The liberal media had given themselves the title of the defenders of democracy‚ but they didn’t want to see democracy play out. That was obviously the case on Wednesday’s Today when NBC anchor Craig Melvin tried to bully former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley out of the Republican nomination race for president. As he should‚ Melvin got an earful when Haley called him “ridiculous” and told him off for pretending to be concerned about the GOP for the general election. “He is clearly head and shoulders above the rest in terms of front-runner status‚ right now you would concede. What does that say about the party? Why has your message not broken through so far?” Melvin sniped at her. She pushed back‚ suggesting‚ “Well‚ I think my message has broken through. Not only are we getting Republicans we're getting independents‚ we’re getting Reagan Democrats. The people who want the anger to stop‚ the people who want the division to stop‚ and the people who want us to stop having 80-year-old candidates.” Melvin’s poking continued with him feigning concern that she was hurting the Republican Party’s chances in November by supposedly gobbling up resources and essentially telling her to drop out of the race. She responded by calling him “ridiculous” and noted that Trump was gabbling up resources with his court cases:     MELVIN: Some have suggested you might be hurting the potential GOP nominee the longer you stay in. HALEY: I mean‚ how ridiculous is it that you're literally saying that I'm hurting him by staying in? MELVIN: Diverting resources. HALEY: No. When -- Okay. Resources. From a man who spent $50 million of his own campaign contributions on his personal court cases. Where the RNC is broke. I'm the one hurting in resources? I don't think so. I'm the one that saved the Republican Party. Look at every general election poll‚ look at any of them. Trump loses by five‚ by seven. On a good day he's even‚ margin of error. I defeat Biden by up to 17 points. Melvin ended the interview by pressing Haley on becoming former President Trump’s vice president if he became the nominee again. “Hypothetically‚ if your former boss is the nominee again. Would you serve in another Trump administration?” he said. Obviously‚ the question didn’t sit well with her: I don't want anything. I don't want vice president‚ I don't want anything. I am running because yes‚ while I thought he was the right president at the right time then‚ I do not think he's the right president at the right time now. I know what the American people want. They want to be heard. They've been through a lot. They don't see enough money in their wallets. I'm doing this because we have to do something. We can't just sit back and let it happen. This was another instance of the liberal media trying to meddle with the Republican nomination process and force it to end when they wanted it to. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: NBC’s Today February 14‚ 2024 7:11:03 a.m. Eastern (…) CRAIG MELVIN: He is clearly head and shoulders above the rest in in terms of front runner status‚ right now you would concede. What does that say about the party? Why has your message not broken through so far? NIKKI HALEY: Well‚ I think my message has broken through. Not only are we getting Republicans we're getting independents‚ we’re getting Reagan Democrats. The people who want the anger to stop‚ the people who want the division to stop‚ and the people who want us to stop having 80-year-old candidates. MELVIN: Is there one state you can say right now‚ “We can win there?” HALEY: You need 1‚215 delegates. Coming out of New Hampshire‚ he had 32 I have 17. We got multiple states. After South Carolina within ten days we're going to hit 20 states. Let it happen. As long as we keep it competitive. MELVIN: Some have suggested you might be hurting the potential GOP nominee the longer you stay in. HALEY: I mean‚ how ridiculous is it that you're literally saying that I'm hurting him by staying in? MELVIN: Diverting resources. HALEY: No. When -- Okay. Resources. From a man who spent $50 million of his own campaign contributions on his personal court cases. Where the RNC is broke. I'm the one hurting in resources? I don't think so. I'm the one that saved the Republican Party. Look at every general election poll‚ look at any of them. Trump loses by five‚ by seven. On a good day he's even‚ margin of error. I defeat Biden by up to 17 points. MELVIN: But President Biden is not in the primary. HALEY: No. And we’re going to continue to work on the primary. Don't discount that I defeated a dozen fellas. Don't discount that I ended up with 20 percent in Iowa when y'all said I wouldn't make it. Don't discount that I got 43 percent in New Hampshire and don't discount me now. MELVIN: Hypothetically‚ if your former boss is the nominee again. Would you serve in another Trump administration? HALEY: I don't want anything. I don't want vice president‚ I don't want anything. I am running because yes‚ while I thought he was the right president at the right time then‚ I do not think he's the right president at the right time now. I know what the American people want. They want to be heard. They've been through a lot. They don't see enough money in their wallets. I'm doing this because we have to do something. We can't just sit back and let it happen. (…)

