‚ as previously reported. In 2020‚ Headland spoke to Entertainment Weekly about improving LGBTQ representation in films and promised that “Star Wars” fans will “see more morally ambiguous characters than you’ve seen in other Star Wars content.” “Russian Doll” And “Dying For Sex” Headland co-produced a short in 2021 called “Pink and Blue‚” about “a Trans couple of color raising their child in a binary world.” She also directed Netflix’s “Russian Doll‚” which is filled with references of drugs‚ sex‚ and numerous LGBTQ references‚ Vulture noted. She’s currently directing the FX series called “Dying for Sex” about a woman diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer‚ who abandons her husband of 15 years to explore her sexuality‚” Deadline reported.

Republican leaders in Michigan are raising concerns about a new program established by Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s administration that hands out up to $500 a month to refugees and migrants‚ whom many on the Left are now calling “newcomers.” The GOP lawmakers said the program could be helping people who entered the country illegally pay for housing in the state. The “Michigan Newcomer Rental Subsidy Program” was launched last year by the Office of Global Michigan (OGM)‚ which is partnering with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). The program’s website says it offers assistance to refugees asylees‚ Special Immigration Visa (SIV)‚ victims of human trafficking‚ Cuban and Haitian entrants‚ Afghan Nationals‚ and Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees. Republican state leaders say that illegal immigrants facing deportation proceedings are also benefiting from the program. Michigan House Republican Leader Matt Hall and state Rep. Joe Aragona‚ the Republican vice chair of the Housing Subcommittee‚ wrote a letter to OGM Director Poppy Sias-Hernandez earlier this week‚ requesting more information on what the housing subsidy program entails and who is receiving the state funds. “Gretchen Whitmer’s rent subsidy program makes handouts available to illegals who were caught in the country and then frantically claimed asylum to avoid deportation‚” Michigan House Republican Leader Matt Hall said in a statement to The Daily Wire. “The Whitmer administration must come clean about this dubious program to the taxpayers who are paying for it. Michiganders shouldn’t have their dollars taken to reward those who broke our immigration laws.” The Daily Wire has reached out to Whitmer’s office for comment. Migrants who cross the border illegally are often considered “asylum seekers” after filing defensive claims upon entering the U.S. In fiscal year 2023 alone‚ over 474‚000 defensive claims were filed‚ and there are currently over one million claims pending‚ according to the Justice Department. The Michigan Republicans’ concerns about the rental subsidy program were heightened when an illegal immigrant‚ who had been deported in 2020‚ re-entered the country and was arrested earlier this week for allegedly murdering a 25-year-old woman in Grand Rapids‚ Michigan. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed in a statement to The Daily Wire on Tuesday that Brandon Ortiz-Vite‚ 25‚ re-entered the U.S. unlawfully “at an unknown date … without inspection by an immigration official.” He was arrested after Ruby Garcia was found dead last Friday on the side of a road from apparent gunshot wounds. To qualify for rental assistance‚ applicants must be at or below 60% of Area Median Income‚ receive federal assistance‚ and be “experiencing housing instability‚” according to OGM. Those accepted into the program can receive monthly help with housing‚ ranging from $300 for an individual up to $500 for a family of six or more. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP MSHDA says those receiving assistance must show all available documentation of “earned and unearned income for household members that live in the same household that are age 18 or older.” Income can still be verified‚ however‚ as long as the enrollee submits a written explanation of why there is no documentation‚ such as being paid in cash. Republican Floor Leader Hall told The Daily Wire that the program could benefit “those who broke into our borders.” “Americans watch with horror as Democrats respond with carelessness to our border crisis — a humanitarian disaster that resulted in a murder right here in Michigan‚” Hall said. “Joe Biden refuses to secure the border and faithfully execute our laws. Gretchen Whitmer is offering taxpayer-funded benefits to those who broke into our borders. Sanctuary cities and counties shield illegals from immigration officials. These politicians must stop aiding and abetting illegal aliens and get serious about securing our border and keeping people safe.”

Country superstar Toby Keith’s final recording dropped on Friday more than a month after his death at age 62 following a battle with stomach cancer. Keith ended up recording a cover of the classic Joe Diffie song‚ “Ships That Don’t Come In‚” for country singer Hardy’s mixtape Hixtape‚ Rolling Stone magazine reported. For Keith’s cover‚ he was joined by singer Luke Combs as the two take turns with the poignant lines of the popular 1992 song. Given Keith’s recent passing‚ hearing his final studio performance hits different in the song that includes lyrics about life’s unexpected twists‚ the opportunities that are missed‚ and those that never come. Listen:   The chorus reads‚ “So here’s to all the soldiers/Who have ever died in vain/The insane locked up in themselves /The homeless down on Main/To those who stand on empty shores/And spit against the wind/And those who wait forever/For ships that don’t come in.” It’s clear that no matter how much time has passed since Keith was performing in those big arenas‚ the late country singer still sounded incredible. The Hixtape is Hardy’s third one and is completely Diffie-themed. It includes a host of cameos from such country stars as Clint Black‚ Blake Shelton‚ Chris Young‚ Darius Rucker‚ and more. Keith’s recording is truly a beautiful tribute to the late singer’s legacy. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP The “Red Solo Cup” hitmaker was recently announced as one of the new inductees into the Country Hall of Fame‚ the outlet noted. He died the day before he would’ve learned about his inclusion in the hall. Shortly after Keith’s death‚ the late singer broke a record and made history after beating out music giants like Kenny Rogers and Taylor Swift to dominate 90 percent of the top 10 songs on the Country Digital Song Sales chart at one time. After his death‚ the “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” hitmaker’s catalog of music filled the country charts. He is now the first artist ever to claim nine spaces in the top 10 songs on the Billboard chart‚ Billboard reported. Following Keith’s diagnosis in 2021‚ he talked about his incredible country singing career. “Just seeing how enormous the career I amassed over 30 years when they show the video‚” he told People magazine at the time. “You know where you were when you wrote all those songs‚ you hear those numbers and you’re just like‚ you looked up one day and all of a sudden 30 years went by.”

Actor Michael Rapaport said in an interview this week that he is considering voting for former President Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election. The remarks from Rapaport come after he fervently opposed the former president during his time in office and routinely launched vile attacks against Trump and the Trump family. “My political views have changed immensely‚” Rapaport said. “I will not vote for Joe Biden. At this point when we’re doing this interview‚ voting for Trump is on the table. People are like‚ ‘What are you talking about?’ That’s my reality. I will not support anybody who’s anti-Israel. I will not support anybody that is anti-making America safe.” He said that he will not support anyone who supports President Joe Biden’s open border policies. “I’m not down with that shit‚” he said. “I’m not down with police officers in the greatest city on earth getting beaten up. You’re an illegal immigrant and then you have no bail‚ [and then] flipping off the f***ing camera.” “I’m not down with going into a Costco or a 7/11‚ cleaning out the spot‚” he said of flash mobs who are looting retail stores in predominantly Democrat-controlled areas. “So any of these people that support it‚ I’m not voting for them. I’m not getting caught up or suckered into these race politics or any of that bulls*** anymore.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP WATCH: “I won’t vote for Biden. At this point voting Trump is on the table (…) I won’t support anyone anti-Israel or anti making USA safe‚” Visegrad24 spoke with @MichaelRapaport about his how his political views have changed since Oct. 7th. Link to full interview in the comments ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/FAxhxOJleq — Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 29‚ 2024 Related: Jewish-American Actor Michael Rapaport Blasts The Red Cross In Israel: ‘You’re An Embarrassment’