Leftist media outlets take an extremely opportunistic approach to covering the intersection of religion and politics. They’re appalled at religion when it impedes their agenda, but gush over religious figures when they align with their talking points. On January 19, New York Times religion reporter Ruth Graham penned a story headlined “Top Catholic Clerics Denounce U.S. Foreign Policy.” Three Catholic cardinals – Blase Cupich of Chicago, Joseph Tobin of Newark, and Robert McElroy of D.C. -- put out a statement critical of President Trump’s international policies. “Our country’s moral role in confronting evil around the world, sustaining the right to life and human dignity, and supporting religious liberty are all under examination,” the cardinals contended. “And the building of just and sustainable peace, so crucial to humanity’s well-being now and in the future, is being reduced to partisan categories that encourage polarization and destructive policies.” The line about “partisan categories” is amusing, since The Times and Rachel Maddow and the rest are delighting in how this statement fits their category. It’s puzzling to argue that Trump messing with tyrants in Venezuela and Iran is somehow not taking on “evil.” Opposition to any military action is at the forefront of their message, and religious liberty and the right to life are subordinated. The Times never used words like “liberal” or “leftist” or “progressive” to describe these three prelates, or for Pope Leo, whom they cite as their inspiration. But go back four years, and Ruth Graham and The Times took an entirely different approach. On June 20, 2021, the labels were flying. The headline was “In Rift With Biden, a Dramatic Show of Force by a Conservative Catholic Movement.” Graham and her colleague Elisabeth Dias began by asserting “Pope Francis and President Biden, both liberals, are the two most high-profile Roman Catholics in the world.” But forget the pope, it’s “now a conservative movement that decides how the Catholic Church asserts its power in America.” Including headlines, the word “conservative” appeared 15 times. In this story, they mourned their heroes Cardinal Cupich and Cardinal Tobin – “leading U.S. allies of Pope Francis” -- were “ultimately drowned out” as the bishops voted to draft a policy that could restrain the offering of the Eucharist to Catholic politicians like Biden, who energetically opposed church teaching on abortion and other moral issues. This was lamented as “polarizing the Catholic faithful,” something The Times did not say about the Trump-bashing statement.   On Inauguration Day 2021, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, put out a welcoming statement to Biden, but underlined “our new President has pledged to pursue certain policies that would advance moral evils and threaten human life and dignity, most seriously in the areas of abortion, contraception, marriage, and gender.” At the time, the Catholic News Agency reported Cardinal Cupich wanted “a more supportive, clearly pro-Biden statement, and that he spent most of Wednesday trying to get the support of other bishops to come up with an alternative statement.” In other words, he was “polarizing the Catholic faithful” on Biden’s behalf. Cardinal Cupich put out a four-tweet attack on Gomez for an “ill-considered statement” that didn’t seek enough “collegial consultation,” leading to “internal institutional failures” when the bishops should “take up the work of healing our nation in this moment of crisis.” In other words, it’s impolite and divisive to confront a pro-abortion, pro-transgender Catholic president, but years later, church leaders can attack non-Catholic President Trump while claiming they’re against “partisan categories.” This is blatantly partisan advocacy, which is why the leftist media applaud it so enthusiastically. 