It is a commonly accepted axiom that in politics the buck stops with the president or‚ if you like‚ his cabinet‚ but for PolitiFact applying this standard to the border and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is “false.” At the same time‚ PolitiFact will go to great lengths to insist that gender is something completely different from sex. In a Tuesday article on Rep. Michael McCaul declaring Mayorkas to be “personally responsible” for the fentanyl crisis‚ Bayliss Wagner writes in a series of bullet points‚ “Border policies are shaped by the Homeland Security chief‚ the president‚ and Congress‚ not just by Mayorkas” and “Although Border Patrol agents seize a small percentage of illicitly produced fentanyl‚ the vast majority of fentanyl enters the country in vehicles driven by U.S. citizens‚ Customs and Border Protection and sentencing data show.” That‚ of course‚ doesn’t mention all the unseized fentanyl‚ as Wagner writes: In House testimony that McCaul’s office referred to as evidence for his claim‚ National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd stated that Biden’s border policies have led to a historically high number of ‘got-aways‚’ or people who were found to be crossing the border illegally but evaded apprehension. However‚ the estimated annual apprehension rate of undocumented migrants under Mayorkas has averaged 78%‚ identical to that of the Trump administration‚ per a Jan. 28 DHS memo. Judd also noted that Border Patrol seized about 3‚243 pounds of fentanyl in Biden’s first two years in office‚ which means hundreds of millions of lethal doses of the synthetic opioid were brought into the country outside of legal ports of entry. Having an identical rate of apprehension only matters if the quantity of apprehensions remains the same‚ which‚ as Judd notes‚ it has not‚ making a “false” rating excessive. Wagner would also attempt to defend Mayorkas by blaming House Republicans for not passing the recent Senate bill‚ but that would not have affected anything in the past. She also claims that “Mayorkas does not completely control other factors that affect fentanyl smuggling‚ such as negotiations with China” and “The opioid epidemic began in the 1990s‚ long before Mayorkas became DHS secretary.” While Wagner played defense for Mayorkas‚ “LGBTQ issues” writer Grace Abels came out with an explainer piece on a new Florida policy that reversed a previous policy of allowing residents to change “whether a ‘M’ or ‘F’ appears in the gender field of their driver’s license.” There wasn’t much to fact-check‚ but the piece does highlight PolitiFact’s approach to transgender issues‚ “Although 'sex’ and ‘gender’ are often used as synonyms‚ medical experts and most major medical organizations define these terms differently.” The idea that “gender” is a synonym for “sex” is centuries old‚ the politicized definition Abels references is merely decades old. It is a fact that gender comes from genus‚ meaning “kind‚” but Abels appealed to those politicized authorities‚ which claim it is actually the believers in the old and correct definition that are seeking to redefine the term: Florida’s physical license labels the ‘M’/’F’ field with the term ‘sex.’ But the law on licenses uses the term "gender" to describe what is required on a license application. University of Florida law professor Berta Esperanza Hernández-Truyol questioned the interpretation. ‘While‚ to be sure‚ agencies issue regulations‚ it is very arguably beyond their purview to single-handedly reinterpret statutory law‚’ she said. ‘Especially with the attempted redefinition of ‘gender’ which‚ as a term of art‚ has a different meaning from ‘sex.’ Republicans citing “got-aways” on the border aren’t enough to save them from false ratings‚ but the official position of PolitiFact is that gender is something that can be changed. Make that make sense.

Rachel Dolezal‚ former NAACP chapter president known for pretending she was black‚ has popped up again for working at an Arizona elementary school while posting sexual content on subscription website OnlyFans.Photos have surfaced — obtained by OutKick — of Dolezal working at Sunrise Drive Elementary‚ where she reportedly has worked as an after-school instructor.Dolezal officially changed her name in 2018‚ however‚ to Nkechi Amare Diallo‚ which reportedly means "gift of God‚" according to Bustle.The educator is seemingly sharing that gift on the website synonymous with pornography‚ OnlyFans. For $9.99 per month‚ subscribers are promised "creative content" and a more "intimate look" into Dolezal's life. "Meet Rachel Dolezal‚ former leader of the NAACP who resigned in disgrace after pretending to be black. She changed her name and is now a teacher in Catalina Foothills School District‚ AZ.‚" wrote popular account Libs of TikTok on X. "She’s also very active on OnlyFans and links her OF in her public Facebook profile. Would you want this person teaching your kids?" Meet Rachel Dolezal‚ former leader of the NAACP who resigned in disgrace after pretending to be black. She changed her name and is now a teacher in Catalina Foothills School District‚ AZ.\n\nShe\u2019s also very active on OnlyFans and links her OF in her public Facebook profile.\n\nWould\u2026 — (@) According to an alleged personnel report from the school district‚ Dolezal is employed under the name "Nkechi Diallo" for $19 per hour as an "After School Instructor."Other images have revealed the details of some of her explicit content she has posted to her subscribers. These included a "double penetration video" and a "butt plug" video. Similar video descriptions — which are troubling given that she appears to work with small children — included "oral dildo simulation‚" along with "the FOOT video."Images acquired by the New York Post show Dolezal's racy photos as well as her working with small children who appeared to be studying earth and/or soil.Dolezal‚ now Diallo‚ was entrenched in scandal in 2015 after she was exposed as being a white women allegedly pretending to be black.Appearing on the "Dr. Phil" show in 2017‚ she told the famous psychiatrist that she believed "race is a lie" and that she couldn't take sole responsibility for her scandal."As much as I'd like to take ownership for everything‚ I can't because I didn't actually start the narrative of 'she's a liar‚ she's a con‚ she's a fraud.' I mean think that really is what blew it up. How I was living my life was not some kind of open invitation for people to kind of just initiate their hate and pick on me‚" she told host Phil McGraw."It's like I try to go back and think is there something I could have done differently? Is there a point where I could have said 'this is my whole backstory'? I can't go back and point to one thing that I would have done differently‚" she added.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Boston residents have recently begun welcoming illegal migrants into their homes after the city's overwhelmed shelter system prompted local Democratic officials to ask for volunteer hosts‚ WBTS-CD reported this week.In November‚ Massachusetts Democratic Governor Maura Healey announced that the state's homeless shelter system had reached maximum capacity after providing accommodations to 7‚500 families. Since then‚ local officials have called on residents to volunteer to host illegal migrants in their personal residences. On Monday‚ WBTS reported that Boston resident Lisa Hillenbrand welcomed a Haitian family of three into her Brookline apartment. Wildande Joseph‚ her husband‚ and their 2-year-old daughter were sleeping on the floor at the Boston Logan International Airport before Hillenbrand opened her home.Hillenbrand told WBTS that she feels like she has her own personal chef because Wildande enjoys cooking. She noted that a number of people in her neighborhood are considering hosting families in their homes as well."It's a delight‚ and it's really fun having them. What I realized is there's so much prejudice against refugees mostly because people don't know them‚" she stated. "They are hardworking‚ they want to learn‚ they want to be successful‚ and I feel great helping and I get to understand the refugee crisis from the inside."Colin and Jessica Stokes told WBZ that less than an hour after they signed up to host‚ four migrants were dropped off at their doorstep."I was like I have to get sheets on the beds. How many people are coming? Where are they from? What ages? We really knew nothing‚" Jessica told the news outlet.The Stokeses called the experience "wonderful" and encouraged other residents to consider hosting.Democratic Boston City Councilwoman Julia Mejia is also pushing for more residents to volunteer."Dedham‚ Wellesley‚ Brookline – cities and towns that have so much more resources than the city of Boston. People who actually have more financial support‚" Mejia told WBTS. "We need to do everything in our power to make sure that we are setting them up for success‚ or whatever success looks like. I think everybody should be opening their doors because this is a shared responsibility." Healey stated that her administration is helping approximately 3‚000 migrants obtain work authorizations. The governor's office plans to launch an $8 million pilot program that the state will fund to provide 400 migrant families with longer-term housing outside the shelter system. Last month‚ Healey came under fire for her decision to shut down a community center located in Roxbury‚ one of Boston's poorest neighborhoods‚ to convert it into a temporary migrant shelter. Within a week‚ the overflow shelter reached capacity.