A recently elected Detroit police commissioner has withdrawn his promise to resign, even after a local news outlet made public his criminal past — as well as his antagonistic interactions with cops.On December 17, Darious Morris, 38, was sworn in as one of nearly a dozen members of the Board of Police Commissioners, entrusted with overseeing the Detroit Police Department. Morris won the seat representing District 3 on a write-in campaign after no other name appeared on the ballot.'If you would have put your hands on him, I would have shot you!'However, a report from WXYZ-TV just a few weeks later led Morris to consider tendering his resignation.Morris has a criminal record that extends all the way back to 2009, when he pled no contest to felony fraud and impersonating a public officer charges in connection with what he described as "real estate fraud.""It was taking homes from the bank that the bank got foreclosed on people, and we were fraudulently taking the deeds to the homes and deeding them over," Morris told the outlet.While he was sentenced to probation in these cases, he was charged with fraud again a year later and wound up behind bars for two years, WXYZ reported. After his release, Morris apparently lived the next 12 years as a law-abiding citizen.RELATED: Crooks need only 5 minutes to steal $90,000 in merchandise from Detroit clothing store in predawn heist, owner says Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesThat sterling record changed in May 2023, when he involved himself in a relatively routine traffic stop of a mini-bike driver in the neighboring city of Warren.It turns out the bike was not street-legal, and the driver did not have a license, police said. Morris stood at a distance during the stop, claiming he wanted to make sure the cops were acting appropriately.Morris also seemingly suggested that he was a member of law enforcement, donning a silver police badge purchased online. According to Warren police, Morris falsely told the officers he was a "Detroit Police Department Chaplain at the 9th Precinct." Bodycam footage shows one Warren officer ordering Morris: "Stand by the vehicle, please. If you interfere with this stop, understand you are not allowed to."After Morris later repeatedly calls the officer an "idiot," the cop responds, "I'm done. I'm done talking to you," according to the video. The officer then attempts to get in his vehicle when Morris cries out: "If you would have put your hands on him, I would have shot you!"Morris later pled guilty to assaulting, resisting, or obstructing a police officer and was sentenced to probation. He admitted to WXYZ that he had lashed out in "anger," knowing the remark "would upset" the officer. He also claimed he had not been armed at the time and that he has since apologized to the officer.'No matter what was said previously, right now, he’s not resigning.'Just since his election in November, Morris, who has dubbed himself "the People's Commissioner," has rankled local officers with his officiousness, bluster, and accusations of mistreatment. On December 28, he interrupted police rendering assistance to a drug-overdose victim. "We're trying to help someone here," one officer reportedly pleaded with Morris, who was attempting to speak with them.Morris later filed a complaint against that officer. DPD told WXYZ an investigation into the officer's actions has been opened.Morris also caused a scene at a Detroit precinct, refusing to go through a metal detector like all other visitors. When a cop demanded he comply with the policy, Morris shot back, "Put your information on a piece of paper so I can get you wrote up." Morris even called for ousting a white Detroit police commander whose precinct he implied is racist."A lot of black citizens have been reporting to em that they are being mistreated by officers out of that precinct. I even experienced disrespect by one of their officers," Morris wrote in a since-deleted social media post, according to the Midwesterner."Get rid of Commander Svec immediately!" the post added.At least one police group has called for Morris to resign, accusing him of spewing "alarming anti-police rhetoric," attempting to "dox" police officers, and not living up to his promises."Upon being sworn in on December 17, 2025, Commissioner Morris stated that he was eager to improve the relationship between the youth of Detroit and the Police Department. Not even a month later, he is instigating citizens against police officers," National Association of Police Organizations Executive Director William Johnson wrote in a letter to the Board of Police Commissioners.RELATED: University of Michigan's bio-smuggling scandal explodes: More Chinese scholars busted in alleged plot Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty ImagesShortly after the WXYZ-TV story aired last week, Morris initially agreed to step down from the Board of Police Commissioners. "I already have my city-issued laptop and all my stuff packed up and ready," he told the outlet, acknowledging that the public may view the BOPC "in an unfavorable light" on his account.At a press conference Monday, however, Morris' attorneys walked that resignation pledge back. "No matter what was said previously, right now, he’s not resigning," insisted Mohammed Nasser.Of note, Morris could still be in trouble with the law. Back in 2021, weapons charges against Morris were dropped after an officer did not appear at the scheduled hearing, but the office of Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy claimed that those charges may now be refiled. "We have asked that the case be re-issued. When we receive the warrant request from (Detroit police) it will be reviewed," spokesperson Maria Miller told the Detroit Free Press.About these pending weapons charges, Nasser said, "We would certainly advise our client not to resign and allow the criminal case — if it comes — to be addressed in due course. Reissuances do happen. In our practice, we see it all the time. The fact that it is coming many years later, I’ll leave that for everyone to decipher as to what they believe the reason may be."The BOPC 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!

A 27-year-old man was found dead with numerous gunshot wounds after he allegedly broke down the door of a family that was armed for self-defense.Arizona police responded to a shots-fired report at the residence on Sunday evening in the town of Buckeye, according to KSAZ-TV.Investigators found that the security door had been ripped off its hinges.The incident unfolded just before 9 p.m. at the home on Yuma Road and 237th Lane. "When officers arrived, they located a man inside the home suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and three other individuals who were not injured," police said.The man was identified as Michael Diaz. An investigation said there were three people in the home, a mother and her two adult children, when Diaz began to bang on their door."A woman answered the door, and the male intruder began to force his way into the home," police said. "A man in the home retrieved a handgun and went to the door just as the intruder broke through the security door and stepped inside."Police said the man fired at Diaz and struck him. He died at the scene. Investigators found that the security door had been ripped off its hinges as the mother went to answer the door. KSAZ was able to obtain security video from the neighborhood that captured the sound of four gunshots. RELATED: Texas homeowner arrested for shooting and killing intruder, police say story didn't add up One neighbor told KSAZ that he heard the gunshots but believed at the time that they were fireworks."I was in the living room with my wife and daughter, and we just hear multiple gunshots," the neighbor said. "It's really scary."The family declined to speak to the media, and KSAZ reported that evidence markers and bloodstains were visible in the front yard of the home, which was boarded up. An attorney told KTVK-TV that the incident likely fell under the state's Castle Doctrine and the homeowner who shot Diaz would not face charges. Police said the family did not know the intruder. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The president needs to calm down.

Governor Reynolds understands that the only way to protect homeowners is to limit local governments’ spending.

If cold-eyed American expansionism is the theme, there are few better representatives than the eleventh president.

A lesson for 2026: Protectionism delivers economic harm without the promised gains.

The Dardenne brothers document social development.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has the early advantage, but democratic María Corina Machado offers better long-term prospects.

When Abortion Has No Moral Limits, Baby Girls Pay the Price