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Much has been said in response to the “He Gets Us” Super Bowl commercial‚ which‚ as heretical as it was‚ perhaps did all of us a favor as Christians who are now just beginning the penitential season of Lent. For it raises the following question: Are we at all serious? I mean‚ do you even gospel‚ bro? Notice the scam: The grace only goes one way‚ and it always goes to the left. First a bit of history to set the scene. A decade ago‚ the city of Houston elected its first openly lesbian mayor. And guess who the pastor was who showed up to bless that nonsense? That would be Joel Osteen. You mean the same Joel Osteen who just had his church shot up by a possibly gender-confused terrorist? Yep‚ the apostle of washboard abs and prophet of $100 million loans himself. Houston’s lesbian mayor took the pastor’s blessing and promptly tried to turn public restrooms and other places in Houston into some of the very first gender-bending islands of Dr. Moreau in the entire country‚ deep in the heart of Texas. Osteen offered no opposition‚ but many other pastors in the city of Houston did‚ in fact‚ do their duty. They called for a citywide referendum‚ and the mayor’s trans madness was shot down by a hefty 22-point margin in a very blue city. And so how did Houston’s mayor respond? She attempted to subpoena the sermon notes of pastors who stood against her in a clear act of retribution and intimidation‚ hoping to find areas where they had violated their nonprofit status and could be prosecuted. Now it’s one thing to give a blessing the way Daniel blessed the king of Babylon with his interpretation of dreams. But then when the king asked Daniel to do things that Daniel knew were wrong‚ did Daniel do them? Or did he condemn them? Apparently‚ Osteen’s Bible says it is the former. The man with the largest platform of them all in America‚ the man with his own SiriusXM channel‚ the man who could have brought all kinds of sunlight to the curse being cast upon Houston instead gave the witch issuing her nefarious incantations his blessing. But as it always happens when you try to dance with the spirit of the age‚ his kindness and generosity would not be reciprocated. Maybe‚ just maybe‚ we were only one Alistair Begg sermon about the importance of attending trans weddings from changing the heart of the possibly gender-confused individual who started firing at Osteen’s church. But now we will never know if the person would have beaten the AR-15 into a plowshare. If that sounds demonically ridiculous to you‚ it is. Such is Osteen’s repayment for betraying his true calling and bringing comfort to those who would slander the brethren. He has received his reward in full. So with this as the backdrop‚ let us now dissect the “He Gets Us” commercial that aired during what turned out to be the most watched event in television history. Put another way‚ this is the presentation of Jesus that will be seen by more Americans this year than any other unless the Lord Himself returns. And you want to know what the dead giveaway is about the feet-washing propaganda you received instead of the real thing? Does anybody in the commercial wash the feet of the redneck in Alabama who drives a truck with a MAGA sticker on the back and spends a lot of time in strip clubs? Where’s David French washing his feet? Or how about the burned-out Boomer grandma who watches Fox News all night and by day takes her kids’ inheritance and pous it into the nickel slots at the casino? Any grace to be had for any of these lost souls or not? Notice the scam: The grace only goes one way‚ and it always goes to the left. But remember‚ I have come not to bury Caesar but to praise him. Because that commercial is the greatest test of discernment we could possibly have asked for. “He Gets Us” has proven to be a failure at best and a damnable liar at worst. I’m often asked‚ “What church should I join?” Well‚ now you have your Rosetta stone! Take that commercial and show it to the pastor. If his reaction is anything other than a mixture of confusion and disgust‚ don’t ever go back. The salt has lost its savor. It’s of no use for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. The true instance of Jesus washing people’s feet in the scriptures has a much different story to tell. Whose feet were they? The deniers? The harlots? Did he wash Pilate's feet? Did he wash Herod's feet? Did he wash Caiaphas’ feet? No. It was the disciples‚ those in closest fellowship with him‚ those he specifically called to leadership‚ those he had poured his grace into and who were now to pass that grace on to others in return. Grace that comes from what? The hearing of the word. And what is that word? You must repent of your sins. But who repented of his sins in the commercial? Nobody. Who was told she was a sinner in need of repentance in that commercial? Nobody. “He Gets Us” has proven to be a failure at best and a damnable liar at worst. None of it contains the sacrifice of the cross that years ago thrust me face-down on a concrete floor at Kemper Arena in Kansas City‚ crying what seemed like years of tears of regret for the things that were done to me and even more for the things I justified doing to others as a result.Having a group of wealthy “Christians” and their diversity apparatchiks come together to fund an expensive Super Bowl ad that gives our current zeitgeist the exact caricature of Jesus it already has from the likes of Osteen’s church is hellishly poetic. All your comforting of their sin still didn’t pay off. You’re still a bigot and may actually deserve a bullet for it. At least Esau got some porridge. You got nothing. Because no matter how you justify this bizarro version of “outreach” to yourself‚ you’re not smarter than those trying to bring the word of God — even the salty parts — to a world in desperate need of it. You’re not more nuanced than those old-time religionists are. You’re not more winsome than God. You’re just dumb. You lost your anointing and your testimony for absolutely nothing. The world that hates our Lord saw your genuflection and raised Smiling Joel an attempted massacre. There’s a lesson in there; I’m sure of it. Just as sure as I am those needing to learn it the most won’t before it’s too late.

A young Republican state representative in Michigan who lost his committee assignment and funding allotment after he retweeted a social media post that referenced the "great replacement theory" has refused to back down‚ insisting that it is "never racist to assess statistical trends."The so-called "great replacement theory" posits that Western nations are importing illegal immigrants‚ most of whom are not white‚ with the hope that they will someday surpass the voting power of native white citizens. To support the theory‚ Tucker Carlson and others have demonstrated that immigration encouraged by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 has caused the American population to skyrocket‚ even as fertility rates among American citizens have plummeted.Liberals have actually discussed the substance of the theory for years. A decade ago‚ progressive journalist Forrest Wilder wrote that "shifting demographics" in Texas‚ especially in the "Latino population‚" might eventually turn the state blue since "Latinos tend to vote Democratic." "Given that Anglos are already a minority of Harris County’s population‚" he added‚ "you would think the Houston area would be ripe for Democratic success."While leftist talking points and empirical data seem to bear the "great replacement theory" out‚ Democrats almost uniformly howl in outrage when anyone happens to notice. Such was case last week after Michigan state Rep. Josh Schriver (R-Oxford) retweeted a graphic depicting the theory. — (@) To say Michigan Democrats had a meltdown would be to understate the issue. State House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) not only called the post "blatantly racist‚" but he even claimed that it "uplifts a dangerous and tortured narrative that fosters violence and instability" and "contributes to a hostile environment."Tate also took aim at Schriver personally. "Representative Schriver has a history of promoting debunked theories and dangerous rhetoric that jeopardizes the safety of Michigan residents and contributes to a hostile and uncomfortable environment for others‚" Tate railed in a statement. "The House of Representatives is the people’s house‚ and all Michiganders should look upon this body and take pride in how we conduct ourselves."Not to be outdone‚ Gov. Gretchen Whitmer‚ a far-left Democrat‚ claimed Schriver used "abhorrent rhetoric" that "goes against our state and national values."Even some Republicans piled on their party colleague. "I condemn‚ in the harshest of terms‚ the words put forth this week by Representative Josh Schriver and the whole offensive idea of 'The Great Replacement‚'" said a statement from state Sen. John Damoose (R-Harbor Springs).In reprisal for the post‚ Speaker Tate stripped Schriver of his place on the House Natural Resources‚ Environment‚ Tourism‚ and Outdoor Recreation Committee as well as all funding to pay for office and staff. Schriver otherwise retains all other rights as a member of the state House.Despite the melodramatic accusations of racism‚ Schriver has doubled down on his belief that the "great replacement theory" is no theory at all but a reality playing out all over the Western world.In a statement in response to the uproar‚ Schriver wrote that American leaders have implemented "a racist plan to replace Whites with non-Whites through illegal immigration to irreversibly warp" our national identity. He then noted that a U.N. report from nearly 25 years ago had already acknowledged that "replacement migration" may be necessary to prevent a country's "population decline and population ageing resulting from low fertility and mortality rates." He also mentioned CRT and DEI as evidence that race-based ideologies have taken root in the American workforce and education systems."It is never racist to assess statistical trends and causes of why Whites have declined to 12% of the world's population and fell from 90% to 60% of the U.S. population in the last 60 years‚" he continued.His letter also denounced all forms of "hate" and racism as "sinful and stupid" but insisted that name-calling will never silence him. "Painting me as something I am not — a bigot — will not work. Americans want solutions‚ not these played out politically correct games‚" his letter concluded. — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Stephen A. Smith claimed he was done talking about Jason Whitlock‚ but then he proceeded to give a dissertation on the decade-plus of agony Whitlock’s criticism has caused him. And he just continues to show the world that he is incapable of providing answers to legitimate questions and‚ as Whitlock calls him‚ “a pathological liar.” “I don’t know of another human being worse than Jason Whitlock‚” Smith said on his show. “He is a piece of s***. He’s the dude that’s going to have a funeral and ain’t going to be no pallbearers. Might be two people to show up.” Smith then proceeded to call him “fat.” Whitlock is well aware of what Smith is doing‚ which is creating a distraction. “I’m going to rant and rave and curse and call names‚ and I’m going to create this whole distraction‚ and that’s going to be my response to Jason Whitlock’s legitimate questions‚ legitimate points about the lies told in his memoir‚” Whitlock says. “Virtually everything in this man’s memoir is suspect‚” he adds. Whitlock notes that Smith’s response hasn’t been to dispute any of Whitlock’s claims but rather just to call him a “fat bastard” and the worst human being alive. He believes Smith is getting away with it because “the entire American culture has been corrupted to the point no one cares about truth; no one has any legitimate expectations.” “Stephen A. Smith is a 56-year-old man who behaved like a 10-year-old child from a single-parent home‚” Whitlock says.“And no one batted an eye; no one in the media called him out for it.” To learn more‚ watch the clip below. Want more from Jason Whitlock?To enjoy more fearless conversations at the crossroads of culture‚ faith‚ sports‚ and comedy with Jason Whitlock‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner (R-Ohio) is warning Americans about a "serious national security threat."In a cryptic statement on Wednesday‚ Turner said he shared sensitive intelligence about the threat with all members of Congress and called on President Joe Biden to declassify information about the threat.The statement said:Today‚ the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has made available to all Members of Congress information concerning a serious national security threat. I am requesting that President Biden declassify all information relating to this threat so that Congress‚ the Administration‚ and our allies can openly discuss the actions necessary to respond to this threat.Turner did not provide any further details. But it is important to note that‚ according to Turner‚ the House Intelligence Committee agreed in bipartisan fashion to notify Congress of the threat.National security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed the existence of the threat‚ telling reporters he plans to brief the Gang of Eight on Thursday. He declined‚ however‚ to elaborate on the nature of the threat."I reached out earlier this week to the Gang of Eight to offer myself for up for a personal briefing to the Gang of Eight‚ and in fact‚ we scheduled a briefing for the four House members of the Gang of Eight tomorrow. That's been on the books‚" he said. "So I am a bit surprised that Congressman Turner came out publicly today in advance of a meeting on the books for me to go sit with him alongside our intelligence and defense professionals tomorrow."I'm not in a position to say anything further from this podium at this time‚" Sullivan added.Sullivan‚ moreover‚ declined to reassure the American people they are not at risk‚ telling reporters‚ "That question is impossible to answer with a straight 'yes.'" — (@) The letter that Turner sent members of Congress said the urgent threat is about "a destabilizing foreign military capability‚" CNN reported.Meanwhile‚ sources who have seen the intelligence told CNN that the threat "is‚ in fact‚ a highly concerning and destabilizing" Russian capability the U.S. only recently learned about.Fox News corroborated CNN's reporting about a Russian capability‚ saying that the "the potential seriousness of the threat is grave" — though not immediately urgent.Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.)‚ the ranking member of the House Intel Committee‚ said people "should not panic‚" but praised Turner‚ saying he "is right to highlight this issue‚" which Himes described as "so sensitive."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Minority Republicans in the New York state legislature recently proposed legislation that would effectively reverse the state's and New York City's "sanctuary" policies. If passed‚ the reversal would allow local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.The legislation‚ S.8533/A.9167‚ is sponsored by Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt‚ Assembly Republican Leader Will Barclay‚ Deputy Republican Leader Andrew Lanza‚ and Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo.The Republican lawmakers blamed the sanctuary policies for preventing federal officials from addressing the immigration issue. According to Lanza‚ the state's current sanctuary status "ties the hands of law enforcement.""The failed immigration policies of President Biden and Governor Hochul are making New Yorkers less safe. Illegal migrants attacking our citizens and our brave men and women in law enforcement must be deported. This bill reverses course and allows our courts and police to notify federal authorities to get these dangerous people off our streets‚" Lanza stated.In 2017‚ then-Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) signed an executive order that prevented cooperation with ICE agents.The proposed legislation would require local law enforcement officials and certain courts to notify federal agencies about an arrest or conviction involving a non-citizen. On Tuesday‚ Lanza said‚ "New York citizens‚ through warped elected officials‚ give you free food‚ free clothing‚ free shelter‚ gift cards‚ televisions‚ whatever you want‚ and then you decide to thank New Yorkers by breaking the law.""That's how you thank New Yorkers?" he asked. Lanza called for violent illegal migrants to be removed from the country.Over the past year and a half‚ over 170‚000 migrants have arrived in New York City.If passed‚ the legislation would also "reinstate the maximum sentence for 365 day maximum sentence for a class A misdemeanor‚ and would repeal the 'protect our courts act' of 2020‚ which was designed to discourage cooperation and enforcement of federal immigration laws‚" according to Lanza.New York City Democratic Mayor Eric Adams told Fox Nation that the city is "out of room" to house migrants."We're not just saying we're out of room as a sound bite. We're out of room‚ literally. People are going to be eventually sleeping on the streets‚" Adams added.When asked by Fox Nation what it would take for him to "close the front door" on the city's sanctuary policies‚ Adams replied that he does not have the authority to stop the flow of incoming migrants."The law states that we cannot notify ICE. I cannot break the law and enforce the law. I can't deport. I can't stop people from coming in; repeated criminal behavior‚ I can't report to ICE for deportation. So there's certain things I can't do‚" Adams explained.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A new lawsuit alleges that a Democrat-affiliated county clerk in Michigan and her husband‚ a detective with the county sheriff's department‚ used their "local political influence" to have their son reinstated at school even after he had been expelled for reportedly raping a female classmate on school grounds.Late last month‚ the mother of the victim filed a lawsuit in federal court‚ alleging that her daughter's civil rights had been violated after Ingham County clerk Barbara Byrum — who previously served three terms as a Democrat in the Michigan House of Representatives — and her husband‚ Brian Delany‚ a detective with the Ingham County Sheriff's Office‚ managed to persuade the Mason Public School District to reinstate their son despite the alleged rape.According to the lawsuit‚ Byrum and Delany's son‚ identified as B.D.‚ attempted a sexual assault on a girl‚ identified only as E.M.‚ on two separate occasions in May 2022 when both were in the eighth grade. On the first occasion‚ the two were sitting at a table in English class when B.D. pulled E.M.'s chair closer to him as though he wanted to tell her a secret. But rather than whisper in her ear‚ B.D. allegedly stuck his hand down E.M.'s sweatpants and underwear and "digitally penetrated her vagina without consent‚" the lawsuit said. E.M. attempted to thwart the attack by claiming she was on her period‚ but B.D. was not deterred until the bell rang‚ it added.A few days later‚ B.D. allegedly "once again pulled up a chair and tried to perform the same act‚ rubbing E.M.’s upper/inner thigh on the outside of her pants‚" the lawsuit claimed. That time‚ E.M. walked away and eventually reported the alleged attacks to the assistant principal‚ prompting a law enforcement and Title IX investigation.The Title IX investigation ultimately determined that B.D.'s allegedly criminal behavior was "severe‚ pervasive and objectively offensive" to such an extent that E.M. had been denied her civil right to equal access to the education system. As a result‚ B.D. was expelled for his ninth-grade year in accordance with state law‚ which demands automatic and permanent expulsion in cases in which "a pupil ... commits a criminal sexual conduct in a school building or on school grounds ... against another pupil in the same school district."At some point‚ Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Garcia also imposed a personal protection order against B.D.‚ claiming that he posed "a credible threat to the physical safety of E.M. and interferes with E.M.’s place of education or engaging in conduct that impairs her educational relationship or environment." Whether that PPO was put in place as part of the conclusion of the Title IX investigation is unclear.In any case‚ by 10th grade‚ B.D. was reinstated in the district and began attending Mason High School‚ which E.M. also attends. As such‚ E.M. regularly sees B.D. "in the hallways‚ at lunch‚ and during extracurricular activities at school‚" the lawsuit claims‚ despite a "no contact order" for the two students.Not only has the no-contact order apparently failed to prevent the two from coming into contact with one another‚ but it has actually further violated E.M.'s rights by implying that "she was equally blameworthy for the incident in the 8th grade" and by restricting her freedom to move about the school as if she had done something wrong‚ the lawsuit said.The PPO imposed by Judge Garcia was renewed at about the same time the lawsuit was filed and remains in place today. The suit is seeking $75‚000 in damages as well as other costs and fees.The lawsuit named as defendants the Mason Public School District‚ MHS Principal Lance Delbridge‚ MHS Assistant Principal Nicholas Toodzio‚ and the boy's parents‚ Byrum and Delany. Byrum and Delany "were acting under their unique positions of power when they conspired with Mason Public School District and Board of Education" to have B.D. reinstated‚ it said.Attorney Brandon Wolfe‚ who is representing E.M.'s mother — listed on the lawsuit as E.M.'s next of friend — called the case "a miscarriage of justice." "How can you possibly say you’re an advocate for survivors‚ but then force your kid to basically go back to the same school where there’s a victim of sexual assault?" Wolfe said in reference to Byrum and Delany.When reached for comment‚ Byrum once told the Lansing City Pulse‚ "There are minors involved‚ so no names should be mentioned." She did not respond to another request for comment. The outlet was unable to contact Delany for comment.A quick look at Byrum's campaign website reveals just how well connected she is in Michigan Democrat circles. Not only does the site brag that Byrum was either the chair or vice chair of "the Democratic Caucus" from 2007 until 2010‚ but it also features a photo of Byrum alongside Jennifer Granholm‚ a former Michigan governor and the current secretary of energy for the Biden administration. In several other photos‚ Byrum is wearing pins referencing LGBTQ pride and transgenderism. In the main photo‚ she is wearing a cross necklace.As clerk‚ Byrum is the chief elections official of Ingham County‚ the county in which most of the capital city of Lansing is located. She also serves alongside Democrat Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on the Michigan Election Security Commission.The Midwesterner reached out to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer‚ Attorney General Dana Nessel‚ U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow‚ U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin‚ and Benson — all prominent Michigan Democrats — seeking comment about the case but received no response.In response to a request for comment from Blaze News‚ Gary Kinzer‚ superintendent of Mason Public Schools‚ provided a letter addressing multiple district controversies. For this reason‚ we are including only those statements that pertain to this particular case.Kinzer said: "I understand the community’s concern and interest regarding the federal lawsuit. As this is an active legal matter‚ the district cannot speak about the details of this case. "The Michigan School Code provides guidance to all public school districts regarding expulsion and reinstatement of students. Mason Public Schools and the Mason Public Schools Board of Education utilize this guidance in all expulsion and reinstatement situations‚ including this recent case."Mark Ostrowski‚ an attorney representing the district‚ also issued a statement: "It is not appropriate or permissible under federal law to discuss the details of a Title IX investigation or pending litigation involving minor students. Without discussing the specifics of this case‚ it can be said that the school district has an obligation to provide an appropriate education to all of its students and there are specific statutes governing and limiting the discipline applicable to each situation. In the present case‚ the school district acted in compliance with the applicable law and plaintiff’s lawsuit against the school district and its administrators has no merit."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!